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[asphidabita]

Hello!

Just thought I would join here as I am planning on adopting two chinchillas in the coming weeks, a six year old  boy and a five month old boy, they will be my first (I´m Australian and have only just moved to a country that actually HAS them, we dont get chins, gerbils or hamsters back home) Apparently they are both living happily together at the moment so I know that they get along and I´ve been researching like mad to get ready for their arrival.

I was just wondering how people have gone at bonding with older chins? I´ve read that it´s best to start socialising them young and I know that both have been handled but I am wondering at how best to bond with and earn the trust of the six year old since he may be a bit set in his ways. Had to resist the urge to get two new babies since I know that these two are happy, healthy and really want a good home, just I´m a little worried that maybe the older one won´t take to me.

Also wondering how long I should leave them alone when they arrive home and when would be good to gradually let them out in the bathroom for some exercise.....

Researching like mad, want to be 100€ ready when I bring my boys home to make it as stress free as possible so any tips would be greatly appreciated!

[chinclub]

Congrats on your new chinchillas!    Every chinchilla is different.  Once you get them home give them the rest of the day to get settled and then the next day you can start socializing.  Start by sticking your hand just inside the cage and see what they do.  Hopefully they will come to your hand and sniff. You can put a bit of chinchilla dust in your palm or a 1/4 teaspoon of Quaker rolled oats to get them interested. 

You want them to be really comfortable with your hands before you let them out of the cage.  If you don't bond with them in the cage first you could scare them when you have to get them back into the cage.  This could make it much slower for them to bond with you.

[asphidabita]

Cheers, thanks for the advice

I´m trying to organise a cage at the moment since the one I was keen on turned out to be too small so I´ve had to delay picking them up for a little while, hoping that my boyfriend can make something suitable this weekend (ah, the perks of living with a builder/forensic chemist.....quality furniature with a side serve of dull facts about neutrons  )

So anxious to get them home and get started on bonding with them!

[dianah]

they're all different but i think you'll be fine my rescue - we're not sure how old she is but we're guessing at least 5 or 6 based on her freckles and the advanced stages of all her health problems - and she loves me more than the others! i got fluffy when she was about four months old and the other four were with me since the day they were born, three of which i had to hand feed! they do like me (varying degrees, one really likes to be picked up, another can sit there being stroked for ages and the girls are sort of happy to get a little scratch on their terms) but mae absolutely loves me. i think she knows that i saved her but i had to do horrible things to her to start with as she was so very sick, i had to give her nasty tasting medicine, force feed her, take her to the vet for injections so never had the time to just leave her alone and let her get used to me. and she still loves me and i'm sure your will love you too

[asphidabita]

Silver and Dragon came home yesterday and they are adorable! Lots of exploring and sniffing around and they run up to the front of the cage when I go into the room and today both of them took treats from my hand Silver seems to be the more laid back of the two, maybe because he is older. Dragon is not fully grown yet so he is a bit more skittish and bounces all over the place but is already top dog of the cage, the old owner says that since he is more dominant hopefully I wont have problems with them fighting as he grows up since he is already the established leader.

[Debbie.nl.ca]

I have bought as old as 5 years and they were just as sweet and friendly as the ones born here. Age has little to do with it, it`s how well they were treated before.If they were happy they should be the same once they have adjusted. Congrats.

[asphidabita]

Yup, as you guys predicted I´ve had no problems at all bonding with Silver, during playtime he jumps all over me and tries to clumb onto my shoulder and loves a good belly rub. I´m actually having more problems with the younger boy but I think he is just full of excess energy, he is not scared of me but seems too busy running around having fun to come and say hello but he is getting much better.

It´s been an amazing experience so far and I´m so pleased I didnt get two kits, I definantly see more chins joining our family down the track and I am sure they will be mature age rescues

[Debbie.nl.ca]

Addictive aren't they