Developing Aggression

[Inca-bink]

Hi All,

I'm looking for some advice.

I have 4 female chinchillas who live together in a very large cage. They have an hour or more of playtime nightly and have been extremely peaceful up until this point. I had to leave home for a few days, and although I had a sitter to provide basic needs, they did not get to play.

Since I returned I am noticing increased aggression between the oldest girl (Willow, about 5 years old, and the alpha) and the youngest (Visa, about 1 year old). So far it is just spraying and slipped fur, but I'm concerned that it may develop beyond that. Also, it seems that when they start up, my second oldest girl (Nova, 3 years) has a tendancy to get cranky and will spray Visa if she comes near her.

I have the capability to separate Visa out to live on her own, which may solve the problem, since she seems to be the target of the aggression. I do not want to risk any of my girls' safety. But I am concerned that once I do that there will be no going back, and I will probably never be able to reintroduce her to the rest of her cage-mates. Is this the only way? Are there other techniques or advice that you all can share with me?

Thank you.

 

[Stackie]

Try cutting all their whiskers. Make sure they are all the same length. If that doesn't work, I have put chins in a carrier and taken them on a car ride. I also rearranged their cage. All the confusion seemed to make them forget about their aggression and they've been fine since. However if they are still showing aggression after these things, they will most likely have to be separated.

It sounds like the youngest is starting to hit puberty and wanting to take over job as boss, or test her boundaries. If they do end up having to be separated, she may be able to be reintroduced once she gets older and calms down. Or, she may not. Just a hard shot to tell with chins.

 

[Inca-bink]

Thanks Stacie,

I noticed the behavior all week, no spilled blood yet, but lots of cranky chinchillas. I trimmed everyone's whiskers and started housing Visa separately when I couldn't be there to supervise.

Took them on a long car ride today (over an hour), during which they all sat in the carrier together quietly. When I got home, I left them in the carrier for a while while I rearranged all the cage furniture so it would be a "fresh" environment for them. Put them back together and yikes! Less than 10 minutes and Visa is back to spraying Willow everytime she comes near her, and Willow and Nova are chasing her all around in retaliation. Lots of vocalization, lots of slipped fur. Visa will be spending the night in another cage, and I plan to keep Troi (the only one who hasn't been involved in all the tiffs) with her to keep her company.

After watching the interaction and listening very carefully to the vocalizations, I'm pretty sure that Visa is frightened of Willow and is making "don't hurt me" noises right before she rears up and sprays. Willow is not instigating it, she's just hopping by when Visa responds this way, but she won't let it go once Visa sprays her. Nova is never the cause, but she always gets involved once the fight starts.

At what point do you accept that "permanent" separation is the only way? Is there anything else you would try first? Or am I being a big baby and I should just let them fight it out? I understand that sometimes animals need to work out their hierarchies and it can look nasty to people, but I'm worried that this is going to go too far. If I do need to separate them, is it a good idea to keep Troi with her, or is that just going to make reintroduction harder, since it will be 2 and 2?

Thanks all,

 

[ChinnyMom]

i wouldn't let them 'fight it out', chins can do a lot of damage to another (i've seen some gruesome photos!) in a short period of time.

 

[Christina Noraas]

By the looks of it, at least from my point of view, that there isn't much turning back to where they will be alright with one another again. I would defiantly separate before someone ends up dead.

 

[Kansas City Chinchillas]

By the looks of it, at least from my point of view, that there isn't much turning back to where they will be alright with one another again. I would defiantly separate before someone ends up dead.

I agree that it's time to separate permanently. This type of aggression between female chins is not good for any of those housed with them. Injury to one or more of the chins can happen at any time. These girls are telling you there is a problem. Please listen to them, separate them and do not try to put them together in the future.

 

[Cuddlebug]

I agree. Permanent separation is the way to go and now is much better than after someone gets hurt or killed. If you want every one to have a friend, then you can split them up to be 2 in each cage.