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[rainbowrotties]

I currently have 6 chinchillas. I started in October 2006 with a pair of 3month old sisters. In July 2009 I rescued a 2 1/2 year old male. After a short introduction period everyone was getting along very well so they were moved to the same cage. In January 2010 I acquired a breeding pair that were about 2 years old. I put the new chins and their cage near my other chins in their cage to see how everyone would get along. Through the cages everyone could smell each other but not reach each other. Everything was going good so I left for a couple hours when I came back I was in for a huge suprise! One of the sisters (the ones that have been together since the day they were born) had attacked the other! The one that was attacking is usually the quite, shy one, she had ripped a small piece from her sisters face(whiskers and all) and pulled out ALOT of fur (which still hasn't all grown back in) and put teeth marks in her ears! The more outgoing one has now healed but is terrified of her sister whom I have separated and put in a cage alone. I currently have the two males and two females in a cage together. Everyone is getting along fine, and I just had to put one female into a baby proof cage because she gave birth to one little kit but she lets all the others see the little guy and is alright when they have free roam together (2males, 2females and baby)Everything is great except the other sister, every time one of the other chins comes near her cage she freaks out and tries to bite them. She used to be a cuddle buddy and ride around on my shoulder now she even tries to bite me! Is there anything I can do for her to help her, my little one is a female and I was going to try setting up pairs (the sisters can't get preg. not sure why but I've tried for years with my cousins male and my own) and I wanted to put mommy and daddy back together, my origanal male with the new baby when she is old enough and the sisters back together, but can I? We need advice.

Thank you,
Jacd061506

[mzmelissa]

Hi Jacd061506,
Have you tried having the two sister play with each other during their free run? The more aggressive chin may just be very territorial that why she doesn't like when the other chins go near her cage. I'm not an expert in chins but if you have female chinchillas that are in heat the males might fight or even kill each other. I heard of a case where a father killed his son when the mother was in heat.  If it was me I would try to re introduce the females using rewards. So maybe they get to play with each other outside of the cage or use raisins when they get along. The aggressive chin may learn to associate positive experiences with her sister.
Good luck

[rainbowrotties]

yes I have tried letting them out together and the more aggressive one chases and rips fur out when she catches her sisiter. And I say "when" because the other one always goes to her, trying to be close I guess, but EVERY time the one goes to her aggressive sister she then gets fur ripped out so she runs and her sister chases her. I don't know what to do with them. I thought that by putting them closer together in a room by themselves might help but the aggressive chin tries to bite through the cage and their two cages are seperated by at least 2-3 feet !! I am at a complet loss as to what to do . The non aggressive one is so depressed she will cuddle with the males but will not run around and play, eats but only when the males are sleeping and very little at that. I think the aggressive one is depressed to because she doesn't play either, just tries to bite. 

As for the males they seem to get along great, but when the new baby is old enough I will be seperating the males and putting them with the females, daddy and mommy chin together again, and baby with by younger male. but that still leaves my two sisters alone.......

[Debbie.nl.ca]

You have 2 males, 2 females and a kit in the same cage??

[sabrina]

If it was me, I would let the mean sister go she is making all of the other Chin's not feel welcome in their own homes. If you can't play with her or have anything to do with her and she is intimidating everyone else, what is the point in having her plus there is always the chance of her bitting another person.

[rainbowrotties]

NO i def. do not have everyone in the same cage. Mom and baby are in a smaller babyproof cage, near the large cage with the 2 males and one sister. Everyone has been on free roam together with ALOT of supervision and all four adults and the baby are all ok together. but they are not housed together and will not be housed together. I will be putting dad with mom and kit when the little one is a bit older but until then dad sees his girl everynight and can be close through the wires of both cages.

And getting rid of the aggressive one isn't really an option for me. I never have and never will give up an animal I brought home with the promise of a forever home, I have had her for over 3 years. I have moved her cage to a room by her self and she does better. She still tries to bite if I try to pick her up but once I have her she is better. I just feel so bad about them being seperated because the non aggressive sister seems so depressed, even though she is with the other chins.

[mzmelissa]

I understand what you are saying about not wanting to give up your chin, I feel the same way. I wonder what could of caused her temperament to change so much. I have to female kits three weeks tomorrow and the bigger kit always bully's then little one and won't let her eat. My vet/breeder said that female sister are usually the most aggressive towards each other but I am not sure if that sibling rivalry continues into adulthood. You said they always got along before until you got the male? I'm not sure I would take the risk of putting them back together because it sounds like they can't even be civil and you never know when a fight could happen. You would probably be worried every time you had to leave them.

[rainbowrotties]

I wish I knew the cause of the temporment change. Maybe I could help her if I knew! She was the quite, shy one, the one that loved to cuddle and be held, to sit on my shoulder while I walked around the house. Now Poly don't even want me to hold her and she runs or tries to bite. Since I am the only one who gets her out biting someone else isn't and issue. I moved her cage to an empty room and visit her every evening, let her have free run and try to play with her and hold her. I'm hoping to make a little progress on the temperment this way?
Her sister was more outgoing, liked being held but prefered to run on the floor rather then be held which still hasn't changed, though Rolly seems to not want to even come out of her cage as much.

I named them Rolly and Poly because as 3month old kits they reminded me of those little grey bugs that roll up when you touch them. The kids at the daycare I worked at call them rolly poly bugs, And they helped me name them, LOL. the name just kinda stuck with them  ! and they were so sweet toghether, even after adding the first male Mo, I just don't know what happened this last time.

[Debbie.nl.ca]

I know how you feel, I couldn't part with mine no matter how unfriendly they get.
It could have been something as simple as a minor challenge by another chin. They do talk to each other. If one wanted something or even wanted to sit somewhere and had a fuss over it. They can be just like children sometimes.
And ya know absence makes the heart grow founder so as she spends more time away she may decide she would rather be nice than be alone.
Good luck.

[rainbowrotties]

WOW!!!! so here's the update. My two roommates FINALLY moved out and I was able to move my chins to their old bedroom. Now they have an entire room to themselves instead of sharing with my computer!   Well the move to the room gives me way more space for the cages and less to chin proof  . Its been a week of them being in the new room and Last night I decided to let the sisters out to play and leave everyone else in just to see if they could get along yet. I know Rolly is depressed about her sister not being with her. I let Poly out first while I cleaned her cage then I went to let Rolly out, as I was picking her up the two males escaped into the room also. I was thinking OH NO this could get ugly, but as it turns out Poly was OK with them, she ran right up to her sister and gave her "kisses" and sniffed the boys with no fights or anything. Its been about 2 months since I've had to separate them and all of a sudden she is fine. they all went into the big cage together when it was time to go in, and I checked on them several times throughout the night and morning, so far everything is great!!!!!
The only thing I can think is that it has to do with the new female (the new mommy) because Poly did venture near Perdy and baby's cage and they started biting at each other but I scooped Poly up and moved her away and that was it. I think she attacked her sister in the beginning because she couldn't get to this female, but her sister was right there? I don't know but I am so glad that its working out now. I plan on moving Mo into the cage with Perdy (he is neutered) so she has a buddy AFTER baby is weened and since Rolly and Poly are sterile I can keep Sherman with them. Then there shouldn't be anymore fights or babies  (hopefully ). I can't handle the heartbreak of giving them away. I was told by my fiance that we have too many pets and so I can't keep this baby (hence the no name) and it's so sad.

Well anyway I thought I'd just add the update because it makes me so happy to see the sisters back together again, and I know it makes them both happy too because Poly rode around on my shoulder and Rolly actually ran on her wheel which neither has done since they were separated after the fight!