How long can newly introduced chins be alone?

[Mikayla]

Felix, Fauna and Samber have recently been introduced, and I'm going to wake up an check up on them a few times tonight, but tomorrow no one can check on them for 4.5 hours. Is it okay? There has been no chasing, fighting, or pulling fur at all.

I'm sorry for all the intro questions, I just get so nervous after a mauling I had a few years back.

 

[Laurie]

I would not leave newly intro'd chins alone until they are bonded. Newly intro'd is not bonded. If someone is not there to monitor them for that amount of time they need to be separated.

 

[Mikayla]

Okay, that was my thought, but you don't think that it will affect their bonding process, do you?

Also, I really just want everybody's opinion. Here's a little backround on each:

Samber: 11 months, pretty calm, the only one in the cage that can reach the top of the cage (the others have never had shelves, and have issues jumping between them)

Fauna: a bit over a year, pretty calm, very sweet, all she wants to do is groom them

Felix: a bit over a year also, really aggressive towards me, but doesn't even kack at the others. He's a really lazy boy, if they run away while he's trying to mate them he just gives up

 

[ChinnyMom]

is this an intentional breeding colony you are trying to start up? if not, i would not put different genders together at all. or is Felix neutered? and what gender is Samber?

 

[Mikayla]

It's intentional Samber, Felix and Faunan all have good backgrounds, good show results, and are from responsible breeders.

And anyway, I'm not going to leave them. Samber got herself nipped on the nose, so I separated for the night and I'll have my dad separate while he's not able to check on them tomorrow.

 

[chinchatcomics]

uh oh...this could turn into a crowded situation if both of your girls get pregnant with kits around the same time! I hope you are ready for kits if you're intentionally breeding them =)

 

[Mikayla]

I am, the cage is large, and I'm prepared, but thank you

 

[RDZCRanch]

Do you have any time off coming up? Maybe a span of two days? It doesn't take weeks or months for chinchillas to form a bond. It usually only takes 2-48 hours. Putting the chins together then removing them, then putting them back together and removing them is like playing musical chairs with them. It's going to add stress and confusion to the situation and is more likely to cause fighting then not. If you want to intro this trio, you need to do it in one run so they can actually form a bond.

 

[Mikayla]

Okay, I plan on reintroducing them today, and leaving them. I was going to go out of town for the day, but I'm going to stay instead. How often should I check on them during the night, I sleep upstairs and they are in the basement?

Also, the cage is 2 foot by 2 foot by 4 foot. And there are three ledges. Fauna and Felix cannot get above the first one. Samber can get to the second and third, and she doesn't like spending as much time down with them. She's also the one who got a bite on her nose, should I worry about her keeping herself away from the others? They don't seem to have any aggression to her, when I shoo her off, she's fine with them.

 

[LovinTheSmallAndFurry]

Just as a side note, I love the name Samber---

 

[Mikayla]

Just as a side note, I love the name Samber---

I think it was the breeder's daughter that named her... I love it too