Distinguishing Between Two Chinchillas

[VanessaBent]

Hi there!
Okay so here's the deal, I have just found out that coming this September my chinchilla family will be growing from one chinchilla to two. I have done my fair share of research on socializing the new chin with my current chin (Shelly), my only dilemma is that I intend on caging them in the same cage (once they have been properly socialized and if they enjoy each other's company) but they are both grey chinchillas so I am worried that once they do get in the same cage I won't be able to tell who's who! I was hoping someone would be able to give me any tricks or tips for the situation, is going to be like having twin babies and I'll be able to tell the difference between the two after getting to know them or is there anything I can do to be able to distinguish between the two of them. Thank you!
Vanessa Bent

 

[Kylelemler]

There are differences in every chinchilla. You probably know your own well enough to tell them apart but if you can't you could take a marker and mark one of their ears.

 

[Flukeke]

I have two hero beige makes. They are brothers. If we can see both it is easy to distinguish because one is a bit bigger then the other. Personality is also a huge help. One of ours is quite lazy and the other one could run on the flying saucer for hoursn

Sent from my DROID RAZR HD using Tapatalk 2

 

[saphire]

I agree with Kyle. But would like to add that you can also trim the tip of the tail of one.

 

[VanessaBent]

Thank you everyone for all the ideas! They are a lot of help.

 

[Godofgods]

I definitely no how you feel. Some times it can be quite difficult to tell them apart. I have a father/son combo that looks alike. And a mother/daughter that looks even more alike. (Technically i have a father/daughter that look alike, but they caged separately).

These are all very old pics. Most of the stuff (other then the chins of course) have been replaced. The flash makes some of them look a little brighter too.

^Father and Son

^Father

^Son

Fortunately, these two have drastically different personalities, which helps. But the main physical difference was that fathers ears are loaded with spots. Where as the sons was clear. (around 2+ years old he started to develop spots on his ears too. But not nearly as much as daddy)

--

^Mother and Daughter

These two girls however are incredibly hard to tell apart. They share a lot of the same personality, and almost all physical traits. The biggest personality difference is that mom has no problem what so ever about hoping right out of the FN cage to the ground if the door is open. Daughter will not. Which of course... is not the best way to distinguish chins lol.

The only physical difference is that mom has a small little patch of fur, about the size of a finger nail, on here back right side thats a little out of place. And the daughters is completely smooth. Not the ideal way to tell who is who, but it is the simplest and fastest.

Point being, sometimes you start looking for the slightest difference between them. And you might be surprised with what you come up with!

 

[Godofgods]

And just so i dont leave the one girl out..

Looking through them all, i just realized that i don't have any straight up pics of her. They are all of when she is young and in the most goofy positions lol - But she does look just like daddy too. Even developed the spots at a very young age.

 

[aaura]

I have 2 male twin grays that are going to. New homes is it safe to use a sharpie to mark the ear?

 

[sarah2000]

Hi there!
Okay so here's the deal, I have just found out that coming this September my chinchilla family will be growing from one chinchilla to two. I have done my fair share of research on socializing the new chin with my current chin (Shelly), my only dilemma is that I intend on caging them in the same cage (once they have been properly socialized and if they enjoy each other's company) but they are both grey chinchillas so I am worried that once they do get in the same cage I won't be able to tell who's who! I was hoping someone would be able to give me any tricks or tips for the situation, is going to be like having twin babies and I'll be able to tell the difference between the two after getting to know them or is there anything I can do to be able to distinguish between the two of them. Thank you!
Vanessa Bent

I have only been chin owner for a while, but can tell the diffrece between my 2 very easily, i am lucky they are a slightly different shade of grey which is very obvious in day light but in the evening with low light you cant tell at all.

My 2 have totally varying personality, one is very cautious (he is called mash) with everything he does, if he jumps on the coffee table it will be clearly thought out, and he gets off carefully too, the other (he is called dash) just tears about like a nutter and jumps on and off things without ever thinking about it.

Dash chews EVERYTHING and the other never chews when he is out. Dash will be sat at the cage door dead on 9pm wanting to come out, while the other is a late riser and will stay in his cage for about 15 min after the door is open. Mash is also more affectionate, he will sit on you and climb in and out my jumper. Dash comes no where near me until i trick him with rosehips. When he goes back to his cage he rush to the door as soon as i pass it, and calls to me in the hope he will get to come out. Dash has also learnt how to unlatch his cage so i have to take care to put the lock on.

Basically Dash is a nightmare and mash is easy going and cuddly if he is in the mood. Dash is the more dominant, and more playful.

Dash also has a much bushier tail, and is much plumper than mash. The list in differences is huge basically, but when i got them is was hard to tell them apart, now i can tell who is who just by looking at how they are behaving.

 

[akane]

I've heard a silver sharpie shows up well on the ear.

I haven't had any problems with mine. We got a pair of ebonies and there was a difference in their head shape and one has a thicker body. Then we had 3 kits all medium ebony. The first week it was impossible to tell them apart but by the end of the 2nd week we had figured out one made lots of noise which we nicknamed "Squeaker", one was considerably smaller than the rest which we nicknamed "runt", and the last was both neither of those 2 and started to develop a thicker coat.