Buying a second chin

[Teddykay]

I bought my chin four months ago. I really want to buy her a buddy though. If I did I would buy a girl because I hear you should pair chinchillas with the same sex??? The only thing holding me back is the fact that I don't want to buy another chinchilla for them not to like each other. I don't want to deal with having to sell the new chinchilla right away.

Any advice?
And, how do you feel about only having one chin? Do you feel it's necessary to have multi chins so they can have friends?

 

[Stackie]

I would not buy another if you are not ok with them not getting along. It is very possible that your chin may not take well to another. There is absolutely no guarantee they will get along, and the fact that you would sell the second chin if they didn't makes me absolutely say you should not get another.

Introductions can be tricky and can take a long time, and even then if they do end up getting along they may at some point decide they don't like each other and have to be separated. My general rule is if you aren't okay with having two cages and basically two of everything, don't get another.

Chins are fine by themselves. It's not necessary for them to have friends. I've had several that didn't want a buddy and one that actually would try to attack anything that even resembled another chin.

 

[Smidgeyy]

^I second what Stackie said.

You also don't want to get one of the opposite gender... Breeding can be complicated, costly, and lethal to chins if you don't know what you are doing. If you try to pair him with another chin, get a male.

My chins are a perfect example of this... I wanted to get another because I wanted another, and I wanted to see if I could pair him with my other chin. My first chin absolutely hates my second chin. He gets angry if I even hold him up to his cage. He had been caged with another chin before at the pet store(which I didn't buy him from, he was just kind of thrown at me, I wouldn't get a chin from there) so I assumed it could work out.

Now I have two double Critter Nations in my bedroom. Do like Stackie said... Don't get another unless you are prepared to keep them separated.

 

[Teddykay]

Ok, thanks guys! I will just stay with my one chin. If I got another it would be a nightmare if they didn't like each other. Cause I wouldn't want to sell the second but I wouldn't want to have two separate cages!

 

[Smidgeyy]

^I misread your post Lol. I thought you wanted to get a male friend for your female, so disregard that part Lol.

I dislike having two cages but oh well... It keeps my babies safe and happy so that's all that matters. :]

 

[LYChinchillas]

I wouldn't get another chinchilla if you're not ready for the full responsibility of potentially having two separate kiddos. It's pretty stressful for chins to be rehomed again and again, especially if it's due to a silly reason such as you wanting them to get along. Some simply won't get along, and some will get along for a period of time and then decide they want to live alone. Would you abandon your chins down the road because they decided they don't like each other? I have 5 babies and 4 separate cages, fully aware that it's not ideal but that all their furry lives are more than worthwhile even though they must be kept separate.

Some breeders will let you bring your existing chins for a playdate to test initial responses. Keep in mind that initial interactions are in no way fully indicative of how they will live alongside or near each other.

 

[Amethyst]

Some breeders will let you bring your existing chins for a playdate to test initial responses. Keep in mind that initial interactions are in no way fully indicative of how they will live alongside or near each other.

Very bad idea, and it's best not to trust a breeder that allows you to bring in your animal, unless you know the breeder personally and they are making an exception for you since they know your chin. There is a recommended 30 day quarantine period when you get a new chin before they can be together or even in the same room (so separate cages and rooms for at least a month anyway), to among other things, make sure neither is sick.
Otherwise the breeder would have to take people's word on it that the chin they bring in is healthy, and has been healthy, unless they personally take the chin in to monitor for a month before doing a play date. That means someone before you could have brought in a sick chin, lied saying it was healthy (or simply didn't know it was sick) because it looked fine that day, and infected the breeder's chins with something, which they could then pass on to your chin. It can take time for illness to show up sometimes (hence the 30 day wait) but the chin could still be contagious.

Also as said looking at how they act out of their territory and in a new strange place is not going to give you an accurate idea of how they will be back home. Some chins take travel and being in a new place in stride, others act like their whole world has come undone.

 

[LYChinchillas]

Correct, correct. Which is why I said, "Keep in mind that initial interactions are in no way fully indicative of how they will live alongside or near each other."