Litter mates changed behavior

[Bird Man]

I'm a new chin owner and recently got two chins (day before thanksgiving) who are sisters and litter mates. My chins are 10 weeks old and have grown up together. They seemed to get along fine and sleep together the first couple days, but last night that all seemed to change. I moved them into a bigger cage, and gave them a dust bath, which they both got in and used right away, though one more then the other. Then a few hours later everything seemed to change. They were standing up on their feet and making low squirrel like barking noises, and then all the sudden one would jump at the other and the other would jump out of the way and run around the cage walls. It would all quiet down for a bit and then start up again. I ended up breaking them up into two different cages because I was afraid while I was sleeping it might get worse and I might wake up with an injured or dead chin. Could the cage change have caused all of this? The one left in the new cage seems fine in it. I still have them in different cages while they are sleeping, side by side so they can see/smell each other. I will try a intro outside of the cages later and see how it goes.

P.s Sorry if this gets posted a few times, it says it posted. but I'm not seeing it in the forum?

 

[Laurie]

Yes the change in cage could have caused this. What is happening is dominance being asserted. Just as someone was "the boss" in the old cage someone has to be "the boss" in the new cage. This is normal just keep a close eye on them when they bark and stand on their hind legs--make sure you don't see any fierce fighting or any blood shed. If you do they need to be separated and may have to stay separated.

It's ok for them to assert dominance just keep an eye on them when you have them together--chasing, humping and barking are normal. Fur flying rolling in a ball fighting and blood shed is not.

 

[SarahKay]

If you put them back together, it would probably be good to add a new hiding hut for the less dominant chin so that she has a place to go if things do get violent.

 

[Bird Man]

Thanks for the replies! All is well again, I guess being able to see into the other cage helped some, I took them out for play time and they got along fine and when both went into the new cage they got up on their hind legs and barked at each other, then realized who each other were and settled down for some timmy hay. They spent the night together and all day together with no problems. Still keeping a close eye on them though for now.