Young female in heat? Fighting?

[beige chin]

Is there any signs when a female goes into heat? My young girl (bug) is about 4-5 months old now and I THINK she is in her first heat because she has been a little more aggressive with her "sister", She will wag her tail, and she is less social then she has been...
being that she is more aggressive with her sister, how do I know when enough is enough and they should be separated? I havnt seen them fighting because it is always under their house but I will here them making all kinds of noises at each other and then bug will dash out of the house usually wagging her tail... Glory dosnt have any missing fur or scabs. Ether does bug. Is this normal???

 

[mercynursie]

Isn't one of these chins the one with an eye problem? Not knowing what bacteria/injury/infection you need to separate and strict quarantine them.Also animals will often turn savage on a weaker injured member.

 

[Riven]

Are you positive they are both females?

 

[beige chin]

Yes they are both female.
The one with an eye problem is BECAUSE Bug bit her...
I cannot separate them, they both stop eating, wont sleep, and call for each other all the time when they cant see each other.
I was going to put them in separate cages side by side if it is necessary.
I took out there hidey house last night and they havnt "fought" all night last night or all day today!

 

[Fauberchinchilla]

It sounds like your animals are getting old and more cagey. Most chinchillas come in heat around 9 months to a year. If they are fighting like you say it might be a good time to seperate them. The tail wagging is just them being aggressive.