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[basil92]

hi everyone i am a newbie to this site and i just got my first chin baby yesterday! her name is Basil and i think she is adjusting fairly well! she wasnt eatting much but she did have a scary car ride (she was barking) and then came to a new home and she also lived with 3 other chins before she came to live with me! does anyone have any ideas as to what i could do to help her feel alot more at home! she is cuddling with me and loves to run around and play i will do that again tonight! thanks everyone!

[GrayRodent]

Welcome to the forum and congrats on your new pet.

My word of advice to new chinchilla owners is try not to overdo it with handling. Chinchillas are usually pretty stressed when they are relocated at first and it takes a few days for them to become comfortable with their new environment. Chinchillas typically don't like being handled at first and it takes time for them to become comfortable with handling.

I usually advise to turn on a floor fan nearby (although never blow a fan into a cage) since the noise masks noises that tend to set them off. I've found that to be true for my chins when I first got them.

Chinchillas are usually pretty noisy the first couple of nights but after a week or two there will be very little, if any noises your pet will make especially since yours was separated from other chinchillas. They tend to communicate inaudibly unless they are giving an alarm call but I've found my pets to make a variety of sounds. When chinchillas grow up as single pets they tend to develop their own unique vocabularies so interpreting chinchilla sounds is something that you'll have to figure out.

Your pet will likely eat and drink less than normal for the first two days so you'll have to go mostly by their fecal consistency. If it is smaller than normal or wetter than normal and it does not clear up in 48 hours there could be an issue. Of course liquid or runny stools is not acceptable and should be considered an emergency if that ever happens.
Withhold all treats for at least two weeks and establish that your pet is healthy before adding anything to their normal diet of loose hay and plain afalfa based pellets. Of course weigh your pet regularly, at least once a week, and log those weights. Significant variations usually mean health problems. You will see some variation this week if you have a baseline weight to compare because of the relocation.

When the sun goes down chinchillas are usually much more alert and active. Running and playing is normal. I wouldn't recommend letting them run in the house (which should only be done in a room made safe for chinchilla that is clear of electrical cords) for at least a week. You want your pet to be assured it is in a safe environment and a good way to do this is to allow them to spend time in their cage. They will feel secure there as long as the room they stay in is calm. Make sure any cats or dogs do not have access to the cage.

Again congrats on your new pet. If you have any questions please ask.

[basil92]

thanks "grayrodent" those are some great things to know! she is doing amazing i forgot to mention she is still a baby around 10 weeks old, she is very playful and i let her some out of her cage to run around (a very safe area) and she loves it she like to climb on  me and sit with me. i will open her cage door to sit by her and she will jump out into my arms and want me to hold her not sure if any of your chins did that! i m very surprised by how well she is doing just after 2 days of moving here!

 the first night she was barking alot but last night she only barked once and then the rest of the night she would just run and jump and play and drink and eat. i have a fan on in my room so that probably helps, shes been sleeping in her wheel during the day but ive noticed every few hours she will move to another sleeping area.

 i almost notice she doesnt wanna be in her cage around 7-8o clock she is almost begging to come out and play, i will sit by her cage and she will jump at the cage and grab my finger to let her out when i go to pet her, im wondering if cause shes so little she wants to be out and running around maybe? thanks again!

[basil92]

Basil is doing amazing sh is getting so attached to me already! she will jump on the couch i am sitting on climb up my body then sit on my shoulder and nusszle her face into my hair and my neck!!! i love her chinchillas rock!!!

[GrayRodent]

I'm so glad everything is working out for you. Sounds like you have a really nice pet. Chinchillas don't always bond so quickly. Please make sure to read the remarks I've made on the thread concerning your cage. It is very important you make some adjustments to your chinchillas housing if you haven't done so already.

[mb30]

Also, if you're going to let your chinchilla out to run at such a young age it is very important to not let her overdo it. When i got my kit i was told to not let him run properly for the first six months.

I did sneak him out for two minutes here and there but mostly stuck to the advice i was given. Apparently young chinchillas are more prone to overheating?

Not trying to scare you but do stay aware!! Chinchillas are quite the awesome animal and the bond that eventually forms is a very unique one

[GrayRodent]

Yes young chinchillas are more prone to overheating than adults and don't always know when to slow down. Make sure you know your first aid for an overheated chinchilla but to avoid potentially serious (and permanent damage caused by hyperthermia) prevention is always the best cure. One good indicator is their ears. Pay attention to how well you can see the blood vessels in their ears and compare to what they look like in their quiet and inactive times. When chinchillas are moderately overheated they tend to look for a cool place. I actually recommend putting a "chin chiller" or similar slab of marble or granite in the cage. They'll lay on their side to help themselves cool off.