hormones and neutering

[Anne-Lise]

Hi guys!
I have a big question for you today. I was not quite sure in which forum to post, so move my post if I got the wrong one. Let me explain the context first.

I have a female that used to be breeding. I introduced her to a male a couple years ago and it went fine, they had a litter. She was always very dominant. She would bite me, charge at me. Even peed in my face actually but it wasn't so bad most of the time as she was born here so we know each other quite a bit! But with other chins, except her male, forget it, she is a total b***h....

THen we got flooded and I had to send her and her male to a breeder friend's house. The change did not do her good. She started being mean to her male, my friend had to separate them. He had lost a lot of weight. Her behavior was even worst with humans. SHe was put with a different male, a more dominent one but i didn't work either. And there's no way I can put her with a female.

I'll take her back soon. I'm not sure what to do with her. I don't think because she's coming back home her behavior is gonna improve. She was always pretty agressive even here. I won't put her back with her male, poor him. Not with another female. If she's alone I can't spend time with her she's too agressive and time won't make her nice believe me I've tried! I'm trying to make life better for HER.

Here comes my question: Do you think neutering a female would help improve her behavior? I'M actually ready to take the risks of the surgery to improve her life afterwards. I don't want to shock anyone, just that this female will spend the rest of her life alone in a cage all by herself if I can't find a solution.

 

[saphire]

I would let her be, be on her own, possibly that would be the improvement you can offer her. She may just be the type to want to be simply left alone.

I would not take the risk to spay a female for personallity reasons, I also do not believe it will change anything in her ways.

She has proven to you that she is what she is over the years.

Good Luck Anne-Lise

 

[threewingedfury]

No, I would not think that spaying the female would change her behavior for the better by any means. I've always been against spaying chinchillas unless it's something that's absolutely necessary to keep the animal alive. I would just leave her by herself and let her be.

 

[Saffron]

Spaying (due to pyometra) made no difference in our chin's aggression level or her personality, so I don't believe it would help.

 

[obcsed]

I agree that spaying is not going to help. She sounds like a chin who would really benefit from being alone. I had a female foster here for sometime that was very aggressive towards other chins and all people. She was moved to another home where she is the only animal in the house. Her aggression has disappeared and she is so much happier.

 

[Newt]

I wouldn't spay her unless it was a medical emergency. I've had two chins spayed, both due to pyometra, and let me tell you, the surgery is VERY tough on them. It's risky and painful, their recovery is slow, and they may need force feeding every few hours for a week or two.

If you love your chin, don't put her through this unnecessarily. I've had three singleton chins (who all hated each other), and they all did perfectly well living alone.

Just accept her as she is...

 

[Anne-Lise]

She was alone for quite a bit in the past. No improvement. I guess that's what will happen in the future too. Thanks guys for your feedback. I wish I was able to make her be more friendly gosh....

 

[Kansas City Chinchillas]

Some chins prefer living by themselves.