Chinchilla fight

[kittymuff]

Hi again! So recently I adopted a new chin named Ivy, she's about a year old and is much bigger than my old chin Zoey. I tried to get them to get along during playtime but instantly it turned into serious fighting, and my old chin Zoey has a scratch on her nose now. I'm wondering, does this mean they won't be able to bond in the future? I have heard many times that if 2 chins fight and it results in one of them being injured then they need to be permanently separated. I'm very worried because I love the new chin, but I don't want to risk Zoey getting hurt. I'd love it if they could just get along and have no fighting. I'm trying to stay hopeful but I think I know what the answer is I do think some of it is on my part because I didn't quarantine the new chin before the introduction. I really regret it, since it could be why they didn't get along; because the new chin was stressed from moving homes. Any advice is welcome and appreciated. Thanks !

 

[Amethyst]

I would start by quarantining the new chin, although it's already too late to prevent any illness (if the new chin turns out to be sick) from passing it can still allow the new chin to settle in and hopefully time for them to forget the fight, but don't be surprised if bonding doesn't work now. So I'm a bit confused looking at it you posted in another thread about wanting a new chin like 5 days ago, so you have had the new chin less then a week? So they already were already settled and calm in cages next to each other in that short amount of time? Also even if they were good in cages side by side (sleeping next to each other, eating next to each other, chatting to each other, etc) did you do the playtime in a neutral area where the other chin has never been?

 

[kittymuff]

I would start by quarantining the new chin, although it's already too late to prevent any illness (if the new chin turns out to be sick) from passing it can still allow the new chin to settle in and hopefully time for them to forget the fight, but don't be surprised if bonding doesn't work now. So I'm a bit confused looking at it you posted in another thread about wanting a new chin like 5 days ago, so you have had the new chin less then a week? So they already were already settled and calm in cages next to each other in that short amount of time? Also even if they were good in cages side by side (sleeping next to each other, eating next to each other, chatting to each other, etc) did you do the playtime in a neutral area where the other chin has never been?

Yeah, I did several things wrong and I probably should have stuck to my plan of quarantining and then starting introductions, but I was impatient and way too excited to see them get along, which didn't happen. I see my mistake and I knew it was a bad idea when I was going to put them together so quickly. Hopefully not all is lost, and I've definitely learned from my mistake. Unfortunately since they are animals its might be very hard to get them to move past this incident.

 

[Chinmin]

So, where does Ivy live now?

 

[tunes]

Trim both of their whiskers back to less than half an inch. Put a dab of vanilla at the top of their noses and the base of their tails. Then as Amethyst said, put them in a neutral area to dust and have playtime. It's likely they will fight again though and need to be kept separate permanently. Chins have very, very long memories.

 

[kittymuff]

So, where does Ivy live now?

She lives in a seperate part of the cage, I divided my ferret nation in half.

 

[Chinmin]

She lives in a seperate part of the cage, I divided my ferret nation in half.

Poor Ivy. Can they still see each other?

 

[kittymuff]

Poor Ivy. Can they still see each other?

No they can't. There was a small gap in the blocked off part and Ivy bit zoey on the mouth again so we are going to keep them permanently seperated.

 

[Lauren]

No they can't. There was a small gap in the blocked off part and Ivy bit zoey on the mouth again so we are going to keep them permanently seperated.

Keep trying! When I adopted my third Chinchilla, Mochi, it took roughly a year before he and my other Chins got along. They all happily live in the same cage now and are the best of friends.

The minute there is any squabbles, take a chin away before any thing bad happens. It's not in uncommon, but sometimes certain Chin's are lone wolfs. It really requires a tonne of patience. Hope they helps!

 

[Chinmin]

No they can't. There was a small gap in the blocked off part and Ivy bit zoey on the mouth again so we are going to keep them permanently seperated.

She really is something. How's Zoey now?

 

[kittymuff]

She really is something. How's Zoey now?

Shes ok, a little stressed, but we are giving her plenty of playtime (alone with us, not with the other chin) so she can feel a little better.

 

[Chinmin]

Shes ok, a little stressed, but we are giving her plenty of playtime (alone with us, not with the other chin) so she can feel a little better.

Poor girl, she deserves plenty of playtime indeed and some bonding time. How's your bonding by the way?

 

[kittymuff]

Poor girl, she deserves plenty of playtime indeed and some bonding time. How's your bonding by the way?

Bonding is going well, she seems comfortable with coming up to us and climbing on us during playtime. Still doesn't like being picked up while she's in her cage though, but thats not surprising haha.

 

[Chinmin]

Bonding is going well, she seems comfortable with coming up to us and climbing on us during playtime. Still doesn't like being picked up while she's in her cage though, but thats not surprising haha.

Cool. You obviously earned her trust already. If she doesn't like being picked up, why not let her come up?