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Author Topic: my chinchilla is sad?  (Read 3143 times)

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BambiLove

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my chinchilla is sad?
« on: February 27, 2010, 01:47:57 AM »

so everytime i open his cage to play with him, especially when i say goodnight to him, he always wanna go out of the cage. When i close the door, he was trying to bite my hand and bite the door, like he really wants to go outside. Then after i close the door, he kinda got mad and he start digging the bedding and bite the litter box, and run super fast on his wheel. then when im in my bed, i could see him standing and looking outside the door as if he wanted to be out there. Then he would just sit there, looking and doing nothing. It makes me so sad and hurts me to see him like that. I mean...i play with him every second i can, and i tried everything to make his cage more fun for him, and i do let him go outside to run sometimes, but he's still sad  :'( i would let him go outside, but i have to sleep and no one will watch him, and he will bite things like wire and it can electrocute him, and i suppose i cannot lock him in the bathroom =[ do you have any idea of what i can do to make him more happy? or all chinchillas are like that and i should get use to it?
« Last Edit: February 27, 2010, 01:52:42 AM by BambiLove »
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LindyLu

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Re: my chinchilla is sad?
« Reply #1 on: February 27, 2010, 12:43:20 PM »

Of course having free run is WAY fun for chins...but no, you can not leave him outside his cage unsupervised.  Just make sure he gets out of his cage every day for 1-2 hours. You may try re-arranging his cage to keep him engaged & interested. I'd be careful about the ledges because chins memorize the positions of these and may jump from memory without looking & get hurt. But definitely switch & move TOYS. You can have 2 or 3 sets of toys that get rotated in & out of the cage.
Another idea is to make a "treasure hunt" in his cage. Take tiny treats (like cut a single raisin in 4 pieces) and hide them around his cage, so he can go look for them.
A lot of chins also like watching television...if you have a TV where he can see it from his cage, it might keep him entertained while you can't play with him. I often turn on cartoons for my chins on evenings I am out of the house (& unable to play with them).

I also try to "reward" good behavior with my guy. He LOVES to be OUT too, but he's also ADDICTED to his dust bath house! So after his free run time is up - I'll set his bath house in his cage....which temps him, and he jumps in to dust. I shut the cage door while he's rolling in the dust - then when he's done, I remove the bath house & give him a little treat. I figure this helps him feel like returning to his cage is a GOOD thing!

My guy went through a depression for awhile - his behavior was more MOPEY. He'd sit in 1 place all day, and had lost interest in things he once loved. If your guy is so active, he's probably not SAD ...just wants to PLAY MORE! He's curious and active, and that's GOOD!
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Debbie.nl.ca

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Re: my chinchilla is sad?
« Reply #2 on: February 28, 2010, 10:10:53 AM »

How cute he throws temper tantrums   :D
I have a few like that, and a grandson who's a pro, but I don't give him everything he wants either. :D
Most will keep pushing my hands out of the way so they can try to get out. And yes some can wreck a cage.
Put lots in there for him to play with, and rotate things. I have tubes hut, boxes, hangy toys, chew stones and all that stuff that I rotate in and out of the cages.
Just about every night something different goes in. Even carry trays from coffee shops & take outs. Small boxes I will cut a couple of holes in and remove it when it no longer resembles a box .
I split up pieces of pine so they can snatch and run.I have even rubbed them with dry fruit so it's a tasty chew.
In time they all get used to their routine, but there is always one testing the boundaries  ::nod::
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