Another introducing question...

[e.murphy518]

So recently I got a new baby white mosaic male chin, in addition to my bonded pair of standard grey males. The 30 day quarantine period just ended last week.

I realize that intros are really difficult and may not ever work out, and I do have cages to keep all chins individually if necessary.

In the opinion of those of you with experience in intros, which of these options would be the most advisable for my situation?

1) Placing the cages of my current chins next to each other to see how they react, with the idea of intro-ing my baby chin into the ferret nation with the bonded pair, also what would be the steps after side by side cages if you think this is the best solution?

2) Get another young male as a cage mate for my current baby? I found another young white mosaic for sale near me, aprx 2 months older than mine, with almost the exact markings so I was thinking that might be a sign lol. And then intro after quarantine

3) leave him alone... which is what i originally planned to do, as I play with him daily and give him lots of love and attention, but I have noticed that when I am not interacting with him he seems kinda sad (still really happy and hyper when I come to the cage) and now that he is in the same room as the older boys, they communicate to each other a lot so I was thinking he might be lonely.

Suggestions?

Thanks in advance

 

[Godofgods]

Hard question to answer because of so many variables. It could work out, it could not.
Ive heard several stories about introing a third chin to an already bonded pair and not only did that not work, but the two bonded ones no longer getting along after. To me personally, that's a pretty big risk.

You could try to get the new one a cage mate if you wanted. You just have to be sure you can handle another chin mentally/physically/financially. And be able to deal with them if they don't get along.

Just make sure your current chins and any you might take in are truly males. Its easy to make a mistake in that process. And its not a mistake you want to make.

 

[e.murphy518]

I have heard that too so thats why i was thinking about maybe just leaving their cages about 5 inches apart for maybe a month? and just see how they all react. Does that sound like an OK idea or would it be better to just not even try?

 

[Godofgods]

It depends if you want to take the chance of the intro. If you do, then side by side with space is not a bad place to start.

Also, just as an fyi, if you keep them separate permanently, often times you can still keep the cages next to each other if they get along well enough for that.
I have two cages, one girls one boys, next to each other (No where else to put them.) They have been that way for years and are doing fine. However i did have to attach a sheet of fleece in-between mine so they couldn't see each other. When my male gets sees a girl he gets to worked up for him own good and starts having problems. But if yours are all males, then that wouldn't be so much an issue.