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Author Topic: tips on befriending 2 chins  (Read 2885 times)

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star83_4mc

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tips on befriending 2 chins
« on: January 17, 2010, 07:19:26 PM »

can anyone give me some pointers here? need chins to be friends
i'm at my wits end with these 2.
i've had monkey forever. she's about 9 years old.  i've always wanted her to have a cagemate and i'm at a point where i can do that now.  so i picked up kricket on fathers day who was supposed to be a year old.
when i first saw kricket she had a newborn.  and i visited them all the time.  i would've loved to take the baby home, problem is i needed another girl. & since i don't know how to sex a chin, i couldn't risk the pet store being wrong (again)
-when i got monkey they said she was a boy.  she stayed that way for almost 7 years.  even her first vet didn't know any better.
before i purchased kricket- i took monkey to the pet store and they were put in a booth together.  they didn't care about each other to much. neither of them bit or peed on the other & neither of them acted scared.
kricket went to the vet and quarantine, although they already met.
then when it was time to meet in the play ring- they peed on each other and ran to seperate corners
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star83_4mc

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Re: tips on befriending 2 chins
« Reply #1 on: January 17, 2010, 07:30:56 PM »

i've tried bathing them in dust and lots of baby powder before neutral playtime to get rid of smells.
- one time they got into an actual blur of fur fight.  i just stuck my hand in to grab one and got bit. i was so scared that one of them would get hurt i didn't know what else to do. the whole think probably only lasted 10 seconds. but i cried because i said they were never gonna get along.  that was months ago.
i've also put cages at seperate ends of room and gradually moved closer and closer. kricket kept spraying monkeys cage.  so i kept them apart.
i tried switching dirty cages so they can smell the other one for a half hour at a time.
right now they live in the same cage seperated in the middle by a solid piece of wood. one on top and the other on bottom.
when i hold one of them near the oposite end of cage- the other one tries to bite it thru the bars- even though it's way too far away.
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Harleychin

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Re: tips on befriending 2 chins
« Reply #2 on: January 18, 2010, 09:02:15 AM »

I know you want them to be friends,but just like humans some chins just don't like each other. ::shrug::
If you try play time again bring a towel so if they start to fight you can throw it on top of them and break up the fight with out getting hurt.
I hope it works out for you.
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star83_4mc

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Re: tips on befriending 2 chins
« Reply #3 on: January 18, 2010, 11:12:50 AM »

thanks for the advice.  now i know to have a towel to throw on them and also wear leather work gloves to break them up when fighting.  but i don't want to put them together like that anymore.
is there anything i can try to make them like each other?
i realized they might not get along when i bought kricket- but that's why i took monkey to meet her.  they should've told me then if they weren't gonna get along.  it's not fair because now i love kricket too.  she tricked me.
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Debbie.nl.ca

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Re: tips on befriending 2 chins
« Reply #4 on: January 18, 2010, 03:24:38 PM »




Awww Star,
I know how frustrating it is, but like Harley said they may never like each other.

If you had gotten a young kit it might have been easier, as Monkey would have been the alpha chin from the start. The kit wouldn't have had that opportunity yet, and would have excepted her ranking much easier.
Now you have two alpha females, and I'm guessing, trying to get kricket into Monkey's cage.

Your doing all the rights, and you've been at it now for about 7 months. Right?
Do both girls trust you? Can you do what ever you want with them, with out either being fearful of you?

The only way you MAY ever get these two together is to put them in a situation that would force them to want to be together more than facing the situation alone. This can be as simple as bringing them into a strange room to stuffing them into a small tube.
I would try a few other things before I resorted to this method.
Bring them into a  strange room in your arms, or if not possible take them out in the car in separate carriers. Take each out in your arms and gently speak to them, never let them touch. Just let them know the other is there. Just sit there for a few minutes and then put them back in the carries. Or leave the room. If nothing happened between them, take them out again, and repeat. Do this several times each session once a day for a few days .I give them a treat each time they don't make any attempts to fight, as soon as I put them back in the carriers. Wait a minute and do it again.

They have a term on it for training parrots, but it works well with chins too. I guess any animal, but parrots can do it in one session, it can take chins several. I do it for a few days before I attempt again with fighting pairs. After a few times I 'll take both out in my arms and put them in a bath bottle together You are letting them know that no matter what your their for each of them, and that they can tolerate each other.
If nothing else works try putting them into a small tube nose to nose.

