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Q & A / Re: Just looking for a little insight
« on: February 12, 2019, 07:59:10 PM »
Alright thanks for the answers!
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Q & A / Re: Just looking for a little insight
« on: February 06, 2019, 11:14:41 AM »
They both have the same, it's more apparent when it's playtime, both of them were determined female before I got them, obviously no guarantee that's right but still, would be useful to know though seeing as if they are indeed males instead then there's the whole fur ring on the penis I need to start looking for which I'm not doing now!
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Q & A / Re: Just looking for a little insight
« on: February 03, 2019, 09:56:55 AM »
This might be a strange question, but searching online i cant find the answer. On the attached photo you can see 2 pink bags close to the chins rectum, what is that? First thought was that its testicles but both my chins have it and theyre both supposedly female
http://imgur.com/a/6X5Fxpy
http://imgur.com/a/6X5Fxpy
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Q & A / Re: Just looking for a little insight
« on: March 02, 2018, 09:09:29 AM »
Thanks I will give it a try, not entirely sure how to do with the hand but I'll just keep trying, it was quite the change in environment for them when I purchased them, they went from a family of 5 with 3 kids and lots of noise, to just me alone with no noise, they seem to always expect hells breaking loose when theres sounds around them!
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Q & A / Re: Just looking for a little insight
« on: March 01, 2018, 11:32:02 AM »
I'm guessing I ask questions that have possibly already been answered before, so I apologize for that.
I'm curious about this handling thing, I've been doing the hold them for a short while then calmly putting them back for some days now, I don't know if it's working, the start of it though is always to get a hold of them in their chage which they are not happy about, they don't have trouble around my hand usually, they're not scared of me when outside and frequently run up to me and jump on me or just inspect whatever I might be doing, but the act of trying to pick them up or moving my hand anywhere near their back will make them panic and flee, meaning I have to basically chase them in their cage to even begin this, I've tried for quite some time to make them just approach me themselves without grabbing or anything, but they will always skip away or try to pass the hand whenever possible, from day 1 though I've made it a habbit that they need to step on my hand or arm to exit the cage for playtime to make them more accustomed to it.
I think in short what I want to know is, if I'm doing more harm than good at the moment with having to chase them for the handling training?
I do try to "bribe" them with a snack after they've been put back and they don't seem very offended, but I'd rather be sure that it's the right time to actually do this, so that I don't completely set back all the trust we've built.
I'm curious about this handling thing, I've been doing the hold them for a short while then calmly putting them back for some days now, I don't know if it's working, the start of it though is always to get a hold of them in their chage which they are not happy about, they don't have trouble around my hand usually, they're not scared of me when outside and frequently run up to me and jump on me or just inspect whatever I might be doing, but the act of trying to pick them up or moving my hand anywhere near their back will make them panic and flee, meaning I have to basically chase them in their cage to even begin this, I've tried for quite some time to make them just approach me themselves without grabbing or anything, but they will always skip away or try to pass the hand whenever possible, from day 1 though I've made it a habbit that they need to step on my hand or arm to exit the cage for playtime to make them more accustomed to it.
I think in short what I want to know is, if I'm doing more harm than good at the moment with having to chase them for the handling training?
I do try to "bribe" them with a snack after they've been put back and they don't seem very offended, but I'd rather be sure that it's the right time to actually do this, so that I don't completely set back all the trust we've built.
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Q & A / Re: Just looking for a little insight
« on: February 23, 2018, 06:10:39 PM »
Thanks for the advice, yeah I am aware they're not cuddly, it is solely to make them adjust and accept interaction for inspection purposes or just to relocate them if they're doing something they shouldn't.
