Chinchillas are social animals and can enjoy living with others. Sometimes chinchillas naturally accept one another immediately and other times they need a little adjustment time. Rarely, two dominant chinchillas will not get along no matter what. It is always best to start with a slow introduction process when planing to cage two or more chinchillas together. Here are some suggestions-
* Many people like to put the cages side by side for a while. Always allow a new chinchilla time to adjust to a new home before starting the introduction process.
* Always have introductions in neutral territory, that is, do not put one chin in the other chin’s cage and do not have a bunch of accessories out that may smell like one chinchilla
* A little chasing and mounting is okay but any signs of biting or wrestling is not and you need to separate the chinchillas immediately
* When your chinchillas are comfortable running around together, you can test their reaction by keeping the door open on the cages (provided they are in the same area and accessible to chins). If both chins are okay with the other exploring their cages, you can move onto seeing if they will get along while caged.
* When caging chinchillas together, put them in a neutral cage; one that has been thoroughly washed and rearranged with clean accessories. Never put a chinchilla in a more dominant chinchilla’s cage!
* Always have a backup cage, even after your chins are living together peacefully. They could change their mind at any time or you may need to separate them due to illness or injury.
* To help avoid fights while living together, have multiple food dishes, water bottles, and hide houses-these things are most likely to cause fights
* Dust and hay are great distractions and can be useful during introductions.
* There are no rules about males or females get along better; 2 males can get along just the same as 2 females. And remember if you put a male and female together, even if only for “playtime” you could end up with babies so if that is not your intention it’s best to stick to same sex pairs.
* The process is the same for introducing multiple chinchillas, be sure to watch closely and make sure no one is being bullied as sometimes already bonded chins will gang up on a newcomer.
With a little luck and patience, your chinchillas will become best friends and cage mates 😀
This is a typical (pretty positive) introduction-
This is why you need to introduce them in neutral territory; dominant chinchillas will attack-
I have a two chinchillas they are boys they are also brteohrs one of them has just attacked the other one. Why do you think he might have done this? His cut is healing just fine NO deep cuts just a thick bit of skin and some fur. We are buying two NEW different cages because i read that the one with the old cage might be uncomfortable with his smell in the cage is this true? P.S THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THE VIDEOS I HAVE WATCHED THEM ALL BUT THEY DIDNT SAY ANYTHING ABOUT THEM FIGHTING
If they are under or around a year old, it could just be that they are fighting over who gets to be more dominant. Or they could be fighting over food, water, dust, hide house so it is always good to have two bottles, dishes, and houses in cages with more than one chinchilla. I don’t think you need two new cages, just one. The old cage will be fine; you can wipe it down with a 50/50 mixture of vinegar and water to help neutralize the smell of the other chinchilla.
Hi my chinchilla has just given birth to a boy a few days ago. her partner had been neutered but must of got there just before. I was wondering if they could all live together. (I will have the baby neutered as young as possible) Will 2 males and a female be ok together? They have a massive cage. mother and baby are currently separated in a smaller cage at the moment.
Well I’ve seen 2 males (supposedly) and a female living together before and they didn’t look so great. I don’t know if it’s because they fought over the female or due to other husbandry practices. Personally I would let the boys live together separate from the female that way you don’t have to worry about fighting and you don’t have to put the little boy through an unnecessary procedure. I would tend to think they boys would fight if all were together though I do not have any experience with that scenario.
Hello, I’m new to this website so I’m just gonna reply for an answer I guess?
Well, I have 2 female chinchilla’s. They bonded at the very beginning, since Baby was a Baby and Meredith was an ex mom who did amazing with kits. I want to add a male chinchilla in (he’s fixed). Is that a safe decision? I’ve heard that they have to go in pairs, so I can’t have 3 at once (I don’t want to crowd them with 4, but I have a decent sized ferret nation that can fit 4).
You can have three. As long as the females accept him, just make sure they don’t gang up on him. Totally just depends on their dispositions.
We have a routhly one year old female chinchila we are trying to bond with a 3 month old female we have recentley bought, There behaviour is pretty similar to your first video there is no squeeking that sounds like the little one is being hurt but somtimes after the older one has “engaged” with her she has tuffs of hair like it has been cast off. Is our older chin being over aggresive with her and should we just let them get on with it instead of jumping in to seperate, any other advsie would be helpful
Some fur-slip or tufts of loose fur is normal. I hope you have continued the intro process and it’s going well, good luck! 🙂
Hello I’m experiencing the same thing with my two male chinchillas one being a year and two months and the other being four months old lots of tussling and some lose fur no squeals as well they were apart for a whole month side by side and from all the stuff I’ve read and the videos I have watched seems to be normal although if I hear squeals of pain or see and patches of hair missing I will be separating my two little rascals.. Good luck on yours Chinchillas are such beautiful pets as I am watching mine right now they seem to be sleeping side by side right now hopefully they will get along and stay close like that all that tussling was making me dizzy. Lol
Hi I have a male chin about 4 years old I would say. I really want to get him a friend! But I don’t know if I should get older or younger chin. He has already proven that he has a dominant issue. When he met my bf for the first time he peed on my bed; something he has never done all the hours he’s run around my bedroom. Any suggestions of what age or if it’s a good idea at all? Thanks!
If you think he is dominant and really want to get him a buddy, I’d make sure to get a chinchilla that is used to being with another more dominant male. Age does not matter, with the exception that I’m not too sure that dominance would be easy to tell in newly weaned chins (I’d say look for 6mo +) A rescue may be your best bet but some breeders have enough chins to have them paired up and be able to discern personalities. Do make sure you are prepared to have them live separate if needed as there is never a guarantee they will get along. Good luck!
hello,
i have two chinchillas (wolfgang and peetree) in one cage, they are not brother but got them together, they have been getting on fine.
i then got another chinchilla, taluse (in another cage) i started introductions slowly and correctly and taluse and peetree have been getting on fine, wolfgang has shown some aggression towards taluse but just the normal dominance. recently wolfganag has been extremely aggressive to peetree and its got to the point now where we dont know what to do, since taluse and peetree got on we tried putting them together and they got on fine but wolfgang wasnt happy and was causing peetree and taluse to stress out, so we had to put wolfgang and peetree back together.
what options do i have? i refuse to rehome any of them and it would be ideal but not important to be in the same cage.
Hi Danielle, this is a very hard situation to advise since I cannot see how they behave in person. What does Wolfgang do to Peetree when he is aggressive?
Wolfgang pulls peetrees fur out, he’s bitten his ear so we have now separated them, they bark at each other etc
Hi. I have two chins, both male, one 11 MO and 6 MO. They are actually step-brothers. We got the second one hoping to give the first one a buddy and to put them into the same cage together but they’re not getting along. When we let them out of their cages together it quickly goes to them jumping around on each other and lots of fur slips. I have never seen any blood drawn by either. They’ve lived next to each other for about 3 months now and we’ve been letting them out together for about a month and a half. Is there anything to do to help the process out? Or just give it more time and hope they take to each other?
Thanks!
Sorry for the delayed response, hopefully they are getting along well now but to answer your question, I would continue with daily or 2x daily neutral playtime DURING THE DAY but put out dust, a few toys, maybe some hay. I would not allow their behavior to continue for long periods of time if it seems more aggressive than the first video in the post.
