Thinking of getting 2 boy chins...

[Crys12065]

I have 3 female chins right now. The 2 girls I adopted from the vets came in with 2 boys and were separated. I have been thinking about the boys and hoping they found a home so I called to check on them. They are still there.

They are in a vet kennel with no dust bath and bad food like my girls were. This is 6 more weeks living like that and I feel so bad for them. I have the means to take them in but am worried about breeding.

Of course I would NEVER let them have playtime or cage them with the girls. But they would have to be in the same room and have playtime in the same room. I have heard chins can mate through cage bars. Maybe I can wrap fleece around the bottom cage when they are out?
I would put a third level on my FN142 to house them in. How dangerous is it to neuter a chin?
Just trying to brainstorm. I would love to help them out if I can

thanks!

 

[Brittany]

I responded to your PM, but I think some of the information could benefit others, so I'm going to post here.

Boys and girls can co-exist in the same room without breeding. Just never allow a situation to be created where they could have access to eachother. Keep the cages several inches apart. Since you're thinking about a pair of boys I'd keep the cages several feet apart so that when a female goes into heat it doesn't trigger the boys to fight for breeding rights.

Regardless of sex keep your chins separate. When one chin is out (or their door is open) don't have another cage door open. Even for 1 minute to clean the cage or swap out food. Chins are fast and can easily escape. It's not only about preventing breeding, but preventing fights as well. If you have to do playtime in the same room as the cages take any chins that are on the bottom level of an FN and place them in carriers on top of the cage. This way the playing chins can't jump up and start a fight through the cage bars. The better alternative would be to do playtime in a bathroom, or room without the cages.

 

[Crys12065]

Thank you Brittany! Very good info to have for everyone.

I don't think it will work out with the boys, I don't have enough space to keep cages far apart, they would need to go on the top Level on my FN.

Or if I could squeeze another cage in I don't think they would be more than 2 feet apart.

I just feel so bad for these boys, I wish I had more space.

 

[Crys12065]

The boys are in Hudson NY and I can pick them up and transport them if anyone is interested in adopting them.

 

[2manypets]

I had a female in the bottom of an FN, a pair of males in the middle, and a female in the third level and have never had a problem.

 

[VolunteerChin22]

I have weaned males in cages in the same room with breeding females and have never had a fight situation. #knocksonwood

 

[rainey]

I have 2 boys and 2 girls, each in a separate section of my two FN's, and they all have playtime in the same room. I keep the boys on the lower levels and the girls on the upper levels, and the cages are about a foot apart. The boys get along, but one chin is disabled so they can't be housed together...it's the GIRLS who hate eachother. I think they'd be fine if you either covered the sides with fleece between cages, or added a top floor for the boys.

I hope they find a home soon if you can't take them!

 

[Crys12065]

Thank you everyone. At this point I am unsure what I am going to do. Looking at how happy my girls are and how far they have come makes me feel terrible for ever leaving the boys behind. I was sure someone would have adopted them by now.

 

[momenteller]

If I were you, I would just focus on your girls. Five chinchillas is a lot, especially when you consider emergency funding for each. I understand that you feel badly for the boys, but honestly, you will end up with 100s of chins if take in all living in poor conditions. I have really had to stop looking at CL for this reason. Everytime I get the urge to "rescue" a new animal, I just give the ones I have some extra love.

Why not take some pics of the boys and post a thread on here in Chin Swap and Rescue? Then you will still be working to better their situation without having to house them yourself.

 

[Kim67]

I spoke with a co-worker.... she may be interested... needs to talk it over with her husband. We're also in New York....Delaware County, so not too far away....when I hear from her I'll let you know.

 

[Tillygizmo]

Id say foster them temporarily and actively look for homes... but everyone who has fostered knows that 90% of the time....you fall in love and keep them

 

[Kim67]

I heard back from my co-worker... she's was interested, but her husband wasn't ...so sorry I tried!