Fighting

[magallag]

I see a lot of people's Chins turn on each other if they are cagemates.

Do females do it more often than males? If they are sisters or brothers is it less likely to happen?

I know some people recommend you get 2 Chins, but I don't want to do that if they are just going to turn on each other.

 

[EveningChin]

Some do some don't. There is no way of guessing if they will. The best thing to do is get same sex siblings and be prepared for the worst. They may live together forever and be perfectly happy, or they may live together for years then turn. Just have a spare cage ready just incase.

From what I've read if they get along better if thats how they've been since they were kits. Most fights occur during intros or in pairs that were intro'd later.

Its a gamble. Plan for the best prepare for the worst.

 

[AZChins]

Brothers or sisters are usually best, BUT if you get the chins when they are very young they often will form a very friendly bond - the type where they love each other and hate everyone else. I wean my babies into cages with other babies of the same sex to help get them used to the idea of having buddies. 90% of the time everything is great. It just seems that some of the young babies decide to be mean to the other babies upon entering puberty - about 6 to 7 months of age with males and maybe 9 to 12 months with females.

 

[InkedupTara]

Just dont pair a brother and sister. I have seen a lot of people with serious injuries and in some cases death lately. For this reason, I as a pet owner, and I am sure what some call a fanatic, will not pair my chins. It isnt worth it to me. I would rather just have single chins.

They do not need to be paired off. Mine are all just fine and bonded to me and Paul and get playtime everynight. I dont have to worry about fights or extra cages.

 

[Ash]

I have males that have been together for 2 years, and another male in with them for a year now. A few scuttles occasionally, but it's usually over a treat or when one of the girls is in heat. I also have females in the same scenario. Nothing fully aggressive and meaning to kill, just the occasional scuffle.

Yes some chins turn on each other, but it doesn't always happen. The only reason you hear about it more is because people don't usually post "It's 3 years and goin strong!" about their chins, they only post when there's a problem. Many of us have paired and trio'd chins. I think there's one or two who have colonies (10 chins in one cage), and they get along great. It's a risk you take with chins, but it often works out perfectly well.

 

[Mt. Zion Chins]

It just seems like a lot of chins that turn on each other. I have found that is not very often at all. I have recommend pairs for over 10 years for my kits and I paired up many adults (same sex) to find homes for them. I have heard of only 3 of my pairs that have had problems - that is out of many, many pairs. One of them were brothers who were together since birth. They neutered the aggressive male and that stopped it Yes, you have to be prepared just in case but it rarely happens. I think most chins are happiest with a 'mate' (same sex) and the good out weighs the negative.

 

[zappa-fied]

how do chinchillas live in herds if they can't stand each other as pets?

 

[Laurie]

any animal can turn on another or it's owner--ANY. It just so happens on our forum we are chinchilla owners so we post this happening. It seems unlikely a small rodent like a chinchilla would kill another chinchilla, yet it happens--we know it happens--some of us have seen it and the rest of us have heard about it from our chinchilla friends.

All breed animals can actually be deadly to one another, frogs kill each other, cats & dogs can kill each other--okay maybe I shouldn't have said all because I've never heard of cows or horses turning on each other, but we know animals can and do kill it's a fact of life.

I think they are no different than we are. One day they might just go a little crazy and then serious damage can occur--just like the people who've had enough and go to work and kill their co-workers I guess.

 

[Claire D]

I just know I am wasting my time here but here goes .......... someone might be genuinely interested rather than wanting to prove a point.

how do chinchillas live in herds if they can't stand each other as pets?

Quite easily - chinchillas are generally gregarious creatures. In the wild it is asserted that they live in colonies with one male to several females (there's references for that but I can't find them just now). However we put them in an artificial environment and expect them to get along together.

One of the issues is space - a colony/herd needs plenty of space to get away if there is aggression - in the wild they would simply chase out the "unwanted" chin. In our domesticated environments this is simply not feasible however large cages do help.

Another issue is hidey holes - again, in the wild the submissive chin would run into a hidey hole (crevice or small hole) and defend it against an aggressor. In domesticated environments it is possible to provide suitable hiding places for chins.

