Chinchilla Community Forums
Chinchillas => Q & A => Topic started by: Beth on January 08, 2008, 11:14:44 AM
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Hi. I've had my chin, Louie, now for about 5 mo, he was about 2 mo old when I got him from the pet store. At the store, I was able to hold him without any trouble at all. Then, when I brought him home, a few days later, I opened the cage door to let him explore (mistake, I know) and he eventually came to me and I fed him treats. A few weeks ago, I was able to scratch him under his chin. But it was always a huge deal trying to get him back in his cage, and I had to sneak around and trap him in, which he HATES. I devised a trap, where a string is attached to the cage door, and is fed through eyelets so that when I put his food in his cage at 8, he goes in and I trap him. He barks at me then, and for the rest of the night if I go near the cage.
I've tried a little "tough love" for the past 5 days or so. I pick him up from the cage (and I do have to chase him, and he HATES it and barks at me) and when I finally get him in my arms, he's struggling the whole time. I speak to him softly, feed him bits of raisins and scratch him, but he does anything to get free. I know he'll never be snuggly like a dog or cat, but I want to get him used to being handled while he's still relatively young (7 mo now) and I don't have to scare him with my trap every time I need to get him back to the cage.
After a few minutes of tough love, I let him have his regular free time (5-8 pm) and he still comes up to me for treats, but doesn't let me scratch him anymore. He also has these mysterious furless patches on the tops of both of his big toes. They're not sores, or flaky or cracked, just furless. I've been putting vitamin E lotion on it for the past few days. I don't have a wire bottomed cage or anything.
I just wonder if I'm doing the right things here. I want the two of us to be a happy couple so badly! All advice is greatly appreciated, thank you so much!
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chasing him IN his cage as well as OUT of his cage does not seem fun to me and I am sure he would agree. i never chased my chin. sometimes when it was difficult to catch her i would just drop a small hand towel over her and she would stop right where she was and not move from under the towel. then i could pick her up and put her in her cage. i just always leave the cage door open when she has play time and she comes out on her own. now she goes back in on her own too. i think the trauma of chasing her is what is causing her to be angry with you. but dont worry, these things take time. it could take months for her to warm up to you.
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I have two new chins, and I thought getting them in the cage would be hard, but I've had good luck. Here's what I do. First, I let them come out on their own. It takes them a few minutes, as they need to assess if it's safe. Once they decide it is, they come out and have some fun. Sometimes there's noises (or they don't know my husband as well as me, so if he's in the room) and it takes them longer, or they don't come out at all. That's ok with me, if they're not comfortable, I don't make them come out. This rarely happens now though.
While they're running around they go back in the cage often. Sometimes I think for security, but also, once they're both in and I shut the doors I give them a raisin. Sometimes I think they go home early just to get the treat! When I first got them I had to lure them in with a treat, or pick up their bath while they were in it, but rewarding them for going home will make it easier for you, and for your chin. Now they do it because they know they are going to get a treat, and they readily ask for it. If they think it's their idea, and are rewarded for it, they are less likely to be angry with you.
I tried the "tough love" like you did twice, and although it calmed the aggression of one of my chins, it wasn't the best thing to do. They have long memories, adn you may find that you will have problems putting your hands in the cage later on if he feels threatened (some will bite). Remember, they need to feel safe in thier cages.
Have you tried making him hop on your hands to get out of the cage? Just be careful if he's a biter, I have one I can't do that with, as she will bite really hard.
If your chin is barking in his cage for attention, ignore it, but go back when he's being quiet and reward this behaviour. If he gets your attention with bad behaviour, he will continue to do it.
also, how long are you letting your chin out? Maybe it's not enough time and he wants to continue exercising. Does he have a wheel/flying saucer?
If you want to get closer to him, lay on the floor and give him treats. Laying down makes you seem less intimidating. My girls have only been here two months, and they sit on my chest and eat treats (I cut up a raisin so they think they're getting more) and let me pet them. They also use my stomach as a trampoline, which is hilarious!
I hope this helps. I'm sure other people who have had more experience will have other advice. Good luck.
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Well, I'm not chasing him outside his cage anymore, and haven't for a long time, I had been sneaking up on him when he goes in for food or water to shut the door, and he gets mad! Now I use the trap method and he's still mad! I will try your method of the hand towel tonight, though.