Hi Sara. I have a 4 year old male chinchilla. I started feeling bad that he was alone after reading about how paired chinchillas are happier. I was told by several breeders that a young male would be the best choice for having the best chance of them getting along. I ended up getting two 3 month old boys that were already living in the same cage. The two new ones have got along fine so far. They spent a week in their new cage together in the room next to (Pelu) the 4 year old. Then I wheeled in the cage for side by side time. This went ok. Pelu was definately interested and seemed like he wanted to get near them. No barking. And the little ones don’t act agressively as all, just sniffing. Then I moved Pelu’s play area, right up to the new cage, with the new chins. Pelu would sit right by them. Then if one or both came over, he would (bark, i think,) and then if they nosed at him, he would look like he was throwing punches through the bars. The babies did seem that affected. Anyway. Is this a bad or just normal sign. I am really afraid to put them anywhere together. I’ve heard they could kill a chin( and these are small) in just a minute. I moved the cage back about a foot from Pelu’s play area. (he comes and goes out of his cage to the play area) So what should I do next. They don’t really come to me so I can carry them around, so it is not easy to cage switch (I’ve heard this recommended) or if even that is a good idea. I don’t now if I dare try a neutral place introduction. Thanks for any advise. Tracy
I have only just started this process myself, but I feel that you sound like they would be good try for the neutral area introduction without any bars so they can officially greet each other.. Don’t forget the dust, hay and toys. and make sure they have places to hide in case it doesn’t go quite right.
I have two chinchillas one im not sure the age because I adopted him but the other I got at his birth from a breeder I have owened him for almost 2 yrs and have had them next to each other for two years and introduced them often the younger has mounted the older on most occasions and there is barking from the older is this normal and should I let this continue? or wait until the younger is a little older? or keep them separated?
Seems normal to me. My younger male is the more dominant one too.
Hi, I just recently bought 2 male chinchilla’s, they are about 6 months old or so, and they get along wonderfully. Plus they both are super friendly. If sometime down the road I wanted to get a female or 2 because I don’t want one to feel left out or anything, lol, but I also don’t want to seperate the two boys because of how great they get along. Would I have to keep the females in a separate cage and put them together occassionally if I wanted them to mate? But I don’t want the mates to be separated and I certainly don’t want the two boys to be seperated. Would 2 males and 2 females be okay in the same cage or no? What should I do in that situation?
No I would never put 2 males in with 1 or more females. Males will fight over a female, it can happen even if they are in the same room but do not have access to her. I had to separate my boys for a little while once my female had reached maturity. They did eventually get along again though; I don’t remember why or how I got them together again. I know for a while, I could not put them in the carrier together to go to the vet. I tried to divide it but they broke through that to fight. I read somewhere that if males can see a female they will fight but it’s not an issue if she’s in the room but they can’t see her. I can’t say whether this is accurate or not. You may be able to keep the males together and the females together and pair them up for “playtime” however I do not know how the males would react with females around. If they get along great and you want to make sure it stays that way I would forget getting a female. I used to work at a place that had 3 chinchillas living together, supposedly 2 were male and 1 was female. These three chinchillas looked awful, I don’t know if it was from fighting or not I always assumed so; I do know their cage was kept clean though so it wasn’t from poor husbandry.
Hey! So I have had a chinchilla for about two years now, but if eel he is lonely, so I decided to find him a partner and I am in the process of buying a female chinchilla but I am scared that what if they never get along or constantly fight because of the different sex they are, but I’m just trying to get him to try to hump everything around him, could it be possible for them to get along just fine?
Their sex would not determine if they get along. They may get along just fine, they may not, depends on individuals. If you decide to get a female please make sure you know how to care for baby chinchillas and are prepared for the risks involved with breeding because chances are sooner or later you will end up with babies. If you decide to go this route, personally I would look for a female that has been housed with other chinchillas and is not super dominant so there will be less chance of her picking on your male; but as mentioned above there are never any guaruntees they would get along. She would also need to be 10 months or older so as to not allow her to get pregnant too young.
Hi I have two chins I’m trying to pair I really need some advice I have a female who is young I don’t know her age as she’s a rescue she lost her friend about a year ago so I rescued a male who is 9 he is very docile and chilled she is the more dominant one, although she has had a hard life and is often quiet and nervous, they have been side by side in cages now for around 3 months he has a shorter cage that she can reach by jumping on my bed and putting her nose through the bars of his cage they do this word thing it isn’t biting but they kind of open there mouths I guess it’s squabbling and she makes this very quiet little noise almost whining, anyway my problem is I don’t know what to do next I think he is just defending his new territory when she jumps up, and because her cage is bigger he can’t do it to her when it’s his turn to play, so I don’t know how they will react when I let them both out together I’m so worried about what might happen! Please help!
Yes he very well may be defending his territory. This is why it’s important to do intros in neutral territory and to have a neutral cage when ready for them to live together. There is no way to tell what will happen until you try, I would make sure to do your intros in a smaller space where you could easily pick them up should you need to immediately separate them. Before intros though make sure you are prepared to care for babies and that she full grown since you don’t know exactly how old she is. She could become pregnant the first time they meet, and they mate fast, you won’t be able to intervene should mating occur.
Hi, Can I have two females together with one male ?
The two females have been together for a while and I want to know if I can introduce a male so making a trio.
Maybe if I was to introduce all three into a new cage, at the same time. Would that be the best way to do it ?
Thanks Dave
Yes 2 females can be with 1 male and the new cage would be the best way to do it. You will have to make sure that the females do not gang up on the male. I would still start with neutral playtime though to see each chinchilla’s reaction to the others.
I have 3 chinilla kits about 5 weeks old, and bought another male chinchilla is it possible for me to put one of the 5week old females together with the new male i bought ( i am not sure how old the male is) ?
No, do not put your 5 week old female in with a male, she will end up pregnant before she is fully grown. This could cause a difficult birth and delivery problems as her pelvis may not be large enough to deliver the kits. You should wait until she is at least 10 months old before introducing her to a male chinchilla. Even then, there are some females that are just very small or even larger ones that have small pelvic openings which can lead to difficult or impossible deliveries. Please research and know what you are getting into before putting your female and male together.
Hi,
I have two 5 year-old female chinchillas (sisters) but very recently one had to be put to sleep due to injury. Although the chinchilla I still have seems to be coping quite well since she has always been the bossy one I feel guilty that she does not have company anymore. Would you advise finding her a suitable companion? Or do you think that she would be okay to live on her own?
It is fine to keep her alone as long as she is getting some attention and seems to be okay. It really is up to you if you want to get another but there is no guarantee that she would accept another chinchilla. If you decide to look for another, try to find a breeder or rescue that has a female that is known to be lower in dominance to increase your chances of them getting along.
Thankyou, I really appreciate the advice!
hello ! my chinchilla is 2 year old male chinchilla and i want to ask if i can get a baby chinchilla ? will they fight ?
it a imergency plz anser plzzzz bcause im going to get the chinchilla in 1 day plzz anser
Maybe, maybe not. If you follow the steps in the article, there is a good chance they’ll get along but no one can guarantee that it’ll happen because like people each chinchilla has a different personality. Some chinchillas get along right away when introduced and others can take days, weeks, even months to warm up to the idea of living together.
i GOT MY CHINCHILLA !! 🙂 my older chinchilla is trying to bit my youngest through the bars what should i do ?
Sorry, missed this comment. I would just keep the cages far enough apart that they cannot reach each other through the bars and do not let one run around near the other’s cage.
but i put the cage side by side and like hes getting better 🙂
i need help !!!!!!!!!!! 🙂 massage me as fast as u can plzzz
I sent you an email.
Hello,
I have 2 girls who I am trying to bond together. My girl I’ve had the longest, CiCi, is about a year and a half. I’ve had her since she was 3 months old and has always been very hyperactive (she runs most of the day and the night). Anyways, I just recently got the second girl, Ash, from a rescue who was a retired breeder, age 2, and was housed with an aggressive male, but overall very happy girl. I started with their cages next to each other, and it was going well till ViCk bit Ash’s finger off. At first it didn’t seem to bother her and she was still showing interest in Ci, but now that Ci finally wants to be friendly with Ash, Ash wants nothing to do with her. I’ve been rotating them between their cages so they can get familiar with each other scents, but there has been no improvement with Ash. Any suggestions on my next move? Or will they never be able to be together now?
