Chinchilla death question

[MikeC]

Hi so I wish my first post was this post. My family and I just lost one of our two chinchillas earlier this week. Her death was sudden and unexpected. We had her for 9 years and my wife is heartbroken. My question is about our other male chinchilla. After the death of his friend he has become aggressive. He's making all the noises and gestures of a mad defensive chinchilla. Now this is not like him. He is usually happy, playful and loves attention. Is this normal? He and our female were together for about 8 years and had a great relationship. They never mated because honestly we know nothing about chinchilla birth and didn't want to risk loosing our chinchilla.

 

[Godofgods]

sry to get slightly off topic but can you elaborate on how your male and female were together for so long and didnt mate? Or were they both in separate cages next to each other? - I ask because baby kits are incredibly small. They can fit through 1inch cage bars like they dont even exists. They can escape before you even no they were born. (Happened to me.)

As for attitude change, it can be expected. Just a matter of to what degree and how long. My father chin Chico jsut lost his son cage mate Houdini. These last few weeks he was been very reserved and hiding away. Mopeing around.

 

[MikeC]

They were in seperate cages next to each other. I've been doing some reading and I have only been able to find info that says the surviving chinchilla will become sad and depressed not angry and aggressive. We Will continue to give him attention and talk to him like we always do. I'm just going to wait to take him out until I know what's going on. He's eating and drinking like normal and taking dust baths. Just being aggressive towards us at playtime.

 

[Dreamlite]

Chins dont like routine changes. Loosing a chinchilla in the house is a big change for them. Its normal for him to be upset and nervous for a bit till he settles back in to the new schedules.