New Owner in Texas with intro/questions

ChinNoob · Oct 25, 2010

Hi all! I am a new chin owner, well had them for about a month now. I just wanted to say thank you to everyone because the information on here and people on here are great and really love their chins. I have gotten and applied all kinds of info and tips from this site which I believe is better than any book out there lol.

As for the chins, I have two chins, one 1 1/2 yr old girl (gray) and one 8 month old boy light ebony. I adopted one from a family whose chins had babies (the male) and one from someone who got the female from a breeder but after currently going through a divorce, decided she did not want to keep them (she had two one of which had already been re-homed). Anyway, neither chins are pet store chins (male's parents are from breeder and female is from breeder).

Although I have read the information and tips on this site like the chin bible lol, I do have a few questions. The chins are in separate cages right now and I was thinking about putting them together. I know the risk of babies and things, but I am ready to deal with that if necessary. Just FYI, the previous female chin owner had told me that there was a male chin companion for the female and she had never had babies. I have had them out in playtime together and they get along pretty well meaning they pretty much ignore each other or one will get close and then runs away when it notices that it has been noticed lol. How should I go about introducing them and is it ok to put these two together? I also have some toys for them but I don't really like the pet store toys for them and was wondering are there some inexpensive toys or some I can make that they will enjoy? The male is very friendly but the female is a bit reserved. I try the trust exercises (sit by the cage, put my hand near it to let her smell while talking, sitting on bathroom floor while reading and letting her play, etc) but she still runs whenever I move or show that I've noticed her. She does, however, sleep on the side of the cage that is closest to my bed (I have even turned the cage to see if she just prefers one shelf of the cage and she actually jumps to whatever side is closest to my bed whenever I lay down and lets me talk to her, but if I reach to touch/pet her she will turn quickly and/or bark a little). Any suggestions on getting her more warmed up/use to me? I was also thinking about getting a litter pan for their cage, will they recognize it as a potty pan and how long (if possible) does it take to litter train chins? Also if anyone is in or knows anyone in the Texas preferably Houston area that has chin accessories they can give or if they sell inexpensive ones, please let me know through PM, reply, or something, I would really appreciate it.

Sorry for the lengthy writing and questions. Thanks so much for your help guys and I look forward to being a part of the chin family on here that I have so much respect for! And any tips, suggestions, etc. are more than welcome!

-Chris

Luci · Oct 26, 2010

hey chris! welcome to the forum. im from texas as well...used to live in galveston actually. you've asked a lot of questions. and you've also come to the right place for all the answers.

the first thing you mentioned was possibly introducing your chins to each other. i know that you've read not to breed pet store chins, but that doesnt mean its a "go ahead" to breed chins from known lines. consider this: not all "breeders" actually breed to improve the herd. meaning that for all you know, those chins have the possibility of carrying genetic diseases and unfavorable traits. even if you are not considering breeding yourself, becoming a backyard breeder basically undoes a lot of the work that so many breeders and ranchers put into their chins. my motto: leave it to the experts to do the breeding, i'll just enjoy their chins as pets. and saying that you'll be ready for kits is easier said than done. if you read through some of the breeding horror stories, then you'll get a better idea of the unfortunate side of breeding. saying "yea i saw that, it looks horrible and gross, but i can deal with it" is kinda selfish. i dont mean that to sound rude, but putting these chins together and saying you can "handle it" if they breed doesnt really give them a say-so in this situation. in my opinion, if any animal is bred, it should be in the hands of people who have experienced it before and can provide everything it needs if something goes wrong. long story short: dont chance it. if you want them to have companionship, get same sex cagemates for them. or put their cages in the same room (not too close) so they know they have each other. but as for right now, since youre new to this, id suggest giving them YOUR attention. let them get used to you...which leads to your next question...

getting them to bond with you. simply put, its all on their terms. youre doing a good job by letting them come to you, sitting by their cage, and talking with them. within time they'll warm up. some chins take a few days...others take months. its their individual personalities. having Gizmo has taught me so much about patience. in my opinion, theyre not as easy to train or bond with as dogs. the litter pan idea is a good option. i havent used it at all, i just change out the fleece and bedding. some chins will recognize it and pee there, since its out of habit. but keep in mind, poop will be EVERYWHERE. welcome to the world of Chinnie-dom. like i said, patience and observation will be your best bet in learning what works. they train you...you dont train them

lastly...i hardly buy any toys/accessories/feed from stores anymore. my family gets me gift cards to petsmart but i just use those to buy hay and lava drops. i never did ANY online shopping before CnH, and now i love to buy from a few of the members here. there's a thread that has a list of members who sell items. personally...i buy feed from sandi, fleece and toys from alli713, wood chews from Pet Products by Nature, and just any other place that has good sales. you'll get the hang of it. browse the classifieds section. i know online doesnt always give the instant satisfaction as going to a store, but the members here are trustworthy and you get more for your money.

sorry...i get long winded at times. haha. so yea: keep em separate, have some patience, and browse online. thats the simple way to answer your thread.

ChinNoob · Oct 26, 2010

Thanks So much Luci, great info, not rude or anything. Also, I will be looking into getting them a cage buddy (fleece stuffed animal) or possibly a cage-mate if they seem to not enjoy the buddy as much.

lauralynne · Oct 26, 2010

Hello & Welcome!

Isabella Whateva · Oct 26, 2010

Welcome! Ditto everything that Luci said

)

My second chin Pudge came from craigslist. She seemed slightly traumatized by the rehoming since the old family had her for six years. When we first brought her home she was terrified of us and would bolt and hide whenever we entered the room. I just started sitting down next to her cage every night (didn't put my hand in there at first cause it scared her) and just talking to her or playing soft music. I also read to her for hours. Very slowly, she started coming out of her hiding place, then occasionally coming up to the cage door to sniff my hands.
Now, she is my baby. She's even more loving than my first chin. Every time I come downstairs in the morning she runs up to the bars to say hello, and when I open the door she jumps into my arms. It took a LOT of patience to get her to this place, and it doesn't happen with every chin. My chin Banilly is a sweetie, but she does NOT like being held and tries to escape within seconds of her door being open. I love them both, but you have to know that every chin is different. I can tell that Banilly trusts me, because at the end of an hours playtime when she is too tired out to keep running around, she'll come to me and sit in my lap.
Just be patient with them and take it slow. They'll come around eventually, but some take longer than others

JennyBug · Oct 26, 2010

Welcome!

My second chin, Minnie, came to us from a very nasty home where she was not taken care of. She was filthy and very, VERY shy. She bit, she sprayed, and did just about anything under the sun to avoid being handled. We have had her for almost two years, and she has turned into a very loving and sweet girl. She still doesn't like being held, but she loves being petted and scratched now. The best thing you can do is get them used to your voice. Even if you're giving them a little bit of space, talk to them. They will get used to the sound of your voice, and always talk to them while feeding (if they associate your voice with food, all the better!)

As far as cage accessories, several individuals sell fleece items (myself included), others sell good, high-quality wood, and others sell great feed and dust. Check out the classifieds. If you like, you can make some of your own stuff yourself, just make sure you don't use nails or staples and that you use chin-friendly wood and glue.

I can't say much about breeding since I am not a breeder, but if you knowingly put two chins of the opposite sex together, that is what you are doing. Unless you really know what you are doing, I would hold off on introducing the males and the female, and I would not have them out during the same playtime. It only takes a second, and just because she didn't have kits with another male doesn't mean she won't this time around.

Best wishes, and PICTURES are REQUIRED!