I did actually try what you wrote, but this is a while ago, they seemed pretty unhappy about that approach, so much so that the little one, Ciri, started hissing and clacking teeth at me whenever my hand got near her, they've never bitten me though, usually it's unhappy noises and in worst cases they started shedding fur. I think Ciri might be an issue though, if she gets the impression I want to pick her up she hides in their house, seeing as that's a safe space where I don't want to intrude
I did actually try what you wrote, but this is a while ago, they seemed pretty unhappy about that approach, so much so that the little one, Ciri, started hissing and clacking teeth at me whenever my hand got near her, they've never bitten me though, usually it's unhappy noises and in worst cases they started shedding fur. I think Ciri might be an issue though, if she gets the impression I want to pick her up she hides in their house, seeing as that's a safe space where I don't want to intrude
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Q & A / Re: Just looking for a little insight
« on: February 15, 2018, 01:02:44 PM »
Hey, so 9 months have passed now with my girls, things are looking better for the most parts really, I rarely experience bad times with them anymore they've become more social and interested in spending time with me, also upgraded their cage this christmas to a slightly larger, cleaner and better cage for them.
Late reply though, but I did go for pure pellet food instead and ditched the old stuff I got, the american brands are not available here but looking at nutrition info on the stuff I did purchase it's practically the same as the brands you guys usually suggest.
However, they won't let me handle them, I've made massive progress in most areas, they don't freak out all the time whenever I move when they're out, and them not wanting to go back to their cage after playtime is usually the result of "scary" noises from the outside that is not within my control, so overall I'd say they trust me enough to "deal" with me, what I want to ask though is, how do you go about training them to deal with or accept that they will sometimes be held or handled for a short time, not for cuddling purposes but rather for inspections or moving? They've become quite adept at acting offended or sad when I've had to handle them, which I naturally want to change so they don't feel like they've had their private space ruined.
Also new years eve kinda sucked, I'm fairly certain I got the blame for the majority of the noise going on there
Hope this new year treats all of you chin owners well, just like I'm hoping my chins will warm up to me some more this year!
Late reply though, but I did go for pure pellet food instead and ditched the old stuff I got, the american brands are not available here but looking at nutrition info on the stuff I did purchase it's practically the same as the brands you guys usually suggest.
However, they won't let me handle them, I've made massive progress in most areas, they don't freak out all the time whenever I move when they're out, and them not wanting to go back to their cage after playtime is usually the result of "scary" noises from the outside that is not within my control, so overall I'd say they trust me enough to "deal" with me, what I want to ask though is, how do you go about training them to deal with or accept that they will sometimes be held or handled for a short time, not for cuddling purposes but rather for inspections or moving? They've become quite adept at acting offended or sad when I've had to handle them, which I naturally want to change so they don't feel like they've had their private space ruined.
Also new years eve kinda sucked, I'm fairly certain I got the blame for the majority of the noise going on there
Hope this new year treats all of you chin owners well, just like I'm hoping my chins will warm up to me some more this year!
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Q & A / Re: Just looking for a little insight
« on: April 05, 2017, 05:44:49 PM »
Hey many thanks for the response 
I'm guessing some of it is things that get repeated quite often, so you taking your time is much appreciated!
Even since initially writing this post I've made pretty decent headway with them, especially Triss seem keen to learn and is much more contact seeking, Ciri is still a work in progress, which seems mostly to be connected to her personality or that she may have had more bad experiences, the latter is difficult to discern as i don't know enough about their previous house.
The current feed I'm giving them is this https://image.maxizoo.dk/media/catalog/product/cache/1/image/9df78eab33525d08d6e5fb8d27136e95/121750/121936.jpg , from what I've seen it's mostly pellets in it, it's leftovers from what the previous owner gave them, I have purchased another product as well http://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0478/4301/products/b510988c9e277c5172b407c27745023f4e880bc8_large.jpeg?v=1476902859 that I'm going to change to once they've finished the other one.
As for treats I let them eat oats out of my hand or they get a raisin every once in a while, the oats seem to be a way better way of building a bit of trust so they don't run off the second my hand comes in contact with either of them!
