Bonding Chinchillas
Chinchillas are social animals who'd live in large colonies in the wild and never alone. Therefore it's best to keep chinchillas in same sex pairs if possible - the easiest way is to adopt a pair who are already bonded. Once a pair is bonded you should avoid separating them unless they fall out. If you separate them, even briefly, there is always a chance they may not go back together again. If one needs vets treatment then you can often take both along - they’ll help to reassure one another and avoid rejection when the other chinchilla returns home smelling different from the new environment.
Introducing and bonding two same sex chinchillas who haven't grown up together is definitely possible, however you should be aware that the success rate is probably around 50/50.
Whilst following the bonding methods below give you the best chance, the factors that ultimately determine whether they will get along are mainly outside your control. It really comes down to whether the chinchilla you choose has a compatible personality with your existing chinchilla.
With this is mind, you shouldn't get a second chinchilla unless you are sure you want to commit to all their needs as well, and not only because you want companionship for your existing chinchilla. If you're unable to commit to all the factors below with getting another chinchilla, you might like to consider a safe chinchilla toy buddy instead.
Introducing and bonding two same sex chinchillas who haven't grown up together is definitely possible, however you should be aware that the success rate is probably around 50/50.
Whilst following the bonding methods below give you the best chance, the factors that ultimately determine whether they will get along are mainly outside your control. It really comes down to whether the chinchilla you choose has a compatible personality with your existing chinchilla.
With this is mind, you shouldn't get a second chinchilla unless you are sure you want to commit to all their needs as well, and not only because you want companionship for your existing chinchilla. If you're unable to commit to all the factors below with getting another chinchilla, you might like to consider a safe chinchilla toy buddy instead.
NEVER cage your chinchilla with any other species or allow them to interact in any way. Not only are other animals' dietary and housing needs very different, they can also carry bacteria which is deadly chinchillas.
Considerations before getting another chinchilla
1. Separate cage: you will need to buy another cage and firstly quarantine the new chinchilla (details further below). Bonding is not a fast process so the new cage must be suitable for the chinchilla to live in long term. Advantages of Ferret Nation and Critter Nation Cages are that you can add extra units to your existing cage, keeping these separate at first and then opening them up as one entire cage if bonding is successful.
2. Separate playtimes: one of the biggest time constraints of chinchillas who don't live together is supervising separate playtimes.
3. Extra cage to clean: Again if your chinchillas don't bond, this means you'll have another cage to clean.
4. Increased vet bills: As chinchillas are prone to certain health issues which can be very costly, the more chinchillas you own, the higher the likelihood that one of them will experience health problems at some point.
Choosing another chinchilla
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Once you're happy you can accommodate the above points, you can start choosing another chinchilla. Chinchillas should live in same sex pairs/groups only. Whilst groups can work, pairs are generally the safest option as the more chinchillas living together, the more complex the group dynamics and chance of fallouts occurring. Multiple males living with females will very likely fight, regardless of whether they have been neutered.
Please ensure you are 100% certain of your chinchilla's sex, the guide here shows you how to check. If you are not sure, take your chinchillas to an experienced vet to confirm. |
You should never put opposite sex chinchillas together unless you are an experienced breeder with pedigree chinchillas, as breeding is extremely risky. This includes during playtime and even ensuring separate cages are far enough apart, as chinchillas can breed through the bars of a cage!
Neutering a chinchilla is a high risk procedure and in the main, unnecessary. Females can be aggressive towards male cage mates to the point of death, so it's far better to try and bond a male with another male than putting the chinchilla through a life threatening operation when the female may not accept him anyway.
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Younger chinchillas (6 months or less) typically have a better success rate of bonding with one another other. However as they reach puberty, their temperament and dynamics of their relationship can change, meaning that some chinchillas who got along when they were younger may not do so into adulthood.
