Dominance Dance

[Lulilac]

My two male chinchillas Barnaby and Hugo have separate cages and mutual play time. For a while there, they practically ignored each other when running around but now they are taking turns trying to mount each other. There is no biting or even fur pulling, just chasing and leap frogging. There is also a lot of nose nibbling, popcorning and hopping around like crazed kangaroos.

Sometimes Barnaby tries to get on Hugo's back while Hugo is trying to get on Barnaby's back. They end up standing on their hind legs and twisting around each other in a spiral, like partners in a strange chinchilla walz. It ends when one of them leaps away, often with the other in pursuit.

Should I discourage this behavior or just laugh at the silly chinchillas who both think they are Alpha? There is no biting or angry noises at this point, but don't want it to escalate.

 

[AZChins]

You need to watch them closely just so that there won't be any problems. I have males that live in the same cage that do this little dance all the time. Sometimes I think they are just playing and it has nothing to do with dominance...but it is dominant behavior even if they look like they are having fun! They're trying to figure out who the boss is when they do it. It sounds like they are pretty equal at this point since neither one seems to have full dominance.

The running after each other after it is over is definitely just them having a good time. I love watching the chins run around after each other wall surfing and having a blast.

How old are Barnaby and Hugo? Are they close in age?

 

[Lulilac]

Barnaby is six years old. He came to live with me last August because his person could no longer care for him and didn't have AC. : ( He is my first chinchilla ever. A friend thought he'd be a good pet for me since I'm allergic to everything else with fur. She was right. : )

Hugo is 10 months old. I brought him home in March of this year to be a 'friend' for Barnaby. He is already the larger of the two. At this rate, he will eventually resemble a bowling ball with a tail. : D Hugo has waaay too much energy. I just got him his very own chin spin, which he really seems to like. He even sleeps in it.

: ) Are your two about the same age? I really wanted my two to be cagemates, but I just don't trust them to live together without someone getting hurt.

 

[Godofgods]

its hard to say for me. I have two males living together in same sage. On atleast 5 yrs, other not even a year. But their father and son. They do all the same things occasionly when the were out to play as well. But its never once turned violent, or looked liek its about to. However their are some chins that it would. Depends on the two you have.

Id says keep a close eye on them. Just make sure they dont try to hurt each other. No harm in taking it slow.