my chinchilla is acting different

essexanimalhouse

hi everyone im new here.
i have a chinchilla who is a rescue so im unsure how ild she is.
when i got her i was took she did live with another chonchilla but the rescue centre had to put them in different cages as the other chin would fight with charlie and charlie now has chucks missing out of her ears. she is ok.
but i think she may be lonely now, as she is acting very different to how she was when i first got her. she used to run around her cage and around the house in the evening all the time and would jump on to my hands the mintue i opened her cage door, but for the last few weeks she just sits at the bottom of cage and doesnt come to the cage door when i open it anymore.
i have read that you need to take it slowly when introduceing a new chinchilla and they need a different cage to start with
any advise would be very helpful

clareabella

Hi i have 4 chinchillas myself so i will try and help you Very Happy

Your chinchilla could be lonely which would cause her to be depressed but she could be ill. I would take her to the vets first ( one that specialises in exotics) to rule out any illnesses.

If it proved that she is healthy then i would think about introducing another chinchilla. To do this the best thing to do is have them in seperate cages but put them about 1 or 2 cms apart so that they can see and smell eachother but are not close enough to cause injury if they have an arguement. They will probably be grumpy with eachother for a few weeks. Once you are certain that there is no aggression between them ( if they have stopped spitting at eachother) then let them out together in a small room ( bathrooms are usualy ideal) for 10 minutes a day and increase it each week by another 10 minutes or so. It may take quite a while though, im in the process of introducing 2 of my chinchillas and although they get on they do still have the occasional fight so i can't let them share a cage just yet, they are both male though so mine do need neutering as they just cant decide who is the dominent one.

I hope this helps and i hope you chinchilla is soon bright and cheery Very Happy

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Ben76

Hi

I have 28 cinchillas myself so I know a bit about this, one thing you should know about chins is that the females are the dominant sex and are generally bigger than the males when fully mature which normally about 2 years when there full adults. so if you are going
to introduce a male you may need a bigger cage so if she decides to pick on him he has a place to hide. Also remember chins are like people in that they can have very different personalities and are very intelligent. Some of my friendliest chins love human company but attack other chins ferociously to the point that they're permanently seperated now.

If your chin is sick remember that chin are natural prey animals which means that they dont show sickness very readily which means they could be on deaths doorstep and you would'nt know so if your not sure a trip to the vet really is the best option just to be safe.

If your looking for a good treat to try and win her over again try Goji berries, there a bit like raisins with less fat and a lot more protein but not too much because they can get fat, Cranberries are good too.

One more tip if she out running about, just sit on the floor yourself and let her come to you this way is best to win her confidence.

The best way to introduce to introduce a female to a male is to put the female in a small cage inside the males cage so she becomes submissive to him and will eventually accept him otherwise she could potentially do him some damage.

essexanimalhouse

thank you for you advise i have taken charlie to the vets and have been told she is well. i have been just leaving her cage door open so she can come out by her self and just sitting on the floor and she has started to come over to me again. i have a big cage it is about 3 foot high and 2 foot long. but am looking on getting a bigger one. would she get on better with a felmale or male chin, i have the space to keep two cages if they do not get on but i also have the time to take it slowly. i am looking into having a rescue chinchilla as i feel these are the ones that need my help.
so if anyone knows of a good rescue centre in essex please let me know

clareabella