A further issue is choice - humans impose the make-up of members in a herd/colony. The chinchilla cannot choose who is in their cage and who is not. In some ways this is "unnatural" & can cause the chins to fight.


It's all fairly basic animal behavioural stuff TBH





I think Ash's comments are interesting - many people successfully pair up chins and have no problems at all. They just don't come onto the forums shouting about it - we see the problems and the fall-outs but not the stories of chins snuggling up happily together until they die of old age.


I think one of the major factors in chinchillas fighting is a change in "balance". Something will trigger a change in power or dynamics and that "thing" can throw off years of peaceful coexistence in an instant. Suddenly chins that have been happily snuggled up for years can turn on each other and rip each other to bits - often with no warning.

Common issues which can trigger fall-outs seem to be:
Hormones - the boys coming of age & wanting to be "top chin", females with PMT, females going into season/oestrus, pregnancy (e.g. females turn on the males)
Environmental changes - moving cages (from one place/room to another), putting a new neighbour alongside an established pair/trio, moving established pairs/trios to another cage
Introducing new chins - whether that be in the same cage/room/house or just trying to get a third chin in with an established pair.
Dominance and bullying from inappropriate pairings - for example one chin gets too overbearing and bullies the other - something "snaps" in the bullied chin and all hades breaks loose.
It's more hormones but this deserves a separate mention as it is a common problem: bringing a female in when there are paired males - this can trigger horrific fighting which often leads to fatalities.
Illness - one or more chins being ill can massively tip the balance, especially if it is the dominant chin which is sick.



Knowing the chins helps so that small scuffles can be detected but often chins fight for no apparent reason - it is often the smallest of things (like some of those listed above) which trigger fights.
I guess the bottom line is every time a chin gets put with another it is a risk - a calculated one, but a risk never-the-less.


I've got one of the most laid back male pairings here at Monty's Manor - they are in a room with breeding chins & paired females & not a cross "kack" has ever been "kacked" between them. They were paired up at 9/10 & 7/8 years old when one of the first boys from the original pairing passed away. It was the easiest introduction ever & the boys have gotten on like a house on fire ever since - in fact, as I look now, they are on top of one another in their hammock. :heart:
I have to say the original pairing was also incredibly laid back - once again, never a "kack" between them and they lived happily together for 8 years in with the breeders/females etc.
Do I feel complacent about that pair? Heck no - they could fall out at any time. But somehow I doubt it after all these years - neither of them has a bad bone in their bodies - I still monitor them though.

My friend, Debbie, on the other hand had a pair of sisters who lived together for 6-7 years and then suddenly fell out for no apparent reason. She got them back together again after a brief separation and they lived happily until they died of old age. *shrugs*

 

[zappa-fied]

I just know I am wasting my time here but here goes .......... someone might be genuinely interested rather than wanting to prove a point.




bringing a female in when there are paired males - this can trigger horrific fighting which often leads to fatalities.

Nope... nobody was offering condescending advice this time.. :clap1:

I particularly notice this one about introducing a female to a pair of males. Kenny and Zappa now groom each other and sleep on top of one another.. Kenny was bugging out when Vera was running around the room, so we locked him up.. Zappa, being a fatty that he is, kept an eye on her, but didn't chase too much. There was one or two little scuffles.. Now, THAT is was I call stress, and I felt terrible for my baby girl, as she was stuck hiding inside a giant tube we have.. When I got her out and put her in the carrier, she chomped on hay and happily frolicked all the way home

 

[Chinmama]

how do chinchillas live in herds if they can't stand each other as pets?

You cannot compare chinchillas in the wild to domesticated chinchillas. They are different in a lot of ways though domestication.

If you are letting your chins out all together, there is a chance your female could become pregnant. It only takes a few seconds. At the very least, make sure she is housed in a baby safe cage and make sure you guys have done your research on signs of pregnancy and know what to watch for in case there are any complications.

People here are offering you good advice. I don't see anyone being condescending and rude to you, I only see people who are concerned with your lack of experience and desire to act like a know-it-all.

If you want help with something, you are welcome to come here and ask. But you need to be prepared for the answers that you will receive. They may not always be phrased as nicely as you would like, especially when you are potentially endangering the lives of your chinchillas.

