Print

Please login or register.
1 Hour 1 Day 1 Week 1 Month Forever
Login with username, password and session length

[Deeliteful]

As some of You know I am a first time chin owner . Well My little guy has been wanting to chew on EVRYTHING. the cage , me (and not little soft nibbles) and is facinated with my hair and finger nails if my head gets close enough he is chewing on my hair . I reach in to give him a treat or a scratch he takes the treat enjoys a scratch and goes right for my finger nails or tries to chew on my finger.

We have lava bites in there for him but he isnt interested in them and is interested in chewing everything else.

any one got any suggestions?

[chinclub]

Sounds like a normal chinchilla to me!    They learn and explore with their teeth just as much as with their eyes.  Chewing on your fingernails is his way of grooming you. Its a love thing...be honored.

[Jenova]

Well I have to warn anyone who wants to pet Cheech that he will eat their fingernails if they have any. It must be the texture. I bite my nails myself so I don't need a chin to do it for me.  
He'll also chew on my necklace if I forget to take it off and he's obsessed with plastic (even though it's very dangerous to chins).
I think the best advice I've been given here is to make a yelping noise if he bites you too hard so he learns you don't like it.
I think it's just a natural thing for them to do really, having constantly growing front teeth.
The best buy we got for Cheech was a parrot ladder. We put it horizontally in his cage to give him an extra little running space and he sleeps on there. He chews it to bits within a matter of weeks but they're so cheap we just buy him another one. Obviously check the wood it's made from, but that's really saturated his chewing needs. Oh, and anything cardboard, from tubes to just pieces of it.

Other than that I would just say, as one new chin owner to another, just give him a stern no if he's chewing something he's not meant to and a little push away if he still doesn't stop. Chewing wood in the cage is a natural thing I think. I'd be more worried if he didn't chew it.

Hope that helps.

And yes, he has groomed my hair. I find it really cute because he's not actually mine, he's my boyfriends and he loves my boyfriend to bits but loves to bite me all the time. He's our only one so he's really bonded with my boyfriend and I think he's jealous of me.  :-[ But he has groomed me on occasion and then I'm even more honoured. 

[Deeliteful]

Grooming? *chuckles* well I am honored then . He is so sweet and I just want to be sure He is normal and nothing is wrong or that im doing something wrong.

[Abby W.]

Deeliteful,

It doesn't sound like you have a thing to worry about.  All of my guys taste anything new in the environment and several routinely try to turn my glasses into a chew toy.  I have a couple of small pieces missing from the outer edges and keep having to get the lenses replaced because the nibble marks make proper vision slightly difficult!     Unfortunately, taking my glasses off to work with the chins isn't an option, as I am blind as a bat without them.  On the upside, I have come to be friends with a number of the employees at lens crafters 

[Jo Ann]

The best buy we got for Cheech was a parrot ladder. We put it horizontally in his cage to give him an extra little running space and he sleeps on there. He chews it to bits within a matter of weeks but they're so cheap we just buy him another one. Obviously check the wood it's made from, but that's really saturated his chewing needs. Oh, and anything cardboard, from tubes to just pieces of it.

Thank-you for pointing out that the parrot ladder is made of wood.  Many are made of plastic and plastic is a "no-no".  When I first went over the post, I pictured the little plastic ladders I've seen in pet shops and I cringed at the thought.

I think the best advice I've been given here is to make a yelping noise if he bites you too hard so he learns you don't like it.

True.  Chinchillas love to please you, once he/she realizes you do not like it, they usually stop.  Never hit or yell at him for trimming your nails or hair ... this is one way he/she says they love you/accept you.

 
Jo Ann

[Debbie.nl.ca]

I so love sticking my head in the cage and getting groomed.Mine will take each eye lash and go the full length with out pulling one out.Most times some will take the hairband right off my head and run with it.
Hang nails, finger tails, even a cut, scab or wound will be cleaned.
I interrupted a fight through a cage when one got were he shouldn't be. Well when I caught hold of the one on the out side he bit me, and brought blood.
Well you should have seen the look on his face, like he knew in a flash it was me, and not the other chin.
I showed him the blood, he took a little sniff and cuddled right up under my chin so tight he made me feel bad for grabbing him.
The first word my chins learn is NO

[Deeliteful]

Well He hasnt brought blood though He has moved my fingers with his mouth but even that bite didnt hurt but I knew He wanted his space at that moment.

I still havent been able to pick him up and the only time I can get him out of the cage is when I hold up the big plastic ball and he hops in ready to go for a roll but he gets so excited when I come over to the cage to play and bounces all around then nuzzles my hand followed by more bouncing . I think he does it because it makes me laugh.

still has a facination with my hair and nibbles it and my finger nails. Though the chewing on my nails has lessened since we got new lava bites .

I do have another question.

When my boyfriend goes to the cage (He is just now starting to do this ) He puts his hand up there and Chico sniffs then starts this digging like motion with his little hands at His fingers. is this pushing him away?

[Jo Ann]

Hard to say without being there.  Depends on the position of the hand.  If the chin is trying to push it to one side with the digging motion, I would think he is trying to make him move his hand. 

But ... if it appears he is digging into the hand ... he might smell food and is trying to find it.     Chins have a very good sense of smell.   

The next time he does it, ask your boyfriend to go wash his hands real good, then come back and try it again.  If he continues to dig, more than likely it is asking him to move away.   

If he does not do it, have your boyfriend put a treat in his hand and offer it to the chin ... check the chin's response to this.

Sometimes it's just trial and error with chins.  You often have to watch them closely to figure out what they are trying to tell you.  One standing near an empty bowl is asking you to fill it.  The same with a waterbottle.  One holding on to the bars with a pitiful look is wanting a treat or wanting out.  One shaking the cage while holding on to the bars or throwing things out of or around the cage it throwing a tempertantrum.  Each chin is different ... you just have to pay attention ... they will find ways to let you know what they want or need.


 
Jo Ann

[Debbie.nl.ca]

One standing near an empty bowl is asking you to fill it.  The same with a waterbottle.  One holding on to the bars with a pitiful look is wanting a treat or wanting out.  One shaking the cage while holding on to the bars or throwing things out of or around the cage it throwing a tempertantrum.  Each chin is different ... you just have to pay attention ... they will find ways to let you know what they want or need.

 

Now aren't they just the smartest & cutest little critters.
I tell everyone all you have to do is listen and watch they'll tell you what they need.