I'll take your advice though and keep them caged for a while longer Should also give me ample time to make the area safer for them to run around.
I have however decided to take them to a vet just to make sure nothings ailing either of them, I thought I saw a tiny thing crawl out of their fur the other day, and I have no idea when they last had a vet visit, so figured it would be timely to get them checked out.
Again thanks so much for the response!
I'm guessing some of it is things that get repeated quite often, so you taking your time is much appreciated!Even since initially writing this post I've made pretty decent headway with them, especially Triss seem keen to learn and is much more contact seeking, Ciri is still a work in progress, which seems mostly to be connected to her personality or that she may have had more bad experiences, the latter is difficult to discern as i don't know enough about their previous house.
The current feed I'm giving them is this https://image.maxizoo.dk/media/catalog/product/cache/1/image/9df78eab33525d08d6e5fb8d27136e95/121750/121936.jpg , from what I've seen it's mostly pellets in it, it's leftovers from what the previous owner gave them, I have purchased another product as well http://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0478/4301/products/b510988c9e277c5172b407c27745023f4e880bc8_large.jpeg?v=1476902859 that I'm going to change to once they've finished the other one.
As for treats I let them eat oats out of my hand or they get a raisin every once in a while, the oats seem to be a way better way of building a bit of trust so they don't run off the second my hand comes in contact with either of them!
I'll take your advice though and keep them caged for a while longer
Should also give me ample time to make the area safer for them to run around.I have however decided to take them to a vet just to make sure nothings ailing either of them, I thought I saw a tiny thing crawl out of their fur the other day, and I have no idea when they last had a vet visit, so figured it would be timely to get them checked out.
Again thanks so much for the response!
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Q & A / Just looking for a little insight
« on: April 01, 2017, 08:10:55 AM »
Hey, I just got myself 2 Chinchilla females about 2 weeks ago, before that I did a bunch of research on them to try and make sure I could provide a stable and healthy environment for them, obviously as many of you could probably tell me as well, no amount of research can fully prepare you for all the the things that could happen and probably will happen when you own chins, so to that end I have a few questions I'm hoping you guys could help me shed some light on.
A little info about them first, from what I was told by the previous owner, they're around a year old both of them, it was a young boy that used to take care of them and as they told me they simply didn't have enough time to care enough for the fluffy little bastards any longer.
Was also told and showed how he'd handle them by basically grabbing the root of their tails and carrying them that way too, through all the research I've read though most people seem to agree that you need to also support their body and paws, I can't imagine it being very pleasent being dragged around by your tail.
Aynways, after I got them back to my place and got their cage set up, I let them stay in their cage to try and get used to things, and this is when things started going wrong.
Firstly, I let them out of their cage on the second day at my place, as they did not seem afraid of me, they were happy to crawl and sniff on my hands, clearly a huge mistake however, within a few minutes they found their way under my couch into small crevices and basically stayed there for an hour, needless to say it ended with me having to "chase" them a little to get them back in their cage, not very enjoyable for me or them, upon having to get them both back in their cage, Triss struggled while i held her to get her into the cage and Ciri the other one, started squealing when I held her, the heartbreaking kind of squeal.
So at this point im still pretty reluctant to let them out of their cage, this happened the 20th of march, for this one I'm just a little curious, how should I go about gaining some trust so things can get better? I do want them out and about, and I've started taking more precautions now, I'm just worried this kind of thing will happen again to sour their entire experience with being able to run around and have fun, and how long should I keep them in their cage to let them know and understand that it's their home?
Second question, I am very confused by all the things they can't be around, like their bedding, specific types of wood, and what I mean by that is, on the packages at my local animalproducts store, it usually never states what type of wood it is, all it says is organic and non-treated, this goes for both beddings and extra wooden accesories such as small wooden boards you can attack to the cage so they have something to climb on, so what am I supposed to do with it? How can I sniff out the bad stuff from the good stuff for my chins so that they don't end up with respiratory problems? Is there any markers I should look for such as specific colors or odors?