Other than ensuring the chinchilla you choose is the same sex as your existing chinchilla, the rest of whether they will get along is mainly luck of the draw. See the selecting a chinchilla page for more information on finding the right second chinchilla for you. |
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2. The bonding process
Quarantine
Firstly you must quarantine the new chinchilla for at least 30 days to check they are not sick with any illness that could harm your existing chinchilla. It's best to keep the new chinchilla in a completely separate room, if that's not possible then you must keep the cages apart, wash your hands in between handling and do not let them interact in any way.
Introducing more than two chinchillas
If you are trying to bond more than two chinchillas, introduce the group all together using the smoosh method explained below. However please be aware that introducing two or more chinchillas can risk existing pairs or groups falling out. So in the worst case scenario, you may need separate cages for all of your chinchillas a a result of trying to bond a group.
Remember some chinchillas never bond
As mentioned above, some chinchillas just don't have compatible personalities and unfortunately may never bond. If your chinchillas are consistently aggressive when you introduce them, then it comes to a point when you should accept this and stop trying. Even chinchillas who don't live together often communicate and call out to each other, so they still benefit from living in a household with other chinchillas present.
Bonding chinchillas: The Smoosh Method
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Referred to as the Smoosh Method, this form of bonding involves introducing chinchillas to each other in a small travel cage. Whilst this may initially sound a bit strange, when done properly it is the safest way of introducing chinchillas as it prevents them from fighting each other.
This involves putting the chinchillas together in a very small travel cage so that they're unable to move around enough to hurt each other, then sometimes taking them for a drive so that they are in an unfamiliar environment. |
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This confined environment where they can't move enough to fight, combined with the strange movement of the vehicle can help encourage them to get along. Many breeders also report the Smoosh Method as a relatively fast and successful way of bonding.
It is important to remember that the cage you use for smooshing chinchillas should be small enough that the chinchillas do not have room to cause an injury to one another. Using a travel cage that is too big can lead to serious injury as it allows space for a chinchilla to attached another without the room to get away.
Finally it's worth remembering that whilst the confined environment may prevent the chinchillas from fighting at that point, there is still no guarantee this will continue once they are housed together.
When trying the Smoosh Method of bonding, please ensure you follow the steps below very carefully.
It is important to remember that the cage you use for smooshing chinchillas should be small enough that the chinchillas do not have room to cause an injury to one another. Using a travel cage that is too big can lead to serious injury as it allows space for a chinchilla to attached another without the room to get away.
Finally it's worth remembering that whilst the confined environment may prevent the chinchillas from fighting at that point, there is still no guarantee this will continue once they are housed together.
When trying the Smoosh Method of bonding, please ensure you follow the steps below very carefully.
1. Pick your Smoosh cage It is important to ensure the travel cage you use to bond your chinchillas is small enough that they do not have any room to fight. Using a cage that is too large and hence allowing fights to occur is how injuries can happen during the smoosh method.
2. PREPARE to separate You need to be completely prepared for how you'd separate your chinchillas should a fight occur. Have thick gloves at the ready, and practice opening and closing the cage door to ensure you can do this quickly in an emergency.
3. Introduce during daytime It's a good idea to try smooshing your chinchillas during the daytime when they're naturally more sleepy and docile.
4. Place together in the Smoosh cage and do not take your eyes off them! Once the chinchillas are in the smoosh cage together watch very carefully, at any signs of biting you will need to immediately separate. If you do decide to take them for a drive whilst together in the travel cage, have a passenger keep an eye on them at all times so they can separate if needed. For this reason it's good to take a spare cage with you, should separation mid drive be required.
If the introduction goes well, you want to leave the chinchillas in the smoosh cage together until they are indifferent to each other and eventually fall asleep. Remember never to leave them unattended.
If the introduction goes well, you want to leave the chinchillas in the smoosh cage together until they are indifferent to each other and eventually fall asleep. Remember never to leave them unattended.
5. Place in a neutral cage together if smooshing was a success If your chinchillas seem unfazed by each other at the end of the smoosh session, you can try placing them in a neutral cage together. Ideally a cage that neither of them has lived in before, however if this is not possible, ensure you thoroughly disinfect and clean the current cage to remove their scent.
