Trouble Introducing New Chinchilla

[munchkindobby]

I apologize if this is in the wrong section*

About 1 year and a half ago, I bought my first chinchilla (M). She was very playful at first, but then as time passed, she seemed lonely. An hour or so after putting her in after her playtime, she would lay on her flying saucer looking sad. So 4 months ago, I got her a playmate (D). This new chinchilla is very active, and is so fidgety, but she loves interacting with me, whereas my first chinchilla seems more independent (unless I have treats, haha).

My first attempt at introducing them went smoothly at first. They were rubbing noses, and neither seemed to mind each other's company. All was well, until D went on top of a platform and accidentally nipped M's nose when M looked up. After that, things went downhill. M chased her all around the cage, and then at that point, I decided to give each their space. I put each back in their cages, but left their cages near each other so they would familiarize themselves.

The second attempt was a few days later during playtime. My parents had insisted that they would get along this time, but things did not go well either. M immediately recognized D and showed signs of dominance. I tried separating them, but eventually, M actually bit off some of D's fur. I put them back in their cages.

I've attempted putting them together again a few weeks later, but the same thing happened, except it escalated. M was pulling D's fur and chasing her constantly.

At that point I refused to let them together again until I knew they were completely comfortable with each other. But every time M sees D, she goes haywire and chews the bars of her cage viciously. I trimmed her whiskers too.

I don't know if M will ever accept D. And even if that happens, I don't know if D will accept M. Any suggestions on introducing them?

 

[BooBoo*TheKiddo*]

Sounds like you've done a good job so far. Cages side by side and playtimes.

Have you tried playtimes with a dust bath maybe?

Chinchillas have a good memory, if I remember correctly. So it sounds like after D nipped M, M remembers that and is holding a grudge, so to speak.
There is a chance she won't forget it and she won't trust D.

So I would suggest, be prepared that you would always have two cages. But you can always keep trying. =)

Maybe use the search function and search intro methods or introduction methods.

 

[Godofgods]

i can tell ya that even my momma chin that lives with her two daughters, will still hop on the wheel and sit their stareing quite often to. For mine, its not unusual.

It becomes so common place your not suprised when you see things liek this

 

[Airyn]

MunchkinDobby:

There are a lot of threads on introduction methods that you can find by using the search feature at the top of the page. As others have said, you should be prepared for the reality that they might never get along and may always need to be caged separately. They're a lot like people in that regard. Some you love and some you can't be in the same room as. It's just part of life.

In my experience, the key is neutral space. If either is severely agitated by having the cages next to each other, you can try putting their cages on opposite sides of the room for a few weeks so that they can chatter at each other from a distance. If everyone's happy with that arrangement, you can try slowly moving the cages closer together week by week. During this time, continue to do separate playtimes in a separate room, allowing that room to begin to smell like both of them.

Once you get to the point where their cages are side by side and everyone's happy, then I would try a shared play area, sticking to 15 minute increments. I would put D in first and M in second, then switch the next time. The key is to make M understand that she doesn't rule the roost since she's the dominant one. By the time they're playing together, that playroom should smell like both of them, not just M, so the process may take as short as a month or as long as 3.

I wouldn't recommend letting one in the other's cage at all until they can play together for 30 minutes without issue. Once you get to that point, you should fully clean and redecorate BOTH cages, allowing BOTH to explore each other's cage so that no one is superior and everything seems new to them.

I used the method above to introduce Maia and Boji, Maia (mother) and Nixi (daughter) and Boji (father) and Buddha (son). The real challenge has been Boji and Buddha. They've been fine for about 3 months now, but they still have their squabbles. The next step will be to cut Boji's whiskers, as I've read on here that can fix the problem as well.

As I said, I only have limited experience, so hopefully other members will chime in as well!

Best of luck to you!


GodofGods: How does that help the OP to deal with her current situation???