Third question, I mentioned that my one chin, Ciri, squealed when I picked her up, the 2 weeks I've had them so far she's also the least active, she can't jump as high as Triss either, is this something I should be concerned about or look into? I really wanted to delay a Vet visit for a few weeks so I don't scare them to death, but if a vet visit is recommended I will of course take them, and will just have to repair the trust later if there's a health concern for her. I'd wager the jump difference between Triss and Ciri is that Triss can probably jump up to 50cm whilst Ciri can barely do 30cm.
And final question for now, mostly pertaining to their droppings, I read it's a good way to keep track of their health, I'm just not sure if it's currently in order, their droppings are small, relatively hard and black / dark brown in color, is this a normal type or do I need to look into their diet?
Thanks for any and all responses, from the otherwise happy new owner of 2 lovely chins.
Oh uh and a few pictures here, made me think of a last thing, why is Triss sleeping ontop of her nest as opposed to inside it? that seems a bit odd to me.
A little info about them first, from what I was told by the previous owner, they're around a year old both of them, it was a young boy that used to take care of them and as they told me they simply didn't have enough time to care enough for the fluffy little bastards any longer.
Was also told and showed how he'd handle them by basically grabbing the root of their tails and carrying them that way too, through all the research I've read though most people seem to agree that you need to also support their body and paws, I can't imagine it being very pleasent being dragged around by your tail.
Aynways, after I got them back to my place and got their cage set up, I let them stay in their cage to try and get used to things, and this is when things started going wrong.
Firstly, I let them out of their cage on the second day at my place, as they did not seem afraid of me, they were happy to crawl and sniff on my hands, clearly a huge mistake however, within a few minutes they found their way under my couch into small crevices and basically stayed there for an hour, needless to say it ended with me having to "chase" them a little to get them back in their cage, not very enjoyable for me or them, upon having to get them both back in their cage, Triss struggled while i held her to get her into the cage and Ciri the other one, started squealing when I held her, the heartbreaking kind of squeal.
So at this point im still pretty reluctant to let them out of their cage, this happened the 20th of march, for this one I'm just a little curious, how should I go about gaining some trust so things can get better? I do want them out and about, and I've started taking more precautions now, I'm just worried this kind of thing will happen again to sour their entire experience with being able to run around and have fun, and how long should I keep them in their cage to let them know and understand that it's their home?
Second question, I am very confused by all the things they can't be around, like their bedding, specific types of wood, and what I mean by that is, on the packages at my local animalproducts store, it usually never states what type of wood it is, all it says is organic and non-treated, this goes for both beddings and extra wooden accesories such as small wooden boards you can attack to the cage so they have something to climb on, so what am I supposed to do with it? How can I sniff out the bad stuff from the good stuff for my chins so that they don't end up with respiratory problems? Is there any markers I should look for such as specific colors or odors?
Third question, I mentioned that my one chin, Ciri, squealed when I picked her up, the 2 weeks I've had them so far she's also the least active, she can't jump as high as Triss either, is this something I should be concerned about or look into? I really wanted to delay a Vet visit for a few weeks so I don't scare them to death, but if a vet visit is recommended I will of course take them, and will just have to repair the trust later if there's a health concern for her. I'd wager the jump difference between Triss and Ciri is that Triss can probably jump up to 50cm whilst Ciri can barely do 30cm.
And final question for now, mostly pertaining to their droppings, I read it's a good way to keep track of their health, I'm just not sure if it's currently in order, their droppings are small, relatively hard and black / dark brown in color, is this a normal type or do I need to look into their diet?
Thanks for any and all responses, from the otherwise happy new owner of 2 lovely chins.
Oh uh and a few pictures here, made me think of a last thing, why is Triss sleeping ontop of her nest as opposed to inside it? that seems a bit odd to me.
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