To Smoosh or not to Smoosh?

[Kev Rob]

What do people think? Is this over used? Is it is a case of wanting a quick fix? Is it best to smoosh and get it all over with? Should this be a last resort, or a first introduction? What do you think?

I have never done this, and I am not looking for advice (my chins are happy and bonded). I just want to see what people think.

[tigerbabygrr]

We use smooshing as a last resort when we want to pair a male and a female. Most of the chins we've introduced have taken to each other instantly and I've only had to smoosh about 3 pairs, total. Smooshing works for me so I'd suggest giving it a shot if things aren't going the best.

[erinryan333]

Oh dear! Tells you how much I know...I thought you meant you just wanted to smoosh your chinchilla because you love them so much! :rolleyes:
Yes. I am an idiot!! Oops!

[foxbite2]

I researched "smooshing" when I wanted to put my two females together... I had every intention of putting them in a small cat carrier.. taking them for a ride... and then throwing them into a neutral area to see how they got along.. but before I got a chance to do it, they became friends.... I had their cages side by side for several weeks, and then started switching them back and forth between cages every nite.. plus let them out together at play time to see how they would interact... which didn't go so well at first cause my baby kept getting up on her hind legs and spraying my older girl.... but if I ever added another chin to the mix.. I would be open to the idea of smooshing them.

[luvothechase]

smooshing? i think i missed something. is this when you keep them together in a really tiny space for a while to make them like eachother?

[paris26]

http://www.spoiledchins.net/introductions.htm
This is where you can read up on the "smoosh" method

[sadukie]

I researched "smooshing" when I wanted to put my two females together... I had every intention of putting them in a small cat carrier.. taking them for a ride... and then throwing them into a neutral area to see how they got along.. but before I got a chance to do it, they became friends.... I had their cages side by side for several weeks, and then started switching them back and forth between cages every nite.. plus let them out together at play time to see how they would interact... which didn't go so well at first cause my baby kept getting up on her hind legs and spraying my older girl.... but if I ever added another chin to the mix.. I would be open to the idea of smooshing them.

Your message is giving me hope. Our new girl (4 months old) pees on the others (5.5 months old) and the girls get into a biting match when they can. *sighs*

My breeder has advised me to use smoosh as a last resort, and I plan on keeping it that way. For now, switching cages will have to do.

[vetchic26]

I have two chins that I didn't have to smoosh, they got along instantly. I'm trying to introduce my third chin so they can all live in the huge cage, but so far, smooshing hasn't worked. I started out swapping cages and letting them together for play time, usually they were ok at first and when they started to pull out hair, I would put them up. Then, I smooshed all three together, didn't work, my mosaic is pretty mean to the other two. Then I smooshed the mosaic and my older gray, still didn't work. After reading up some more, I'm just going to give it a long time where they are next to each other and swapping cages. But, I understand there's a possiblity (and it's growing) that they may never get along in the same cage, but there's always hope...

[foxbite2]

Your message is giving me hope. Our new girl (4 months old) pees on the others (5.5 months old) and the girls get into a biting match when they can. *sighs*

My breeder has advised me to use smoosh as a last resort, and I plan on keeping it that way. For now, switching cages will have to do.

We were beginning to give up hope, we thought that they would just never get along with each other.... any time they were near each other the chase was on.... there was humping... hair pulling... spraying... you name it...We thought they were destined to live in separate cages.... but somehow they finally got it thru their heads to get along with each other... now they huddle together all the time.. and pretty much blow us humans off....

[Fooly Cooly]

I am probably going to use that method once I get a new friend for Fooly. I can't wait to see what it is going to do. Hopefully, everything will be fine because my other cage is small for one chin and I would love to put her in the same cage ASAP.