Cage mates help!

[hoppergurl]

I just put my chinchillas together in a cage they've had play time in the hall together before and it's always been fine, but now that they're in the cage together they keep mounting each other trying to show dominance. My older one sometimes seems fine then other times seems annoyed by it all, and he will be a little more rough when showing dominance. They haven't fought but I'm wondering if I should keep them together? Will this all calm down? or should I separate them? It would be great for them to be cage mates but I just don't want either of them to get hurt because I made the wrong decision! Anyone have any advice?

 

[L_frady]

When I was introducing my two. I put them in playtime together every night for 25-30 mins depending on how they treated one another. I did that for about a month. By the time I put them in the cage together, they were so use to one another, they were more interested in investigating their new home then each other. Of course being males, they did try to show their dominance several times but it wasn't aggressive. After that they have been best friends ever since.

My oldest chinchilla was the one who was the most annoyed with my younger one but now he loves him!

So my advice would be just to watch them close and if it's to soon to put them in the same cage then just give them more time with just playtime interaction. I know it gets discouraging but just be patient with them. Good luck! Hope this helped!


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[Narcissus]

You must make sure the cage is completely neutral. Or one will be territorial.

 

[hoppergurl]

They've had lots of hall play time and I have made the cage completely neutral the dominance thing has seemed to calm down and they just go about there separate business. My older one every once and awhile will push the younger one out of the way when he wants on top of a hut the younger one is on or something and i've heard them chase each other around, but they seem to be doing well, they sit and groom each other randomly through put the day and every morning when I wake up they are sleeping in the tree trunk together... I think my older one just gets cranky every once and awhile. I keep watching them but tomorrow is my first shift back to work since I've put them together. I only work 5 hours and they're usually asleep during that time so it should be alright, but I'm of course still worried because I don't completely know what is normal for two chins living in a cage together and what is a warning sign to separate them... wish me luck