What Animals Can Live With Chinchillas? (A Very Short List)

I have a dog and a chinchilla.

But I always keep them separate and never let the dog into the room where the chinchilla lives.

My dog is super friendly and would never hurt my chin.

But the simple presence of such a large predator would cause my poor chin undue stress.

And a stressed chinchilla is not a happy, or a healthy, chinchilla.

Not to mention that I simply don’t want to cause my poor little pet to tremble in fear.

And that is a problem with chinchillas and many other common pets.

In fact, there is only one animal you can safely house with a chinchilla. And even then, it won’t always work.

Can you guess what it is?

Keep reading to learn if you guessed right. We’ll also go into detail on what to expect when you have a chinchilla together with various other common household pets.

 

What Animals Can Live With Chinchillas?

Chinchillas can mostly only live with other chinchillas. Other pets, like cats and dogs, could trigger a prey response in a chinchilla.

Similarly, pets like hamsters, guinea pigs, gerbils, and bunnies could fight with the chinchilla. Chinchillas are social creatures but they can only be housed in the same enclosure with their own kind. And even that does not always work well.

 

Can Chinchillas Live With Dogs And Cats?

This is a bad combination. The chinchilla is a prey animal whereas dogs and cats are predators.

If your chinchilla gets scared and starts running away, your cat and dog could get into the predatory mode and might even fatally attack your chin.

If you do plan to keep a cat or dog with a chinchilla, make sure they are in separate parts of the house. Always monitor all interactions between your pets.

Note that there have been instances where a chinchilla has grown up with a puppy or kitten in the same house. Since they have been raised together, they are likely to get along with each other.

However, if you plan on bringing a new cat or a dog while having a chinchilla, please take all due precautions and supervise the interactions. If your chin shows signs of stress, please separate them right away.

Here is a video showing a cat and chinchilla playing.

Observe how the cat keeps whacking the chin who manages to get away. Not all chins might be as lucky. Therefore, it may be best to keep them away from each other.

 

Can Chinchillas Live With Rabbits?

Most experts believe that chinchillas and bunnies or rabbits should not be housed together. Bunnies could pass on deadly respiratory diseases to chinchillas.

Almost 80% of rabbits are carriers of respiratory infections without showing any symptoms of the diseases themselves.

Moreover, rabbits – especially the larger ones – could attack or mount your small chinchilla. This could stress your chin and lead to health issues.

You must also not forget the fact that the two animals have different diets and behaviors. That is another reason it is best to house them in separate enclosures.

Another line of thought is that chinchillas and rabbits could live together, if they are introduced to each other very slowly and from a young age.

However, a rabbit that is suddenly introduced into an unfamiliar chinchilla’s cage might try to assert its dominance and the resulting fight could be fatal to one or both pets.

 

Can Chinchillas And Hamsters Live Together?

Chinchillas and hamsters should not be kept together. Both are territorial and that could make them aggressive.

If you must keep them together, it is best to cover their individual cages, if you keep the cages in the same room. Even better, keep the cages in separate rooms.

There are cases of chinchillas and hamsters getting along, when they have been raised together from a young age. Naturally, you still need to provide separate cages for the two animals, to prevent fights and also keep them from eating each other’s food. Chinchillas can not eat hamster food, and vice versa.

 

Can Chinchillas Live With Guinea Pigs?

This is another combination that will not work. Chinchillas and guinea pigs have very different lifestyles, behaviors, diets, and needs. They should not have to share their living quarters with each other.

Chinchillas could get violent with guinea pigs and if a chinchilla accidentally eats a guinea pig’s food (or vice-a-versa), it could get sick.

Again, there might be instances where chins and guinea pigs harmoniously play with one another. This may be because they were brought up together. Even if they get along well, it is still best never to keep the two animals in the same cage.

 

Can Chinchillas Live With Gerbils?

One might think that gerbils and chinchillas are likely to get along harmoniously. However, if you plan to keep the two pets together, please give them separate enclosures to live in.

Both species of animals can get extremely stressed and might fight if housed together.

 

Can Chinchillas Live With Other Chinchillas?

