Critter Nation for Introductions?

[sheena lee]

I've had both my chins for a good while now, and I did start the intro process back in May, but stopped when it got too hot and Chia seemed to be a little too pushy with Abby (no biting, but chasing and spraying.)

Now they share a CN cage, without access to each other. I covered the hole with a wood shelf and one of the ladders.

Today I decided to take out the wood shelf, just to see what would happen. When they were side by side, they paid absolutely no attention to each other at all, I figured it would take a while for them to notice each other now. I was wrong, right away they started sniffing through and Abby was stretching up to smell Chia. Neither of them made any noises, just noses touching through the bars (which are 1/2 inch.) I got nervous and put the wood back.

I'm wondering if they can really hurt each other through 1/2" bars? I was considering getting hardware cloth to add more "padding", so they can see each other but not touch each other. I'm hoping this will make joint playtime easier for both, since they'll be exposed to each other every day. They haven't really seen each other up close since I think June, which was their last playtime together...

Thoughts? Suggestions? Is hardware cloth going overboard?

This is what the cage looks like, with the hole in the far right corner. Abby's shelves are far away from that area, even though there's wood covering it.

 

[paula1101]

I have a divided cage like you're describing, although it's a Ferret Nation, for a few chins I'm chinsitting and one girl got a little snip on her nose from sticking it up through the bars. Nothing serious and I really think it would be very difficult to cause serious damage, but if you want them to interact without any possibility of any injuries, I think the hardware mesh is a great idea.

 

[sheena lee]

Yeah, in the end I decided to put some, just to be sure. I'm going to monitor them tonight, and then put the wood back in overnight probably. Chia is trying desperately to pull up the metal (naturally, she can't leave anything in her cage alone) I don't think she can but I don't want to take any chances!

Depending on how it goes I might put another shelf in for Abby, closer to the hole. They really can't get at each other right now, even if Abby could get closer.

 

[paula1101]

I think that's probably what I'd do too. The one thing I'd worry about, rather than injuries from other chins, would be their teeth somehow getting stuck in the bars. Better safe than sorry, for sure!

I had to lol at the comment about her not leaving anything in her cage alone - I think most chins have OCD to one degree or another.

 

[sheena lee]

So far their interactions have been pretty anticlimactic, which is good! They sniff each other and then Chia tries to "dig" her way through the mesh to get at Abby, but no kacking or other aggressive sounds or behavior!

Chia is really really a pest. She's sooo desperate to pull up the mesh, I don't want her to hurt herself. I made sure there's no prickly bits, but still...