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[reuben2009]

Hey! Reuben is doing great and he survived the trip home for thanksgiving break and is still happy. He is getting way more friendly with my boyfriend and i as well. He just started, a few days ago, getting into nibbling on us a lot. He'll grab onto our arms and really hold onto us and just nibble. It doesn't hurt but it is a new behavior. We aren't sure whether he's trying to tell us something or it's just a phase. Also now if he's in this mood and we put him back in his cage and we stick our fingers in to pet him he sniffs then tries to nibble them.
Suggestions on how to deal with this? or anyone know why he is doing this?!

[Jo Ann]

   Nibbling on, or licking your arm, hand, face, etc is usually a means of "grooming" you ... if he/she is grooming you, then they have accepted you as a big chin ... a very honerable and delightful status in the chinchilla world!  They love you   

If they nip you firmly, you have done something wrong ... best to figure it out and not do it again.     OR the next step will happen:  IF you continue to scare or frighten or hurt them ... they bite you hard enough to hurt, or hard enough to break skin, or bring blood ... you have definitely done something that has upset or frightened them ... find out what it was and avoid doing it again.   

Also now if he's in this mood and we put him back in his cage and we stick our fingers in to pet him he sniffs then tries to nibble them.
Suggestions on how to deal with this?

  Is he nibbling the finger or the finger nail?  They do like to give "manicures" ... but make sure your hands are freshly washed ... if there is a smell of food on them ... he may think it is a treat and decide to take a bite to see if it tastes good.   

   Jo Ann

[obiwan]

Obi-Wan's been doing this to me too. Just light nibbling and washing. He hasn't been too hard yet but I thought, like Jo Ann stated, that it was a sign of affection. Different animals have different ways to say "Love ya."   

[Debbie.nl.ca]

It's the coolest thing to be groomed and accepted as part of the herd.
I have some high cages that I can stand with head in an open cage. I love to stand and let them groom me. They'll clean every eye lash, eye brow hair and nibble my ears. Then a scattered one will snatch my hair band right off my head and run with it. It's just way too funny.