Hi everyone!
My name is Sarah, about a week or so ago I got myself a chinchilla from a breeder. I had a chinchilla once before, when I was young, I'm 23 now and this one doesn't act like my old one (which is understandable, no two pets are alike!)
My old chinchilla was very sweet and sat on my feet every day when I came home from school, but it's been a very long time since I've owned one (first one died when I was around 12/13) so I'm definitely a beginner. Looking back I probably did a few things wrong when I was a kid.
My current chinchilla is a female (like my old one), turning one year old April 17th, was hand raised and is not aggressive. But I don't think she likes me
Every time I let her out, all she wants to do is hide. She can't get out of her cage by herself, since the cage has legs, but she doesn't let me touch her very often. Last night I think I made some progress though, I was talking to her very gently and slowly put my hand in the cage until I could pet her. She likes being scratched on her cheek it seems, but even so I can only do it for a few seconds before she tries to hide.
I read a few things on here that said you should never chase your chin, and when I'd let her out I would always have to. Since I read that on here though I haven't been letting her out, or chasing her.
I live with two other animals, a cat and a bird. My cat is turning 10 this year, and only tries to bother Dawn (my chin) when she's roaming around on the floor. My cat is extremely shy in general, doesn't leave my room very often
My bird doesn't do anything to bother her, except yesterday when I came home she was on top of Dawn's cage
Dawn's cage is pretty big, her wheel is 16 inches wide, she has a Kaytee spill-proof water bottle. I give her both timothy and alfalfa hay. I have her on Vitakraft right now cuz that's all they had at the pet store, but I'll be switching it soon to a better brand.
In the first few days I gave her raisins for treats, but it made her poop soft so I stopped. No problems with her poop since then. She has untreated wood in her cage to chew on, a salt lick, and a chew toy and hammock that doesn't really use.
I have both fleece blankets and paper bedding of the bottom of her cage. She also has a hay tunnel that she likes to chew on, and a hut that she kind of just ignores. And of course a dust bin that I refill daily
she also has a litter box in the corner that she uses very well. I didn't even have to train her to use it, she just did it on her own!
I give her NO plastic at all. Either metal, wood, paper, or cardboard.
I hope I'm doing things right so far when it comes down to her living situation. If not I would love some tips, and how I could possibly get her used to me without her just wanting to hide.
(mandatory pics)