And you may have to just leave them separate. ::shrug::
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Jo Ann

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Re: tips on befriending 2 chins
« Reply #5 on: January 19, 2010, 07:46:06 AM »

 ::silly::  At the pet store Monkey was minding her manners,  ::nod::  especially being in a strange place ... but ... when you brought Kricket home ... you were injecting a strange chin into Monkey's home, which, apparently, she is not willing to share.   ::tickedoff::
 
When you have an only chin, especially for that long, it rules the home ... so to speak   :D  ... she has had your undivided attention and then here comes this other chin ... Monkey does not want to share you or your attention with anyone.   ::)    Any affection you are showing Kricket in front of Monkey is just feeding fuel to the the growing green monster called jealousy.  You may want to try giving Monkey attention first, then Kricket attention, then Monkey attention again ... this is showing her she comes first and most in your life.  This will reassure her she is not being replaced and that you still love her.  Free play time Monkey comes out first and goes back in the cage last.  This shows her she is the alpha chin in your eyes.  This may sound dumb, but it works most of the time.

Eventually, she may or may not accept Kricket ... but it's doubtfull ... when they fight (making wounds and showing blood) instantly, that's not a good sign.   Yet, again, they were friendly at the pet store, so all hope is not lost.   ::)  Make sure you always speak to Monkey first and last, that she is the one to be fed and watered first ... treat her like an only child that is no longer an only child, but now has to learn to share.  When you have free play time ... make sure there is a second person and a couple of light weight towels or baby blankets close by to break up the fight.  Get a small carry cage ... this will be the "time-out" cage ... the one to start the fight/scuffle gets a 5 minutes time out inside the cage while you play with the other one.  They are smart and will soon realize fighting gets you stuck in a small cage, with no privileges, while mommy plays with the other one.  Over time, this usually works ... patients is the word.   Then, on the other hand, if it is a personality conflict instead of jealousy, it may never work, time will tell.  This is the down side of introducing a second chin after having had one chin as an "only chin".

 ::howdythere::  Jo Ann
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star83_4mc

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Re: tips on befriending 2 chins
« Reply #6 on: January 19, 2010, 10:10:52 PM »

Now you have two alpha females, and I'm guessing, trying to get kricket into Monkey's cage.
i bought her a ferret nation cage a while ago so we'd have room for a second chin.  i've always felt bad that she was all alone.

Do both girls trust you? Can you do what ever you want with them, with out either being fearful of you?
they both have their moments with me.  monkey doesn't mind me cleaning her cage. she doesn't run away from me- even when i'm pushing her out of the way.  she loves being pet and kissed. and she doesn't try to escape.
kricket is getting better and better about being touched. she'll stay to be pet under her chin for a minute or 2 at a time. she eats the broom when i'm cleaning and doesn't mind me pushing her away. and once in a blue moon she'll climb out on my hand and up my arm.  but if i pet her back- she squeals a bit and runs away. she'll climb up to my head when i'm sitting at play time. she would jump out of the cage if i wasn't looking though.
and she also does this weird thing i've never seen before: sometimes she grabs my hand and squooshes it into her chest and perches on my hand. and then she'll press my hand in tighter, and just stands there.
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star83_4mc

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Re: tips on befriending 2 chins
« Reply #7 on: January 19, 2010, 10:17:00 PM »

put them in a situation that would force them to want to be together more than facing the situation
sounds like you're suggesting something i read up on called "smooshing"  ...?  which in theory makes sense- but sounds too dangerous.  the only other technique i've read that i haven't tried is cage inside a cage.
what i need is a chinchilla whisperer.  i swear they are just getting more and more resentful of each other
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star83_4mc

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Re: tips on befriending 2 chins
« Reply #8 on: January 19, 2010, 10:19:18 PM »

Get a small carry cage ... this will be the "time-out" cage ... the one to start the fight/scuffle gets a 5 minutes time out inside the cage while you play with the other one.  They are smart and will soon realize fighting gets you stuck in a small cage, with no privileges, while mommy plays with the other one.
i really like this idea! thanks Jo Ann
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Debbie.nl.ca

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Re: tips on befriending 2 chins
« Reply #9 on: January 21, 2010, 11:42:48 AM »

Yes this works great, they do learn from time outs.
 Had a friend who's chin would come right out to play and pee on her lap every time.
She would take her and put her right in the carrier on the floor with the others when she peed. Didn't take but days for her to stop.
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