My boys are arguing...help!

[Shooper]

As most of you know, my boys "Charlie and Inca" were always best buddies. They ate, slept and played together...until a couple days ago. I heard a lot of barking going on, so I peeked in on them to check it out. Charlie was in the back corner of the pee pan, under a shelf and squished up against the bars. Every time Inca would get near him he started barking and having a hissy fit. I thought maybe Inca was being a bully. I loved on them and thought maybe I was just worrying too much. The next morning there was puffs of Charlie hair in the cage (3 small hunks) and the boys were in seperate areas of the cage. I didnt see any blood or injuries so I left them alone. When I got home from work I took them in the bathroom for an extra long playtime! Every time Charlie got close to Inca, Charlie would try humping him and Inca would run. This is not normal behavior for them. Charlie was overly loving with me also, usually not so much! I come home today and find Inca hair puffs (2) in the cage. I watched Charlie chase Inca around a little and he was just being very hyper. Poor Inca got in his tube and did the crying puppy noise every time Charlie came near. After chasing Inca, Charlie went all over the cage like a bloodhound, sniffing and acting hyper. It was like he was smelling where Inca had been or something. I checked both for any signs of injury, blew through their hair to look for scratches and found nothing. I hate this cause they have always been so close...what could this be? There have been no changes in their cage, routine or anything. I hate to hear Inca cry, it breaks my heart! Should I just let them work it out since there seems to be no injuries or what? Any advice is appreciated!

 

[Crys12065]

I am sorry, I don't have any experience with this but I think I would separarate them for now because it sounds like the bullying is progressing. Maybe hormones? How old are they?
I hope they work it out, it must be so stressful for you

 

[addictedtochins]

Get them separated right now, tonight. Put one in a carrier for now if you have to. I have lost a chin to a fight, I had a warning like you and can't forgive myself for not acting quicker.

 

[andreya]

I'm with Addicted.. I would separate them. I had two boys that I had together that had never had any issues and one day they were hissing at each other and being cranky. I checked them and they were fine and didn't think too much of it. The next day they had gotten into a bad fight, torn ear, torn genitals, bloody. My one boy didn't make it and the other one couldn't be caged with a male again without trying to kill it. It sucks but it's not worth the risk.

Separately, I had another pair that went from love to fighting. I separated them but was eventually able to get those two back together, they just seemed to need some time apart. It doesn't always happen but hopefully yours will be okay.

 

[Shooper]

Thanks guys! When I got up this morning I checked on them. Inca hair in the cage again and when I picked him up I felt a scab on his back. I put a marble chiller over the hole to the second level. Atleast I can easily seperate the FN142, but it still sucks! I will keep them seperate for now. How long should I wait before reintroducing? By the way, I think Inca is 4 now and Charlie was a petshop chin, so not sure on him...atleast 2.

:hair:

 

[andreya]

Aww, yeah, definitely time to separate. Chins don't seem to "work it out", it only seems to get worse the longer they are together.

I would say probably at least two weeks, maybe a month. You could always give them a week, put them in a neutral play area and see how they react. If it's bad, then wait more time. If they can't get along in open space you don't want to shove them in the cage together. I got lucky with mine. I waited a few weeks and then popped one back in the cage with the other and they were happy as clams; I didn't have a play space in my last dwelling. I watched them endlessly though to make sure they didn't go right back to killing each other.

 

[Cuddlebug]

If there is a scab, blood has been drawn. Separate them and keep them separate unless you want to come home one day to a full blown battle and possibly one or more dead chins. Once blood has been drawn, it is rare that they can be reintroduced successfully.

 

[Shooper]

Since the separation Charlie seems happy and extra loving (with humans). I think he is happy to have his own space. Inca is just sitting around moping and whining, I feel bad for him and he gets lots of extra cuddles! Maybe Inca can be introduced to the new baby boys later down the road????? I'm glad I acted before something really bad happened and Im grateful to have my boys (even seperated)!

 

[addictedtochins]

I'm glad you listened and separated. I thought of one more thing to check. Rarely, but sometimes it has happened where they have ran out of hay, food or water, or the water bottle failed to work and that has been the cause of crabbiness/fighting so make sure the water is working in the original cage

 

[Cuddlebug]

give both chins some time to recover from the fighting before you introduce them to other chinchillas. Be especially careful introing the more aggressive one. He may h ave decided that he does not want to share with any other chinchilla.

 

[Shooper]

Charlie will probably always be a single now...he was the agresor and seems to like being alone! Inca is the one moping and whining, but he seemed better today, maybe its all the extra attention! I do appreciate all the advice. On another note...
My new babies come home tomorrow!!!!!

 

[Jaina_Organasolo]

Keep a close eye on the scab also, if it goes red, swollen or hot you might need anti-biotics. There's a lot of germs in a Chinny mouth. x

 

[Shooper]

The scabs (actually 2 scabs) are really shrinking quick. Thanks, I will continue to check on them. Here's a strange scenario... Neither boy has been destructive ever. I used to just lay a piece of fleece in the cage and they didnt even move it around, big items stayed in their place. Get up this morning and Charlie has trashed his cage, liner folded in half and wadded up, and he had thrown the bedding from his litter pan everywhere! Inca's wooden house was in the middle of his cage. Then I noticed that my Glider had turned his box house upside down (he is tiny and has only 3 legs) and that is amazing for him. I was like a tornado went through my cages (except the rat cage) in the dining room. Just wierd?????

 

[Dewdrop]

Sorry you had to separate. I recently had to do that with one of my pairs, and it wasn't fun. (Almost exact story as yours, but a torn ear instead of body wounds)...

I'd leave the bully as a solo and down the road maybe introduce the other to your new boys, once they have settled!

Good luck.

 

[Brittany]

Here's a strange scenario... Neither boy has been destructive ever. I used to just lay a piece of fleece in the cage and they didnt even move it around, big items stayed in their place. Get up this morning and Charlie has trashed his cage, liner folded in half and wadded up, and he had thrown the bedding from his litter pan everywhere! Inca's wooden house was in the middle of his cage. Then I noticed that my Glider had turned his box house upside down (he is tiny and has only 3 legs) and that is amazing for him. I was like a tornado went through my cages (except the rat cage) in the dining room. Just wierd?????

I have no clue about the glider, but I've experienced chins developing quirks like that out of the blue. Once they learn how to do something they also like to repeat the behavior, so this may happen more often.

 

[lauriane78]

Poor Inca. I hope that he recovers emotionally from this.

 

[Shooper]

Thanks everyone! The boys seem to be fine. Inca doesnt cry anymore and both were very active during their seperate playtimes in the bathroom!

 

[~@Pokemon@~]

My boys were like that too. Amazing together always cuddling. Till I came home and Pikachu my white&black ebony had a chunk taken out of his ear. Kiwi my tan chased Pikachu around and would search around for him when he went into hiding. Poor thing was so scared he would hide near me so Kiwi wouldnt hurt him. I have them seperated now and they are quite happy.

Im Glad your boys are better now

 

[Shooper]

Weighed all 4 boys tonight. Smokey, Bandit and Charlie have all gained weight.
Inca has lost 8 grams, could this be because he's depressed over Charlie or is it normal to loose a little?

 

[Cuddlebug]

I wouldn't worry about 8 grams unless he continues to loose weight. Chinchilla weights can fluctuate quite a bit in just a day or two.