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[Katterli]

I have two chins, Pika and Lilly. I got Pika in a pet store 8 months ago, Lilly from Craigslist two months ago. Pika was getting really stressed out so we decided to get her a playmate to see if it would help. When we got Lilly, the very first thing she did was start spraying. The previous owners mentioned this as well. We put them in two cages side by side, let them have playtime together. Whenever we got near Lilly's cage she would start grunting and spraying. Eventually they got friendly enough with each other that we were able to put them together in the big cage we had got them. They started out fine, a few dominance plays but nothing too bad, no fighting, no biting, they would curl up together. We let them adjust to the new cage, Pika got 1000 times friendlier, Lilly was still stand-offish. Now, about a month and a half later, we still can't get near the cage because of Lilly, she will grunt as you walk by, if you try to pet her she sprays, if you try to let her sniff you she sprays, if you give her treats she sprays, if you sit on the floor next to the cage she sprays. I've tried bribing her with treats, it worked at first but now she won't even take them, I've tried blowing on her when she sprays, she just sprays more.

She's started getting more aggressive towards Pika now too. If Pika is at the food dish before her, she sprays her, if Pika is in the bath house she sprays her, if Lilly is between ramps and Pika is trying to pass she starts grunting and gets aggressive, if Pika is running around while Lilly is sleeping she'll wake up and spray her. Lilly has also started trying to bite at our fingers and actually following the movement and snapping at them.

Is there anything I can do to calm her down? Would separating them help? I'm at the end of my rope, every bit of advice I've seen so far hasn't worked and makes her more aggressive. I'm just worried she'll start attacking Pika, Pika is about half her size. 

[chinclub]

  I think it is safe to say that Lilly is spraying out of meanness not out of fear.  Adult chinchillas are funny about being set in their ways.  They are like grumpy old people who don't like to be bothered.  You become the snotty grand kid and they tell you what they will and will not tolerate!   

You can handle this in one of two ways.  The first is to learn what they like and don't like and respect their wishes.  In this case she doesn't seem to like sharing her cage (which many females have trouble with since they are naturally dominate). She also doesn't like human contact of any kind.  You could remove her back to her own cage and leave her be in a less traveled area of your home.

The second way is to fight through the behavior.  There is no guarantee that this will work, but at this point it doesn't sound like you have much to loose.  Each time she sprays you take her out of the cage and hold her.  She probably will not like it.  She might act like a wild animal trying to get away. You will want to watch her mouth.  Most chinchillas do not bite, but most chinchillas don't spray out of meanness so I wouldn't put it past her.  OK, so what are you trying to accomplish from this?  #1 she learns that spraying you doesn't get her anything she wants.  In fact, it causes something she doesn't want.  (Chinchillas are very smart and it won't take but a few times for her to get the pattern).  #2 It forces her to spend time with you and hopefully learn that you are not so bad.  My hope is that after the first few minutes of trying to escape she will settle in your arms, even if it is out of desperation not contentment.  Once she does this talk softly to her, stroke her gently.  Try to offer her a treat.  The first few times will probably not go so well but I hope that it will get a little better each time.  Eventually my hope is that she will either stop spraying you and/or start liking out of the cage time.

Either way you decide to go, you really might need to separate them.  I am sure Pika isn't enjoying her new living conditions either.

[Katterli]

I've tried the holding, petting method for a few months now and Lilly is still aggressively spraying. She mostly just stays at the bottom of the cage and grunts like a troll. Would getting a male help at all or would that make the situation worse?