People I've spoken with at various pet stores (former breeders and owners) all recommended I try to handle him once a day, should I do that after the hand towel and before I put him back in for the night? Maybe I'll try that and he won't be so antsy. Thanks for your help!
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Definitely handle him, and hold him if he wants it and is not squirming the whole time. The hand towel was never suggested to me, I just figured it out on my own so it might not work, but I think it should. Then once you pick him up just hold him and scratch under his chin, ( I think you said he liked that). I also didnt give any treats early on unless my chin let me hold her for about 3 min with out squirming and then I gave her one once she got back in her cage. Remember, they dont need treats every day, so if he is being nasty, I wouldnt give him one. It wont make him like you any more. Ha ha ha. And even through the holding and sctarching, it will still take lots of time! I was pretty lucky and had a mellow chin, but it still took about 6 months until she was really comfortable with me. Now she comes to me when I call her and follows me around the house.
Another tip is play with him at the same time every night. I played with Herman every night at 8pm for one hour and gradually increased it. Now she is out of her cage with me most of the evening, but I really think a set schedule is so important.
Other people on this board will have more tips so keep checking. The people on this board are really helpfull, so you joined the right one!
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Update:
I let Louie out tonight, and he's running in and out of the cage to check out his new wheel. He doesn't get it yet, but I hope he does soon! I tried throwing a small towel over him so I can handle him a little, and it didn't work. He's way too quick and darts out of the way every time! darn. Still trying...please advise! Thanks!
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I have not been able to hold Kira since the two times I held her. I gave her treats and while she was distracted picked her up. But she caught on and now runs into the cage with her treats. I didn't think that was good behaviour, so I stopped. Lay on the floor on your back and hide treats in your hand. Let him know you have the treats, and when he comes for them, lure him onto your chest. Give him the treat once he's there. He will probably stop and eat it there, so then you'll have contact. YOu may eventually be able to give him little pets and rubs under the chin. At first he might not let you, so don't worry, he'll learn to trust this and will learn that petting comes with treats.
Don't chase him around to pet him, that will ruin the relationship you already have. And give it time for him to know that going home comes with treats. It took my girls about two weeks.
The wheel will help, Kira was aggressive before I got one, and now she's sweet! It will also keep you up at night rofl
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You really have to handle kits a lot in the first few months of their lives to really get them to be handle friendly. 6 or 7 months is when they really have much of their habits set in. My chins come out for play time and I set a baking timer. When the timer dings they know times up and they will go back to their cages. They know that if the timer dings and they dont go back to their cage they dont get a treat and they get shoo'd back in..lol...they are trained and conditioned this way because I taught them and worked with them when they were just young kits. The chins I have gotten elsewhere rarely learn the timer trick but will usually follow the other chins that do know what to do. some of my chins do not like being handled, and many chins will never like it, chins like to feel like they are in control. Your little chinny might be stressed about something and that is why he is chewing at his paws, or it might be alergic to the bedding you have in its cage. Believe me I have had my fair share of chase the lose chinchilla..lol...I suggest if your chin is by itself to buy a young kit from a breeder that takes extra time to handle their babies and make them cage mates. A lot of the time a buddy really changes the personality of the chin. I had a pink white female who hated to be petted touched anything. When I placed her with a large overly friendly standard her personality did a 180! Now she is the sweetest chin ever and her and him love to jump right into my arms when I open the cage and loved to be petted and scratch. Sometimes chins just need to see from other chins that everything will be ok and that us humans are actually nice and caring! ;)
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Thank you all for your advice! Tonight I'm going to try letting Lu loose in my hallway, putting the cage at one end of it so he can hop out/in on his own. That way I can hopefully catch him with a towel if he won't go in on his own, and probably try handling him for a few minutes, and I can lay down with treats and give him some lovin'. If this seems agreeable to both of us, I'll continue for a couple of weeks to see the results. If he still doesn't come around, I'll try getting another kit (awww little baby!) and handling him right away. Is it safe to get a juvenile and put him in with a maturing male? I can't afford another cage! The one I have now is pretty big though. A standard, three level, I think they'd both have room. Anyone know any good breeders around Rhode Island?
Thanks again, you guys rock!
