Does anyone's male do this?

[jmdebb]

First of all I hope this is in the right place, sorry mods if it isn't, but it is about a behavior so I'm thinking it's okay.

Just curious if I had the only weird/skiddish male. [if that is the correct term to use--]

Anyway, first alittle background. I know what I'm going to ask is true because after going to the vet twice and speaking with someone who really know's chins, and then piecing together what I have seen but didn't realize was pertinate information at the time it was happening but, have since put all the pieces together and that's another reason I know it's true. But I was wondering if anyone else has a male that this happens too.

And also before I begin, so no one worries I want to put you at piece and yes I do pay very close attention now, and force feed when needed.

Okay, on to the real story. Bo is my smallest chin and most skiddish. I don't know why he is really skiddish because he was handled alot when I first got him, but he is. So what has happened twice, and I'm sure it will again but now I am ware of what triggers it I know what to look for, when my female(s) goes into heat, he stops eating and loses weight. I have had chins for three years and it's only been twice, it doesn't happen every time --thankfully, and that in itself is something curious although I'm glad it doesn't happen alot. So anyways, he obviously feels the female chinny hormones in the room even though he's not in the same cage, and like I said twice has stopped eating and lost weight. Both times he gained it back and like I said, I force fed when necessary. So I was just wondering if anyone else had a male that did this. I know there is nothing I can do to stop this from happening, and that I need to pay alot of attention to Bo, but was just wondering if this is something that happens to other males out there.

And one thing I should add is that second time this happened I was going through major anxiety so I'm sure that was part of it too [because he could feel my vibes so to speak and it made him nervous [or something] enough to stop eating.

I really hope that made sense, as alot of you know I have a hard time explaining things to make sense. So if I didn't explain it well and you have a question to make it more clear, just ask.

Thanks all,
Jean

 

[oxchincerelyxo]

My boys act a bit differently when my girl is in heat, but not to that extent. Maybe bring him into a different room when this happens to prevent his weight loss etc. That sort of stress or what ever it may be good for him:hmm:

 

[jmdebb]

My boys act a bit differently when my girl is in heat, but not to that extent. Maybe bring him into a different room when this happens to prevent his weight loss etc. That sort of stress or what ever it may be good for him:hmm:

Yes I'm sure it's not good for him, and thankfully, it has only happened twice in two years, so although I am concerned, I'm thinking only because it doesn't happen often, as long as I keep a extra eye on him, I'm hoping nothing serious will ever happen to him.

The problem with putting him in another room, is that even though I own my house, I only have three bedrooms, my boyfriend Tim has one [even though yes we do sleep in the same bed.. sorry if TMI, and there's no room in his room to put Bo in there, then the cages animals have their room, and then my bedroom. and the dog and cat are in and out of my room so that wouldn't be good, and the rest of the house won't be good for the same reason]. I guess if it does happen again, I can keep the dog and cat out of my room and put Bo in there, but I didn't know if that would add on stress [by being moved.]

But also, would like to know if anyone else's male is like this.

THanks for you comments,
jean

 

[addictedtochins]

I only have three bedrooms, my boyfriend Tim has one [even though yes we do sleep in the same bed.
But also, would like to know if anyone else's male is like this.
Thanks for you comments, jean

Nope, you're the only one who sleeps with their boyfriend. :laughitup:

 

[Chinniechantel]

I just don't think that a female going in to heat would make him go that crazy. Especially since it has only happened twice in two years. I would try to find another cause, because this sounds kind of serious. Good luck!

 

[Cuddlebug]

I have never seen any of my males exhibit this kind of behavior. I do have on boy who "sings" to his lady when she is in heat.

 

[AZChins]

You know, sometimes the females will have a heat cycle where they really are pungent. Most of the time it's with females that have had babies before or are in breeding. I can smell them from several feet away sometimes. It isn't completely impossible that one of the females put off a very powerful scent just a couple of times during a heat. I've never noticed it with younger females that have never been in breeding, it's usually with females that are housed with a male and are a few years old.

