Chinchillas that didn't grow up together may not get along upon first being introduced. This might surprise some people since chinchillas are sociable in the wild.
However, all is not lost. It is possible to get two chinchillas used to each other's company. When we were introducing two chinchillas from different breeders we used a tried and proven technique. We put the newer chinchilla in a spare cage we had. We kept our older chinchilla in her original cage. We kept the two cages side-by-side so that chinchillas could see and smell each other at all times.
Then, every night we would let each chinchilla out of her cage for a period of time, but never both at the same time. We left it up to each chinchilla to approach the other. Of course, with the cage bars in between them, there was no fear that they would hurt each other.
After a week or two, we allowed both chinchillas to leave their cages at the same time. The first few times we did this, the chinchillas would chase each other which we stopped as quickly as possible.
Again, a week or so after releasing both from their cages we noticed that there was less chasing and less fighting. The number of "incidents" continued to decrease over time. About 3 to 4 weeks into the process, we moved the newer chinchilla into the older chinchilla's cage. They slept in the same box, shared the same water bottle, and ate from the same dishes.
And as further proof that this system works, we repeated everything again with a third chinchilla with same results.
We believe in providing as complete information as possible, so we want to also make you aware of the neutral zone technique. Those that use the neutral zone technique actually disagree with the approach we described. We leave it up to you decide which approach to take.
Entries (RSS)
August 27th, 2006 at 5:05 pm
No, He didn't chase her when she ran away, he just let her go. They were in the cage together this morning when I got up and I was watching them to make sure they weren't fighting, and they don't attack each other, it seems like they just pretty much tell the other one to go away. Like Zoe will be on the lower level of the cage and he'll come up to her, she won't bite him she just kind of jumps up at him and then he goes away and they go about their business.
August 28th, 2006 at 8:21 am
Sounds like everything is fine then. If they continue to not like being around each other consider using two food bowls so that they don't feel forced to fight for food. Make sure both are getting enough to eat and that one is hogging the food.
August 28th, 2006 at 9:03 pm
Hello again! I once again need to ask for some advice - I only got my other chin a week ago and have been trying to introduce the two with playtime together. I thought that it wouldn't take too long for them to get along because they're so young, so I first let one out around the other's cage and then I've been letting them both out in a small area together. Yesterday it seemed like they were playing well together - they sort of snapped at each other, but then it toned down when I put out the dust bath. Today, it was all down hill and there was definitely some fur flying. Do they just need more time or is there anything I can get them to help them get along?
August 28th, 2006 at 9:42 pm
Melinda,
Give it more time before worrying too much. It took ours 3 or 4 weeks to get along well enough to be left to sleep in the same cage.
August 30th, 2006 at 8:37 am
Hi-it's us again. We just wanted to thank you for your help. Zoe and Smokey are getting along great, they are already cuddling with each other, it is the CUTEST thing!! Thank you so much for your knowledge and advice.
September 4th, 2006 at 10:16 pm
Just wanted to thank you for all your help! All my chins want to do is groom each other and cuddle up! Thanks!
September 27th, 2006 at 12:22 pm
I have two chinchillas that are 2yrs old and 1yr old. I am going to be getting two new chinchillas that will be in the same cage. The new chinchillas are 4 and 6 months old. Could I introduce all 4 of them at the same time, or should i introduce one new to the old 2, then the other new one?
October 1st, 2006 at 4:17 pm
Bryan,
We recommend following the same type of process as described above - keep the 2 new chinchillas in individual separate cages close to the cage of the 2 older chinchillas.
Introduce all four chinchillas during supervised interaction, be sure to not allow the chinchillas to chase each other or fight.
It may take a while before all the chinchillas get along and you can then consider keeping them in the same cage. With 4 chinchillas, make sure the cage is large enough for them to have enough space.
December 22nd, 2006 at 9:41 am
I recently bought a baby chinchilla (10 weeks old).We have had him for about a month now. During the last week he has started grunting a lot, I read that this is because of loneliness. Short of buying him a companion, what can I do? We take him out for playtime if not every night, every other.
December 30th, 2006 at 3:35 pm
Emily,
Sorry about the late response. We've been traveling visiting family and friends during the holidays.
It sounds like your chinchilla is just still uncomfortable with you. We recommend that you continue to spend time with your chinchilla so that it grows up used to being handled.
As for a second chinchilla, it's not necessary to get one. Chinchillas can do quite well on their own if you can spend enough time with them. In the wild, chinchillas are social creatures even though they can have territorial disputes.