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I have a new method that I use to get the chins in and out of the cages. Especially, with my new little lady that sprayed me. For the chins that are still afraid of me, I keep the dust bath where they cannot access it during their playtime. That way, when I am ready to get them back in the cage, I just set the dust bath down and wait. It doesn't seem to take but a minute or two, and I can successfully get them back in their cage. I put the dust bath next to me, that way they have to build a bit of trust that I will not hurt them. This seems to work wonders. I am not stressing a new chin out by scaring them, and it seems to be building our relationship.
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ChillinChinchillas: I think that is a great bit of advice. I have done this method as well, but never actually thought of it as trust building. Good one! Even now, because Herman runs the whole house now, I will hoard her dust bath until it is time to go "home" then she has a bath for a while and then knows to go back in if she has not already.
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Well, I had barricaded myself in my hallway, using the cage and a chair to keep Louie in. And it didn't take more than 2 minutes for him to figure out he could still go under the chair (even though I had covered it with a sheet) and escape to freedom and the rest of the apartment. Leaving me alone and barricaded in the hallway!
I've tried the dust bath capture method, and it gave him a complex! He would just stick his head in and dig around, then roll on the carpet, being too scared of being put back in the cage again. So, that's out. He's so smart, it really amazes me. But he hasn't figured out the wheel yet, so he can't be a genius!
I'm looking into getting a kit to handle and teach Louie I'm not so bad.
Louie is still really friendly, compared to other pet store chins I've seen. He hops on my lap every once in a while, sometimes lets me scratch him, and sits on my feet. I'm going to purchase a baby-gate and try the barricade-in-hallway method again tomorrow to get him used to being handled. He'll no doubt outsmart me again though!
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well it sounds like progress in the fact that Louie approaches you! Yay! I love my baby gate and use it often! Good luck!
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Thanks. But you're not going to believe this one, Louie outsmarted me two times again. That makes three times just this evening! You can actually see the little guy thinking and figuring things out! First, he figured out the trap method I use to trap him in his cage by tying a string to the gate and pulling it shut once he's in. He watched me do it and sneaks out just in time! Then, I finally got him in using the same method, and moved my chair that he escaped under earlier this evening, and used his cage to block the small hallway to get some handling time in. First, he made a running jump to climb the cage, which I stopped. Then he sat there looking at me (thinking) and easily hopped up to the sink, and over the cage to freedom. :o
At least he sometimes lets me pet him. I really want to get another one, a friend said I could use her cage from an old guinea pig, but I'm afraid it will be too much trouble. Is it? I'm in graduate school and currently on break until the 23rd, but after that I won't be around too much. I'm kinda giving up on Louie, in that he outsmarts my every move to try and handle him. ???
HELP!
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Dont give up! Remember it takes time. I am a one chin kind of person, so I dont know how to answer your question about getting another one. I couldnt imagine, because they live for so long, ha ha ha. When we first got Herman, the person we rescued her from neglected to tell us how lomg chins live. Just having one for me is a huge comminment, and I always want the best for her. But as many on this board will tell you, they have more than one chin and it works out fine for them. I would just say have big enough cages to hold them, and enough finances for the best possible care.
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They are so smart! Since I tried the "tough love" as you called it, M'noke, who just witnessed it, was aware of what I did,and they are both careful now when I give them treats. I think the fact that he sits and jumps with you is good. That's how my girls are,and I know when I first got them, I couldn't even think of petting them before they would hop away. (seriously, they knew I was thinking it!) :::(((
If you're not going to be around there are ups and downs to getting anew chin. ONe: Louie would then have company, but then might not need you. Two: They might need your love when you are with them.
It's a tough call, and you won't know until you do it. I would hang in for a bit more, and see if he's going to come around. Someone told me it was exactly the six month mark where their chin became loving. But I really don't know, I'm in the same boat as you!
Maybe try locking him in the bathroom, where there's no trouble he can get into and he can't get away. It's probably so small he'll get bored and just love your attention! rofl
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Yeah, I'm really at a loss about what to do. I'm going to see a new baby this weekend, and I know I'm going to fall in love...but he's not available until the end of Feb. anyway.
