the start of intros - Rhino and Guss!

[ChinnyMom]

last night had to be the happiest night since i fell in love with chinchillas - Rhino and Guss got their first play time together! )

the boys have had their cages next to each other for a week. i've seen lots of times where they would be as close as possible to each other, sitting and sleeping on shelves that put them nearest the other cage.

things went really well. Rhino did chase Guss in the beginning, and Guss lost a couple of small tufts of hair (just slips, not Rhino pulling it out). pretty soon the boys were hopping fairly calmly after each other in a 'i follow you, now you follow me' sort of game. i laid out cardboard houses, a long tube, and some apple sticks around the room for the boys. a couple times, they would sit on the floor near each other and just look at each other in a 'should we be friends?' sort of way. there was no mounting at all. wouldn't say the boys got into each other's personal space at all - no grooming or anything, but that will come with time.

i hope they will eventually live together! i'm going to take it slow, play times together and some cage swapping before i scrub down the big cage that Rhino is in, re-arrange it, and sleep in the chin room for the first few nights they are in there together. :dance3:

 

[Vcchinchilla]

Aww! The sound like such sweeties and what a success eh?!
I hope mine will have a good start too

 

[ChinnyMom]

i was pretty sure that Rhino would be the more dominant of the two - he can be rather pushy with me, while Guss is just a meek lil lovey dovey boy all the time. i'm hoping i won't have to trim Rhino's whiskers at all, they are so long and make him look so handsome. i know they'll grow back, but i don't want to see them short for even a little while.

 

[Sandi]

Good luck with intros. I'm going through that now myself. I wish I had more time to spend with them during intros but my work won't let me.

 

[ChinnyMom]

thanks Sandi! and i have all the time in the world after my kiddo goes to bed. i'm a night owl with insomniac tendencies, lol!

 

[Twilight Chinchillas]

Awe, I an just picture them frolicking around. Crossing my fingers that all goes well when you try them out in the same cage.

 

[Cuddlebug]

Sounds like things are going well. I see a lot of promise considering that there was no aggression shown by either chin. You are on the right track. Keep up the good work.

 

[ChinnyMom]

thanks all!

last night i was too busy being ecstatic with the boys getting along, i didn't take any pictures! tonight will be play time #2 together, and i'll be sure to remember to take my camera in )

 

[addictedtochins]

I'm so happy for everybody, whisker trimming does work wonders if needed.

 

[ChinnyMom]

i sure do hope whisker trimming won't be necessary, but i will do it if need be. Rhino is very protective of his 'whiskies' and goes mad with wiping them down with his paws if i so much as tap a fingertip to them, lol.

 

[ChinnyMom]

ok, none of these shots have both boys together, but here are Rhino and Guss out for playtime #2 the other night.

lemme out momma!

oh hi momma, you got a treat?

what? no treat til after playtime? fine, i'm outta here!

meanwhile, Guss practices his amazing chinnie flying powers

hmmmm.... wonder what's on the other side of this door?

 

[ChinnyMom]

please excuse all the poops in this set, i hadn't vacuumed yet, and the boys kick poops outta their cages like you wouldn't believe!

hi momma, i being a good boy, really i am.....

Guss sitting still, a rare occasion during playtime!

Rhino looking exceptionally cute while searching for Guss

momma, can i have some more dust please?

Rhino hiding from the camera, lol (he loves the space under the futon, and i love the fact it is an unfinished kd pine frame!)

wish i could have gotten more shots of Guss, but he's just too speedy! lol.

 

[Dewdrop]

Too cute. Glad intros are going well for you!

 

[LoveBug]

i love the one of Rhino looking for Guss, sooo cute!