1
Health / Dust Bath and Reintroductions
« on: May 27, 2010, 04:46:06 PM »
Hi Everyone!
New to this board but had a question about our chins.
First off, we have three beautiful chinchillas: one adult female Sammy, our macho male Gizmo, and a new baby Steve (named by my sister.. who has her own sense of humor). Anyways... Gizmo was supposed to be a girl, well.. apparently not. We got over that shock a while ago.. and now we have Steve!
Question 1) Babies and Dust Baths? Steve is now over a month old (born in april) but he wants nothing to do with the "strange" feeling dust. He hates it. If we put him in their bowl he just squeaks until we take him out again. Will he learn? Should we be worried?
Question 2) When Sammy had her kit she became terribly aggressive towards Gizzy. Needless to say, we separated them. I've tried having them out together... but Sammy is bent on Gizmo's destruction. First time we tried a re-introduction, I had to catch her in mid air when she lunged off a chair for Gizmo's throat (sadly i'm not even being melodramatic... that pretty much how it happened). Now whenever we let her out I have to sit in front of the other cage or she'll try to bite him through the wire, get on top and try to attack him, etc. Is there any way these two can be reunited (yes.. I am aware of the breeding problem.. but there's no sense in neutering him or anything like that if they're going to stay separated). Steve is going to go live in his new home in June or July.. could she go back to being friendly with Gizzy? Their not getting along causes a lot of grief for everyone, especially Gizmo.
Thanks in advance!
Heather
New to this board but had a question about our chins.
First off, we have three beautiful chinchillas: one adult female Sammy, our macho male Gizmo, and a new baby Steve (named by my sister.. who has her own sense of humor). Anyways... Gizmo was supposed to be a girl, well.. apparently not. We got over that shock a while ago.. and now we have Steve!
Question 1) Babies and Dust Baths? Steve is now over a month old (born in april) but he wants nothing to do with the "strange" feeling dust. He hates it. If we put him in their bowl he just squeaks until we take him out again. Will he learn? Should we be worried?
Question 2) When Sammy had her kit she became terribly aggressive towards Gizzy. Needless to say, we separated them. I've tried having them out together... but Sammy is bent on Gizmo's destruction. First time we tried a re-introduction, I had to catch her in mid air when she lunged off a chair for Gizmo's throat (sadly i'm not even being melodramatic... that pretty much how it happened). Now whenever we let her out I have to sit in front of the other cage or she'll try to bite him through the wire, get on top and try to attack him, etc. Is there any way these two can be reunited (yes.. I am aware of the breeding problem.. but there's no sense in neutering him or anything like that if they're going to stay separated). Steve is going to go live in his new home in June or July.. could she go back to being friendly with Gizzy? Their not getting along causes a lot of grief for everyone, especially Gizmo.
Thanks in advance!
Heather