How Many Chins Do You Want?

[3CsMommy]

I went with "a few, I'm not a zoo". I originally got Crash (my first chin) as a companion for my ex fiancee's chin, but he became an only when the chins started fighting/the ex and I split up. I just took on two more, hoping he'd live with the new ones, but I purposely took two that are content as a separate unit in case it didn't work out with Crash. So, rather than just providing a rescue with a quiet, steady environment where he can feel safe coming out of his shell, I took on one that I never thought I'd get-- a cuddly, people-oriented chin... and I'm SO in love it's stupid.

It turns out that the boys can't all live together, but since Crash needs to be an only (or maybe would do better w/ a female if one were neutered), I'm content with the three I've got. If by some chance I found a chin that Crash gets along with, I might go as high as 4 animals total, but I know more than that would be over my head. And now that I've got a cuddlebug in the family, I'm not sure I'd want anything else taking time away from making a goof of myself singing to a chinchilla at midnight every day.

That said, just b/c I'd stop at 3-4 chins doesn't mean I won't still have other animals, so in that sense I might end up being a zoo (again). I already have a cat and an elderly hamster, but I miss the beauty of a fish tank, so I might get a beta when Peach passes on. When I say "I'm hooked" what I mean is that I know I can live w/out a cat or a dog for a while, but I couldn't go long without a chinnie or two before I went :wacko:.

 

[ChinchieRoo]

I started with one and got a second one a couple months later and then they had babies. We stopped with four (keeping the babies). Four was a good number, but we have had health problems and lost two of them. I have two and it feels like a comfortable number. Because of the cost of good care and medical, I know we can't have more. I love them, they are so much fun. I often think, just one more, but I know I shouldn't.

 

[ChinnyMom]

i'm more than happy fostering just one at a time, because then i can ensure they get the most interaction and one on one care possible without stretching me too thin, going from chin to chin, and feeling guilty if one may get more attention or play time more than the other.

that being said, if i was asked to foster 2 or 3 at a time and there simply was nowhere else for them to go, then i'd do it, for the chins.

 

[area07]

I honestly have to say it's not so much about the number of chins for me but the number of cages. When we had 3 cages it wasn't bad but only having 2 cages is SO wonderful! I'm hoping we can get down to just one cage (that means all 3 boys living together) but if we can't that's okay too. I feel like when they can live together it's as if they are "one". The reasoning behind that is I can take Max and Tug out to play together, I clean the one cage, feed and water them together etc. I'm sure though if I had 4 in one cage it wouldn't feel so much like they were just "one" chin.

 

[Airyn]

I adore my 4, but if I had more space I'd really like to get into fostering and possibly rescuing a few that just need some TLC and a happy environment to live in. Even so, I'd still like to stay in single digits to ensure that everyone gets the one on one attention that they need.

 

[Mystic]

I'm very happy with my 3 chins I have now. I'm sure I could handle more, but I live with my parents still so it's kinda their rules how many animals I have.