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[Camogirl83]

Just a note about Vitakraft treats:

Deffinately throw them out! My Mom sent me down a package of their Dandelion Treats. One of my girls wouldn't eat them and but the other did and then she got sick. It took may days of the toast/hay/little pellets and no supplement to get her back to health and since then it has been very easy to get upset digestion.


A note about bonding:

My oldest girl is VERY timid and I have had her for a year and there are still times when she won't let me take her out of the cage or she won't come out, but she loves when I scratch her nose and give her kisses through the cage. I have also found that she only likes to be held, when I hold her like a baby (but with her belly side down) and pat her back and rock; just like an infant. Mean while my other little girl only likes to be held by putting her butt and legs in your hands and face you; we have little staring contests and I like to say that we are contemplating! Every chin is different and I am sure you will find out what she likes by trial and error! 

[kneesaa]

Pooka my female doesn't want to be touched, held or petted. Peaka likes being scratched under the chin, his shoulder and his chest. But no holding. Both chins love the dandelion treats. But then maybe that is what Peaka's problem is. So far no mushy poo for Peaka. So maybe no more dandelions for them. Have a good weekend. Shannon

[Camogirl83]

She sounds like my Tephra! Don't worry she will come around! It took me and Tephra almost a full year and she is still timid!

 

[Jo Ann]

   Caution:  Feeding a chin through the bars of the cage may cause accidents!  Chinchillas do not have good eye site.  If your chin is use to being fed through the bars ... what will happen when someone sticks their finger through the bars just to pet it???  The chin, especially if the person has the smell of food on their hand, might just take a bite, thinking it is a treat!

Many of my chins love to push their little noses through the cage wires so that I can rub them.  They seem to love this.

I never thought much about chinchilla tricks (because chins are so independent) until I saw this chin video:   http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZmrPUfZtr_0  This young lady must have spent many hours with her chin!

I have one chin that loves to talk to me.  She will carry on a conversation for as long as I will stand and talk to her.  She is very polite.  I talk, when I stop, she starts chirping at me, when she stops, I talk, this is repeated over and over.  She never butts in when I am talking and she keeps her side of the 'conversation' up by telling me every thing that she has to say.  I just wish I could understand what she is saying.    

Some chins love stuffed toys, or a hand puppet made from an old sock, others are content giving you a hair cut or a manicure with their sharp little teeth.

I love laying on the floor and letting them crawl all over me ... their whiskers tickle my nose and my ears.

If you are in slacks/jeans and set Indian style (legs crossed) most chins like to crawl over and through your legs.

If you have one of those long gowns, sit on the floor with your feet on the floor, knees bent and pull the gown over your bend legs ... they love to climb up and then slide down the front of your legs, just like a kid down a sliding board.

Some love to play peek-a-boo from behind their hut or bath house, others like to do back flips for you.       Like Dusty at:   http://www.luvnchins.com/VideoDustysFlips.html  and Chubby at: http://www.luvnchins.com/ChubbyAndFamily.html

Each chin has it's own personality unique unto itself, no two are the same.  You never know what one will come up with next.   

   Jo Ann

[Petco Chinchillas]

 I read somewhere that chinchillas like to watch cartoons on T.V. It also said that chinchillas get scared watching horror movies because of the high-pitched shrieks. If you let them do it enough they will want to spend time watching T.V. sitting on your lap. they really appreciate that.

[Debbie.nl.ca]

Those videos are awesome Jo Ann.
I will have to try a couple of mine with fetching.
Mine will also flip over items in their cages, they all started in a small kit cage with a tube hung down the middle. They all roll/flip over the tube backwards.
Most will come when called, and know words like "up, no, out, down, here, kiss, treat.......etc
It's harder with so many now, I do miss having enough time to spend with them all.
There is much to be said for having just a couple or 1.
All it takes is time and much patience.

[littlestar]

Hey everyone!

I have recently adopted my sister's 2 chinchins Salt and Pepper. She first got Salt a year and a half ago from a family who didn't realize chinchilla's weren't 'just like hamsters' and then got him a friend from a similar situation so he wouldn't be alone. I gather they are between 3-5 but I'm not sure.