Thanks
Have you let them out together for playtime? If not, I would try that and see what happens.
Hi, I read the question about the two females and one male and it was very helpful. the situation sounds a lot like mine. my two girls have been together for a long time and they are about 5 years old. I dont know how old the male is, he’s at least a year though. My questions are, will there be a problem if they DO try to mate and also the male comes with a cage, a LARGE cage and i dont really want to buy a new one. If it is cleaned really well and after they get used to each other would it be fine to use that cage?
Yes it should be fine to use his cage if cleaned up (I’d use vinegar to neutralize any smells) and IF IT IS BABY SAFE (1/2″ wire spacing and able to remove or block off higher levels).
As to will there be a problem if they try to mate, well there could be lots of problems from female not interested (barks and or sprays, not really a problem but I suppose she could get really mad) to miscarriages to delivery problems and stillborn kits and or dead moms. You could have them together and then separate for the birth and then they may never agree to live together again. OR you could have no problems at all, just depends, but be prepared for breeding because male + female will most likely result in babies. Those babies can add up fast and it can be difficult to find homes for them. I would expect 2 females to produce anywhere from 4 to 18 kits in a year. By the sounds of not knowing how old the male is, I’m guessing he’s not from a breeder or at least doesn’t come with a pedigree so you have no known history on him. It is really recommended to know about the lines of a chinchilla before breeding it so that you know he does not carry any genes for malocclusion or fur chewing that would get passed on; same goes for females if you do not have pedigrees for them. If they came from pet stores, there is a chance they could be related (resulting in genetic defects in kits) because only a couple breeders supply the chain stores.
Hi, I have 3 sisters that have lived together happily since birth. Recently one needed an emergency spay and has been separated for a month from the other two. I tried to playtime together a week after surgery and they all got upset and sprayed each other so I have kept them apart until sick one has healed. My vet said as she was weak they would attack her. So now all healed I’m hoping for any advice on putting a chin back with a previous good trio match. Thank you
Glad she is better now 🙂 This is tricky without seeing how they are behaving. It is possible that the sick one was dominant and while she was away another one decided she was in charge now, so if she will not back down then I’m afraid they may never be back together. I would try playtime again (right after they’ve been dusted) and see what happens, if she is getting sprayed once or twice I’d not worry, but if they are having a spraying war then stop immediately because I think what I said about dominance is what would’ve happened and 2 dominant females will fight to the death (even if not physically fighting, they can overheat and dehydrate having a long spraying war). Good luck!
Hi, i have kept Chinnies over 16years, however i will never claim to be an expert. I have an 11 year old male chinnie, his brother and cagemate died little over a year ago, we were going to introduce 2 young girls (from a famous PETS superstore i AT won’t mention HOME name of) to his life, they lived a few feet away from each other a couple of months, closer still a few weeks more, the old boy really perked up, he and the girls started play time together, thought things were going well, no nastiness, there was a complete startling and turned round and weed at each other but that was it, put them in a larger play area, made sure it was not hot, or stuffy or humid, one girl dropped down, like all air sucked out of her, she went into death fits and her heart stopped before i could get to the vets.
The other girl moved in with 11year old boy as they were both off colour after the loss of the other chin, there was no aggression at all, and they snuggled up and whimpered to each other all the time, well then out of no where, she drops dead, fine at lunch, playing in afternoon, deceased by dinner time, the 11 yr old lad was the one who alerted us to something wrong, hopping up and down at door and ‘shouting’ almost repeating himself over and over, very unlike him. and there she was gone!
I’ve argued matter with shop that shall not be mentioned, and insisted they look into the health of the herds they get their stock from. but that does not help our hearts or our pockets, and now my old lad off his food again, miserable, doesn’t talk, doesn’t want to play, instead of jumping into hand or on arm, he swats you away, gets cross and goes and sits in corner.
What do i do, he miserable and lonely, we got a kit to be near by, but it seemed to pour with mucus from nose and died, this was from Gumtree, 12weeks old, i thought it was fine, breeder wants nothing to do with death, only 8hours after i paid for him. i;ve 10 chinnies now 7 lived to be very good ages, happy chinnies, my old boy and these recent, odd deaths. old by fine and dandy except sad. Is it something I’ve done? i use 50 % white vinegar and boiling water to wash, soak and disinfect everything, anything that i can’t fit in a soak bowl gets taken outside and steam cleaned, always dry everything thoroughly. i don’t understand, do i try and find more chinnies that are 100% ok to try to fill the hole in his heart? and ours? we can’t lose him, he older than our daughter, he’s like a little person, we have friends in stitches when we tell them of some of his antics. HELP sorry for essay
Sorry to hear of the losses of your chinnies 🙁 First off, never purchase a chinchilla that has runny nose, eyes, poos, us lethargic, etc, I would avoid the places where you got these chins from! Second, did the girls die on the same day or was this several days/ weeks apart? If you’re positive it was not too hot, or they didn’t overexert themselves by continually spraying urine, then I’d say either the girls came to you with some sort of deficiency/illness or that they got into something toxic (maybe during playtime?) I’m not sure what to tell you other than only get chinchillas from a reputable source such as a breeder or rescue with references.
Hello! I currently have three male bonded Chinchillas (father and 2 sons). The dad and one of the sons get along great and regularly share sleeping quarters and food, but the other son is the “reject” and dad picks on him a lot. He is the last one to get to use the bath house, sleeps alone and he has to have his own food dish on a separate level or there is a serious squabble when fresh pellets are added. Is this normal or should I be worried about him? His brother treats him fine but dad is the dominant one and exiles him. He has never been physically injured but is just bullied all the time. I have considered getting a 4th chin and having two bonded pairs. Is that a good idea or will the rejected brother miss his family? I don’t want him to live alone but I am worried about the poor little guy and want to know if this is normal.
Also, the sons are just approaching a year now. Is this an important phase where they establish their position in the herd? Will it get better?
Thanks for your help!
This is interesting, I’ve not seen this with males but have with females. From the extent that he NEEDS a separate food bowl, personally I think I would separate them; I would think it would be stressful to him having to live with dad. I do not know if it will get better, if you separate, you can always try again later to reintroduce them. I did separate 2 of my boys for a few months when the second one was approaching a year I believe, they just got kind of loud & chasing one night and I couldn’t take it anymore. Maybe separate the boys from dad? Or if you want to get him a buddy, I would look for a chinchilla that has lived with others before but that is not known to be really dominant (he still may be “in charge” but hopefully won’t bully your boy). From my experience though I think dominant chins seem to be ok on their own, so if you were not set on getting another I would keep the brothers together but take dad out. Are you 100% positive that bother brothers are males, double check the one that dad likes?
Chinchillas not getting along OUTSIDE of the cage !!!
Hi everyone.,
I recently adopted a year old male chinchilla, for my 4 year old male chinchilla. The introduction went with no problems, no major fights or anything that would make me worried about the two male nothing getting along. within the very first week or two, my older chinchilla would chase the little guy, and after a while that went away. now its been about 3 months, the two chinchillas are absolutely fine in the cage…
However, when I take them out for play time, now the younger chinchilla chases the 4 year old one any chance he gets, and pulls his fur out… and it seems to be getting worse. I am not sure how to solve this, I keep hearing about “chinnies not getting in the cage” but I haven’t heard of a case about outside of the cage.
Any suggestions, or similar situations would be appreciated.
Thank you.
Hi Fred! If they are just chasing each other around, I would not worry too much. Just the other day one of my boys was chasing and mounting the other one during playtime. I’ve had them for 10 years and they’ve lived together for most of that time. Your younger male could be going through puberty too, and trying to assert his dominance now. Unless it seems malicious, I would not worry and just provide plenty of distractions during playtime such as dust, toys, hay, etc.
