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[Zee12]

Hey, I'm new to this whole chinchillas thing but I wanted toask a question. Yesterday I got 2 chinchillas, 1ebony female and 1 mosaic female. I put them in a cage upstairs in my room and they're only 5 months old. I am wondering why do they frantically jump around when i try to touch them. I need advice because I don't think theyu're used to me yet. Does your chinchilla do this or is it just mine ?

[Zee12]

Pleasse I really need help on this, respond if you know.
Thank youu.   

[Abby W.]

Chinchillas take time to get to know and trust their owners.  You wouldn't want a stranger touching you, right?

The key to gaining their trust is time and patience.  Don't try to pick them up at first, just sit with them, talk to them so they get to know your voice.  You can open the cage door and lay your hand in there to let them sniff you and get to know your smell, but let them do it on their own terms.  If you try to force them to accept you before they are ready it will only scare them, and it will take that much longer for them to feel bonded to you.  You can butter them up a bit by offering a small raisin or piece of papaya, but only one per day.  Their digestive systems are very sensitive and can't be overloaded with treats. 

If you are patient and gentle with them, in time, they will come to trust you and will feel comfortable being scratched or held by you.

[Zee12]

Thank you sooooo much! So the trick is raisins and papayas ? Okay I'll see and umm one more question, when the chinchilla is sleeping it will have it's eyes closed right ? But one of my chinchillas seems like it's sleeping (because it's not moving) but it has it's eyes open. Im not really sure.

[Abby W.]

Well, not just raisins and papayas, but they certainly help    Patience and gentleness is the main thing though.  Remember, these are animals that in the wild are eaten by most things larger than them.  They are naturally cautious and have a heightened awareness of danger.  And please remember ONE SMALL treat per day, no more.  Anymore than that will make for a sick chinchilla.

As for the sleeping thing, yes when they are fully asleep they have their eyes closed.  Since they are nocturnal, they are naturally inactive and lethargic during the day.  Many of mine take cat naps throughout the day though, waking for brief periods of time to look around.  But they do tend to stay very still in one spot.  I guess it's not sleeping so much as resting.  Again, we go back to the sensitivity to dangers around them.  Your chins are in a new place, with new smells, creatures, noises, all of which are potentially dangerous to them.  My chins all wake immediately if they hear a noise they are not used to.  They have learned what normal household noises sound like, and don't pay attention to them, but anything new instantly gets their full attention while they are deciding whether or not it is something they should hide from.  Right now, everything about you and your home is a potential threat to them, so they are going to be VERY cautious about all of it, which means not wanting to be handled or restrained, not wanting to be cornered or trapped, and being super aware of everything around them. 

After a while, if you give them time to learn to trust you, they will calm down and get used to their environment and to you.  Then you will be able to get all the chinchilla affection your heart desires   

[Zee12]

Alrighht, I'll try that then I just bought some chew toys for my chins because they didn't really have anything in their cage.  Im' trying to think of their names but I don't know yet. I'm not really sure at all but I'll see..

[Debbie.nl.ca]

Hi zee12,
another good idea is to dip your hand in the dust before you put your hand in the cage.
If you can sit in front of the cage so they can nibble and sniff the rest of you too.Hold the dust bath up to them so they have to come close to you to get in it.
At 5 months old they are at their terrible two's , into everything, fearless, and over active.
This is the time they need special care for their safety and emotional well being.
They can get hurt as they learn to rickochet around and if they get stressed now it will be much harder to get them to bond to you.
Give them loads of time to grow and mature in a contented environment and they will be yours for life, and love you as much as you do them.