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[ahappycamper]

 

So Po got pretty dirty the other day, I didn't seal off an area enough so he's pretty filthy now. I tried to give him a dust bath but it didn't seem to take everything off. I don't think a water bath would be necessary, plus i don't want to risk anything, but I do have some unscented baby wipes, could I possibly use this and wipe him down a bit with it?

Lately I've been having a hard time bonding with Po. He will let me pet him in his cage but as soon as I let him out he doesn't come near me at all. He will just do his own thing, hide under the bed, under the shelves, like he doesn't know me. If I try to pet him he will just scurry away. I have tried treats but he won't ever chase the treats, for example, i'll stick a raisin in his face and he'll only try to grab it in front of his face, when I even put it 6 inches in front of him or on my arm, or somewhere closer on my body, then he won't pursue it and will just lose interest in it. Basically, I am not able to get him to come to me at all! I also since changed him to a smaller cage, because in his bigger cage when I tried to pet him he will just run up to the higher levels, but in the smaller cage he doesn't really have anywhere to go...lol...I will change him back in his cage when I get him to be more friendly and familiar with him though, that's if I can. 
He has no problem taking treats from my hands, and touching me, but he does not like to be held and he will rarely crawl on me, even if I set treats on on top of my back, shoulder, etc.. I have tried to hold him before, but he just tries to squirm out. I've been trying this exercise though that I hope will let me hold him more often. Basically, instead of letting him jump out of his cage for playtime, I will try to HOLD him and carry him out, I hope that doing this routinely will lead him to believe that every time I carry him I am just taking him out for playtime, which he LOVES, so he will be enthusiastic when I carry him. Tell me what you guys think, because it's been really frustrating me. 

[Jo Ann]

    It is easier to transfer a chinchilla from a small cage into a big cage, this will give it more room to run and play    ... BUT ... when you go from a big cage to a little cage, as a rule, the chinchilla is not a happy camper.      They miss that extra play room.

I would not have put him in the large cage before he got use to me and would come to me.  I would not have outside of the cage playtime in a room were there are hiding places, until he got use to me.  (A bathroom is usually best ... it's small, uncluttered and pretty safe as long as all cleaning products are put away, the lid is down and there is no water standing in the tub or sink.)  But, that is spilt milk ... and info for the future ... you have to figure out what to do now.

Chinchillas love their freedom and love to play hide and seek ... they hide ... you seek.

He will let me pet him in his cage but as soon as I let him out he doesn't come near me at all. He will just do his own thing, hide under the bed, under the shelves, like he doesn't know me.

Yep, that is definitely his own thing ... chinchillas love to romp, play, explore and be the center of attention ... having you hunt for him, is him being the center of your attention ... he has your undivided attention ...     He is training you well.       He is also letting you know he misses his big cage, by not cooperating with you.  The places he is hiding are dark and close-fitting ... chinchillas feel safer in those circumstances.   They like to have enough room to play, yet, when they rest or sleep, they need the security of confinement ... this is where a hut comes into play.

Playtimes should be scheduled ... chinchillas love a regular schedule.  He will look forward to that time and know he gets to get out and play and that he will have your attention.  Debbie even has a timer that she sets ... the chins know about how much time they have to play and exactly when play time is over.  It's a regular routine.      Her chins even run back to their cages for their treats, when play time is over.   Chinchillas love a regular routine. 

They train you to a certain point, but you also have to train them.  This takes time and patients, but is well worth it in the long run.   

   Jo Ann

[ahappycamper]

   It is easier to transfer a chinchilla from a small cage into a big cage, this will give it more room to run and play    ... BUT ... when you go from a big cage to a little cage, as a rule, the chinchilla is not a happy camper.      They miss that extra play room.

I would not have put him in the large cage before he got use to me and would come to me.  I would not have outside of the cage playtime in a room were there are hiding places, until he got use to me.  (A bathroom is usually best ... it's small, uncluttered and pretty safe as long as all cleaning products are put away, the lid is down and there is no water standing in the tub or sink.)  But, that is spilt milk ... and info for the future ... you have to figure out what to do now.

Chinchillas love their freedom and love to play hide and seek ... they hide ... you seek.

He will let me pet him in his cage but as soon as I let him out he doesn't come near me at all. He will just do his own thing, hide under the bed, under the shelves, like he doesn't know me.

Yep, that is definitely his own thing ... chinchillas love to romp, play, explore and be the center of attention ... having you hunt for him, is him being the center of your attention ... he has your undivided attention ...     He is training you well.       He is also letting you know he misses his big cage, by not cooperating with you.  The places he is hiding are dark and close-fitting ... chinchillas feel safer in those circumstances.   They like to have enough room to play, yet, when they rest or sleep, they need the security of confinement ... this is where a hut comes into play.

Playtimes should be scheduled ... chinchillas love a regular schedule.  He will look forward to that time and know he gets to get out and play and that he will have your attention.  Debbie even has a timer that she sets ... the chins know about how much time they have to play and exactly when play time is over.  It's a regular routine.      Her chins even run back to their cages for their treats, when play time is over.   Chinchillas love a regular routine. 

