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Author Topic: How do I go about training the chins to come to the door of the cage?  (Read 1911 times)

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cadillactaste

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How do I go about training the chins to come to the door of the cage?
« on: April 12, 2009, 08:31:46 PM »
My Nibbles was born on Feb. 13 of this year. And the other one we're still waiting on to become weened. I "hate" chasing him around the cage to pick him up...Also I think I did something wrong...I left him run around the bedroom...to get exercise...but he's not trained to come for a treat...so it was a chore to capture him. So new rule of thumb...train him to come for a treat...I figured if we make a sound and show him a treat...he will learn to come to the sound knowing that a treat will be involved.

But I was told that it's not good to give baby ones treats until they are 6 months of age...If that the case...how do I go about handling him and getting him to want to come to the door if I can't give him a treat to do so? The breeder said they gave all the chins raisins...Not a lot but to get them to come to the door.

Any advice is appreciated...I really don't wish to stress our chin out...and wish to do this right. I could let him run in the bathroom. It's a lot smaller...But not sure I wish to chase him down...I want to get him to know that I am not a predator... :-\ But am not sure how to go about it. Since the ones we had LONG LONG AGO...were adults...and practically starved. Came for food and loved when we opened the door...

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cadillactaste

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Re: How do I go about training the chins to come to the door of the cage?
« Reply #1 on: April 12, 2009, 09:13:25 PM »
 :blush2: Well I just went to the magazine area...and seen great articles on this very topic...I found it very informative...We've been doing it ALL wrong!

So tonight I went in and opened the door and offered Nibbles some of this food that is considered a treat from the breeder who gives them 1/2 Tbs. each evening. It has oats and stuff in it. He loved the oat I held out in my hand...since he is allowed a 1/2 TBS. of the stuff...It gave me opportunity to have him come over a few times...on his own accord.  :::grins::

BABY STEPS...

What's nice is hopefully we'll have him more secure with us...by the time the other one is weened.

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cadillactaste

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Re: How do I go about training the chins to come to the door of the cage?
« Reply #2 on: April 12, 2009, 09:58:23 PM »
Well I must not have tramatized him to much...for after giving him a few of the oats in the treat bag...he was putty in my hands...climbed up on my hands...and ended up in my arms...tickled my nose then popped back into his cage... :::grins::

But boy is he active...and my son wants him in his bedroom...thank goodness my son is a heavy sleeper. Tonight is the first night he's slept in the same room with Nibbles. For I made the mistake of having the cage to close to his bed and Nibbles threw out his bedding all over the place. And his sheets needed washed! Now the cage is across his bedroom on the far wall.
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Re: How do I go about training the chins to come to the door of the cage?
« Reply #3 on: April 15, 2009, 10:20:54 AM »
 ::silly::   Sounds like you are getting the hang of it.  Yes ... baby steps are the best when working with a chinchilla.   ;)  Next to free playtime outside of their cage treats, attention and dust baths battle for second place.  Use them to your advantage!

 ::wave::  Jo Ann
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cadillactaste

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Re: How do I go about training the chins to come to the door of the cage?
« Reply #4 on: April 15, 2009, 10:36:53 AM »
Quote from: Jo Ann on April 15, 2009, 10:20:54 AM
::silly::   Sounds like you are getting the hang of it.  Yes ... baby steps are the best when working with a chinchilla.   ;)  Next to free playtime outside of their cage treats, attention and dust baths battle for second place.  Use them to your advantage!

 ::wave::  Jo Ann

I am thinking playtime outside his cage would come after he comes to the noise we're making when he's about to get a treat...Am I correct in this? For I think chasing a chin around the room trying to capture him...is just back tracking how far we've came with him no longer running and trying to get away from us while he's in his cage...but coming to the door when it's opened or he hears us.
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