They are not used to being handled, petted or even let out of their cage. I don't particularly like letting them out because Pepper never goes back in on his own and I don't want to leave the room without knowing they are safe. Pepper really likes to chew on the baseboards  Because it's a particularly old apartment I really think that it’s very unsafe for him. Pepper is the more curious of the two, where as Salt will jump out of the cage, but eventually make his way back after an hour or so. So I only let them out when I’m home, and in the living room with them. Pepper has learned that he isn’t to go in the kitchen so far.

Is it too late to train them to be handled? I've cleaned the cage twice, and each time I went to scoop them out, they panic and scratch me. I don't particularly care about my hands, but I don't want them to be so upset because this is their new home. I have the same cage, toys, food etc that they had over at my sister's, but she didn't really play with them or anything. I would really like the chance to play with them and be affectionate, and it is really good to have some other heartbeats in the house. Am I out of luck because they are older and set in their ways? or do I just have to be persistent and patient? I don’t expect them to do super tricks or anything- I just want them to be happy and enjoy my company. Thoughts?

Thanks!

[Debbie.nl.ca]

I have bought them as old as 5 years and they are now amongst my best buddies.
It may take a little longer with older chins, but given a good routine and a lot of patients & they will become yours.

[Jo Ann]

   You look forward to time with them, and even if you don't realize it, they look forward to time with you.    

Time and patients will pay off in the long run.  It is often best to let them come to you ... how do you do this?  Try having them in an area that is not that exciting to explore for very long (like the bathroom) and lay quietly on your back or sit perfectly still, they are curious creatures and will eventually come to investigate.  Sometimes you have to entice them a bit with a treat.  I've been known to use a crainraisin or a raisin and cut it into several small pieces, place them in a line closer and closer to me (on a clean floor of course) then lay quietly.  They will get closer and closer to you as the pick up each small piece of their one treat, as long as you are still they will keep coming.  Once they realize you are not going to hurt them or catch them and hold them every time they get close to you (chins love the "free run time").   Each time you enter or pass the room say "Hi" and call them by name, this way, they are getting lots of attention more often, which makes them want even more.  It takes time and lots of patients.  Acknowledge them first thing in the morning and last thing at night.  When you have the time, even just 3 to 5 minutes or more, sit next to the cage and talk softly to them.  Hand-fed treats are always welcome ... sometimes it's not what the treat is ... it is who and the time the individual special attention they are receiving.  (Some of mine will set still while I had feed them one pellet at a time and talk to them as quickly as they will for a raisin.    )

Trust from a chinchilla that has not had allot of interaction is hard to earn, but well worth the time.

Loss of trust from a chinchilla can take a matter of seconds, if you scream at it, hit it, hurt it, do things to scare it.  Regaining trust is hard.

Every action has a reaction ... treat your little ones like you would want to be treated if you were in a strange place, away from family, and a giant as big as a house was taking care of you and you were not sure what would happen next.

A calm atmosphere is enjoyed by a chinchilla, calm happy chins reacts positively much faster. One who is constantly scared or nervous, will react the same way humans do ... they run, they hide, and sometimes they even bite.

   Jo Ann

[Heather]

We got Toby and Sammy aged approx. 4-5, and we are their 4th home, if you include the rescue centre where they ended up twice for quite a long time. At first they were not happy with us at all - my husband tried to get a poo off Sammy's head and he bit him! We just sat quietly - discovered early on that they don't like being picked up, and they soon started to use us as a jungle gym! They used to be a nightmare to get back in the cage, but we give them their treat once they are back in, so now as soon as we return their food bowl and dust bath to the cage, they know it's treat time and generally go straight in (although Sammy can be a bit mischevious sometimes!). They still don't like being held, but we are satisfied with having our feet groomed, ears sniffed and bellies sat on! We have had them 2 years and it has taken a while for them to trust us, but now that they do it's fantastic! I also talk to them whenever I pass their room, and give them a tickle. Weirdly, Toby likes to be tickled when in the cage, bu not when he's out, and Sammy is the other way around! Persevere and it will be totally worth it!

