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[Mina]

The first night, he was, of course, terrified of all of the strange new things.  He had relaxed some by the following day and has continued to relax and is now bouncing around his cage at night, digging in his kleenex box (which for some reason he has decided to poop in) and chewing on his toys.  He is eating and drinking well.
Now he will come to the bars of his cage and listen carefully when I talk to him, he won't allow me to touch him yet, but when I changed his water bottle last night he came down from his shelf to watch me very intently.  He will come right up to me and rest his front foot on the wire, and I can put my finger within a half inch of him, but no more.
He acts like he wants to be friends and he wants me to pay attention to him, but I think he still has a few trust issues.  Is there anything else I can do other than continue to talk to him?  He just turned 2 months old so I can't offer treats yet, isn't that correct?

[jbcstratton]

Just give him some time, he does need to learn to trust you.  Try putting some old fashion oats in your hand and just hold them out so he can eat them off your hand.  Little by little he should gain trust in you.  Hope others have some other suggestions for you.

[wellmalt]

My chins were pretty easy going and had been handled a lot when we got them so I didn't have any trouble with them. But when I had first gotten rats I couldn't get them to trust me. One day I moved thier cage into the livingroom and put it right next to the couch, while I watched TV I just left my hand in thier cage trying not to move it. They were running over it in a matter of a couple of minutes by the end of the week I could pet them... they just got used to me I guess.
-Laura

[sarahlydear]

what your doing now is the best way, maybe if he seems fairly comfortable around you , you could set up a safe area  just outside of his cage so that he can climb back into safety if he feels like hes threatened, let him be free for a while and lay still off to the side, then offer him another bath and put him in his home, he may start climbing on you and will start to associate you with free time, but don't push him At All while hes out, just stay off to the side and leave him be. or if you cant do that then offer him a dust bath and transport him to a bathroom or something and do the same thing, then offer him another bath and bring him home. right outside the cage would be best though.     

[Courtney]

Just give it time, little by little he will trust you more and more. You can give him healthy treats like cheerios. Oats are great. On occasion give him half a raisins and cranraisin. Be by his cage a lot, put your hand in the cage and rest them without moving them. He will come to you, he’s young, just learning trust. Everything is new to him. Congrats on your new baby.

[Mina]

We have made some progress!  I started offering him long bits of hay though the cage bars which he accepted, then I got him to accept cheerios from my fingers (still between the cage bars).  Tonight I gave him a couple of cheerios and he made it clear he wanted more so I decided he would have to work for his last one.  I opened his lower door and put my arm in his house and held a cheerio out to him, and he took it from my fingers!  Tomorrow night after we break the ice with a few cheerios I'm going to try some oats in my palm and see if he is ready to actually come to my open hand.

[1newChinmom1]

How Wonderful! Pippin sounds like a clever, cautious fellow. And his new ChinMom sounds very loving and understanding. I hope you find all the joy and love we have found with our ChinBabes. 



The more I learn, the more I realize how little I know

[Mina]

Thank you!  Yes, I think he is very smart.  He now begs shamelessly for cherrios from any passing human, my husband fed him some last night and he accepted those too.  I have him on a limit of 4 a day but I think his dad sneaks some to him.  He still isn't ready to be touched, but he did, instead of running as usual, watch me give him his hay last night from close by.