I cant seem to find anything helpful to me online and co workers dont seem to know. (I work at Petco) Decided to try a forum before calling up a vet.. Since it's rather late at the moment where I am.
So recently I've been troubled with my 2 chillas. Well, first off, here's some background info.
They are both males and I've had them caged together for over a year now. Their names are Avi and Syfer. Avi, I bought from my work when he was young, and the more calmer/gentler of the 2. Then there's Syfer, who was brought into my work from someone who claimed to had found him.. So I got him as an adult with an unknown age. (both were checked by a vet when new also.) It took me awhile to get them used to each other, as well as getting Syfer to be used to human contact.. But they've been best buddies for a long time.. some bickering here and there, but always are found getting along, cuddling sleeping together, grooming, etc in the end.
But for the past few days Avi has been hiding in his box and refuses to come out.. Syfer tries to go in there with him, but everytime he comes near him, Avi becomes upset. And when Syfer decides to become more forceful and just go in, Avi runs away, with Syfer chasing him all over the cage.. I didnt think much of it at first since either usually gets over it quickly, but when i got off work, there was fur all over the cage. And Avi wouldnt come out of his box or eat anything from me.
So I pulled Syfer out of the cage and put him in a dog kennel i have for them, for the night.. I checked Avi and found no blood or cuts on him, just fur scattered around. He eventually went back to normal and wandered around again, etc.
I tried to put the kennel next to the cage just close enough so they could sniff noses, but not touch. Just as I had done when Syfer was new.. I wanted to try to gradually put them together again. Avi seemed extremely interested, almost excited, in him being there and kept sniffing at him, every now and then running off, and coming back several times after. I was happy, thinking he was back to normal again.. But when I put Syfer back in, Avi got upset and hid again.. Syfer stopped harassing him, but would keep trying to slowly creep over to him, Avi would get upset again.. but Syfer would actually back off and take a nap, only to come back and try again.
Avi makes a new sound along with the old ones in his presence that I have never heard a chinchilla make before.. It's almost like a whine. Longer than the other sounds I'm used to hearing.
They're separated again. And I'm very concerned with these 2.. I really need some advice on how to handle this kind of situation. I'm trying everything I can to not have to resort to giving one of them up... But I hate seeing them unhappy. >__<
Any advice would be greatly appreciated. I thank you in advance.
So recently I've been troubled with my 2 chillas. Well, first off, here's some background info.
They are both males and I've had them caged together for over a year now. Their names are Avi and Syfer. Avi, I bought from my work when he was young, and the more calmer/gentler of the 2. Then there's Syfer, who was brought into my work from someone who claimed to had found him.. So I got him as an adult with an unknown age. (both were checked by a vet when new also.) It took me awhile to get them used to each other, as well as getting Syfer to be used to human contact.. But they've been best buddies for a long time.. some bickering here and there, but always are found getting along, cuddling sleeping together, grooming, etc in the end.
But for the past few days Avi has been hiding in his box and refuses to come out.. Syfer tries to go in there with him, but everytime he comes near him, Avi becomes upset. And when Syfer decides to become more forceful and just go in, Avi runs away, with Syfer chasing him all over the cage.. I didnt think much of it at first since either usually gets over it quickly, but when i got off work, there was fur all over the cage. And Avi wouldnt come out of his box or eat anything from me.
So I pulled Syfer out of the cage and put him in a dog kennel i have for them, for the night.. I checked Avi and found no blood or cuts on him, just fur scattered around. He eventually went back to normal and wandered around again, etc.
I tried to put the kennel next to the cage just close enough so they could sniff noses, but not touch. Just as I had done when Syfer was new.. I wanted to try to gradually put them together again. Avi seemed extremely interested, almost excited, in him being there and kept sniffing at him, every now and then running off, and coming back several times after. I was happy, thinking he was back to normal again.. But when I put Syfer back in, Avi got upset and hid again.. Syfer stopped harassing him, but would keep trying to slowly creep over to him, Avi would get upset again.. but Syfer would actually back off and take a nap, only to come back and try again.
Avi makes a new sound along with the old ones in his presence that I have never heard a chinchilla make before.. It's almost like a whine. Longer than the other sounds I'm used to hearing.
They're separated again. And I'm very concerned with these 2.. I really need some advice on how to handle this kind of situation. I'm trying everything I can to not have to resort to giving one of them up... But I hate seeing them unhappy. >__<
Any advice would be greatly appreciated. I thank you in advance.