When you come to forum, you just need to keep an open mind. Obviously, no one here can "make" you do anything, and what you do is up to you. Our job is to inform you of the best way to go about certain situations, based on our experience, and hope you take the advice given.

 

[zappa-fied]

Perfect. I'm content in knowing that, and I've made an apology and have since been posting around and asking questions about houses and cage mates, etc, trying to forget about the past..
So please take your own advice. If Alanna wants to take Kenny out for a stroll occasionally, then let her. Have an 'open mind'. Kenny likes it. He's been toted around as a young kit in her chin purse, so I believe he is content in being outside, it's all conditioning.

 

[Claire D]

Nope... nobody was offering condescending advice this time.. :clap1:

You really have no idea ..........

I particularly notice this one about introducing a female to a pair of males. Kenny and Zappa now groom each other and sleep on top of one another.. Kenny was bugging out when Vera was running around the room, so we locked him up.. Zappa, being a fatty that he is, kept an eye on her, but didn't chase too much. There was one or two little scuffles.. Now, THAT is was I call stress, and I felt terrible for my baby girl, as she was stuck hiding inside a giant tube we have.. When I got her out and put her in the carrier, she chomped on hay and happily frolicked all the way home

Locking Kenny up - he is acting like a chinchilla & punishing him is a waste of time & will only increase his stress - which he may then take out on Kenny.
Zappa chased who exactly? If it was Kenny then you're going to end up with dead chins. If it is the female you're going to end up with kits and/or dead chins.


It's clear to me and many others on this forum that you are intent on "doing your own thing" regardless of the experience and knowledge presented in every thread you have started.

 

[Chinmama]

Perfect. I'm content in knowing that, and I've made an apology and have since been posting around and asking questions about houses and cage mates, etc, trying to forget about the past..
So please take your own advice. If Alanna wants to take Kenny out for a stroll occasionally, then let her. Have an 'open mind'. Kenny likes it. He's been toted around as a young kit in her chin purse, so I believe he is content in being outside, it's all conditioning.

Like I said, you will continue to do whatever you want. You want to take your chins outside, that's fine with me. It doesn't mean I'm taking mine out or that I think it's a good idea. I'm not going to berate you over it, because I know you're going to continue it regardless.

I am open minded, you're the one who feels the need to argue. Maybe you should look up the definition and re-read my post.

 

[chinchillalover0927]

i have a beige female that i CAN NOT pair with anyone except this standard female i brought home a few months ago.....she is a .....you know what to everyone except her..

 

[MelodyR]

My personal opinion (which is worth nothing) is that I like to keep herd animals with at least one other of their own kind. I can't run up and down the FN levels with them, I can't play chase and peek-a-boo. I can't grab a toy and run off with it, setting up a wild fun-filled chase. I can't groom behind their ears and snuggle throughout a nap with them.

I keep all of my herd animals in at least same-sex pairs. If one dies, the other is miserably lonely till he gets a new -- and in my experience only -- and welcomed new roomie. I've never had intro problems (done right), no fights, I have never had problems at all. Just my experience they are happier together with their own kind.

I have 7 pairs of male guinea pigs (many rescues), a trio of male chinnies (FN 143), a giant cage of girl ratties (6). Everyone's happy.

But when I had two hedgies and one died, the other stopped eating. The vet could find nothing wrong with her, but even with hand feeding, she died within a month after her lifelong friend. That convinced me that they CAN die of loneliness.

Just another viewpoint, no more no less valid than anyonen else's.

 

[Luci]

Perfect. I'm content in knowing that, and I've made an apology and have since been posting around and asking questions about houses and cage mates, etc, trying to forget about the past..
So please take your own advice. If Alanna wants to take Kenny out for a stroll occasionally, then let her. Have an 'open mind'. Kenny likes it. He's been toted around as a young kit in her chin purse, so I believe he is content in being outside, it's all conditioning.

i have YET to see any form of apology or acknowledgment of our efforts to help you.
a few months ago, i posted a topic and people came down hard on me. what did i do? took EVERYTHING into consideration and now my situation is resolved.

and believe me, we ALL take our own advice. and if alanna wants to take her chin out on a stroll...then fine.

right now Gizmo seems to be thanking me for being his owner.