Hi, I’m considering to buy a baby chinchilla recently, if I want to get a pair later is it better to buy a female chinchilla first or a male chinchilla first? There are people saying that it is difficult for an adult female chinchilla to accept a young male chinchilla, is that true?
Thank you!
Hi Sabrina, it really just depends on the chinchillas. I would visit a breeder or rescue and find one that you like it’s personality best and get that one rather than pick based on male or female. Actually if you plan to get a male/female pair then you need to find a good breeder. It is true that there are adult females that will not accept young males. There are also adult females that will not accept young females either. Same goes with males, sometimes chins prefer to live alone. There are others that may not get along with one chin but will get along with another. The key is probably finding the second chin that you know is not dominant so if your first chin happens to be (and you may not know this until you pair them up) then you are less likely to have a dominance issues (fight) which is usually the reason for failed introductions.
If you are planing on getting a baby and then getting another baby of the opposite sex later (I would advise against this), you’ll have to get the female first so that an older male does not get a baby female pregnant before she is fully grown. It is always advised to purchase good breeding stock if planing on producing babies and you cannot tell the quality of a chinchilla until it is around 10months.
I have one 6 month old chin and recently acquired a much older, 7 year old. The first time I introduced them, it resulted in the older chasing the younger and the younger losing much hair due to fur slipping until I separated them. Realizing I may have done it too early, I gave them a week separated (I have a ferret nation 182) and let them smell and “talk” to each other, which the eventually would stop nipping at each other through the bars and would just smell. I let them out again tonight but the younger did most of the “shoving” and would chase the older to the point where the older was hiding from the younger until i put the younger up. Even then, when she would pass the younger by the cage she would be startled and hide. We also have only had the older chin in our possession for a week so she’s still getting used to us. I also think she may be older than I was told. She’s very sweet but not much of runner or jumper and likes to sleep most of the time. Is this behavior normal or should I not count on two chins with such age differences to get along?
Hi Adam, from what you describe, it is hard to tell how they are behaving without being able to see them. It sounds like the younger one is asserting dominance but she sounds a bit aggressive if the other one is scared of her. I don’t think the age difference has much if anything to do with it, more so the personalities of the girls. You can keep trying but watch them very carefully.
Hi . We have a 4 year old female chin who we got from a breeder who was retiring from breeding . He said she used to have a cage mate who died and has been alone since . We recently also got another female chin who is 3 . She had a male cage mate who we did not take as we wanted another female chin to bond to our other new female . They have had a couple play times together in our big bathroom . There was no problems . No squirting pee no fur slips . No aggression at all . As if they already knew each other . They even on the first time sat in corners together and semi sat on each other . At night I switch hem between cages to get to know each others scent . Neither chin has had time to claim cage for themselves . My question is how long should I do this routine before attempting to let them stay in a freshly cleaned cage together ? My heart would break if I ever came home or couldn’t get to them fast enough to separate 🙁 esp our new little ebony girl who has the face and gentle personality that just makes you melt . We also have two other female chins who ate sisters that live in a separate cage but we want to keep them two separate bonded pairs . They don’t seem to like it when the others are out playing .
Hi Meghan, it sounds like your girls are already quite good friends. Piling up on each other (or grooming) I think is the best sign they get along. They probably have missed having a cage-mate and are lower on the dominance scale. There are some chins you never have to do a proper intro process for and will get along instantly with anyone which sounds like your girls. While I can never guarantee there won’t be problems later, from my experience, you can usually tell how the intro process is going to go right from the start. I think you also have an advantage as they have not had time to claim a cage or really settle in and claim their territory; they can bond over both being in a new situation. I would say you are probably safe putting them in the same cage, just make sure you do it when you have some time to be home and observe for a while and have an extra hide house in there just in case. From what you wrote, it sounds like the 3 year old was recently with a male and if so I would make sure the cage is baby proofed and mark 111 days from the day you got her. If she was to be pregnant she should still be fine living with the other girl but it’s best to be prepared just in case.
Yes she was with a male . They said she has had one litter of kits and that was last Oct . Two kits . And nothing since . And yes so far when together . For play times they both go about exploring the bathroom as if the other isn’t there . And when they do find themselves in the same area do not react to another even when there on top of each other or sniffing noses . I put toothless (that’s our ebony 3 year old ) in with roo ( our chocolate 4 year old ) for about 20 min in the cage we want for them both and nothing happened toothless was sitting on top of the hidey house and roo sniffed her and snickered a little but that was it . I think when they wake up I’ll let them play and clean the cage entirely then let them try it for a night together . I’m home all the time and there close to our room . I’m nervous but hopeful . I’ve just read horror story’s and I think I’m more paranoid then anything of our babys getting hurt . The breeder we got roo from said he tried once to put another in with her after her cage mate died . Not sure if it was a male or female . and it didn’t work out . But never tried since . They do both seem to be very calm and submissive . Toothless more then roo and roo is Def bigger then toothless . Our other girls luna lovegood and Bellatrix lestrange. (Luna and bella lol) when roo and toothless are on the floor they try to grab them from the bars and bark . No peeing . Or fur slips . But obviously act aggressive when roo or toothless sniff them or are close .
So far we have had roo and toothless together all day in one cage . I’ve added two hidey boxes . Two bottles and two bowls . Roo seems very possessive of the hidey box she has chosen . Toothless slipped fur once as roo chases her away if she trys to go in it by barking and kinds scampering towards her .she is not attacking but certainly chasing her away from it . Is this normal safe behavior ? Will they as they have time together in there not be so possessive .? And should I separate them while we’re not home as a precaution for a while ?
Sorry I missed your updated posts, hopefully they have made progress since. I’ve only experienced this once and separated because she was bitting. As long as she is coming out to eat and drink and neither one shows aggression, I think she should be ok. Little fur slips here and there are normal, my boys have lived together almost 10 years and Chub still fur slips from time to time.
I have 2 male chins, and I already put the new chin-chills in the other chins cage? But he seems to love it and doesn’t seemed bothe-red with the smell so now what?
If they seem fine then you got lucky and they can continue as they are. Some chins are instantaneous buddies; others need more time to get to know each other.
Hi!
I have two chinchillas, a female and a neutered male that I have adopted earlier this year. They are 4 and 6 years old. I would say the male is the dominant one but if the female ever wants something, she get it, so basically they get along really well. I have recently heard of two chinchillas, a female and a male 8 and 6 years old (neutered), that really need a new home, and I would like to give it to them, I think my home would be perfect for them. I would like to have all four living together though since I don’t have time to give them seperate playing time outside of the cage – with supervision each day otherwise… I wonder if it is possible to try to get these four to get along? Should I at least give it a try or do you think it is going to be too hard? I can’t get a new cage for them in the end but I do have a big one – and I would clean it out VERY carefully before I try letting them live together, after letting them be introduced in a neutral place and living in seperate cages for a while, just seeing each other… But I need advice! I have introduced rabbits before but never chinchillas, so I need it.
Hi Cecilia, I would not recommend trying to put all 4 together. While I can’t say it won’t work they likelihood for 2 males to live peacefully with females even if neutered is slim. It’s possible that they’d get along until a female came into heat and then fight. Being neutered just means he can’t get the female pregnant, it doesn’t mean he won’t try.
Thank you very much for your advice! Then I won’t get another male. Would it be possible to introduce another adult female? (That would mean it would be two females and a neutered male) Or is it only possible if it’s a very young female?
Yes that may be possible. It will depend on the already bonded 2’s personalities but many people have trios for breeding. You would introduce just as you would otherwise, just make sure the already bonded 2 don’t gang up on the newcomer and have extra hide houses and water/food at least at the beginning of living together until you are sure everyone is getting along.
