Need advice...should I separate them?

[Sandi]

Sorry if this thread doesn't belong here but I need advice/help...I'm wondering if I should separate my 2 boys, CJ who is 14 months old and Pepper who is almost 6 months, while we are on vacation. I'm not sure if I'm being a nervous and or paranoid chin-mom, but we are leaving very early this Friday (4/10) morning through late Tuesday night (4/14), 5 full days. This vacation was booked last August and we didn't get our chins until 4 months later at Christmas. They get along just fine, but every now and then I do hear a kack out of one of them. But because I know that they can turn on each other at any time, also because of what just happened to a chin on this forum recently, am I just being paranoid? Would it affect them more if I separated them? My mom will be stopping by twice a day to do a check, feed & water change. She says she'll stay as long as she can and says that she'll make herself some coffee in the morning and sit by them and talk to them, because this is what I do. My mom is also a vet assistant (not tech) and I trust her to know what to do in case of emergency. But as the days get closer to when we leave, I'm just getting more stressed about leaving them . Since I've had them (a little over 3 months) we have left them alone overnight once but not a full 24 hours. Sorry about the rant, any advice is appreciated.

 

[tunes]

I would just have everything set up just in case if you're that worried about it.

Hon, if I had to separate all my chins every time I left for vacation or to go to a show? I'd have to have a warehouse sized barn.

 

[starleomach]

I would just leave them together. Fights can happen but don't happen all the time. It is somewhat uncommon

 

[Sugarmama]

Separating them now would likely stress them, and there's no guarantee that they'd go back together when you return.

 

[LovableFuzziezandCrawliez]

Separating them now would likely stress them, and there's no guarantee that they'd go back together when you return.

That was exactly what I was going to say. Separating them would increase their stress levels and there is a chance that you would have to try to reintroduce them all over again. Unlikely after 5 days - but I would keep them together.

 

[alli713]

I would keep them together. I often go on weekend trips to visit my boyfriend (5hrs away) and my mom takes care of the chins. I've always left my girls that are together together and have never had an issue. Even when I went to hawaii for a week, they were fine together and were in a new house at the time. But like Peggy said, if you feel more comfortable, set up a small temp cage for one just in case your mom has to separate them.

 

[addictedtochins]

They get along just fine, but every now and then I do hear a kack out of one of them. But because I know that they can turn on each other at any time, also because of what just happened to a chin on this forum recently, am I just being paranoid? .

Hi Sandi, I think they'll enjoy each others company more than ever with you gone. Yeah you said it yourself, you're being a little paranoid, a little occasional kacking, fighting, and chasing is normal.

 

[Sandi]

Thanks everyone! I feel a bit more at ease. I do have a smaller cage set up just in case. I also thought about it being stressful for them if they were separated but never thought that I might have to reintro them. Kristy did that for me when I got them so I wouldn't even know where to begin with that. But everyones advice has helped! Thanks again.

 

[Nancy S]

Sounds great that your mom is going to check on them twice a day. You're so lucky.
I have two boys together (for 4 years now) and i read that post recently too about
the chins and even made me think---oh my, i never thought about it really. My one
chins name is "Pepper" too! They occaisionally give each other a little verbal snip to
leave me alone and then they're lovey dovey. With your mom being a vet asst. --
double bonus. And, like the above posts say---have another cage set up for mom-
if needed. Most important--Have Fun! and Don't Worry!

 

[WhiteTree]

My boys are crazy, they chase each other around the cage and kack at each other every night, plus my younger one seems to think the older male is a female because he's trying to make babies every couple of hours. They cuddle with each other all day long though and have never had a real fight so I'm not worried. I think the occasional bickering is just boys being boys. Your boys should be perfectly fine together while your gone. Plus if your mom is checking on them twice a day they'll be fine, some chins don't get that kind of attention from their owners (neglected chins but still). They'll be fine, enjoy your vacation.

 

[Sandi]

Yay! All went well! :dance3: We got back very late on the 14th and they were fine. I am very lucky to have my mom in my life. She's there for my kids when they get out of school and she watches my pets when we are away, I could go on and on.

Sounds great that your mom is going to check on them twice a day. You're so lucky.
I have two boys together (for 4 years now) and i read that post recently too about
the chins and even made me think---oh my, i never thought about it really. My one
chins name is "Pepper" too! They occaisionally give each other a little verbal snip to
leave me alone and then they're lovey dovey. With your mom being a vet asst. --
double bonus. And, like the above posts say---have another cage set up for mom-
if needed. Most important--Have Fun! and Don't Worry!

My daughters name all of our pets and my oldest took one look at our black velvet baby and it just came to her. Although, right now he is known as Fat Baby :laughitup:. I have to admit I panicked a bit after reading the posts about what happened to that wonderful chin Mako. It also helps that my mom doesn't stress out like I do, lol.

My boys are crazy, they chase each other around the cage and kack at each other every night, plus my younger one seems to think the older male is a female because he's trying to make babies every couple of hours. They cuddle with each other all day long though and have never had a real fight so I'm not worried. I think the occasional bickering is just boys being boys. Your boys should be perfectly fine together while your gone. Plus if your mom is checking on them twice a day they'll be fine, some chins don't get that kind of attention from their owners (neglected chins but still). They'll be fine, enjoy your vacation.

What's funny is that I let them out for exercise the next morning after we got back and they were going so nuts on each like never before and I'm thinking geez, it was only 5 days, my mom does not do out-of-cage-playtime, but thats ok.

Thanks everyone!