Introduction Process

[Ripleyd]

Hi All,
So I've been reading up about chin introductions here and got some good basic info but was hoping to get a little more detail.
Onyx and Bella have been quarantined and have been in separate cages separated by a few inches for a few weeks and have been having good playtime as well. They acknowledge each other, sniff, sometimes kind of kiss each other (it was very cute) there was no real aggression that I could see.

Last week we were out having playtime per usual and we always leave the cage doors open so they can go in and out as they please, drink, etc. But they were both in Bella (the younger one)'s cage at the same time and were doing okay. Onyx (the older one) was just kind of sniffing around and Bella went to the higher shelves to eat.

Things were going okay until their sniffing suddenly became aggressive and started running in circles, up on the shelves and at each other. They began pulling out each other's fur and we smelled that one had urine sprayed the other (we can't be sure who did it though) so my boyfriend and I separated them. We waited a day or two to let them play and they were fine. But it seems anytime during play that they are in the same cage the same kind of spastic attack happens.

They are always able to play outside the cages just fine until tonight when they began to run in circles and pull out fur outside the cages. I separated them and put them in their cages (it was about time anyway).

I understand based on things I've read here that the fur pulling could just be something that happens at first but is there anything I can do to help the process/anything I should prepare for happening? I know that some chins just can't be housed together and I'm prepared for that to happen but they are friendly together most of the time, I just want to make the best of this situation.

 

[AZChins]

Chinchillas can be extremely territorial so you have to be very careful with letting them into each other's cages. It's a good idea to only let them into a freshly scrubbed cage that doesn't really belong to either one. You can trim the whiskers to keep them a little calmer since that can make them feel smaller and more vulnerable and less likely to fight.

 

[Dreamlite]

Chins can be very territorial with their cages. That's why its suggested to introduce in a neutral area (play time). I would stop letting them in each others cages during play. You can switch their cages so they get used to the smell of the other chin in their cage but when its time for them to live together you should clean and rearrange the cage so no one has 'home turf' claim. I've found that works and has better results.