How soon?

[TheLittlestNinjaChin]

After a very long quarentine period, I have introduced my two female chins together and they're getting along great! I'm wondering, though, how soon can I put the shelves back in the cage? Its a big ferret nation cage and they are confined to the top level, but both of them are climbing the walls. They both like to be able to jump around on the perches and such, and I'm just wondering how long it has to be before I can give them free reign of the entire cage.

 

[BooBoo*TheKiddo*]

Why did you take the shelves out?

 

[Godofgods]

Why did you take the shelves out?

Id have to ask that to.

Their might be a legit reason for doing that, im not sure. But i cant say iv ever hear of it. Alls i know is that i kept my sleves in the cage when introing my guy and girl way back when.

 

[ChinnyMom]

I've never read about taking out shelves when doing intros either. I can understand that newly intro-ed chins may bounce around a cage like crazy if they are at all agitated with each other, and may hurt themselves. but if your girls are getting along then i see no reason to keep the shelves out at all, or to restrict them to half the cage.

were the shelves used in one of the chin's cages before you intro-ed them? if so, scrubbing them down to rid them of the one chin's scent might be a good idea, so that the chin that had the shelves before doesn't all of a sudden think the cage is just her space again, and gets defensive towards her 'sister'. a 50/50 vinegar and water mix works well, and just ensure the shelves are dry all the way before putting them back in the cage. or if you are mixing the shelves from both separate cages, then both chins scents will be all over them, and i wouldn't worry about scrubbing them first.

 

[TheLittlestNinjaChin]

On Chincare.com, the cage-within-a-cage method instructed that taking out the toys and shelves would keep both chins from having an advantage over the other.... thinking about it now it actually seems so silly! I put the shelves and other toys back in last night, they both have full access to all the cage and its like they've been together their whole lives. I haven't had any problems with them! No aggression, no fighting over the food or water or wheel. I've spent a good bit of time in my office with them since I put them together and they act like having a buddy is the most natural thing in the world.

 

[Cuddlebug]

That sounds backwards to me. The more places the chins have to get away from each other the better, so a the full cage with plenty of room and places to hide is best. Think about it this way. If there are too many chins in a cage, they will start fighting because they have no where to get away from each other. This is true for intros, too.

 

[ChinnyMom]

while chincare.com does have some valid points and info about chins, i would not suggest that site to anyone. it mentions squirting a dominant alpha chin with a water gun if it mounts another chin excessively?? oh my..... if that were the case, then that alpha chin should just be housed solitary. that site also suggests distilled water for chins, a big no no.