Again when they are in the cage together, watch very carefully and be prepared to separate. You should only consider leaving them unattended once they have slept and eaten together. If there are any signs of aggression, such as prolonged chasing, severe fur slip or biting then please separate them.
Again when they are in the cage together, watch very carefully and be prepared to separate. You should only consider leaving them unattended once they have slept and eaten together. If there are any signs of aggression, such as prolonged chasing, severe fur slip or biting then please separate them.
Playtime Method: Gradual Introduction
The smoosh method of introducing chinchillas explained above is probably the most effective and quickest way of bonding chinchillas. However if you prefer, you can always try the gradual introduction method as detailed below. It is worth noting that this introduction method may be more tricky however, as it can be hard to read your chinchilla's intentions in a larger introduction space. For example, some chasing may occur and it can be hard to tell if your chinchillas are being aggressive to each other or just inquisitive when they are moving so fast.
1. Put cages close together After completing the 30 day quarantine period, start off by putting both chinchillas' cages next to each other. Keep these about 2” apart so they can't try to bite each other through the bars. Watch for their reaction - they may just be curious, or show signs of aggression such as urine spraying, rearing up on their hind legs or barking. Continue to do this until both chinchillas are happy to live in cages side by side without reacting to each other. To help them get used to each other's scent you can swap their cages and sandbaths over (never put both in the cage together, they will become territorial and fight).
2. PREPARE to introduce in a neutral area The next stage is to allow them to have mutual playtime together in a neutral area. It should be somewhere they haven’t had playtime previously, otherwise they’ll recognise the scent of their usual area and be territorial, which is likely to lead to serious fighting. If you do not have a neutral area for playtime then you must clean the existing area thoroughly to remove the scent of either chinchilla.
Before putting the chinchillas together in the neutral area, you need to be well prepared for if a fight does break out. Plan how you would quickly and safely separate them. Having thick gloves to hand is a good idea, chinchilla bites can be very sharp so you don't want to separate them with your bare hands.
Before putting the chinchillas together in the neutral area, you need to be well prepared for if a fight does break out. Plan how you would quickly and safely separate them. Having thick gloves to hand is a good idea, chinchilla bites can be very sharp so you don't want to separate them with your bare hands.
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3. Introduce during playtime in a neutral area Once you are fully prepared and ready, place the chinchillas in the neutral play area, with a sandbath available, as this often helps to diffuse the situation.
Watch very closely. If there is any biting or serious fur pulling, you will need to separate before any injuries occur. Some chasing and mounting each is normal, however at any sign of biting you must separate straight away. |
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If the session goes well, you can closely supervise for around 15 minutes before returning them back to their own cages. If you had to separate them for any aggression or minor biting, wait a few days before re-introducing in playtime again, so the memory of the disagreement is not still fresh in their minds.
4. Increase playtime length if previous session went well If the initial session went well, you can repeat the following day and start to add 5 minutes per time so they are spending longer together. After several successful sessions you can try playtime in their usual area rather than the new neutral area for introductions.
5. Place in a neutral cage together If playtime continues to go well and they are happy to be together with no signs of aggression then you can try putting them in a neutral cage together. Again, you really want to use a cage that neither has been in before so they don’t feel it’s their own territory. If it's not possible for you to get a new cage then you must thoroughly disinfect the existing cage first, including washing all fleece bedding and toys.
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Once the chinchillas are in the new cage together you must watch very carefully and only leave them unattended once they have slept and eaten together. If you are in any doubt then please separate and re-introduce them the following day, disagreements can easily turn into serious fights and you don't want to risk a fatally injured chinchilla.
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Once chinchillas are successfully bonded you should only separate them if they fallout and can no longer live together. Separating them for any other reason risks them not going back together as they’ll smell different and perceive each other as a “new chinchilla”.
Vector Graphics with thanks to Freepik