Hi, I have found these posts really helpful and would love some advice. I have had a female chin called Minnie since she was 6 month old and bought her from a pet shop where she was very well looked after and she is friendly. I think she has always been on her own and I bought her by herself. She is friendly enough to let me stroke her and she hops over me and sits on my shoulder but does not like being picked up and darts away if I try. Yesterday I bought a 12 week old little girl called Pebbles from a breeder and she is so mellow and chilled … held everyday and very friendly. So yesterday I brought her home and she went in Minnie’s old cage as she now has a big one. She settled in fine and I had some old ladders in there that smelled of Minnie, she wasn’t bothered at all. So today I wheeled over Minnie’s cage near hers … Pebbles just sniffed and was curious but didn’t really do much. Minnie however was scratching at the bars and biting them as if trying to get to the new girl … she didn’t stop for a long time. Later on I stroked both of them and after stroking the new one and then stroking Minnie she bit my finger as she could smell the new ones scent :/ it wasn’t very hard but did make me jump as she has never done that before.
A bit of advice on how to move forward would be greatly appreciated!!
Thanks
Hi Laura, I’m happy you’ve enjoyed the site! Hopefully by now, Minnie has calmed down but if not, the cages should remain near each other and no allowed contact should happen until she is no longer aggressively trying to get to Pebbles. Additionally, wash your hands in between handling the girls or handle Minnie first so that you do not get bitten. Once Minnie has settled into the fact that Pebbles is hear to stay, and doesn’t go after her, you could carefully proceed to supervised playtime in neutral territory. I would keep it short at first and progress to longer times so hopefully it remains positive. There is a chance that Minnie is so used to living alone she prefers it that way but also a chance that once she sees the Pebbles is submissive and will let her be the boss she may be ok with her. Good luck!
Hi, I was wondering if you have any tips on introducing a pair of females to a single female? My single female is an adoptee and the pair are rescues from pretty horrific conditions. We’ve been trying to introduce them for a while now but everytime one of the ladies from the pair starts getting along with our lonely lady the pair then turn on eachother, then the other from the pair will be fine with her and then they turn on eachother again, it’s a bit frustrating 🙁 and tips would be really appreciated 🙂
Hi Carlie,
Unfortunately I have not experienced this situation so I’m not sure what to tell you. You are having intro sessions with all 3 of them together correct? How long has the turning on each other been going on?
Yeah, all three together, it’s been going on ever since we started trying to introduce them about 3/4 months ago. The past few times it’s been the same one thats causing the trouble, the scraps are pretty moderate and theres a whole load of spraying (usually with me getting caught in the middle of it). It’s so frustrating! I’ve been thinking maybe trying some sort of small animal ‘deodorant’ or something so they all smell the same, I know putting a little bit of vanilla extract on mice used to work really well when introducing new ones but haven’t found anything suggesting something like that would work with chins :/
You can use vanilla or vicks on the nose, it’s worth a shot. It sounds like you may have a higher dominance chin who got “replaced” by the new one. Be careful, dominant girls do not give up easily (or ever).
Hi I have a female chinchilla and I’ve had her for almost a year now and I believe I am ready for another one and I have even recently found another female that comes with a cage. The only problem is that I know that some female chinchillas will mark and mine hasn’t been doing that (at least that I am aware of) and the breeder that I got her from said that she did not cope well with other chinchillas and refused to breed (that’s the reason she was for sale) so I don’t know whether I should take the chance at making my chinchilla even happier, or be glad for what I have. Any suggestions?
Hi Karalynn! I would advise you not to get the other girl unless you are prepared for them to never get along and always live separately. There is a chance that they’d get along but not only will it depend on your girl, but the new one as well. Since the breeder said she “did not cope well” I would think maybe she prefers to be alone but it could just depend on her cage mate and that statement is not descriptive of what happens: fights, stressed, etc? Some females don’t spray ever (I had one that knew she had teeth), others spray anything that moves, others are in between are spray when provoked or annoyed. Good luck on whatever you decide.
Hi. We have 3 chins all living together very happily (all boys). We have now bought 2 more boys (already paired) and are starting the slow introductions. Is it feasible that they could all live together in one larger cage or should we keep the 2 groups separate. It’s very early days yet but when we have tried to put them all together there is lots of biting and spitting
Hi Vicki, it may be possible for them to live together after a slow introduction but I would keep them separated if there is biting.
Hi. I have one female chinchilla that I’ve had for about a year now and just recently got a second female because the first seemed lonely. The newer one is actually about a year older than the first one I had although brand new to our home. The one I’ve had for a longer amount of time is becoming really aggressive and territorial of her stuff and myself. Shes even cause the new chin to bleed a small amount when she bit her. I’ve had the newest one about a week now and their cages have been close to each other but the oneIi’ve had longer is still being aggressive. Any tips would really help.
Hi Lexi! I would suggest sharing the dust between them and maybe you can swap hide houses or other accessories so that she gets used to the smell of the new girl. Unfortunately there is no way to tell how long it’ll take for her to get along or if they’ll ever be able to be friends. If she is acting really aggressive be ver careful. Good luck!
Hi,
I had 2 standard grey chinchillas, however one had to be put to sleep last night through illness. Unfortunately they are still young (3 years old).
I am thinking of possibly getting another chinchilla to keep him company but i am not 100% sure yet. If i decide to get a friend what would the best option be? Would getting 2 young chinchillas that have bonded from birth make introducing easier? Or get a single chinchilla?
Thanks
Hi Steve, I’m sorry to hear about your chinchilla, it is very hard to lose them. Regarding getting a new friend for the other one, age does not really matter. Your best bet is to get one from a breeder or rescue and let them know you are looking for one that has lived with another chinchilla and is lower in dominance. Also 2 vs 1 probably doesn’t make much of a difference either, you just wouldn’t want 2 bonded ones to gang up on your boy.
I recently bought a 3 year old male chinchilla and I thought he was lonely during the day while I worked so I found someone who was looking to rehome their 6 year old male chinchilla. I now have their cages side by side and let them out occasionally together. I only let them out for about 5 minutes because I get nervous about them biting each other but it kind of resembles the first video. I don’t want either one to hurt the other. Any suggestions? Thank you in advance.
Hi Ashley! If their interactions resemble the first video I wouldn’t be worried. They are just sorting out who is going to be the boss and getting to know each other. My boys still do that stuff from time to time and they’ve been together 10 years. I would only get worried if they start to wrestle, bite, one aggressively goes at the other, or they try to make themselves taller than the other. There may be some fur slipping, humping, chasing, and noises and that is normal and will lessen over time. I would not progress to the next step yet but continue with the playtimes.
Hi there,please could I ask for some advice?so great to find someone knowledgeable! I had my two chin males 4 yr from kits and very sadly lost Bruno to a respiratory infections in April-despite best efforts. We bought Sebastian a 12 wk old kit to try and keep Graham company and have been gradually introducing by putting cages closer together,swapping sand baths and building to play dates in the hall. They seem to enjoy bouncing around together although seb can bark a little.the problem is they are mounting a lot (both trying but Graham predominantly being more dominant) and seb even seemed ‘damp’ around his backend ,they still run around and play and seb isn’t hiding from Graham but is this okwith view to continue moving in talks? So sorry for the essay and thank you for your time,
Kat
Yes, it is ok to continue with the introduction process. I would double check that Seb is indeed a male.
I’m new at being a chinchilla mom. I am looking for some advice and tips if possible. About a month and a half ago, I took in a 9 year old male. He bounced around a lot of houses before coming to me. He doesn’t like to be held or touched. He loves running around and will come to me when I open the cage. A couple days ago I adopted a chinchilla from a rescue. He was taken (along with 330 other chinchillas) from a hoarding situation and I don’t know how old he is. Vet said he isnt a baby and not elderly. I have been slowly trying to introduce them together. the oldest runs up to the new one all the time when they are out together. the new one grunts, a deep grunt, and grinds his teeth towards Diego and Diego runs. What would you recommend? I’ve rescued animals for years but these little guys are new for me. I love them both so much and just want the best for them
Sounds normal to me I would just continue with the playtimes.
