Looking for partner for chin

[svelez]

I bought my first male standard grey chinchilla from a pet store in November 2011 and he was about 3 months at the time. As I learned more and more about Chinchillas, I realized that I should have went to a breeder rather than a pet store. I have bonded well with him. He is not very affectionate, but lets me pet him when he is the cage. When he is free-running he typically is on his own and come to me when he feels like it. He has learned to come to me when I have a treat and say his name no matter how far or close or I am.

So I just wanted to give some background to my chinchilla and I would still consider myself a newbie. I wanted to get him a partner so I was looking into getting a baby chin from a breeder. I understand that I will have transition their relationship slowly, and I cannot just put them in the same cage. So I have some questions, so if anybody can answer these questions or provide me any other feedback or advice that would be great.

• Is it ok to mix a baby chin with the an older (approx. 9 month) chin (after transitioning)?
• Does it matter if I get a different color?
• Should I get 1 or 2 baby chins? Is 3 a crowd?
• Anything else I should pay attention to?

Thanks

 

[tunes]

Is it ok to mix a baby chin with the an older (approx. 9 month) chin (after transitioning)? Yep. It's often easier to introduce a younger chin to an older one.

Does it matter if I get a different color? Nope. Color has nothing to do with anything except your personal taste.

Should I get 1 or 2 baby chins? Is 3 a crowd? I would try one rather than two new ones. Your guy has been alone for 9 months of his life. He may take to a new friend or he may not. Trying to introduce two to him could just overwhelm him.

Anything else I should pay attention to? Quarantine. If you are bringing home a new chin, he should be kept in quarantine for 30 days. That means not in the same room with your resident chin. The new chin ideally would not share the air of your first chin.

 

[Mt. Zion Chins]

also I would say that trios often do not work especially with males.

 

[Jenn]

I'm sure you know this already, but if you are positive you have a male - pet stores are often wrong about the sex - then make sure you get another male for a buddy. Pairing up your chin may not work, they may not get along. In that case you need to be prepared to keep them each separately.

 

[svelez]

Thanks everyone for the feedback. It was very helpful. I am looking to get one baby chin male. I recently bough t a very large cage that allows me to separate the too if they are not getting along.