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[AliciaColette]

I got my chinchilla a little over a month ago and he was approximately 2 months according to the vet. I got him from the pet store, and even there he was squirmy and hard to handle. When I brought him home I let him out for playtime on the first day without knowing that I should have left him alone for the first week (other than feeding and that stuff). Now he has become used to me for the most part, but he still will not let me pick him up. I read somewhere that you should not let them out for playtime until they allow you to handle them.
So what If I have already made this mistake???
He has a routine playtime every night for about an hour, should I stop allowing this until he lets me handle him?
The second i open the cage door he jumps out so how do I go about this??
Also his current cage does not have a wheel and would not fit one, as I plan to get a bigger cage when he grows a little more. So if I do not give him enough playtime he goes crazy up and down the levels and jumping in the cage, I worry he is going to hurt himself.
I just want to create that bond with him and I think I might be doing it wrong
 Thanks for any advice!

[alaskapoppy]

Hi!
Chinchillas need a lot of time to get used to a certain person and they take a lot of time to trust someone. Some chinchillas also don't like to be picked up or handled at all.. You should try some things to bond with your chinchilla like speaking to him while he is in his cage, place your hand in the cage and let him smell it. If you let your chinchilla out for playtime you should try to sit on the floor, chinchillas are very curious so he will come up to you.

I personally don't think not leaving him out for play time would help your situation, but that's just my point of you. I have had my chinchillas for over a year and after almost 8 months I was able to pick them up and handle them. I recently got a new chinchilla and I was able to pick him up after a week. Some chinchillas take more time then others and some chinchillas like to be handled and others don't..

I hope this helped.

[GhostStang17]

Does he bank at you, nibble or just run away? I'm currently working on bonding with some rescued chins, one is ok with being picked up the other has her days she will Great me and sniff but I can't touch her at times. Other days she ok with it and doesn't bark at me. I find playing the great game is working, where you let them sniff a treat then before they get it move to another location on the cage, it's apparently a fun game for them let them get the tray eventually. Good luck with your chin.

[AliciaColette]

Thanks so much for your advice!

He rarely barks, when he does its only in the middle of the night or bright and early in the morning. I think it happens when something startles him and wakes him up. 
When I try to pick him up he just runs away. There was a moment where he escaped his playpen and luckily i didn't have to chase him, I just reacted quickly and grabbed him gently and he made a little noise. Nothing like barking though and he was fine once I put him down.