Introducing three males.

[LingLing]

I adopted a 5yo male chinchilla this spring from a bad situation.. He'd lived his whole life alone in a small cage. No toys or anything to stimulate him (the chewed to HECK bars on the cage and lack of fur said so.

After getting lots of TLC and a big cage with lots of stuff to do, he's regrown most of his fur and is a lot friendlier.. But still very shy and not very happy.

I'm bringing home two newly adopted males tomorrow. I have the general how-to of introducing males, but if anyone has any advice I'd appreciate it.

I've already set up their cage, a 2'x2'x42" cage. If they end up getting along with mine, they'll be moved into a 5'x5'x2' cage.

Thanks

 

[ArmyWife]

First you have to quarantine the two new males just in case. Then you'll have to slowly introduce them. I don't have much experience with this so I'm sure other owners will have more advice. Sometimes they just don't get along, be prepared for that. BTW I think it's great you rescued that poor little guy.

 

[LingLing]

Oh yeah, I'm not skimping on the quarantine. I do a lot of rat rescue and foster and they spread illness to each other so easy! One experience with 7+ rats with URI's is enough for me to learn my lesson.

Thank you. I really didn't want a chinchilla and wasn't looking for one, but nonetheless what was supposed to be a foster situation with him has really made me fall in love with chins. They're very unique.

 

[VolunteerChin22]

If the two you are bringing in are an already bonded pair, in my experience, there is a high chance of this not working out. Something about the dynamics of introducing a third has never gone well for me. I have been able to introduce three or more kits that did not know each other during weaning but if I have two together for a couple of weeks or months and then attempted to add a third it never worked out for me.

Not saying it's not possible! If you do a search on here you'll find many threads that give advice about introducing chins - it all would be worth trying with three just as easily as two. I am sure plenty of people have been able to do it, but be prepared for fireworks. Also, I know others have tried to intro a third and not only did they not all get along, but the two that were initially bonded then decided not to get along either. So you'll need to prepare in case you need three separate cages.