I think all my effort to love Louie is stressing him out, so I'm just going to try once more tonight in the hallway, with the baby gate on top of the cage. I really want to be able to hold him for at least a minute, so he's somewhat used to handling before it's too late, but I don't want to freak him out forever, either. If he gets out, he gets out and I'll just have to let him do his thing. Eventually maybe he'll come around??? ::think::
I'll keep you posted on how it goes tonight! Thanks so much for the replies! ::nod::
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Here is my advice:
It seems like you are getting another one (if you do) because Lu doesn't love you as much as you want and you think another one might. You also think that this other chinchilla will teach Lu. This is going to sound very horrible but I think you are taking the easy way out. I think you are at your wits end and are ready to give up but getting another chinchilla seems like it could be a miracle option that means you don't have to do a lot but you get the results you want. See I told you that was going to sound nasty. I don't want to shout at you and if I'm wrong I really apologise. I could have got the wrong end of the stick completely. A pet is a huge commitment, not something you can give up on. Would you give up on your child if you had one, just because they were misbehaving? Don't get another chinchilla because you're not happy with the way your current one is acting. My Cheech was exactly the same way when I first got her but now she is as tame as can be. It took me a year and a half to win her over, but it was worth it. Please don't hate me for what I have said I'm not having a go, I just don't want you to get another chinchilla because you think there is something wrong with yours only to find out that the new one is exactly the same and now you have two to deal with. I hope you can understand.
Now for some better advice. :)
Sit by the cage. Let Lu sniff your fingers through the cage. Tickle him through the cage and let him take treats from you and nibble your fingers (the greeting nibbles, don't let him bite you hard :)). Sit with your legs on level with the door so that if you opened the door he could hop onto your legs. Put your hands in the cage trough the door and let him come to them. Do not chase him around because he doesn't like it and he will learn your hands are scary. Let him come to your hands of his own accord and give him treats. Not too many or you'll make him unhealthy. He might try and escape. Only let him onto your legs and use your hands to stop him escaping. This might be really hard. :::grins:: He has to learn that he can't come out all the time anyway. Play with him in the cage, tickle him and use your hand to snuggle with him if he'll let you. This is how I bonded with Cheech. Eventually when she was on my lap I could hug her to my body. She hated this at first and would run back to the safety of her cage, but after a month or so she learned to trust me. Sometimes I would give her a treat while holding her so that she learned to associate hugs with treats. I hold her with her head under one of my arms which I hug her with and my fingers round her bum with her tail through two of them. It takes a lot of time to earn the trust of a prey animal. Have patience.
Some advice on letting him out:
Try and find an enclosed room. A lot of people use the bathroom making sure there is no water around first. Making barricades rarely works as you know because they are so damned intelligent. Mine spend all their time trying to outsmart me and get under the bed etc. And just as others have said find something your chinchilla likes to use as a bribe to get him to go back in. With the dust bath, show it to him and don't let him in, hopefully he'll get even more excited. Lure him into the cage. Put the dust bath completely in the cage if you can and shut him in with it. Mine learned I did this and eventually wouldn't go back in. :)
A lot of people here use timers. They set the timer for half an hour or whatever and when it rings they get their chinchilla(s) back into the cage. After a time they learn that the bell means they have to go back, but if going back is rewarded with a treat they start to go back automatically to get the treat. Try lettign him out at the same time each day if you can and for the same amount of time. Chinchillas respond well to a scedule. I try not to chase mine too much. The towel never worked for me either. I try to get them into a corner where their only way out is past me. If I'm on my knees and they jump on my lap I hug them to me quickly and deposit them in their cage with a treat to follow. Also you are not comfortable holding a chinchilla. I wasn't and it's hard to pick them up when you're not comfortable doing it you just don't know how. After a while it becomes second nature and everything becomes a lot easier.
And some thoughts on treats. You don't want to give too many treats because they become unhealthy and can get ill, bad livers and diabetes etc. It should be limited to one a day, but when you're training a chin you might need to give them more. Well this is something I found handy. I have another brand of chinchilla food I use for treats. It tastes different to their normal one and has a different shape and texture and they think it's a treat. I give them one or two pellets a day and they think they're not allowed to have a lot of them. There, perfect treats that they can't have too many of. :)
Anyway I hope I've helped and I hope you don't hate me now. I don't want to be nasty I just don't want you to give up on your little one or get another thinking that will solve the problem when it might make it worse. It does take time to earn their trust, they are prey animals and think how huge we are to them. They are scared and it might take you a year to fully earn his trust but it is so worth it! Be patient. Spend a little time each day with him, letting him get to know you, tickling him, treating him, earning his trust. Then try letting him onto your lap to pick him up. I really hope it all works for you. It looks like you're making progress anyway because he will come to you and will let you tickle him. Keep us all informed as well. :)
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Whew, why do I feel like I've just been called to the principal's office for something I didn't do? :)
It's ok, I get your point. But I would never give up on Louie! I just meant give up with the whole trying-to-hold-him-when-he-obviously-hates-it-thing. The little darling is my life, and it was a suggestion I was entertaining to think about getting another chin. Thanks to stellar advice, like yours, I have decided against it, at least while I'm in graduate school. I just don't have time for two, esp. if they don't get along! But Louie and I work well, me doing homework at night and him running around and sitting on my feet while I type, and he sleeps the whole day while I'm in class. I have faith he'll come around eventually.
