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[sarahlydear]

OK  so i bought Herby from PetSmart where they had him a cage smaller than a cat carrier with another chin , it breaks my heart everytime i go in there to think my baby was in those and more chins are!

Now Ive had him for almost a year and his cage is large enough to fit me and another small human in, but hes still major claustrophobic. If i have to put him in the cat carrier for a vet visit or to clean is cage he freaks out and at first starts scratching and spazing out to try and get away from the carrier then he chews on the bars and jumps on the walls, shaking the cage and it breaks my heart all over again.

I'm wondering if there is anything i can do to try to make it easier for him, i try to put him in it as little as possible but sometimes i just have to. Any advise? I'm desperate.

[Courtney]

Maybe try putting him in their and give him a treat, try to make it a positive experience. Treats work wonders but sorry, that's all I can think of. Just keep giving him treats.

[1newChinmom1]

Just a thought, maybe leaving the carrier, open, in his habitat? That way he can control entering and exiting and it may help. We desensitized a rescue puppy this way. It took weeks, but it did eventually help. Good luck and I am so glad to hear that Herby has a forever ChinMom who cares so very much!


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

[Crimson_Ham]

For such a large cage is it possible to let him stay in there when cleaning it? It doesn't solve the vet panic but if he doesn't need to come out for the cleaning it may help. I let my chins stay in their cages when I clean them if they don't want to come out. Sometimes they come down to the bottom when I move stuff but mostly they just sit at the top and watch me move stuff and clean then put everything back.
For vet visit panic the idea of putting the carrier open in the cage and letting him explore it and control going in and out of it is probably the best bet to help him.

[sarahlydear]

For daily cleaning he is actaully let out and allowed to rome the room, its when i take his cage outside to scrub down with a sponge and hose that he goes in it. well i cant fit it in the cage; the lower shelf is a bit to low
and he refuses to explore anything that doesnt have 2openings or a complete side open(long side). in fact i had to remove the back wall of a hidy hut because he refused to go inside it, but once i did he loved it.
he may take the treat but its only as a response he doesnt actually register it, ive tried and if im lucky enough to get him to take it he pauses for a split second and then continues to try to get as far away as posssible. 

[sarahlydear]

Update:
So I have been leaving the cat carrier out during play time and eventually he started going inside and playing around in it then today I had to completely scrub down his cage and put him in there with his teddy bear and he was a little frustrated but he didn't freak out  three cheers! I brought him outside with me to watch, it was cool out and I put a towel over the carrier to keep off any breeze, and he seemed to like watching me clean and get sprayed by the hose . Then as I was bringing everything in and setting it all back up I just set him in the living room to watch TV with the little bro and he settled right down and was perfectly fine  in fact he seemed to rather enjoy the experience, but he was completely ready to get out when i opened the door

[1newChinmom1]

I'm so very happy to hear it! Yay for You, and your patience! Sounds like he has settled in with the carrier and you are going to be fine. I am just so very happy for you! We found two carriers, one for each, put them in their respective hutches, and now they seem to think they are napping houses,lol. Guess we won't have any problems if we have to take them anywhere!

[ABC Chinchillas]

I don't think it is claustrophobia many chinchillas react that way in carriers, they just don't like being trapped. Putting im in on ocasions will not cause any trauma,

[sarahlydear]

now they seem to think they are napping houses,lol. Guess we won't have any problems if we have to take them anywhere!

lol thats nifty! My cage bottom isnt that large and the carrier is a good size so it doesnt quite fit, but maybe an outside addition.....
i can understand that, but he Majorly freaked out, either way though im glad he's moving past it

[Debbie.nl.ca]

Let them use it as a dust bath now and then, that soon changes their tunes 

[sarahlydear]

OOO that dust bath idea is really good! I might have to try that; thanks!