2 males 2 females

[Dsmith86]

Earlier this year I brought home my first two male chinchillas, and I loved them so much around a month ago I got two females from a friend who didn't want them anymore. Yesterday they moved into the same room as my my males, though the cages are away from each other. The boys definitely know they're their but they aren't too bothered by them, their behaviour has so far mostly been the same and the boys seem to be invisible to the girls.

Just firstly to say I am in NO way planning on breeding. That stuff goes way beyond my head and I don't want the complications, rather enjoy them all as pets. I also know they can never meet face to face and that's fine, separate play times separate everything. However my question is this as I got curious.. Could they hypothetically all live together happily in the same cage? Would the boys go mental and try and kill each other? Just to reiterate I'm NOT gonna put them together, ever, but has anyone had any success stories with a group like that? Or can it only be 1 male per group?

 

[Narcissus]

No they could not all live together. The boys would fight over the girls and potentially kill each other. The females could also fight with each other

 

[Dsmith86]

Figured as much, kind of funny how mating changes everything. They're all perfectly happy to live next door.

So only one male chin per group is the general rule I take it? Makes you wonder how chinchillas work this in the wild in herds of 100+! Surely it can't be one male in the whole herd?

 

[Godofgods]

Just a warning, something to look out for, not to scare you; One of the males i had taken in ended up having a heart murmur and seizures. I didn't no about it until this event. - He used to live with the female for a year or two. He eventually had to be separated. After that, him seeing 'his girl' but not being able to get to her would get my boy so worked up that those health issues i mentioned would start to take effect. - So now i have to make sure he cant ever see her, for his own health. Be it in the cage or out for play time.

It scared the heck outa me the first time it happened and i didnt no what was going on or why. So i figured id mention it just in case something ever happened with another persons chins. - So just something to watch for.

 

[Dsmith86]

Thanks for the advice, I'll keep my eyes out! They all don't seem too bothered by each other still which is good! I thought my boys would be dying to meet them! I don't know whether to be disappointed with their manhood or not haha.