Yes, this is the ideal combination. In fact, it is always better to house together two or more chinchillas (if you can manage their care responsibly) since chinchillas are social creatures. Chins that are solitary in their cages often get bored, lonely, and even depressed.

Staying without the company of its own kind could sometimes be detrimental to a chin’s overall health and well-being. A solitary chin might even develop abnormal behaviors.

 

Can A Male And Female Chinchilla Live Together?

You could keep a male and female chinchilla in the same enclosure, as long as you have neutered the male.

You can also keep two female chinchillas with a neutered male chinchilla or even two neutered male chinchillas (brothers) with a female, if they have been raised together right since birth.

Note that the spaying of female chinchillas is a complicated and expensive operation. Male chinchilla neutering is much more commonplace, because it is a much less invasive procedure.

 

Can Two Female Chinchillas Live Together?

In most cases, properly introduced female chinchillas can get along quite well. Female chins are usually docile and, as long as each girl gets her own food, resting area, and other resources, they should be fine.

However, you must always introduce two female chinchillas on neutral ground first. Allow them some time to bond with each before housing them together.

 

Can Two Male Chinchillas Be In The Same Cage?

Newly introduced male chinchillas might bite, bark, spray at, or hump each other, or even pull each other’s hair. They will do this until they can establish a pecking order.

Please note that these attempts could end up being very serious and the fights can be quite violent. Therefore, you must monitor the interaction and intervene when necessary.

In general, male chinchillas are likely to display aggression and territorial behavior. It is usually better to keep male-female pairs.

Two male chinchilla brothers that are raised together from birth might get along with each other. But it is still important to castrate the males to prevent aggression issues.

 

How To Keep A Group Of Chinchillas Happy

Always introduce your chinchillas to each other gradually. The introduction is best done in neutral territory – preferably somewhere new for both pets.

Make sure you follow the appropriate quarantine guidelines (of at least 21 to 30 days) when you introduce a new chinchilla companion to your existing chinchilla.

If your chinchillas have grown up together, they will usually get along with each other. However, two unneutered, adult male chinchillas are more likely to fight, when introduced for the first time.

It might be a good idea to consult a vet or an animal behaviorist if you are unsure how your chins will react to each other.

Always monitor the introductions and separate the chinchillas right away, if you sense trouble.

If you house them in the same enclosure, make sure there is adequate room for all animals. There should also be separate resources, i.e. food and water bowls, toys, and hiding places, for each chinchilla.

Having several hiding areas is especially important, so each chinchilla can get some much-deserved rest from time to time. Without separate resting areas, your chinchillas could get stressed.

 

What Animals Do Chinchillas Get Along With: Related Questions

Now, we will answer a few common questions related to chinchillas living with other chinchillas, or other species of animals. If you have any further questions, please feel free to ask them in the comments below.

 

Can You Cage Chinchillas Together?

Yes, properly introduced chinchillas can be housed together in the same cage. This is due to their intelligent and social natures.

 

Why Do My Male Chinchillas Hump Each Other?

Male chinchillas display such behavior to establish a pecking order. Male chinchillas tend to be aggressive and territorial with other males. Chinchillas can be violent with each other, too, in rare cases.

 

Is It OK To Have Only One Chinchilla?

No two chinchillas are the same. Some might get lonely living alone, while others may prefer a solitary existence. Your pet’s personality will dictate whether you need to bring in a companion for it.

 

How Many Chinchillas Can You Have In One Cage?

If you have a cage that is large enough, then you could easily house two or three chinchillas in it. The Critter Nation cage I use and recommend is a good example of a cage that can house two chins.

If you want to house multiple chinchillas in the same cage, make sure you introduce them on neutral ground first, and ensure that they bond well with each other, before being made to live together in the same space.

 

What Animals Can Live With Chinchillas: Final Thoughts

The list of animals that can live in the same cage as chinchillas is very short. It includes…chinchillas. You should not house them with any other species, although there are select instances where a chin has lived in the same cage as similar species.

It is generally best to give your chinchilla its own room too. Even if another animal is in a separate cage, if the animals can see each other, they could cause the other to feel stress.

Of course, this is even more true with larger animals, especially ones that are natural predators. You should never let a cat or dog into the same room where your chinchilla lives.