January 9th, 2007 at 2:54 pm
can you put four chinchillas in the same cage ?
January 9th, 2007 at 3:00 pm
Can you put four chinchillas in the same cage ?
January 11th, 2007 at 2:04 pm
Hello,
I have a male chin that is about 1 year and 6 months old. I have had him for about 8 months. I let him out to play everyday and try to interact with him he only tolerates me. I've tried to be a very good companion for him but I think that he just doesn't like people. He will occasionally let me scratch under his chin and behind his ears but not often. He often times seems so lonely especially crying at night. I was wondering if I could intro a new male or is it as impossible as I have read? Or will he become more accustomed to me with more time?
January 13th, 2007 at 7:10 pm
Hi! I have two chinchillas and I am trying to get them used to each other. After having their cages side by side for awhile, I let them out together for a playtime. One of my chinchillas will lunge at the other one causing him to fur slip. Today he got a mouth full of fur. Is this signs that they will not get along or do we need to keep working with them? Thanks!
January 14th, 2007 at 10:12 am
Brittany,
Yes, you can put 4 chinchillas in to the same cage as long as it is big enough and as long as they get along. You'll probably need to spend some time letting them get used to each other though.
January 14th, 2007 at 10:16 am
Eric,
You could try to introduce another male chinchilla. There's no way to know ahead of time if two chinchillas will get a long though.
January 14th, 2007 at 10:21 am
Stacie,
It's hard to say if your chinchillas will eventually get along. How long have you been trying? Also, have you noticed an improvement in behavior or has it been as violent as you describe throughout the introduction process?
January 21st, 2007 at 11:16 am
Just wanted to say thanks for the heads up and give you an update. I think my little guy is getting used to me. He still doesn't want much to do with me but at least I know he isn't afraid of me at all. Everytime I put my hands in his cage he pushes them out of the way to climb up on my arm b/c he wants to play. I'm ok with that. Some chins just don't think they need their people. I will be getting him a friend though.
Thanks ,
Eric
January 26th, 2007 at 10:31 pm
I have never had any fights between them. It is all just chasing now. One of my chins are so scared of the other one though, when I do the cage intro he runs around crazily. Is there any way to ease his tension about the other chin? He runs even when he's not being chased. I've been trying for a month now.
January 27th, 2007 at 11:52 am
Stacie,
It sounds like you need to separate them. Look for signs that the scared one has calmed down and then go through the introduction process again using separate cages. But be prepared that they may not get along again. We don't have a quick fix for this one. Sorry and good luck!
February 28th, 2007 at 2:12 pm
Hi~ I have had one male chinchilla for three years through college and he has been a great pet. I've started working and I am not home as much as I was before. I am thinking about getting another chinchilla to keep him company… Is this a good idea. Should I look for a male of a female? How big of a cage do I need? Thanks for all your help!
February 28th, 2007 at 10:25 pm
David,
You should first decide whether you want to have chinchillas at all. While a second chinchilla will keep the first one company, it will require more time from you when it comes to cleaning. Chinchillas are social by nature, but they can do well on their own too. As for cage size, the bigger the better. There is no such thing as too big a cage so get what you can afford and fit in your home. The gender of your new chinchilla should match that of your current one.
April 4th, 2007 at 9:22 am
Just a quick question…
I have two chinchillas that have been housed together since August '06, one is a male and one is a female. We just recently bought another female chinchilla and she seems to get along fine with the male but goes after the female when she has the chance. I was just wondering if anyone knows if it is common for it to be harder to introduce two females or if it is a bad idea to introduce a new chin to a male and female pair that have been housed together for 8months?
thanks for the help.
April 4th, 2007 at 8:02 pm
Katie,
You could be up against a gender issue or just a personality issue. Female chinchillas are the dominant sex and are often more aggressive than males. However, females can get along with females. Our female chinchillas are living proof of this.
Are you planning on breeding chinchillas or are you taking measures to prevent your chinchillas from having babies?
April 5th, 2007 at 8:01 am
No, we are not planning on breeding them. We had the male chinchilla neutered a couple months ago.
April 5th, 2007 at 10:18 pm
Does anyone have any suggestions on where I can get a large chinchilla cage from?
April 10th, 2007 at 8:57 pm
Hello,
I just bought a female violet chinchilla that is 3 months old. I have an older male chinchilla that I grey. I am concerned that once they are able to live with one another they will breed. Is there is anyway to keep this from happening? Thank you.