I have a almost 2 year old Chinchilla. I know hes not lonely, hes spoiled rotten and you can tell hes completely comfortable being in his cage by himself. But I was debating on getting him neutered ? I was told they live long if they’re neutered if you dont plan on breeding. If I was to do that I was wondering if it would be a good idea to get him a female companion? Is any of that a bad idea? or should I just leave him be since hes not showing any sign of being lonely/depressed?
Hi Tash! I would NEVER neuter a chinchilla! The ONLY exception being possibly if he was already extremely bonded to a female and I did not want to deal with kits. Even in that situation I would probably just get him a male buddy instead. It is an unecessary surgery and chinchillas do not do well with anesthesia. He will not live longer being neutered. I actually had someone contact me recently that was talked into neutering both her boys that were cage mates and one ended up passing away 🙁
Hi Sarah! :3 I rehomed a one year old female chinchilla two months ago. She had two babies the very next morning. Mommy chinchilla is the ultimate food beggar and lets you pet her face, but hates being picked up. I’ve since purchased 3 more chinchillas: a four month male, a 7 month male, and a 4 year old female. The three newest chins all get along even with the babies and all 5 can be caged together and sleep snuggled. I understand that as the males get older and approach sexual maturity, I’ll have to separate them. My problem lies with Mommy chinchilla. She’s incredibly viscious with all the other chins except for her babies. She’s already bitten off 3 fingers from the two young males during play time. She sprays, chitters, bites fur, you name it. I’ve attempted the cage swap thing for a week and a half before applying vanilla on their noses, but Mommy chinchilla was still immediately hostile towards the others when let out for play time. What advice do you have for me? I was told female chins can be incredibly aggressive following recent birth. Is this simply the case? All of the other chins with exception to one allow my girlfriend and I to pick them up, pet them, and otherwise molest them without complaint. 🙂
She could just be protective of her babies or perhaps she is an alpha female and or does not like other chinchillas. I do not recommend housing the males and females together because as you mentioned, as they get older they will fight over the females and also they are probably fertile now and could potentially impregnate the female.
Billy !
you need to separate your chinchillas ASAP ! unfortunately forever ! never mix males and females in one cage together, unless they are spayed or neutered, and even then, if they don’t get along they still need to be able to get away from one another, and vanilla nonsense won’t do it (there is no vanilla available in nature to them. they just get away from one another)
some chinchillas may never get along, and its sign is very easy! They will bite hard enough to break skin, draw blood. if you don’t properly separate them they can easily go for the kill. I wish I was exaggerating but I am not.
The more unfortunate part is that, when they get in fights where they break skin, they will never trust each other again, and the fight will eventually happen again. you should monitor your chinchillas to make sure that they are not fighting and if they are playing rough, they are not unsupervised.
And most of all, you need to get them separate cages. (The cage swap will only work for when you are introducing new chinchillas together, if they already not like each other, there is nothing you can do about it. it isn’t your fault ! some just don’t like each other, and some don’t like to be picked up, because naturally they are only picked up by predators, so they are wired to run!
Good luck.
Hi, I’m going to introduce my chin to another chin soon because someone is watching my chin while I go away. When you introduce them do they need to adjust together in a cage at first of can you just stick them in the cage together? Thanks!
Sorry, I meant do they need to adjust in separate cages? and what if they don’t get along while I’m away?
Most of the time they will need an introduction period to get used to each other. Sometimes some chins get along right from the start, but it is very dangerous to just stick them in the cage together. Some alpha chins will fight to the death. At the very least, you’d want to do a neutral playtime to test how they react and see how you’ll need to proceed.
Hello,
I currently have two female chins (sisters) and they have lived together since birth. They are just over 1.5 years old. There has never been fighting between them and seem to be very sweet. I am thinking about getting another female chin who is 3 months old. She has lived with three other chins since birth (mom, dad and brother) without problem.
I will probably be getting another one for my two sisters at some point but I was wondering if it would be better to try and introduce them while they are still young or wait until they are older. I would want the three of them to live in the same cage if at all possible, but of course would do what is best for them.
I know it’s hard to tell if they would get along without having them actually meet and your article and replies to comments have been greatly informational giving me confidence in introducing chins whether now or in the future.
I would greatly appreciate your advice on if it is better to introduce two sisters (1.5 years old who have lived together since birth without problem) to another female (3 months and has lived with three other chins, mom, dad and brother) or if it would be better to wait a while longer.
Thanks!
Sorry I missed this earlier. You would introduce them the same way you would if the older two were not bonded. As I responded to your more recent comment, I think you are going about it the right way. 🙂
Hello,
I had 2 male chinchillas that were brothers and both about 8 months old. Last week one of them passed away in a freak accident and now I only have the one and I’m very concerned he will get lonely. I am giving him a grieving period but if I am going to try and get him another friend, should it be a male or female? I am not looking for any babies so I could get him neutered if needed. I just really don’t want him to be lonely.
Please help!!!
Thank you,
Katy
Hi Katy,
Sorry you lost your little guy. I would get another male that way you don’t have to worry about babies and your guy doesn’t have to undergo unnecessary surgery.
I bought a 1 yr old chin back in August and have felt guilty when I have to leave him. My husband bought me a 4/5 month old chin (both are males) & I have them in one cage but separate. I turned the liner around so he couldn’t get to the bottom two layers of the cage. I have been putting them in our bathroom to introduce themselves to each other. Guinness, my oldest humps him and runs after him, while Porter runs away. Occasionally when they are face to face they just sniff each other and other times, it seems like Guinness is trying to bite his neck. Porter doesn’t grunt or anything, he just turns his head to allow it. Is this normal?
If Guinness is really trying to bite him I would be concerned. The rest sounds normal. If you are still worried, you can post a video to my Facebook page and I’ll let you know what I think.
Hi!
I have just bought another chinchilla (Ollie) as a friend for my lone chinchilla (Alfie). I have had Alfie for about four months and both chins are about a year old. I have had both cages side by side for about 10 days now, and have tried introductions at just about every night. I place them in my bathroom and put a couple of hideaways and sometimes put a dust bath in the middle of the room. At first they started fighting immediately, but now they seem to run around for a bit and then start fighting again. Alfie is particularly ‘humpy’ with Ollie. I am concerned that they aren’t getting along and that they aren’t compatible. I have tried placing them in opposite cages to acclimate them to one another’s scents. Is there anything that I am doing wrong? Do you have any suggestions? I realize that this process requires patience and time, but I am on a bit of a time crunch since I will be leaving college to go home for winter break in a week’s time and cannot fit both cages in my car when I go home. Thanks in advance for your help!
Hi Kevin,
Sounds like you are doing everything right. I am curious about how they are fighting. If you can post a video to my Facebook Page, I can see if I have any more advise.
Hey Sara,
I just recently got a five month old female chin (Hazel). She is tiny! I also have two 20 month old chins (Coco and Mellow, sisters). I have let them play out in an open area together and Hazel and Coco get along fine. More like Coco just doesn’t care that Hazel is around. However whenever Coco moves Hazel runs away and to the opposite side of the room. Coco has never done anything but sniff her and then accepted her and went on her way but Hazel still seems afraid of her.
Hazel and Mellow, this is a different story. At first there was the typical stuff (one or two fur slips, chasing then coming back then running and so on). Now whenever Mellow sees Hazel she makes a b-line for her and chases her until she loses Hazel (Mellows a fatty and can’t keep up with Hazel). Hazel just stays away from Mellow whenever they are out together. In the one and a half months they have been playing together there has only been about four or five times Mellow got fur from Hazel. Mounted her once or twice for a second or two but Hazel gets away pretty quick. Hazel seems to just turn away from Mellow whenever she sees her and hides.
