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[chillamom2012]

Hi! I've read many of your post and always appreciated your insight and opinions. I finally decided to become a member and hope you don't mind if I dive right into learning and sharing.  My husband and I have 2 male chins: one about 3 years old, and the other a little less than 2 years old. We bought them when they were each between 2-6 months old. 

We wanted the two chins to bond, but they've been slow to warm up to each other when side by side in their cages (even after introducing them slowly over the last 1 1/2 years). We've gotten their cages close enough to allow the chins to touch noses, but they always reverted to fighting behavior so we recently gave up and moved them to different parts of the room.  The weird thing is that the older one seemed to think that the younger one was a coy female. When they were side by side, he was constantly vocalizing mating calls, then he would suddenly act like he wanted to fight the younger chin through the cage.  Over time, the older one became hyper sexual. It's been difficult for me to hold him without him getting excited and ejaculating on my hand. (I've had to reduce my interactions with him and I can only hold him for short periods of time before I let him loose in the play area. I also have to shoo him away from my feet so he doesn't try to mate with my foot.)

Now that we've separated their cages, the younger chin seems happier.  When he was next to the older chin he started showing signs of being bullied (e.g. flinching when the other jumped noisily, spending lots of time behind his flying saucer, and NEVER cooing/chatting back to the other chin).  After moving him away he is acting more social (cooing/chatting, sleeping out in the open, etc).

So why do you suppose the older chin has become hypersexual?  Is it just his age? It seems obvious that a chin would recognize another male. If so, why the constant mating calls? Why can't I hold him and pet him like I used to without him getting aroused? (He doesn't act that way with my husband). Is this an adolescent phase?  At this point we have accepted that the two chins will never be compatible and that they will always need separate cages and playtimes.

Please share your thoughts to help us care for our little buddies. If we've done something wrong in raising them we want to turn it around now while they're still young. Thank you for your help!

[GrayRodent]

Some animals are like that. You'll get the occasional one that has issues like that and is very easily excitable. It is abnormal but not unheard of.
It's not really a behavior that you're going to change but may come and go in cycles. I wouldn't recommend neutering but it might an option if you're desperate.

Other women have reported this in the past. Sometimes it happens at certain times of the month. One owner reported that the problem was solved when she started using a different kind of soap for bathing and hand washing.

As far as them not getting along it does seem some animals are not compatible with each other. Usually it only takes 4-6 weeks for an introduction.

[chillamom2012]

I thought the introductory period should have been shorter too, but we were new chin owners and wanted to be safe and patient. The younger chin was so shy & skittish and didn't trust us for months (even now, he has moments of being skittish around sound). The older chin is very confident and social.  We didn't want to put them together before trust was fully established with the younger chin. However, I was a afraid we may have created a frustrating environment for the older chin. The two chins could hear, see and smell each other when they were close, but couldn't bite, fight or play together. The younger one has bad eyesight, so we were concerned about putting them in an open space together.  We didn't want the older one attacking him without him being able to see where to run/hide, making him not trust us again, not to mention we didn't want any of the chins getting hurt. 

Were we being too overprotective?

[GrayRodent]

Perhaps someone who has gone through this can comment. I have no experience trying to introduce chins myself but I do know that breeders keep many chins in separate cages in the same room and everything is peachy.
Your extended introduction period may or may not be warranted. When you say "fighting behavior" what exactly is happening?

[chillamom2012]

I consider fighting behavior to be quick, jerky motions toward each other (reaching at each other to bite and scratch); a lot of chasing back and forth; sometimes spitting sounds; and lots of tail swishing and jumping/bouncing off the cage wall closest to the other chin.  They used to go through periods of calmness and fall asleep near, almost next to each other (when their cages were side by side without any gaps in between, only a tight mesh screen with openings about 1/4" x 1/4"). There was a spot at the top of their cages with a wider gap (1" x 5") where they would reach up and actually bump noses.  I would keep a close eye on them and noticed that sometimes they were fine.  When they started acting up (mostly the older one), I would separate their cages to about 2" apart.

Just when I thought they were ready for the next level of introduction, the older one started with the mating calls all the time and getting sexually aroused every time I tried to pet him. I gave him extra play time to help him work off his frustrations, but it didn't seem to help.  Both chins use the same play area, but we alternate their play times. If the younger one played first, the older one would spend a lot of time sniffing where the other chin had been instead of playing. When the older chin would play first he would spend more time playing and less time sniffing. (We thought using the same play area would get them used to each other's scent.)

Once, about 6 months ago (before the hypersexual behavior started), I tried having them in the hallway at the same time for about 5 minutes (it was enclosed at both ends). I was sitting in between them and the younger seemed oblivious that the other chin was there (he's the one with bad eyesight). As soon as the older chin saw him, he immediately charged at him.  I intercepted him before he reached the younger one (I don't know what would have happened if I let him actually reach the younger one. All I could think of was the stories of chins losing toes in fights, and killing each other).

Like I said, maybe I was being too overprotective.  We've read about other chin introductions (and seen videos online) and they all make it look so easy.  Anyway, both of them seem happy right now and the older one seemed to calm down after we separated them.  Today, I was able to play with him like I used to when he was young: I took him upstairs to wake up my husband and he (the chin) played hide and seek with us under the covers.  The chin rolled around and was acting loving and cuddly.  He used to get a lot of individual attention before we got the second chin.

I'd love to hear about other people's experience with chin social behavior and tendencies. They are quite interesting little creatures.

[Lori Ramsey Earle]

I don't feel you were being over protective at all. It is hard sometimes to introduce 2 male chins - from what I've read and seen with my chins, the odds are kind of against this working out. It's much more likely that you could pair a male and a female, or two females successfully. Your decision to separate the cages makes a lot of sense, and it sounds like both chins are happier. Any type of aggressive behavior between chins needs to intercepted and then preventative measures need to be taken, or else harm will be done. Plus your little one having poor eyesight makes him more vulnerable and in need of your watchfulness.
Um, my chins had pretty boring sex lives, quite predictable! But this was because most cages had a male and female, and then occasionally a kit or two. But still they're quite interesting in their behavior and I found much to admire.(for example, male chins are great dads, and very patient). I gave one of my friends 2 male kits(brothers) and they got along well for many years. However, one of the males was sexually dominant and play humped the other male a lot. It didn't ever get aggressive, though. Then again, they were raised together, and that makes a huge difference.
You're doing great job with your guys, have fun with them!