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Post by skardsen on Jan 6, 2023 0:17:19 GMT
I never posted it here but one of my chinchillas (Fluff) had to be put to sleep last year due to developing severe dental issues that could not be resolved. Floss (my remaining chinchilla) has been living alone for about a year now. She was not raised well by her former owner and fears human contact, so I can't even be a friend for her. She also doesn't demonstrate some key chinchilla behaviours like barking or grunting when annoyed. Fluff was her mother though so I can only assume she wasn't separated from her. I want to do the right thing and give her a new chin companion. I would also be open to the possibility of giving her up to someone who could pair her up. Now, I know this is a mostly degu forum, but since I have some history here I thought I'd ask anyway. Given that Floss is fearful of human contact, would the usual approach of swapping them periodically between cages just stress her out more? What other obstacles am I likely to face? Should I be looking at baby chichillas, or ones her age (she's 3)?
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Post by deguconvert on Jan 6, 2023 5:53:50 GMT
Hello, Skarsden! I am sorry to hear of your loss! How is Floss's behavior since Fluff was put to sleep? Do you see her fur pulling, refusing food, not interacting with her habitat?
I don't know how to introduce Chinchillas. Hopefully any of our chin owners will see this and offer thoughts.
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Post by darthchinchi on Jan 6, 2023 15:41:30 GMT
Swapping cages is only one way of introdcing chinchillas, and I wouldn't say it's the most common way of doing it.
The best thing would be if you could get them to run on neutral ground, but that might be too stressful for Floss. The best option for you is to get a young animal that has only just been weaned. I'm not sure at what age breeders sell chinchillas where you are from, but here they get sold from 8-12 weeks of age, and this is a perfect age to introduce a young chinchilla to an older chinchilla, as the young one isen't sexually matured yet, there is not a big risk of them starting to fight.
You will need two cages though. One for the new one and one for the old one. Give the new one a couple of days to get used to the new enviroment. Let the cages stand next to each other, so the animals can see and smell each other, but they shouldn't be able to touch (they can bite toes this way, and it can end really bad).
After a couple of days, you can try, if they don't show any signs of aggression, you can try and put the baby ind with the adult, but stay by the cage at all times, so you can take the baby out if something goes south.
Ideally you would let them run out on neutral ground to let them say hi and sniff each other, but it might not be an option, when your girl doesn't want to be handled.
It is possible to take some substrate from one cage and put it into the other cage, this should give the same effect as switching cages, as the chinchillas will get the smell of the other one, in the cage they are in.
Good luck
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Post by skardsen on Jan 6, 2023 23:24:44 GMT
Hello, Skarsden! I am sorry to hear of your loss! How is Floss's behavior since Fluff was put to sleep? Do you see her fur pulling, refusing food, not interacting with her habitat? I don't know how to introduce Chinchillas. Hopefully any of our chin owners will see this and offer thoughts. She isn't self harming and isn't showing any signs of being down at all. She is quite withdrawn but has been this way ever since I had to move house a few years ago, the process stressed them both out to no end, to the point they were fearful to leave the cage. I am confident I can regain her trust one day, but haven't seen any progress since Fluff passed away. Swapping cages is only one way of introdcing chinchillas, and I wouldn't say it's the most common way of doing it. The best thing would be if you could get them to run on neutral ground, but that might be too stressful for Floss. The best option for you is to get a young animal that has only just been weaned. I'm not sure at what age breeders sell chinchillas where you are from, but here they get sold from 8-12 weeks of age, and this is a perfect age to introduce a young chinchilla to an older chinchilla, as the young one isen't sexually matured yet, there is not a big risk of them starting to fight. You will need two cages though. One for the new one and one for the old one. Give the new one a couple of days to get used to the new enviroment. Let the cages stand next to each other, so the animals can see and smell each other, but they shouldn't be able to touch (they can bite toes this way, and it can end really bad). After a couple of days, you can try, if they don't show any signs of aggression, you can try and put the baby ind with the adult, but stay by the cage at all times, so you can take the baby out if something goes south. Ideally you would let them run out on neutral ground to let them say hi and sniff each other, but it might not be an option, when your girl doesn't want to be handled. It is possible to take some substrate from one cage and put it into the other cage, this should give the same effect as switching cages, as the chinchillas will get the smell of the other one, in the cage they are in. Good luck
This is exactly what I was looking for. I do have a spare 2 tier cage that I can use, but it was where my degus were housed until Frankie passed from old age last year. Would it be an issue or is it just a case of washing out really well to remove all traces off their scent?
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Post by darthchinchi on Jan 9, 2023 15:02:59 GMT
I wouldn't worry about the sent of degus  |
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