my neighbor has a male chin for two to three years and lately started biting .
Something has happened to make it start biting all of a sudden. Chinchillas rarely bite without reason.
Something is causing them to be afraid ... fear and self defense are the two most common reasons for a chinchilla to bite.
This person needs to stop and think about exactly what circumstances are when the chin attempts to bite them. Who else is in the room? Is there a t.v. or radio on that is to loud? Any sudden noises? Have they changed the location of the chinchilla's cage? Any new people living there? Any children? Visitors? Have they been handled to roughly? Have they been yelled at or hit?
Has the chin had a checkup lately? Sometimes biting can be one of the first signs of illness.
Sorry, but I'm all for the chinchillas ... if you pay attention, you can usually find out or have a clue to what is going on with the chin's wanting to bite.
As a general rule they will give you warning before biting. Several ... try to hide, try to run away, fuss at you, push your hand away with their paws, females some times will spray first, some will even give you a firm nip as a warning before they really bite. One that bites can sometimes take it all the way to the bone and refuse to turn loose of you.
After well over a decade with chinchillas and having over 200 chins at one time for a good length of time, I have only been bitten 3 times. Believe me, something is going on that is causing the chin to bite. Sometimes they can be scared of something we would not expect them to be scared of. Observation is the best teacher.
Find out what is being done that is wrong and stop doing it is my best advice.
Keep us posted!
Jo Ann