The way my apartment is (tiny!) it's impossible to seclude him in another room. Barriers won't work, and as soon as I open the cage he shoots out like a bullet! I will try only letting him on my lap, but he'll shoot out of there superquick too, I'm sure.
So, I'll keep you guys all posted! Right now he's busily chewing away on a cardboard box and staring at me, cutie-pie!
Thanks for all the advice, I appreciate it.
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Don't take any offense, it is a group of chin owners giving advice. That is what is so wonderful about this forum. I think everyone just wanted to make sure you know all of the pros and cons before investing in another possible 20 year commitment. I know how hard it is to be a student with a chin. I am a stay-at-home mom, along with being a full time student. I currently have 8 chins here. I spend a MINIMUM of three hours a day on the chins alone. Everyone knows how much you love your chin. If you didn't love and cherish him, you would not take the time in this forum! I look forward to seeing how your relationship progresses. It took me about a year for my first chin to fully warm up to me. I have two new chins, and they have both peed on me today. Sooo...it could be worse! :doh:
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Thanks, there's definitely no hard feelings at all! Thank all of you for the great advice and I'll keep everyone posted on the adventures of Beth and Louie! Wow, I'm amazed about you being a stay at home Mom and a full time student plus chins! You're my hero! ;)
Stay tuned...
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Sorry again! I know it's not nice to get harsh advice.
I understand about giving up on holding him and to a certain degree I agree with that. Don't force him. He'll come round eventually, like I said, with time. :) It's not important anyway, he comes to you and sits on your feet, you've not had him very long anyway.
Chinchillas are great pets because they sleep during the day while we are all away and awake at night while we are here. And they learn your routine so they learn to wake up just as you get back.
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Awwww...you just made my day! :blush2:
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Thought I'd share a story with you today, in the hopes that it would help. When I first got Kira and M'noke, Kira was very aggressive. She once bit me so hard and deeply that i have nerve damage ??? I was very distressed and didn't know what to do. I got her a wheel (which was hard to find here, I had to get it shipped in). Today she sat on my chest eating a treat (they were both there) and gave my face a full on sniff, placing her paws on my chin to sniff further up my face. In our house (with our cats) this is considered a kiss. :::grins::
If my Kira can come around, your Louie can too. :)
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Glad to see you have given up the idea of getting a baby so soon after obtaining your first chin...especially with small living quarters, little time, and probably little funding. Also, to encourage this decision, know that regardless of breed, sex, or age--there is no way of knowing how any 2 chinchillas will get along, PLUS they do not always have much influence on one another (in regards to your hopes that a new one would help "train" this one). Like just about everyone else, I have come to realize that it can take many months to see results in behavior modification. My smallest house-mates are a 16-y/o female (Charlie) I got when she was 10-weeks, and a 4-y/o male (Chin) I just adopted 3 weeks ago. I discover/observe something new in their behaviors almost every day:
I have just recently gotten to the point where Charlie almost goes into her cage on command: after running around and doing ninja-style acrobatics she gets tired and goes to a particular spot to rest, and if she stays long enough I go over to her cage and squat next to it...she immediately runs over, looks up to her cage and back at me, gives me nose kisses, I say "go on in" and she leaps up to the 2nd level, I give her a scratch and close the door and slip her a treat.
I was told when I adopted Chin, that he was a lover and liked being handled. Well, if that was true (and it could be), then he digressed tremendously when handed over to a new owner (he had been with a foster parent for 4 months) because the little bugger wanted nothing to do with me, HATED being held and wouldn't even allow a finger touch when out of the cage, and worse yet he didn't play at all or chew on anything (but his appetite and digestion were fine, thank goodness). He has improved remarkably, and is much more "normal". Now, if I sit really still and not reach out to him, he comes up to me to sniff my face or nibble on my clothes, and is just starting to respond when I make noises at him. But my point is--like that of everyone else--is that it has been a slow process and requires LOTS of patience. So much love and hope to you in the process of growing a relationship with your new friend. Please don't be discouraged by his less-than-amiable behavior.