Sarah
April 17th, 2007 at 10:31 am
Hi Sarah,
My boyfriend and I bought a female chinchilla and couple of weeks later we got a male chinchilla to put in the same cage; we were told that they would definitely breed if neither were fixed. We decided to get our male neutered since it is easier to do the male then the female, it was kind of expensive, I think around $150 and we had to separate them for about a week or two until he had his sutures removed.
The only thing I would say is find a vet that is familiar with neutering chinchillas because they do not do well under anesthesia and do not do well with pain either, so you definitely want to find someone that knows what they are doing.
I hope that helps you…
June 21st, 2007 at 2:36 pm
How often do chinchillas go into heat?
June 26th, 2007 at 12:50 pm
I have a 7 year old male chinchilla. Is he too told to introduce and mate him with a female?
August 16th, 2007 at 11:02 am
My fiancee and I are getting a 6mo old male chinchilla this weekend. Thing is, she wants to get a 6mo old female too. So my question is, is it possible for the two of them to be in the same cage, or would it be best to just get a second spare cage just to be safe?
August 16th, 2007 at 11:07 am
Ryan,
Young chinchillas should get along fine, but are you looking to breed them by keeping them in the same cage?
August 16th, 2007 at 11:18 am
Thats what my fiancee is possibly wanting to do. Though most likely. Shes getting this silver one from the pet store and wants me to get the black one. So I was just asking about the cage situation since we werent all to sure and I was iffy about putting them together right when we got home.
August 22nd, 2007 at 11:41 pm
this is about intoducing 2 chinchillas but i didnt know what category to put it under.soo.Do chinchillas smell bad? If they do is there anyway to get rid of their smell?
September 30th, 2007 at 7:47 am
I have two chinchillas, a standard who is a year, and a tovwhitemosaic who is 7 months. I introduced them successfully in June. They were getting along fine, snuggling together but never really acknowledging each other during playtime etc. It is September and tonight when I let them out they were fighting! making grunting noises, defense sounds and standing on their hind legs. no fur was lost but they did chase down each other. it was 4 am, do you think their tired of each other or just tired and cranky? Its weird…theyve been doing really really good. Now they seem to hate each other again.
September 30th, 2007 at 8:26 am
Kelsey,
We're sorry to hear that your chinchillas aren't getting along. We haven't had that problem and so we don't have a solution for you. We'd be inclined to give it more time. It could be that your 7 month old is at the age where it becomes necessary to determine a place in the "herd".
October 1st, 2007 at 9:30 pm
i have a question regarding two of my chinchillas. The oldest boy and girl seem to always be in heat and have had 4 babies in the past 5 months. i have read on a diffrent website that after giving birth chins have to be separated for at least 3 days so the girl doesnt reimpregnate. i was just wondering if that is true. and my chin just had 2 babies about 2 weeks ago.. is it possible that shes pregnant again?
October 2nd, 2007 at 6:14 am
Andra,
We've read similar things about separating males and females after the female has given birth. However, we've never gone down the path of breeding chinchillas so we don't have much as much experience there as we do in other areas.
October 14th, 2007 at 2:17 am
Im 14 yrs old and i got my first chin about 2 months ago. He (Puffin) is about 6 months old. Since Im a teen, lol, i spend alot of time with my friends and stuff so I let puffin out of his cage, its in our guest room with just some boxs and a bookcase puffin likes to wedge himself in between. We i let him out at 4 to like 11. He can go back into his cage whenever he likes. The thing is I dont spend alot of time with him, its hard to make time, but I love him and dont want to give him away. Also it would be too hard to buy another chin and cage and stuff since im using all my own money. Im afraid he might be lonely and not likeing his home with me, what do I do? Please help! Any advise or stuff is needed!
October 20th, 2007 at 7:27 am
Shelby,
If you don't have time for your pet, you should find another home for it. It sounds like you have other interests so why put yourself in a tough situation by trying to do everything?
October 25th, 2007 at 6:34 pm
Hello, I'm hoping you guys could help me out. I've got 3 chins, Coca Puff, Kelda and the unnamed baby, now Coca Puff I've had for a little over 2 years, Kelda about 8 months. Both Coca and Kelda are females and seem to fight ALL the time *they are still in separate cages* Kelda had her baby but now the baby is about 3 months old. I would love for them to all get along and play together, but its doesn't seem possible with Kelda. She sprays urine, knocks her food dish over all the time, knocks their little hidaway upside down. Seems to me she is irritated or unhappy, but I cannot figure out why, cage is large enough, she has things to chew on, I let her and the baby out several times a week. Any advice?
