Signs of aggression

[MNChinLover]

Hello,
I enjoy learning about animal behavior.

Each animal has their own unique way of communicating with one another, I was just wondering if someone could provide a list of signs of aggression as I plan to place two chins together I would like to make sure I don't look over any possible signs of aggression.

For example, you can tell if a horse is angry if they pin their ears back. Dogs if their fur is raised or teeth bared or certain stances, certain ways they hold their tail, etc.

I already know some like biting or aggressive. Also, they will both be males so any male specific aggression signs?

Thanks!

 

[tunes]

Unfortunately, by the time they show aggression you may come on the tail end of it - a chin beaten bloody. A chin will jump on the back of anther chin and just rip them open from the nose to the tail. I have seen chins beat up who looked like they had nothing but exposed muscle left. It is a horrible, horrible thing to see. There were no warning signs of aggression. They were fine one day, and one was half dead or dead the next. It's the stuff you don't see (that happens while you sleep or are at work) that is the issue.

There are a few things you can look for. Loose fur in the cage. One chin acting cowed or reserved while the other one is fine. Listen for kacking or spitting. Chasing around the cage. If any of these occur, separate them. With my rats if I don't see blood, I don't worry. Sometimes they squabble and you hear some squaking. With a chin, it's completely different.

 

[MNChinLover]

Oops, I meant to put this in the chin behavior/anatomy thread.

 

[MNChinLover]

Unfortunately, by the time they show aggression you may come on the tail end of it - a chin beaten bloody. A chin will jump on the back of anther chin and just rip them open from the nose to the tail. I have seen chins beat up who looked like they had nothing but exposed muscle left. It is a horrible, horrible thing to see. There were no warning signs of aggression. They were fine one day, and one was half dead or dead the next. It's the stuff you don't see (that happens while you sleep or are at work) that is the issue.

There are a few things you can look for. Loose fur in the cage. One chin acting cowed or reserved while the other one is fine. Listen for kacking or spitting. Chasing around the cage. If any of these occur, separate them. With my rats if I don't see blood, I don't worry. Sometimes they squabble and you hear some squaking. With a chin, it's completely different.

Thank you for your response. It is definitely scary to think about. How often do these random acts of violence tend to occur that result in serious injury or death? I would imagine it does not happen too frequently as I see so many with two or more chins living together and if it happens frequently people wouldn't try to house more than two chins together.

I also have a large chin emergency kit just incase anything happened, I would of course separate my future chins if they were showing aggression toward each other. But I would prefer not to have one giant chin spin in each level of the FN! And extra hay holders extra food dishes etc. I like the idea of giving them both a lot of room with the two levels so I hope they always get along.

 

[becky12883]

When my boys decided that they didn't want to live together anymore, there were warning sings. They squabbled a little during playtime, not much but more than playing, yet not really enough to make me think anything was wrong, and were fine in the cage. The biggest tell was that they were chasing each other through the cage, in the middle of the night. It woke me and my fiance up one night. We found them each in a separate corner of the cage, lunging at each other, with tons of fur flying. There luckily was no blood, so we separated them for the night. We put them back together in the morning and they cuddled up and went to sleep. Then next night it was the same thing, so we separated them for good. They are father and son and had been together for 3 years, then one day they just decided they hated each other. Now when one is out for playtime we have to cover the other's cage because they try to fight through the bars.
Whenever you have 2 chins, there is no guarantee that they will always get along, so it's important to have a plan for if/when you have to split them.

 

[Amethyst]

But I would prefer not to have one giant chin spin in each level of the FN! And extra hay holders extra food dishes etc. I like the idea of giving them both a lot of room with the two levels so I hope they always get along.

You actually do want to have extra hay holders, food bowls, and water bottles. One thing that chins commonly fight over is food and water, so it's best to have one of each per chin so you don't end up with one hogging it all and creating a reason to fight. I have my FN set up for my two with a food bowl on the top and bottom, water bottles on the top and bottom, and hay in three areas.

 

[MNChinLover]

You actually do want to have extra hay holders, food bowls, and water bottles. One thing that chins commonly fight over is food and water, so it's best to have one of each per chin so you don't end up with one hogging it all and creating a reason to fight. I have my FN set up for my two with a food bowl on the top and bottom, water bottles on the top and bottom, and hay in three areas.

Oh that is a good point. Well I already have two water bottles and am about to have two hay holders (I was just planning on only using one though) I could just order another dish.

Ugh I'm going to have to rearrange their cage once again. Lol I have bought them too many things I have discovered and it won't all fit nicely.. I guess I'll have extras if I ever want to change up their home from time to time or if some wood pieces get too chewed I can switch them out.