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I'm having trouble with my chin to. I tried chaseing him around and catch him but thats hard to do. He doesn't like it either. I'v been giving him a raision right by the cage and then I can get him in. He's only about 2 months old though, and I'v been told that its not good to give baby chins treats yet. What do you think? I think I'm going to try the towel thing and see if that works.
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I had this trouble with my chin in the begining too.... the other day after much reading i had decided to let him out to play and instead of trying frantically to keep him from jumping on my bed or hiding in little spaces that id idnt want him in, i simply let him out and basically ignored him.. I come to the belief that he wanted me to get him in trouble. he kept going to the usual "no no" places in the room and would stop and look at me. I ignored him and read a book. He ran up and jumped on me, this is when i was really convinced he was trying to get in trouble and was confused as to why i wasnt scolding him lol. After he got the point that i wasn't going to care he came down and sat with me as i read my book and part of the time sat on my shoulder.. even took a nibble from the pages. he also went into his cage willingly without any persuasion or bribery. i figure he just needed to get his exploration out of the way to calm down because no matter how many times i tried to keep him away from those places he would find his way with his little ninja moves.
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I'm having trouble with my chin to. I tried chasing him around and catch him but thats hard to do. He doesn't like it either. I'v been giving him a raision right by the cage and then I can get him in. He's only about 2 months old though, and I'v been told that its not good to give baby chins treats yet. What do you think? I think I'm going to try the towel thing and see if that works.
::silly:: Please, do NOT chase your chin, that only frightens him and makes him NOT trust you. You can give him a piece of the raisin, or give him dried papaya, or dried rose hips, an oyster cracker, mini wheat (not sugar coated), a Cherrio, a piece (1/8) of toast ... these are OK treats for even the little ones. The "towel thing" is only used when bribery did not work and you are on a time limit to get him back in the cage. I would suggest playing with him in the bathroom ... it will be much easier to corner him ... without having to chase him.
... after much reading i had decided to let him out to play and instead of trying frantically to keep him from jumping on my bed or hiding in little spaces that id idnt want him in, i simply let him out and basically ignored him.. I come to the belief that he wanted me to get him in trouble. he kept going to the usual "no no" places in the room and would stop and look at me. I ignored him and read a book. He ran up and jumped on me, this is when i was really convinced he was trying to get in trouble and was confused as to why i wasnt scolding him lol. After he got the point that i wasn't going to care he came down and sat with me as i read my book and part of the time sat on my shoulder.. even took a nibble from the pages. he also went into his cage willingly without any persuasion or bribery. i figure he just needed to get his exploration out of the way to calm down because no matter how many times i tried to keep him away from those places he would find his way with his little ninja moves.
Chinchillas are very smart ... the one thing they like above all else, is to be the center of attention - even if it's the bad attention. They go to places they are not suppose to go to so that you will have to come and get them or fuss at them ... when you do that ... they know you are giving them your undivided attention. :D Once he found you were going to ignore him ... he figured he could get your attention by coming to you and share reading with you ... that's all he wanted ... to be given attention ... to share time with you ... when they get attention, they know they are loved, and will give love (and some cooperation) in return. ::nod::
::howdythere:: Jo Ann
The daily playtime outside of a cage for your chinchilla is a time for you to spend with it, one-on-one, no distractions.
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thats exactly what i figured, i thought it was amazing how he went to the places he knows i use to chase him away from, stopped, and just starred at me. at one point i was even stretched out on the floor and he ran up and jumped on my head and ran around me... as if to say, "HEY IM OVER HERE!!" its crazy how smart these little critters are.
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LOL thats funny and yeah it is crazy how smart they are!
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My youngest chinchilla won't come out of his cage before 8pm. I'm not kidding, before 8pm it's like he's terrified of me. After 8pm he's dancing to come out and jumps into my hands. :::grins::
Was happy going back in his cage until I moved and since then never wants to go back in. I use a box with a hole in it as a sandbath so he's out he goes in and out of that a couple of times and when I want to put him away I just wait until he goes for a bath, put my hand over the hole and move the box to the cage.
