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[eddiing]

Hello to everyone in chinchilla club!

i am a new chinchilla owner, i currently have 2 chins at my care and I've noticed something that troubles me slightly...

Kiwi and Totoro both moved into my place on the same day, Kiwi being the younger (6 weeks old) and Totoro older (roughly 7 weeks old). The two has been sleeping next to each other and/or on top of each other and the relationship between the two has been fairly well. But I've noticed that Totoro is eating alot more than Kiwi and also have a bigger poop size, Kiwi's stools are smaller in size but it is firm, dark and does not smell. I have also noticed that while Totoro is eating next to the pellet feeder and Kiwi will stand up to grab pellet for herself, Totoro will "bark" at Kiwi once.   Totoro also "mounts" kiwi from time to time. No fighting has occurred.

Back ground on the chins:

both chins are females, Totoro lost her mother at about 3 weeks old but she grew up just fine. Kiwi had a brother and mommy living with her just until she was separated recently.

so to sum it up
1. Totoro is a week older than Kiwi.
2. Totoro is eating more than Kiwi.
3. Totoro appares more dominant.
4. Kiwi's poop smaller in size.

do i separate the chins or does this not seem like a serious problem? Should i just let them get used to the new environment or should i take proper action? and what would that proper action be?

Thanks a million!

-Eddie

[cadillactaste]

Mounting is a dominance thing...I am going out on a limb here...and someone please correct me if I am wrong. But I would just add another feeding area as far from the one you currently have. Then...they won't have to share their feed.

When I got my two...shoot I recall Nibbles "the older" pulling Fluffy across the cage in attempt to take a raisin from Fluffy. Which he did in fact manage and gobbled up. Now...Fluffy is fed a raisin first and I make Nibbles wait in anticipation while Fluffy scarfs his down...then hand it over to Nibbles. They seemed to work out the food issue on their own. Though...I have seen when giving treats...Fluffy taking one now from Nibbles...

If you would happen to see actual violence directed toward the other one. I would definitely separate them. But I think adding a second feeding area would be simpler and worth trying.

[Jo Ann]

   Hi Eddie!

Welcome to the Wonderful World of Chinchillas!   And to the Chinchilla Club Forum.

Totoro lost her mother at about 3 weeks old but she grew up just fine. ... Totoro is a week older than Kiwi (roughly 7 weeks old). ... Totoro is eating more than Kiwi. ...  Totoro appares more dominant. ...

Each chinchilla has it's own special personality ... no two are exactly alike.  Due to the fact Totoro was abruptly weened at a very early age (because of the death of her mom), she has been eating solids longer and did not have mom's milk as long.  This could affect most chins in two totally different ways (1) They give up and or become timid. OR (2) They become a survivor and develop a more dominate personality.  Totoro seems to be #2.  This is good for survival, but can be a little ruff on the cage mate.  As long as they are not fighting, they should be OK ... They can play fight and have little scuffles and that is OK ... BUT ... should there be a real fight (bites that break the skin), they would have to be separated and live separately.  Totoro probably has larger poops because her system was more or less forced to develop earlier due to the mother's death.  By taking the stance of sitting next to the feeder when eating and occasionally mounting Kiwi, she is probably the dominate one and will more than likely continue to be the alpha chin.

Kiwi being the younger (6 weeks old) ... Kiwi will stand up to grab pellet for herself, Totoro will "bark" at Kiwi once. ...  Kiwi's poop smaller in size. ... Kiwi's stools are smaller in size but it is firm, dark and does not smell. ...

Personally, I do not let my kits leave until they are 7 or 8 weeks old.  I like to ween them at 6 weeks and watch them for an additional week to make sure they are doing OK on solids and away from mom.   Kiwi's system is probably trying to adjust to all solids and no more of mom's milk as well as being away from her mom and brother.  This usually tends to make a chin more timid.  As long as her poops are firm, moist and do not smell, I think she should be OK.  You might want to consider adding a bottle of goat's milk to the cage to help her physical system adjust.  She is also having to adjust emotionally ... the goat's milk is a little comforting for her also.  (It's good for both of them.)

As far as the restrictions on the food Totoro is giving Kiwi ... you might want to make sure there is always food available at all times and even consider a second feeder.  
Animals will fight over food, second only to fighting for the protection of their kits.  The less stress you can make between the two (by adding a second feeder), the better it is for Kiwi's development and for the future good will towards each other.  

   Jo Ann

Keep us posted on changes made to the living area and the reactions of Totoro and Kiwi to them, please.

I see cadillataste was answering the same time as I ... we agree, too.   

[eddiing]

Thanks to the both of you 

there will definitly be a 2nd food tray in there tonight, i will be sure to keep you guys updated on the changes between the two.

Also, they are currently housed together in a 30 x 30 x 15 Double Pan Condo, which i personally do not see it being too small because the chins are still small and young. I do have the chinchilla mansion from quality cages set up right next to their housing area at this time but i do not plan on moving them into such a tall cage because i wouldn't want them to take a wrong step and become dare devils trying to hop all the way down from the top...

where would one get goats milk? all natural goats milk? i am guessing from places like Whole Foods?

many thanks!

-eddie

[Jo Ann]

   I get my goat's milk from WallMart close to where the regular canned milk is sold.  It's expensive, but worth it.    To get Kiwi use to the taste, you may want to give her some with a glass eyedropper at first.  Once I open the can, I put out a couple of ounces to start in a glass water bottle and hang it on the cage ... the leftover milk is best stored in a glass airtight jar in the refrigerator. 

Goat's milk keeps pretty good, but will clog the tube if you leave it there to long.  Some kits learn to unstop it themselves, while others do not. 

*For those who need to supplement feed newborn kits, goats milk can also be frozen in an airtight plastic container and scrape out only what you need each time.  Do NOT warm it in the microwave!  When frozen, scrape out what you need and place it in a small glass container and place the container in a cup of hot water to warm it. 

   Jo Ann

[eddiing]

Hello everyone, here is an update on the chins!

well, i've moved both chins to the mansion and they seem to love it very much.. 2 food bowls are in place, 2 water bottles, and 2 hay racks.

they are sharing most of the items together and they snuggle with eachother during their sleep/nap times. seems like happy chins to me    

there are always plenty of food and both loose timothy and alfalfa hay cubes around so they won't fight for food, they play nicely with eachother as well during play time!

i am having the best times with the chins and thanks to the chinchilla club, i am learning so much about these wonderful pets!
i will post some photos asap!

-eddie

[Jo Ann]

   That's great! 

Two happy chinnies!   


   Jo Ann

[Debbie.nl.ca]

That's awesome, and they are just so cute at that age.Watching them bond and become best friends is the coolest. Seeing how different they each are, their likes & dislikes, and the games they like to play with you & each other.
How could you not get addicted???

[eddiing]

here are some pictures of the girls..

[Jo Ann]

   They are precious!  Thanks for sharing the pictures.

   Jo Ann

[Debbie.nl.ca]

Awwwww couldn't ya just eat'em.