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[jaimieshaw]

Hi! I'm a new chin owner, and I'm having a few problems. First off, I've had Gizmo for 3 days, and he seems to cry when I try to introduce new toys to him. Is this normal when they are scared? I called my vet about it, and she said that it was NOT normal for them to cry when afraid, but I think they are just trying to get me to pay for emergency services, because the books that I have read all confirm that it is normal. Second, I'm having a hard time getting Gizmo to drink out of a water bottle. He did it a couple of times this morning, but this is the first time (at least in my presence) that I've seen him do it. Is there an easier way to get him used to it? And finally, what is the best way to introduce new toys to him? He was so scared when I put his wheel in for the first time! I don't want to stress him out!

[GrayRodent]

How old is your chinchilla? What you describe sounds like it may have been separated at too young of an age. This kind of behavior is not exactly normal for a new chinchilla but not unheard of either. Each animal is going to be different. My chinchilla will bark sometimes when he is disturbed from his sleep during the day. Sometimes I think he does it to get me to pick him up.

I recommend putting the cage in a quiet place away from a lot of commotion. Don't reach into the cage but interact through the bars and door of the cage as long as your chinchilla will come to you. Don't let him out of the cage for at least a week.
Measure his food and water levels. Make sure there is a good amount of poop in the cage each morning. If there isn't, and there is no indication he is eating, there is something seriously wrong and it must be dealt with immediately or you will lose your pet.
Most chinchillas will eat and drink mostly late at night. I rarely see mine drinking during the day. The water level always goes down about 2cm (for the diameter of bottle I use) between bedtime and in the morning. He usually eats several times during the day but he'll still eat mostly at night after I've gone to bed.

Just leave the cage as is and don't introduce anything new for at least a couple of weeks. (Of course make sure he has wood to chew on at all times) Relocation is always stressful for chinchillas.

Make sure the room temperature stays below 75F and is in an environment that is not noisy, in direct sunlight, or has pets like dogs or cats around, which can also cause extreme stress. Over time your pet will calm down and get used to its new place. It make take a week or two but you should see progressive improvement. After that start handling him more often and he will be less easily frightened.

[jaimieshaw]

He's 4 months old, but I've seen him in the pet store for the past month. He is now eating, drinking, and pooping adequately. I figured that the sooner I started handling him, the quicker he would bond to me. I'll leave him alone for a week, just as you suggested, with limited interaction through the cage. Thank you for the advice!

[GrayRodent]

4 months is a good age to get a chin. Most chinchillas need a week or two to adjust and get used their new surroundings and new owners. Bonding is a two way process with chinchillas and sometimes it takes some time.

[jaimieshaw]

OK, good. He eats constantly! Actually, this morning when I woke up, his food dish was apparently empty, so he flipped it over and stood on it until I fed him! I thought that was SO cute!

[GrayRodent]

Yeah, sometimes chinchillas do that even when there is food in the bowl. In my case I got one of those bowls that attaches to the bars of the cage so that won't happen. It's fun now but it gets old after awhile!
Also try to keep more food in there than will run out in a day. Chinchillas won't overeat and should have constant access to hay and pellets. I'm assuming there was enough hay left over for him that he could have gone to that.

Just as a tip:
Missing meals can be quite detrimental to chinchillas because they have very sensitive digestive systems. A chinchilla's diet should be as consistent as possible to prevent microbial imbalances in the stomach and intestines.
By keeping track of their daily food intake you can avoid problems that some owners have when their chinchillas become sick called gastronintestial stasis where the stomach and bowels shut down. In extreme cases it is not reversible and some people don't catch it until it's too late and end up loosing their pets to it. Chinchillas are prone to stop eating sometimes even when the cause is treatable. If your chinchilla stops eating even for a day or two it is important to intervene because much after that it can cause life-threatening complications. If you ever give your chinchilla medications, especially antibiotics, be vigilant to identify GI stasis and ask your vet about obtaining supplies to hand feed if that occurs.

[jaimieshaw]

Yes, he had hay. There was still a little bit left in his bowl, but he decided to flip it over! Made me laugh, because when I woke up, he was standing on it as if to say, "Hey, ma, I'm out of food! Pay attention to me!" He's too cute, and he's already starting to trust me. If I offer him a raisin he will come up to me and take it. I guess that's the best way to tame them. He's a good boy, and he is SPOILED!

[jaimieshaw]

When should I give Gizmo his first dust bath?

[GrayRodent]

Today would be a good day. He should be dusted about every other day. Dusting them more often than that will cause skin problems. I recommend putting the dust bath in the cage until he is ready to dust elsewhere. Let him dust no more than 20 minutes at a time.
Personally I dust my chinchilla in a closed shower stall in my bathroom to minimize the mess. You can also put the duster inside of a larger cardboard box with an opening in it to help contain it.

[jaimieshaw]

He's dusting now...too cute to watch him!

[jaimieshaw]

OK, he rolled once and that's it. He's sleeping now, but how do I get him to dust?

[GrayRodent]

He'll dust when he is good and ready. Wait a day or two and try again.

[jaimieshaw]

Will do! Thanks again; you've been a real help!

[Snickerdoodlesmom]

I'd love to see some pictures of your new chin

[jaimieshaw]

I posted one in the gallery under the file name "Gizmo's first day home"