This link below shows a sort of 'human' equivalent of this trick!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JVWJmUK1Yc0
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from what I have been reading, chasing your chinchilla is a no no. it scares them, they hate that. as for getting him to be a more handled pet like a dog or cat. it can be done. I have been reading about it.
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Chinchillas hate being chased around. If I had to guess about it (And I'm just guessing) maybe it triggers some sort of natural reaction, I mean, in the wild all they have to rely on is they're speed to get away from threats. I would try just sticking my hand in the cage and speaking softly to him, let him come to you if he wants.
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Chasing isn't good and it doesn't make it any easier to catch them. I got smart and would block them off so it got to a point if pogo got out i knew where he was going and i'd block out the other part of my room. I'd wait till he came back out and cought him by blocking the rest of it off with the play fency and also using blankets.
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I had one chin originally (she's still my favourite!!) but got her a buddy because it seemed so sad for her to be alone. Now they are permanently squashed up against each other. You might find your chin settles once she's got a friend as her cage won't be so lonely!
With regards to getting chins in, well i've got different tactics!
Maggie my rescue chin actually just goes straight into her cage as soon as i want her away (she's a mind reader), smokie insists on circling the room twice to show that she's boss :) then goes in and Yuri puts himself in as soon as i put the chair up to the cage (his cage is quite high up). To get to this stage with them I discovered that it's best not to have to chase them into their cage, i just let them out for hours so that they are happy to put themselves back to bed. I think routine is the secret. Every night they are out a couple of hours and then they go away to their cage, the safe place where i won't pester them. With yours, it might be an idea to make his cage a 'safe' zone where you don't chase him out of it or even try to stroke him, make it the nice food zone and quiet place and then he'll love it there.
Good luck!
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Something I do is I give rolled oats as the good boy treat(when he comes to greet me at the front of the cage or comes over to me at play time) and then when I hold Herby I take half of a raisin and while I'm holding him I give him little sections of that, then after an amount of time(I run out of raisin pieces) I put him down and give him the other half of the raisin. As the holding times get longer I'll probably start using more oats in between and eventually go down on the amount.
Then when I want him to go back in his cage I have a timer go off and when he easily goes back into the cage I give him another half of a raisin. Now my raisins are pretty small and since we're in a training "season" I see that as being OK.
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My chins do this too... I made a game out of chasing them! (Well... more of a trick. But I think they like it!) What I do is I sit in the middle of the room, and when they come up to me, I tap them on the back. They run away, and then come back, and I tap them on the back again. Eventually they keep coming up just to get a tap on the back, and then I just grab their tail, tap them, and pick them up! Then they get a variety of happy "good chinchilla!" noises from me, and promptly get a treat when back in their cage.
My chin Spice has figured the "game" out though, so what I do now is I open the can of rasins, set it out, lay on my bed, and wait for the little stinker to come try to gourge on the treat! Then I snatch her right up. Hay also works for that. Just be patient and not forceful, and make sure you have plenty of play time for them, and catch time for you. If you get frustrated, they get antsy and stay away. So just stay calm, be patient, and let him have fun! :) Good luck! :) ::silly::
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That little 'game' is a cute idea. Mine have play time in an enclosed play pen now, so no more trying to catch them.
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I was originally only going to get one because even one seemed like a huge commitment, but the more I researched Chinchillas I learned that they are very social creatures, they need at least an hour with their person every day and they are used to living with other chinchillas. The only difference between owning one and owning two (which I now have) is that you buy more food, hay and toys and need a big enough cage for them both. I would caution you though, don't just bring a second one home and throw it in with your first one. Put them in separate cages at first, maybe right next to each other so they can smell each other and 'talk' to each other. They need to be compatible and bonded before you can put them together. You don't want them fighting because they don't get a long. Mine came together and were already used to sharing a cage, but I have seen you tube videos about the bonding process with two chinchillas. Take it slow, first with proximity then you can try a shared play time and if they seem to get a long great then I would put them in a freshly cleaned cage (so there is no smell giving one chinchilla an advantage over the other) with all new toys and things and keep a close eye on them to make sure it goes well. As for your play time trouble. My baby boys don't let me hold them yet but the more time I spend with them the more they let me pet them and scratch them. I reward them for climbing on me and now they climb all over me and with time they might be more inclined to let me hold them but you need to be patient. You need a safe secure space where they can go in and out of their cage on their own (i set up a play pen they can't escape, your hallway sounds great just invest in a play pen or baby gate to keep them in the hallway) and be patient during playtime too. Put fresh food and hay in their cage and after they've had a lengthy play time they will need food and water and when they go in close the door behind them, maybe slip them a treat after the door is closed so they won't be upset. I find that if my boys have had enough time they aren't bothered by the end of play time and just come rushing out the next day when it is time to play.
