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[sarahs5]

Boxer shimmies up between the side of the cage and her wheel and wedges herself between the two near the top of her cage.  She sits there with her back to the wheel and her feet against the cage (maybe because it's up high? I dunno).  The first time I walked in the room and saw that, I couldn't stop laughing cuz it was so surprising.  Is that comfortable for them?

She is almost always quiet, but occasionally she makes this really loud sound that sounds like evil laughter.  The first time I heard it was in the middle of the night.  I didn't know chinchillas made sounds like that, and it scared the crap out of me!  I think she makes them in her sleep.  Maybe she's having nightmares?  Does anyone know what this sound means? 

I was just curious if these were common habits.  They seem so strange!

[Missy8964]

Haha, I'm not sure if this behavior is common, but I have 3 male chinchillas and one of them does exactly as you described - wedging between the wheel and the cage with his back to the wheel and his feet against the cage bars.   

As far as the vocalizations go, chinchillas make a few sound that could be described as evil laughter, haha.  But it's most likely some sort of mating call. All of my chinchillas make noises but the one who wedges himself against his wheel makes the most diverse sounds, and does it most often.  It's odd, isn't it?

[Crimson_Ham]

I don't have any that do the wedging by the wheel thing but Xochitl fell asleep the funniest way yesterday... I'll have to remember to post that picture! 

[sarahs5]

Ok, I found some examples on youtube of what I'm talking about:

This is kind of how boxer looks when she's squeezed herself between the wheel and the cage to look outside...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b6u1lYS0rCA&feature=related

And this....is the evil laughter!!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UJmF5HPiRZo

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=axiLE7uoK3U&feature=related

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tXpt--Apovw&feature=related

And these videos are just cute...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3VRZA-Q_8pU&feature=related

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9cmh72Z9ISI&feature=fvw

[Summer]

Aww those last two are way too cute!!

[Harleychin]

That noise that you are calling an evil laugh is a warning call.They do that when they are scared to warn the rest of the herd of danger.Some do it in their sleep too when they have nightmares.

[Debbie.nl.ca]

I think sometimes they call out just to see who else is around. LOL
I have several that do and I expect they all have at some point. It's just an alert call to keep everyone on their toes. If he is an only chin he has to do it, he's head of the heard.Your his herd. so he's letting you know he's watching over you and will let you know if there's a predator in the area.

[Harleychin]

http://www.chinchilla-sounds.de/index_en.htm

Here is a sound index of chin noises.