I think it is because Mellow is about 2-3 times bigger than Hazel and Coco is about 2 times bigger than Hazel so Hazel is intimidated but they seem to do what is typical so I’d think there would be some progress over the past month and a half.
Any advice would be wonderful on how to possibly get them friendly so they can start to live together and what not.
PS: I have their cages next to each other but not close enough where fighting can happen. I let Hazel in Mellow and Coco’s cage (without them just Hazel) and Mellow in Hazel’s cage. I break up Mellow and Hazel when I feel it’s getting too rough (but a fur slip is very rare and haven’t had blood or spraying, just some talking and standing up).
Thanks!
Hi Cameron,
This all sounds all ok until I get to the last sentence. What happens whey they get “too rough?” How much standing is going on? I assume this is between Hazel and Mellow, correct? If you have seen them make progress, I would continue as you feel comfortable. With them still talking, I would not put them in the same cage yet as there are still dominance issues to sort out.
I guess too rough for me is Mellow jumping on Hazel which only happens when Hazel is cornered. I let the chasing happen since it seems pretty normal. I’m just concerned that when Mellow mounts she might inflict damage faster than I react so I just stop it unless it happens right on me.
Standing only happens when Hazel is approached but it’s not full standing. Hazel just lifts an inch or two when noses touch.
There hasn’t been progress with Mellow and Hazel. Mellow for the most part ignored Hazel the first week with chasing here and there but now whenever Mellow can she chases Hazel. Mellow doesn’t pull hair and Hazel never gets hurt but seems scared. I’m not sure if I should let them ‘duke it out’ for lack of a better phrase because it seems like a dominance thing.
Talking has gone down to where it sounds like Hazel is grinding her teeth or chewing on nothing when next to Coco or Mellow.
Do NOT let them “duke it out!” That could be disastrous. I’m tempted to say I don’t think they will be compatible but perhaps with more time (maybe as Hazel grows past puberty) she will accept her position with Mellow. If the standing happens EVERY TIME Hazel is approached, I would probably call it quits and give up but if it’s only some times maybe there is hope. Just be careful, things can really go downhill quick.
Hi! I have a 9 month old male. I got him about 6 1/2 months ago. I was thinking that I could get him a male friend. Do you recommend 2 separate cages or one large cage? Thanks! 🙂
It would be nice for them to live in a larger cage however you should have 2 total for the introduction process and in case it does not work or they get in a fight or sick and you need to separate you have cages available.
I have a 3 year female and im looking to introduce a pair of famales, one 1 &1/2 and a 7 month. The older chin has kinda taken the mother role of the younger chin. You think the three can be fine together in the same cage after being in the same room for a while?
I have 2 males very old 10+ years and a female 12 years old. Can she have offspring still? I would like to put them together but the last time they were together (many years ago) it resulted in a baby chin. So at their current ages is it safe (can they still reproduce) to house them together. The female seems so lonely. Please let me know what you think.
Yes it is a possibility they can still have babies. Some chins slow down reproducing later in life but I’ve heard of females having kits into their late teens. Females can get along too, have you considered getting another female friend for her? Just make sure it is lower on the dominance scale.
Hello! I really liked your article, but I was wondering what to do if you really can’t acquire another cage. I recently got a chin from a friend in addition to the one I already have. They are both 1 year old males and there is definitely a dominant chin (the one I already had). I have been allowing them to have play time together every night, but I don’t seem to be making any progress. When they first met they did pretty well, only a little chasing, no fur slips, and generally just played as they would alone. After that, they got a little more curious to what the other chin was doing and they each ended up with a minor fur slip. Still, the rest of the time it was pretty much like the first video in your article plus a little dominance humping. Then one day my first chin humped my second chin and it looked like he was biting him, so in a panic I separated them. Only later did I look this up to realize he was grooming him. Ever since I did that things got worse. I tried separating them for a couple days, but now they are tackling each other and I constantly have to break up their fights. I do want to clarify that they haven’t had any cuts at all, or much fur flying for that matter, but the way they behave to one another makes me nervous and I’ll move them away from each other (I read that once a chin receives a serious attack from another chin, they can never be compatible). If you have any advice for me please share, I would love for them to be friends. Thanks in advance!
Hi Soul, have you had any progress? I don’t really know what to suggest to you.
We have 3 chins. 2 are sisters (less than a year and a little over a year) and the other is adopted just recently from a friend. We would love for them to all be together – the sisters are fine together – but our adopted chin has been alone for a while and she had been chewing her hair off. (She has been rehabbed by the former owner, but I don’t want it to start up again.) She also doesn’t seem as friendly as our other chins. Sometimes I think her behavior would be better if she wasn’t alone and then other times I wonder if we should just leave them separated. What do you think? Any advice is appreciated! Thanks!
I have found sometimes when chinchillas live together one rubs off on the other, as in one gets more friendly or less stressed. It doesn’t hurt to try to bond them. If it doesn’t work, it doesn’t work and they stay separated. Unless you know she developed fur chewing while with other chinchillas, I wouldn’t hesitate to see how an introduction goes; it may be what she needs. I would just be careful making sure you don’t have dominance issues.
I think it’s always worth trying to put them together. My adopted chinchilla is so much happier when she has company and someone to cuddle up to, because they’re naturally social animals other chinchillas around entertain and relax them.
Hi, I have two bonded chinchillas, a boy and a girl, wanda and wicket and recently rescued a new girl, wisp. It’s been a week and a half and wicket and wisp get on great, happy to be in a cage together and no fights so far. Wanda seems to be very dominant and wisp avoids her, they don’t attack each other but wanda chases and bites her if she’s too close. If I put wisp in a cat carrier in wandas cage neither of them seem to mind, they’re indifferent to each other. I can’t tell when a good time is to let them all out together to introduce them as I don’t want them to hurt each other if I do it too soon. Any advice?
Have they made any progress? I would not house two together when one is known to bite the other. Only when they get along outside the cage great would I let them live together. I don’t see why you can’t let them all out for group playtime as long as you are supervising and Wanda isn’t being mean to Wisp.
Hi,
I’ve been keeping wisp seperate and inching her cage closer and wanda seems to not mind, she no longer chases wicket when he smells like the other chinchilla. I tried to let them out together a month ago and wanda bit wisps toes so it ended up in a vet visit, I am trying to do a normal introduction just much much slower.
Hi I have 3 male chinchillas, a bonded pair who are 3&7 years old & a 5 month old who lives in a separate cage.
Ideally I’d like all 3 to be able to live together but I’m nervous that introducing them all could cause my bonded pair to fall out? Do you know if this is likely to happen? My pair are really close & I don’t really have the capacity for a 3rd cage so I don’t want to jeopardise their relationship, but obviously I’d like my baby to live with others if possible.
Hi Claire, there is no way to tell what will happen unless you try. It’s possible they could all 3 be best buddies. I doubt that the new one would cause the other two to not get along anymore to the point of not living together however anything is possible. Good luck, let me know how it goes!
So I am going to get 2 chinchillas pretty soon and I can not decide wether to get 2 males or a male and a female, have any pointers on what and why i should get them. I want a male and a female because I am totally fine with them breeding, but I want 2 males so they could bond a lot better, please help me out
You should get 2 males that are already bonded, preferably over a year old. If you really want young ones find litter mates or ones the breeder/rescue has already paired up. It will be easier for you to not have to worry about introductions and how long they’ll take to get along. In addition, I don’t believe you should get a m/f pair because you are “totally fine with them breeding.” There are many chinchillas in rescue and it’s hard to find homes for the babies at all, much less GOOD HOMES. Things can go wrong with breeding, it increases the chances the adults will be injured or die and that’s not fun. I think you should stick to same sex pairs for now. Should you be interested in breeding in the future, find good quality pedigreed show stock and learn how to match up the traits you want to pass on from a good breeder and go to shows and seminars. It’s so much more than just throwing two animals together so you have cute babies.