However, most of the time the males have no real idea that the females are in heat. They don't have a great sense of smell and they usually have to be right up close to understand a female is in heat - in the same cage or have their cage a few inches from the female's.

Males do tend to flip out at times when a female goes into heat and they know it! They swish their tails, make their monkey sounds and try to ply the females with grooming kisses. It's adorable. Most of the time a female only is in heat for a day or two at a time so the male doesn't have that large a window to lose weight or act insane. The craziness is over the next day.

With Jean's little guy I bet it was something else, or he just happened to have some spazzy chinnie temper tantrum. It could have coincided with a slight infection or his digestive tract was giving a little problem. I don't know if a female chin will go into heat for long enough for a male to lose weight...

Do you think that somehow the female would have been open and putting off her scent for much longer than normal? They ovulate and there's only a brief window that the female could get pregnant, but maybe a couple of time she just stayed in the state where she was putting off pheromones for an extended period?

I think this is just fascinating. It's always strange when a chin's behavior changes from a slight outside stimulus. And, I have always tried to gain an understanding of the heat cycles of chinchillas. These little guys are always surprising me and there's always so much more to learn.

 

[jmdebb]

You know, sometimes the females will have a heat cycle where they really are pungent. Most of the time it's with females that have had babies before or are in breeding. I can smell them from several feet away sometimes. It isn't completely impossible that one of the females put off a very powerful scent just a couple of times during a heat. I've never noticed it with younger females that have never been in breeding, it's usually with females that are housed with a male and are a few years old.

However, most of the time the males have no real idea that the females are in heat. They don't have a great sense of smell and they usually have to be right up close to understand a female is in heat - in the same cage or have their cage a few inches from the female's.

Males do tend to flip out at times when a female goes into heat and they know it! They swish their tails, make their monkey sounds and try to ply the females with grooming kisses. It's adorable. Most of the time a female only is in heat for a day or two at a time so the male doesn't have that large a window to lose weight or act insane. The craziness is over the next day.

With Jean's little guy I bet it was something else, or he just happened to have some spazzy chinnie temper tantrum. It could have coincided with a slight infection or his digestive tract was giving a little problem. I don't know if a female chin will go into heat for long enough for a male to lose weight...

Do you think that somehow the female would have been open and putting off her scent for much longer than normal? They ovulate and there's only a brief window that the female could get pregnant, but maybe a couple of time she just stayed in the state where she was putting off pheromones for an extended period?

I think this is just fascinating. It's always strange when a chin's behavior changes from a slight outside stimulus. And, I have always tried to gain an understanding of the heat cycles of chinchillas. These little guys are always surprising me and there's always so much more to learn.

I have to say the room isn't the biggest so the cages aren't that far apart from each other, and another thing which is funny, but Chin-chin never has a problem noticing a female is in heat, I now because for a small animal [and to be gross] but he is well-endowed and he is not afraid of showing it and it doesn't bother him like sometimes with Bo. So that's who I know a female is in heat, I just look at him.:hilarious:

It's funny you mentioned the tail wagging because I have never seen that before until the other night. So Bo was out running around doing his thing, I always sit and watch when one is out playing, and he went up to Noel's cage and they sniffed and he ran away a few feet, stopped dead in his tracks and started to way his tail like a dog, it was actually cute, but anyways, then he would go crazy running around the room and then go back up to her cage and do the same thing again. lol. But I did try to keep him away from it after a while because I know he can get too nervous by it.

And my girls have become "ladies" so maybe they do smell alittle different than before, but like I said, it only happened twice which is weird.

 

[AZChins]

I know what you are saying, believe me, I know. It can be embarrassing sometimes to see certain things that the males do. Actually it's been nearly a dozen years and I still am shocked at times about the whole thing...

The tail wagging eep eep eep eep noise combo is funny...they just have to express themselves. Maybe they think it impresses the girls? That could be it. I have seen males do this even though there isn't a female in heat anywhere around. Males are just silly...generally they seem to calm down at around three years of age and aren't so, what would be a good word, expressive!