July 12th, 2008 at 8:56 pm
Hi. I have a question. I have one female chinchilla and shes about one and a half years old. I recently bought another female. The new one is still a baby and is very social. My problem is that my older chinchilla has never been very social and introducing them is concerning me because the older one tries to run out and attack the little one. I have them in one large cage that is seperated in the middle so they cant get at eachother. Its only been a few days but I am worried if the age and size difference is going to be an issue.
July 13th, 2008 at 8:57 am
Maddie,
Introducing chinchillas can easily take a few weeks. Ours started of fighting before they finally settled in together. Move slowly and be as patient as possible. I wouldn't let them run around together for a little while since they're starting off so hostile. Good luck!
August 9th, 2008 at 6:10 am
Hi,
I got a female baby chinchilla as company for my nearly 2 year old female chinchilla and after a few days they wern't fighting or anything through the bars (the big one just ignores the little one) so i put them on the floor. they were ok but the big one seems to chase the little one just abit and the little one jumps all over the place so i don't know if they are fighting or just playing. there is no noise really maybe a low like clicking noise but i don't no when i should put them in the cage together as i'm afriad the big one might hurt the baby i'm also afriad they will never make friends because of the age diffrence! Please help i want to make sure my chins make friends!
August 21st, 2008 at 9:17 am
Hello,
My wife and I got a young chinchilla last year and named her Aquila. She was always really sweet and treated us immediately like family. We were so pleased, that after a while we decided to get another chinchilla to keep her company because we thought that it would be the best thing and so, a couple of months ago, we brought Nimbus home. I was foolish and I immediately put Nimbus into Aquila's cage. I hadn't done enough research and I didn't realize that chinchillas needed so much time to learn to acclimate themselves to each other. So, immediately there were spats. We removed Nimbus at once, of course, and put her in her own cage but we kept the cages close together. We've since done a lot of research and have tried lots of suggestions for helping the chinchillas learn to like each other, but it hasn't seemed like anything has helped. In fact the opposite has happened. The fighting has seemed to increase. We try to moniter them closely and we try to give them time together to get them used to each other, but to no avail.
What can we do?
Please please help.
David and Becky
September 4th, 2008 at 11:01 am
Hi, i have a male chin that is about 7 months old.He is with us 5 months.Since last 4 weeks we tryin' to introduce another male chin(beige-10 months)For a first week we keep them in a 2 seperate cages side by side and let them out of cages one after another.After week we decided to let them go out together.First time my first one attacked the new one, but day after the new one keep chasing my first chin everytime theyre both outside their cages.And it is not just chasing (fur from my very first one was everywhere).Since that we tried to use a vanilla drops(put a drop into a nose of each other to make them smell the same), we were trying to flip the new one upside down to let our first one to smell his belly etc. just to let him know then there is nothing to worry about, our first chin never bites.Yesterday after 4 weeks of letting them out together and living in seperate cages side by side new one still chasing and attacking my first one.What should i do now?
September 14th, 2008 at 7:26 pm
Hi, I have a 5 year old male chin. I'd like to get a playmate for him. I have thought about another male chin or a guinea pig. What are your thoughts on introducing another chin or a guinea pig? Thanks!
October 27th, 2008 at 3:04 pm
My 7 month old chin is seriously refusing to let me handling him I keep thinking maybe I'm handling him wrongly or he just doesn't like me the sake of it. So i'm just asking if u could giv me some advice of how to handle him without making him stressed.
November 5th, 2008 at 7:29 pm
peace to all chinchilla lovers you guys rock!
B-) :-)>
November 19th, 2008 at 12:33 am
I have a chinchilla that I recieved as a gift a year ago, and I think he's 1 1/2 now. I am not always able to play with him as much as I know we both would like, and he always seems down, so I was thinking of getting him a friend. I have found a 2 year old male that I was looking into buying. After reading up on how to introduce them, I have a few questions. The cage I currently have is not a wire cage. It's metal with plexiglass doors and a wire top. Will the chins be able to get used to eachother's smells despite this? Also, I am worried about losing the bond I have with Charlie if i get him a friend. Do chins still want human attention once they have someone else to play with? Lasly, The cage i have now is 4 feet by 3 feet and has 3 levels. Will this be big enough to house two chins in?