Pairing successes

[Sugarised]

Just wondering what success stories you all have for bonding two completely seperate chinchillas. I want a cagemate for starrkey, as mentioned in another thred, but am reading so much contradicting stuff I'm now lost what to get....
-neuter him and get him a girlfriend
-or get him a male buddy?

what have you lot found to be the best when bonding them up?

 

[greychins]

I would try to avoid surgery if at all possible. There would be no reason to put him through neutering when you could simply get a male cagemate. Chances are, if he doesn't get along with another male, he's probably not likely to get along with a female either. Same sex pairs get along just as well, IMO, than do opposite sex pairs. In fact, in all the chins I've ever paired up, I've had more problems and injuries with male-female pairs than with male-male or female-female pairs.

As for the best way to bond them - here we just do mutual playtimes in the playpen and if they get along, they go in a cage together. I'm sure not everyone does it this way, but if they're going to fight, they typically start right in the playpen, before they ever get into the cage. And at least for us, if they don't even get along in the playpen, no matter what we've tried, they never get along enough to be housed together.

 

[AZChins]

I would suggest getting another male. As much fun as it sounds, breeding chins can be really difficult and heartbreaking. Stick with boys and you won't have to worry nearly as much. (Sometimes I wish that I only had kept males...)

What I do to introduce males is snip off their whiskers and put them in a freshly cleaned cage that neither one has ever been in before. I'll put some extra fun things in the cage like new toys, maybe a box or two and a dust bath to distract them. That generally works. But, bear in mind, like greychins said above, some chins won't get along with anyone. So be prepared to keep any new chins in a separate cage because they may not get along.

You need to watch any chins that you place together very closely for a few days to be sure there is no fighting. Generally after 24 hours of no fighting and no problems they will be fine, BUT some chins will turn on each other later on. Watch for any fighting at all and if you see that one chin is picking on the other, consider separating them.

I have a few males here that have to be kept by themselves and they are completely happy with it. I introduce chins all the time, but sometimes even I can't get them to get along. Sometimes if all else fails, they end up coming on a long car ride with me so they can bond in a carrier and get along later on.

The little chins are often very frightened of other chins and have to be taught that no one is going to hurt them. A scared chin is a very dangerous thing when it comes to being around other chins...when frightened they can kill another chin. Be very, very careful.

 

[addictedtochins]

When they are finally together I stay with them, for instance right now our 2 cages are in the living room and I pair them up when I am going to pretty much be home all day and if that went well I sleep on the couch the first night. If they are not getting along I'll wake up and watch them.

 

[Sugarised]

oh i'm so torn now, I have a viewing for a lady chin on thursday. But am calling the vet tomorrow to see their confidence in the operation. I suppose if they sound confident I'll try it, but if they aren't stick with a boy? I just keep reading so much contradictory stuff from various chin-dedicated sites. Obviously pairing works out as some of you have tonnes and most of them have cagemates. I just want to minimise the risks as, though prepared for it not to work, it would completely defeat the object of my new aquisition.

I am aware all surgery carries risk, and he will be down for a week or so, but then he could have a lifelong partner...its such a tough decision as to which sacrifice/risk is the best one to take to ensure the happiest chinny