Males Vs. Females

When looking for a new pet prospective owners normally ask questions pertaining to which sex makes a better pet. When it comes to chinchillas, males and females BOTH make excellent pets.  Like any animal ( and any gender ) there are pros and cons.
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Males have a large gap between the penile cone and anus, Females have no gap. Not all males have visible testicles.

Here are some common Cons and Pros.

Male Chinchillas

Male Cons

  • Male chinchillas need Hair Ring Checks. 
This can be bi-monthly to semi-monthly depending
  • Male Chinchillas CAN spray urine when irritated or frightened.
  • During puberty males may become more aggressive. 
  • Males housed near any female may fight with each other over dominance. 

Male Pros

  • Males can not get pregnant. 

Female Chinchillas 

Female Cons

  • Female Chinchillas spray urine when agitated or frightened. 
  • During heat a female chinchilla may become more aggressive.

Female Pros

  • Females do not need Hair ring checks. 
Regardless of sex, Chinchillas in general each have their own personalities. Their likes, dislikes, fears, quirks, companionship, etc. is not limited by what gender they are. A lot of how a chinchilla turn out is socialization from the breeder ( pet to human ) and socialization with his/her parents ( social interaction from mother to kit ). Nurture and Nature play a part in determining each unique personality.