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[alaska_chin]

Hi I just got a new chin monday. This is my first chin the first day I did not handle him to much but when I did all he would do was bite at me. Now today I played with him alot more he does not like to be still or even be picked up he still bites alot. (it kinda hurts ) He is a gray chin from petco thats all I really know about him. I just wanted to know if this was normal or not seeing how I just got him. He is very cute and loves to play but once your finger gets in the way he has it . If anyone could help me could you please e-mail me @ buttney_smoak@hotmail.com thanks,
    Brittany

[Debbie.nl.ca]

Hi Brittany,
Congrats on your new chinchilla.
He sounds pretty young still, or could have been poked at by many fingers at the pet shop.
Kits will bite to see if your edible, or just good to chew too shreds.
When he does it too hard make a little yelp and pull away.
Repeat this until he's just nibbling, as this is his way of showing effection to you, he just wants to groom you like he'd groom another chin.
I have to do this with all my kits, and it only takes a couple of times before they learn how hard is too hard.
Good luck and let us know how it works, OK

[alaska_chin]

Also how would you litter train a chin? seems hard  I will update you on how his bites are going if any of you have any tips on anything and everything I would love to know about them  thanks! Brittany

[Debbie.nl.ca]

Most chins pick a spot.
I have full pee pans in my cages, but most pick a corner or a spot close to the hay dish.
What are your pans like, and where do you want him to pee?
He will pass droppings everywhere, just like a rabbit he has no control, but he should only pee in his pee pan.

[Mary Ellen]

Debbie,  What pans do you use, and what do you fill them with?  I'm learning all I can before I buy me a chinchilla.  You seem to be successful with what you are using.  Do males train better than females?  I hope you can answer my questions.

[Jo Ann]

Hi Brittany,
#1 rule ... ALWAYS wash your face and hands before handling your chin ... if there is ANY food smell left on them, they think it's a treat and will take a bite to find out.  Sometimes, they are just curious and will try it out anyway, but usually not very hard.  Unless you are scarring or hurting them, then, they can take it to the bone!  :-[  But, do not mistaken a love nibble for a bite. 
Chinchillas are not much of a 'touch me, hold me' critter ... they like to be scratched under the chin, cheek and/or arm, given a treat and/or a kiss ... then be allowed to freely run and play. (Which can be dangerous if the room is not chin-proofed.)
The 'proper' greeting to a chin, is a 'sniff sniff' near their head and along the side.   Sounds strange ... but watch how they react to it.
Always support the hind legs! Or they will think they are falling and wiggle and squirm ... they also wiggle and squirm to let you know they need to go tinkle ... and if you don't let them down ... they will anyway. 
Litter train?  Poops ... forget that one ...they will be every where he goes/went. (Sometimes a good way to find them.)  But, when it comes to training to use a special spot to go tinkle ...if you have solid bottoms in your cages ...  find out first where he/she wants to go (moist bedding), usually it's a corner ... there is a litter pan made for ferrets that works pretty good ... just put a little soiled bedding in it and add clean bedding over it ... that usually works ... as long as you clean it regularly.  Do NOT use a cat litter that has an oder controlling agent in it ... the fumes can kill your chin.  If you have a wire bottom with a tray under the wire ... the pee-pans work great ... as long as it is not a male ... they like to aim their 'little water faucest' out side of the cage and on to the closest thing near-by.  Some, but not all, of my male chins tend do this.    In this case plexi-glass and/or a shower curtain behind and beneath the cage helps.   :-[  Chinchillas are very clean about themselves, but not always with some of their habits.

Good luck!  Keep us posted![/i]

 
        Jo Ann

[Debbie.nl.ca]

Hi Mary Ellen,
I have full open pans, and I fill with about 2 inches of pine.
Some cages the pan fits into the cage, and others the cages fit into the pan.
It's easier to drop the cage down into a pan, though that means the bottoms will get soiled faster,ei they'll pee on post corners and wood will soak up the pee.
If you put a pan into a cage that does not have a slide out bottom, you'll need extra room to get it in. The pan will not fit tight.
Placing a strip on 2 edges will be required to fill the little gaps.
These will also jam the pan in place.
So I don't really have to train, some do get lazy though.
Have you seen one let his behind hang over a ledge and pee.

[Jo Ann]

No, not yet ... but I've seen the little boys stand in a corner and see what they can hit outside the cage!
  I even accused my poor little puppy of trying to mark the chin's cage,  but then I saw the chin was the one doing the peeing!    Any suggestions for that one?   

 
Jo Ann

[chinchilla.mama]

Hi Brittany!
I got my two chinchillas not too long ago, and I bought a litter pan for them. The only ones I could find, however, were plastic. So the pan got chewed on more than anything and they were also trying to take dust baths in them. I didn't have much success with it, and I haven't noticed them peeing outside the cage so it hasn't really been an issue for me. Good luck! 

[Misskitz]

how's the little chinnie doing? let us know ok Britt!

[Debbie.nl.ca]

Hi Brittany,
Just thought of another thingy. Cookie sheets for pee pans, I have a couple of 2 inch deep large cookie sheet I got at the good will. Could be cheaper than getting one made if you can find one or two that Will fit the cage.

No, not yet ... but I've seen the little boys stand in a corner and see what they can hit outside the cage!

I have a couple of those chins too Jo Ann, had to attach plexie glass on that side/corner.

[luvmychinchins]

i used to own a big cage with a metal pan underneath a kind of checkered board(the squares were small enough so their paws wouldn't fall through). this is a cage for people who can't train their chins to pee in a "litter box". and in that metal pan i just filled it up with recycled paper so you dont have to worry about being low on shavings. when u empty it you just take the pan and dump it out in your outside/big garbage can.(this metal pan is about three feet and the cage is a little smaller so it can go inside of it like the bard game boxes.


               luvmychinchins

[Misskitz]

I got really tired of having To also buy new pans so i just put pee pads for dogs at  the bottom of the cage. it works well!

[chewy]

Hi~ I just bought my first Chinchilla about a month ago, and they told me he was a male and that he was 12 weeks old. Anyways, when I first bought him and brought him home he was REALLY happy always coming tp the edge of his cage and sniffing me and when I would get him out he would let me hold him as much as I wanted, he even fell asleep on my lap while I was petting him one time! But now I have had him about a month like I said and he just now started biting me. I read what you had replied earlier in the post to the other person about biting but I dont understand why he just now started doing it . Can anyone tell me why it just started? Thanks!

[ChinchillAZ]

Can anyone tell me why it just started?

Have there been any recent changed that may be affecting his mood?  (Cage moved, scheduled play time changed or been reduced at all, food changed, temperature changed, etc.)  Have you started using a different soap/lotion/perfume/cologne?  Do you have any new animals (including humans) in your home that he may be reacting to?