Introducing Chinchillas

Before choosing to get a second chinchilla it’s important to understanding the bonding process. Ask yourself why you are getting another chinchilla. Is it because you read that they’re happier in pairs? Is it because you want another one for you? Do you think your current chinchilla is lonely? Chinchillas each have their own personality and therefore, are not better in pairs. This is a myth. Some chinchillas have very dominant personalities and do best as a solo chin. If you’re considering getting a second chinchilla, make sure you are prepared for the bonding process not to work and the space you would need to house two chinchillas. Bonded chinchillas can turn and need to be separated, and you’ll want to be prepared if this should ever happen.
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The best way to bond 2 or more chinchillas is by putting them together in a small carrier without room to fight. Expect to give them about 4 hours in the carrier together. Some recommend to go for a 30 minute car drive while they are in the carrier too. When the time is up, move the chins into a neutral clean cage and do not separate them. This is considered the most successful means of bonding chinchillas among breeders.

A second option for pairing is to use a cage within a cage. Place one chin in a small cage with their own food and water, and place that cage within a larger cage with food and water for the second chin. Allow them to live this way for 1-2 weeks before removing the smaller cage and letting the chins out together.

Short slow introductions are not recommended. Throughout the pet community there is a lot of debate over the best bonding methods and it’s commonly suggested to allow brief playtime interactions for bonding. This does not work for chinchillas the way it does for humans. This often results in failed bonding or short term bonding that fails within a few months or years.

If during the bonding process your chinchillas get into an altercation drawing blood or with physical harm, we do not recommend you continue to try bonding them. You should also take careful consideration if trying to bond a very dominant chinchilla who has been alone for multiple years. They are more unlikely to be successfully bonded in those situations.

It is normal for chinchillas to mount and hump each other to establish the pecking order. The dominant chin may also chew whiskers on the other chinchilla(s). Some fur pulling can be expected as well