Boys next to girls?

[Chinnies]

I have a mother/daughter pair who have been together for coming on two years now (my baby's growing so fast!) and I have two boys, unrelated, who live in a divided FN right next to the girls. They've lived separately for quite some time now, but I've been wanting to put them together. My worry is that they live right next to the girls (as in, directly next to them- not across the room or anything) and that is where their cages will continue to stay, since I have limited room.

I've heard that when girls go in heat, it CAN (not always) cause the boys to fight since they can smell it. I don't want to risk either one of my boys, which is why they've lived by themselves.

Does anyone have girls and boys living next to each other with no problems? How about if anyone has had boys fighting over girls? Anything relating to my situation? :thumbsup:

I don't think they're lonely, though. They love all their toys and having their space and spoiled time (they BEG for scritches- it's pathetic, hahaha) so I'm not neccesarily concerned about putting them together right now, but I'm more curious for future's sake.

 

[AZChins]

I'd say that you probably just need to keep an eye on everyone. If you notice any fighting amongst the males, put them in a cage farther away from the girls.

I've noticed that if the cages aren't within maybe 8 to 10 inches apart, the males won't notice the females are in heat. I have had problems with them being in divided cages (solid dividers, of course) with females on one side and males on the other, that's pretty much the only situation where fights have erupted amongst males. Now I just never put males and females that close together and there are very few problems.

BUT, if they are getting along with no fighting, I'd just leave it all alone because it's working. Are the boys divided from each other in the cage? Or are they together?

 

[Chinnies]

BUT, if they are getting along with no fighting, I'd just leave it all alone because it's working. Are the boys divided from each other in the cage? Or are they together?

They don't live together as of right now. They're in a FN 142, with one in the top half and the other in the bottom half. I occasionally give them play time together, so they can have some "chinchilla time", but that's about it.

I'm not concerned about putting them together right now but I may want to eventually (especially if I can put them in a room separate from the girls when I move on out! haha), so I figured I'd look into the issue now and see what everyone thinks.

Thanks for the input! :thumbsup:

 

[Ash]

I have three boys and four girls. My boys all live together. When I had a smaller number of girls, they scuffled a bit, but once I evened out the m/f ratio, the scuffling stopped. So the fact that you have two of each might help keep the peace also.

 

[starleomach]

I have a cage of boys right in my breeding room. It is fine.

 

[Laurie]

This is my setup. I have one 2 story ferret nation girls on bottom, boys on top. Next to it is one 3 story ferret nation all divided into single units, boy on bottom, girl in the middle, two girls on top. So I have boys on top of girls, girls on top of boy and girls and boys across from each other. I have never noticed any fighting amongst my boys who live together when the girls come into heat. I have noticed Leonard, who lives across from Bobo and GiGi squealing out to them nightly because I think he thinks he's going to get them as girlfriends. Good luck with that Leonard! Not gonna happen.

 

[addictedtochins]

I have noticed Leonard, who lives across from Bobo and GiGi squealing out to them nightly because I think he thinks he's going to get them as girlfriends. Good luck with that Leonard! Not gonna happen.

Heehe chinny phone sex! Aw geez, don't kill the poor guys hopes and dreams. I love that guy. Go on Leonard, you never know, it might happen. You are soo sexy in your fishbowl!