[Jo Ann]

    More than likely, the bite came from not trusting ... the not trusting probably came from being not handled properly. 

Chins do not like their whiskers tickled (as a general rule) and he could have easily tickled him when trying to get to the poop on the top of Sammy.   

Also, the prey for a chinchilla is often a bird ... birds generally come from above ... your husband's hand came from above and instantly put Sammy in fear for his life.   

There's allot to understand about these wonderful little fur balls, it just takes time, patients and looking at the situation from a chin's point of view.      Consider how you would feel/act if the rolls were reversed.     You, a tiny little creature and him, a big giant that could easily inflict severe pain at any time and not even mean to do it.

If you stay eye level or below it will make the chin feel safer ... as a rule ... at least until you have gained his confidence.

   Jo Ann

[Debbie.nl.ca]

Also, the prey for a chinchilla is often a bird ... birds generally come from above ... your husband's hand came from above and instantly put Sammy in fear for his life.

Gee Jo Ann thanks for that reminder, I have a new gal that goes crazy when I open the top of the cage for cleaning, but seems much calmer when I open the door at the front. :doh:That's why, instinct, and now she thinks I'm going to catch her when ever I open top.It's the only cage I have that does that.
Not thinking these days, new baby coming on the brain
New chins due tomorrow and daughter due the 13 and can go any day now.

See we'll always need others to learn from and to nudge now & then.

[Jo Ann]

  

New chins due tomorrow and daughter due the 13 and can go any day now.    

Debbie, did the new kits arrive yesterday?  How many?  What color(s)?

Now ... Counting down for the new two-footed addition to the family -7- -6- -5- -4- ... 

As humans, use to having dogs and cats that accept us, with all our faults, have blinded us to how other animals may view us.  When you have a pet, such as a dog or a cat, most have instinctively learned to trust most humans because they have been domesticated for such a long time.  Often we expect all animals to do so, but, this is not in their nature, when it comes to humans ... humans are "the unknown" to many furry creatures, because we each act and react differently to the same situation ... and often in a bad/un-excepting way to what is a natural action or reaction for animals.  Many different species of animals will get along with each other, we as humans, much of the time can't even get along within the same species [each other] ... this is puzzling and even frightening to most animals ... therefore, they do what is natural ... they fear the unknown ... humans.
 
Are we so superior that we can not get along with those that seem to have no trouble getting along with each other as well as those outside their own species?  We need to try to put ourselves in their position/circumstances before judging to harshly when we get a nip or a bite.  What did we do wrong to make this normally friendly furball bite or nip or even run away and hide??? 

Watch your little ones interact with each other ... learn what is acceptable to them and what is not ... with each other and with us.  When you watch your little ones, you know when they stand by an empty feeder, they are asking for you to fill it with food, or rattle the water bottle to let you know that it is empty ... now, learn what is meant if they use their paws to try to push you away, or stand on their hind legs and fuss at you, or spray you, or try to run and hide.  When they tilt their head and close their eyes when you find that special spot they like rubbed or scratched, we know that they like/enjoy that and it makes you happy.  It is just important, if not more so, to know what does not make them happy or frightens them.   If you pay close attention, you will soon realize what is acceptable and what is not. 

   Jo Ann

[SymoneSterr]

When I first got Max, I would sit in the middle of the room with his pellets or a treat in my hand and just ignore him and play with the treat that was in my hand. He would come up to me and I would put my hands behind my back and switch the treat around. He'd run around me and soon started to jump on my lap

[Nezumi Kmee]

I like to sit on the floor near my chins cage with rasins, and I let mine hop around my room free for a while. They enjoy going on adventures, and then run back to me just make sure I'm still there. Thats usually when mine get a rasin or two. Its great for them as they get to run about out of their cage. They also love running around in a ball. That way you can keep an eye on them in a bigger room, and they still have fun running around.