They train you to a certain point, but you also have to train them.  This takes time and patients, but is well worth it in the long run.   

   Jo Ann

    Jo Ann, do you think I should change him back into the bigger cage or should I keep him in the smaller cage until he starts coming to me? I notice a pattern where he will come to me a bit, or at least start charging the cage every night when I'm going to let him out for his 1 hour run around the room, but during the day time when I come by to pet him he will not come to me. I will definitely start scheduling his playroom in the bathroom though, or some uncluttered area where he feels more inclined to come to me.
I've still been carrying him out of his cage for play time. He still squirms and tries to get away from my hands though, though he does calm down slightly when we get into the usual room where he gets to run around. Do you think I should continue carrying him out like this?

      Just today while he was running around my room he jumped into a box I had up high through a small hole, not sure how he got there exactly, but after a while he thought he was sort of stuck there, so I tried to get him to jump into my hand for about 30 minutes and he wouldn't budge at all. It was almost as if he was saying that he'd rather be stuck there and scratch his way out of the box then jump into my hands. I tried to entice him into jumping into my hand by putting hay into the palm of my hand, but he would only come far enough to get the hay, while keeping his footing in the box. He eventually found a way to get out from there but it was really discouraging to know that even in such a desperate situation he wouldn't even trust jumping into my arms for me to bring him down safely.

    To be honest, I am getting a bit worried that he simply will not warm up to me. He just seems like he would rather be alone more than anything. He's already two years old and I fear it might be too late to get him to be intimate.

[Debbie.nl.ca]

It can take some a bit more time than others, don't give up yet.
The changes you've made will set him back a bit.
Let him settle into the smaller cage and when he's being more cooperative you can change him back.
Try putting your hand in the dust bath and hold it under his nose. He might chase your hand for that.   
I'd do it last thing before you put him back. Let him get the scent of the dust on your hand and of he responds give him a bath. If he doesn't, don't give him one until he does. Doesn't work if he's not passionate about the dust bath. 

And sit an the bathroom floor and let him do his thing, once he's run off a little steam he should start checking you out.
Don't touch him until it's time for him to go back for the first few times, then start gently touching him as he's running over you.
Keep that up for a while and he'll get to know when times up and when your just petting him.

[Jo Ann]

  

Do you think I should continue carrying him out like this?

  Yes, I would ... just be careful to always support his hind lets at all times and hold him closely.  If their legs are not support, they think they are going to fall and start squirming.
Chinchillas love to play hide and seek.  Chinchillas love confined spaces (other than their cage).  Chinchillas love high places. (They can look down on you and you can't get them.    )  In the wild, chinchillas feared the predators, most of which were above them (birds and larger animals) ... when they are the one above, they can see everything that goes on in the room and they feel safer.   

...I notice a pattern where he will come to me a bit...when I'm going to let him out for his 1 hour run around the room...

Yep, you are going to let him do something he likes/wants to do ... wouldn't you?   

but during the day time when I come by to pet him he will not come to me. 

You are interupting his rest time for something that is not as important to him as playtime ... during which he has you eating out of his hand!   

  Just today while he was running around my room he jumped into a box I had up high through a small hole, not sure how he got there exactly, but after a while he thought he was sort of stuck there, so I tried to get him to jump into my hand for about 30 minutes and he wouldn't budge at all.

But he had what he wanted, your undivided attention, why should he jump and end being the center of attention?   

It was almost as if he was saying that he'd rather be stuck there and scratch his way out of the box then jump into my hands. I tried to entice him into jumping into my hand by putting hay into the palm of my hand, but he would only come far enough to get the hay, while keeping his footing in the box.

    He was getting two things he likes ... your undivided attention and hand fed hay.  He was drawing it out as long as he could ... he was having a ball/fun! 

He eventually found a way to get out from there but it was really discouraging to know that even in such a desperate situation he wouldn't even trust jumping into my arms for me to bring him down safely.

You were the one that was in a desperate situation, not him, he was having the time of his life.   

    To be honest, I am getting a bit worried that he simply will not warm up to me. He just seems like he would rather be alone more than anything. He's already two years old and I fear it might be too late to get him to be intimate.

  He is being intimate, in his own way ... he has you well trained!  He is keeping you undivided attention by doing things that make you watch him carefully.   If he did not want to get out to play with you ... he would bite you or hide in a place you could not find/see him.   Each chinchilla is different and has it's own special personality.  His is being a tease to get your attention. 

Debbie has some very good suggestions there:

It can take some a bit more time than others, don't give up yet.
The changes you've made will set him back a bit.
Let him settle into the smaller cage and when he's being more cooperative you can change him back.
Try putting your hand in the dust bath and hold it under his nose. He might chase your hand for that.   
I'd do it last thing before you put him back. Let him get the scent of the dust on your hand and of he responds give him a bath. If he doesn't, don't give him one until he does. Doesn't work if he's not passionate about the dust bath. 

And sit an the bathroom floor and let him do his thing, once he's run off a little steam he should start checking you out.
Don't touch him until it's time for him to go back for the first few times, then start gently touching him as he's running over you.
Keep that up for a while and he'll get to know when times up and when your just petting him.

 
   Jo Ann