So far so good, I think (introducing chins)

[cmor1031]

So here is what I have done so far to introduce my two male chinchillas, and now I would just like some feedback.

2 weeks ago, I put their cages in the same room, but they were covered on the sides facing on another so they could smell/hear, but not see each other.

1 week ago I uncovered the cages so that now they could see each other.

Tonight I switched them for the first time. I did not clean the cages beforehand because I wanted them to REALLY be able to smell one another. Both of them didn't seem to care about being in a new cage. They both went around exploring and chewing on wood, and after about 10 minutes they started peeping and talking to each other (all good sounds) and one of them started popcorning, SO CUTE!

So at this point, I am just wondering what signs, if any, I should be looking for that are good signs? Every once in a while I hear them talking to one another, and they don't seem to mind each others presence next to one another in their cages. I will probably switch them for a little bit now everyday.

How long should I continue doing this? I know some of you have TONS of experience with this, so any advice would be great.

THANK YOU!!

 

[cmor1031]

54 views and not one comment....come on guys, I'm asking for input...

 

[ChinnyMom]

sounds like they are happy to hang out next to each other in separate cages, so i would start shared playtimes. that's what i did when intro-ing my boys. there was chasing at first, but it lessened after time when they'd been out together multiple times.

after a long period of shared playtimes, i would put both boys in the same cage supervised, for just an hour or so each time. both their cages were used for this, alternating which cage they both went in.

after about a week of doing the supervised 'together in a cage' time, i felt they were ready to be unsupervised in the same cage. i put them in together for a day and then separated them for the first night. after that night they've been together in the same cage all the time. they snuggle together now and then, but seem to enjoy having their own personal space (one will nap in the tube while the other naps on a shelf not far away).

i took 6 months to intro my boys, and am very happy i took it slow and i think the long timeline kept the stress to a minimum and created a nice bond between them.

 

[SookiFace1]

Cmor - I'm at the same nervous stage with introducing my girls. If you'd like we can do the buddy system and use this thread as kind of a journal and q&a for each other

 

[Zeke-and-Pascal]

I'm going through the same thing. I let them together for like 15mins there was a bunch of dominance humping, but not much noise and no real roughness (biting, fur pulling). I'm going to try again at playtime and see if it calms down more, it did seem to decrease with time (even on the first time out together). I think it will be a long time though before I feel comfortable leaving them alone together since I don't want to come home to a dead chin...

 

[Anna]

I just put my guys together. I had them out in the bathroom for a little while and they didn't even acknowledge each other. I put them in a cage neither had been in before and they kind of sniffed each other and climbed on each other, not humping though! then they began minding their own business. I moved them back but it definitely went well!n my thread about intros, i was told males are easier to throw in together than females. It's going to be a while before I let them unsupervised though.

 

[cmor1031]

Sure SookiFace! I would have added to this thread sooner, but I kindof lost it and it took me a while to find it again, haha.

So I have done more switching back and forth. And recently I had their first playtime together in the bathroom. To me, things went very well. There were lots of sniffs, quite a bit of mounting to assert dominance, but no serious rough-housing or biting. They would each make a little bit of noise if the other tried to mount, but I figure that a bit of unhappiness is normal.

There was no serious chasing or fighting. They would just realize the other one was there when they came within a foot or two of one another. And neither of them seemed really stressed out or acted like they were trying to escape the bathroom.

So for a first meeting, I think it went great. There were a few little nips here and there but nothing serious.

Mikey did end up having a tiny wet spot just above his tail afterward, so I'm guessing Hannibal either peed on him a bit or did something else (haha pervs), but no big deal.

I think Hannibal will end up being the dominant male even though Mikey is twice his size.

 

[SookiFace1]

Ever since I did the vanilla on the nose and bums and the girls made movements towards each others' noses I slowed it way down. I have been doing cage swapping once or twice a week and put their cages closer to each other.

I dont think the nose boop thing was bad though, because the past 2 weeks or so Sookie (14 months) has opened up and really wants to get to know Sensi ( 9 months). Shes always jumping around to get her attention and reaching for her. When Sookie gets let out for playtime she gradually went from barely checking out Sensi's cage, to popcorning around it, and then topped it off today when She began climbing up the side of the cage to try to reach Sensi on the 3rd level. Sensi hasnt sprayed or lost fur over Sookie's excitement but only once or twice a week will actually acknowledge Sookie.