We brought two baby chinchilla one male 5 month and 3 months female there together as l brought the breed said he had 3 different family all be living since the birth
Some one told me she will die if she have baby coz she to young to live with 5 month male it that true
Hi Janice! Sorry I missed your comment when I first came in. Females can die from birth complications. If she were to get pregnant before fully grown there is a higher chance that the birth canal is smaller and she would have a difficult time delivering. It is recommended for her to be at least 10 months; preferably a year before being allowed to breed. However I’m also concerned that these chinchillas are related which can compound any health issues in the lines. Do you have history of their lines such as a pedigree? From the fact that the breeder sold you two of opposite sex at that age without explaining to keep them separate; I would question his breeding practices and be uncomfortable breeding them.
I have two male chinchillas Taz and Cotton. Taz has been with us for a year and two months. Cotton is with us about a month and one week at first when putting them together I saw Taz trying to mount Cotton and felt that he could hurt Cotton because Cotton was 3 months old when we got him I have had their cages side by side I put the metal wire side on one of the cages so that they would still be able to sniff each other and try to get along for a month now that’s been great they even slept against the cages together in the middle like cuddling today I took out the metal wire side of cage that was separating them they have been doing a lot of chasing and trying to mount each other I’ve been hearing little grunts coming from each and at times they just stay quiet and next to each other as to be minding their own business they do have two food bowls and two bottles of water on both sides of the cage now that it is one big cage I fear them fighting and not being able to tell that they are fighting because they do leave each other alone here and there Cotton is smaller but he’s fast and Taz is bigger and slower. They have been like rolling around like tussling here and there and you then hear the grunts they stop and then start again every three or four minutes should I separate them again. I’m just not sure.. Because they do stop often I’m just making sure there is no squealing that sound like one is in pain going on and I haven’t heard that and hope not to but they are still going at it here and there is that normal?
Hope they have calmed down a bit. I have a feeling they are acting normal but if you are still concerned post a video to my facebook page of them “rolling around like tussling” In my experience, when they are fighting you know they are fighting; there is no question.
Thanks and yes they have calm down a lot they are now used to each other and have become the best of friends sleeping on each other and I’m happy I Don’t have to Separate them any more. Thanks for your response..
So I have two male chinchillas Jojo(2) and Roo(1) and they have been best buddies and got along almost immediately when we brought Roo home as a baby, it only took a couple of days to get them in a cage together. About a month ago I got another male chinchilla Mochi(3 months) and he and Jojo can get along fine but with Roo it’s been much more difficult. And recently Jojo and Roo have been having some difficulties getting along, lots of chasing each other with fur slipping. I assume it’s a dominance thing since Mochi is now in the mix, still in a separate cage though. Any advice on how I can get Roo and Mochi to acclimate to each other better? I was considering separating all three into separate cages for a few days and then reintroducing them in pairs and eventually as a group. Advice please?
I wouldn’t separate Jojo and Roo unless they really are not getting along in the cage without Mochi present. I would have playtime with Roo and Mochi until they get a long and then other playtime with Jojo and Mochi and then see if you can transition to all three at once when in pairs they are good. Sounds like Jojo is low man on the pole and the other two are arguing over dominance; I would let them figure that out without Jojo.
You have a great explanation above! I was curious on what advice you have on how to 5 chinchillas. We have two that are bonded in Cage #1, one on his own in Cage #2, and another two that are bonded in Cage #3. We’ve placed the cages close to each other, let them have playtime together, and even put them in each other’s cages. When they are in a smaller space, such as in the bathroom, they start mounting and pulling out fur after a while – we separate them as quickly as possible and/or put them back in their respective cages. Should we introduce them more slowly? Should we try different methods? Or should we allow them to establish dominance (of course stopping them if they bite/wrestle)?
Thanks! We are building a giant cage for all of them and understand that it might not work out, but we’re hoping for the best! We can use all the advice from experts that we can get!
As long as they are all the same sex, I would continue your playtime until they finnish establishing dominance and the mounting becomes less frequent. It’s normal so I wouldn’t worry. I love seeing lots of chinchillas living together!
Hello,
I have a male chinchilla name Oreo, I got him at a PetSmart as gift from my fiance, I have him over a year now. I feel bad for him leaving him alone at night since me and my fiance work graveyard shift and I want to get another male chinchilla for him so he can feel less lonely. Oreo is not neuter, should I get him neuter before I get another chinchilla?
Thanks!
Hi Ana! I would not neuter Oreo at all. First please verify he is indeed a male and then get him another male buddy. There is no benefit to neutering chinchillas other than preventing babies- it doesn’t make them calmer or more friendly so it would be an unnecessary procedure. Pet stores are notorious for mis-sexing chinchillas (it can be hard when they are very young) so I would double check if you haven’t already.
Hello I have 2 boy chinchilla brothers, they are 8 months and they share a large cage with each other not had them long. I’m now rescuing another 2 boys that are already bonded and live in a cage together they are about the same age 7/8 months.
Can I put the two cages in the same room as each other?
Can they play together?
Can there cages sit side by side with out the boys fighting?
Would putting 4 boys in the same room (two in each cage) be to much and cause them to argue or fight?
Is there anything else I should know before getting another 2 boys?
Would really appreciate if you could answer these questions for me. Thank you.
I’m going to purchase a 3 year old and one and a half year old chinchilla who are already comfortable w each other. How long will it take for them to adapt to me?
Hi! I have a female chinchilla (about 7) and I just got a male (already nutered) the female chin had already previously bonded with another male in the past but he passed away from old age, it’s been about 2 years since the lose. Will they be ok if I follow all your steps?
Hi Sara! I have 1 male and 1 female chins. The female born 2 male baby chins. Can I put them together in one huge cage? The babies are now 4 months old. Looks like they are get along very well. Is it possible for the female to be pregnant?
Yes 4 month old males can impregnate a female so they should be kept apart.
Hello,
Thank you for all of the information. They are very helpful. I have a questions regarding to my situation:
I have 4 chinchillas living in 2 cages. Cage 1: a 1 year old mom and a 4 months old son (I’m planning on having the little boy neutered). Cage 2: 2 2 years old sisters.
I’m planning to introduce them to each other but I’m not sure if that’s possible for 3 female and 1 male living together.
Yes it’s possible to have multiple females and one male together. Just like always it’ll depend on the personalities if they’ll all get along. I would be extra careful making sure they accept the boy if he is much smaller.
Hi i have a question i have one female chinchilla 1,5 year old and we bought another one baby female 3 month
Can i start to introduce them now or i have to wait ??? Difference in weight is less than 200g
Have you introduced them? How is it going?
I have a 6yr old female who lost one of her back foot due to bad husbandry as a class room pet, I want to get her a friend but I’m worried that her being handicap will inhibit her from having a friend, do you feel this is true?
Thanks for the article. It is very helpful. I am trying to introduce 1 chinchilla to 3. But one of the three guys is very aggressive towards the new guy. I have been trying to see in this case, which method should we use?
Hi! I have a chinchilla named Dusty , I don’t know how old he is because he was surrendered to the shelter with no information, but he is definitely old and I think he was neglected in his last home , I was a first time chinchilla owner at the time, now I have had for for a little over 8 months. I recently got a baby , (Dakota) who is 6 months old. He was a class pet, and the teacher decided that wasn’t working so she put him up for adoption. The reason I got Dakota is because in around 2 months we are moving and I couldn’t take Dusty with me , I thought I could get another so I could bond them and when they go to there new home they would have each other. I’m trying to figure out the right was to introduce them. I have already pushed they cages together and they seem to be interested, what’s the next best step?
Can I bond them in 2 months or is it impossible?
Hello!
Good luck 🙂