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Watch out because with a pen or a baby gate they can jump over the walls up to 6 feet tall pretty easy if they learn they can. If it's critical they don't get out you can put a sheet over the top of a play pen (although they might chew it if they climb up to it).
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This is the fun in owning the little darlings.
I use a timer as I have so many, and put treats on their shelves while they are out.They are smart and soon learned when the timer went off their treats were ready and they go back to their cages.
This can take from weeks to months of doing it though. No rush they live a long time.
Mine won't stop long enough when out for their runs for a scratch, that's an in the cage treat. ;)
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our zippy is held 2 to 3 times a day so he is used to us holding him he will not let us hold him for long tho he gets wiggily & that lets us know it is time to be placed back in the cage also when a chin gets to be around 7 months of age to a year and a half they get hormonal teen agers so you might notice he is not so keen on being held & bites/nips a bit more
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Thanks to everyone who has posted to this thread so far. Great suggestions abound!
I adopted a pair of chinchillas this week (sisters from the same litter, six months old), and I love them! I have had similar issues to all of you with regards to petting them, and getting them to go back to their cage when playtime is finished. They just want to continue running around my room, chewing on things and hiding. So far I have used their dust bath as a lure - when they go to take a bath, I cover the entrance to the bath house with my hand and bring them back to the cage. Clearly they don't like this, however, as they are starting to become skeptical about taking a bath. I will discontinue this tactic.
My concern so far with getting them back to their cage is that they stay away from it during their free time. My bedroom is rather large, and they'd much rather run under the bed, run around or hide somewhere. I could move their playtime to my bathroom, although getting them to/from the bathroom doesn't seem possible without using the bath house trick. There's no way they trust me enough yet to let me pick them up and carry them between rooms. Any suggestions?
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Yeah I did this with both my chinchillas (did not have two at the same time but you can do this for both). First you work on each one in the cage to get them used to being touched then proceed to petting, then start putting your hand under them and let them crawl on your arm. Then start picking them up and putting them down. Do this in steps and don't go to the next until the first is mastered. Do it in short sessions several times a day. Try to do it at night when they are the most alert and active. It will take a few weeks if your chinchillas don't tolerate being touched at first. Once you can hold them for a few seconds at a time you can put them into a carry cage. (You should have one anyway for emergencies).
You should develop a technique to hold them at the base of the tail and under the front legs with two hands and do not give them room to wriggle away which can be dangerous for them. Then you can play with them in the shower stall where they cannot avoid you and handle them for short periods each night. After a couple of weeks of that you should be able to hold them long enough that you won't need the carry cage. My first chinchilla was very wild and it was hard to tame him. My second was from a breeder and was used to people but not used to being held or handled. The first chinchilla would let me carry him around for about 3-5 minutes in a hold. My second will let me carry him around until he gets overheated which can take about 10-15 minutes. That chinchilla will now come to me to get scratched and petted through the bars and will hold still to be petted when held. It took about 6 months before he got to that point but he started out as a very hyperactive individual. It's a process but you'll find these animals are extremely trainable and have good memories. And I am also talking about holding them in your hands which chinchillas don't like. Mine has always liked to crawl on me and perch on my shoulder. It took me a week to train him to be carried around on my shoulder and he'll stay up there for up to 30 minutes without getting upset. You just have to be patient and consistent. The timescales will vary depending on the animal.
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Getting down to "his level" with him to talk or reach into his cage will make him far more confident that you’re not going to hurt him. Use slow, gentle movements and keep talking calmly.
Also this is a good video with some more bonding tips: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NEBThrk_Ibg
Sounds like you are putting a lot of effort into bonding with him; i know how frustrating it is so don't become discouraged....It'll come!
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This is a bit late sorry!! I had a similar issue with my second chinchilla. She was very skittish and afraid. I got her from a breeder and when that lady picked her up, she was very friendly and didn't bark. However, when i brought her to my house... she was very afraid and barked at everything. If i would open the cage, she would stay in her house barking. She wouldn't even come to treats for me. It just takes time with them. Eventually she/he will get used to you. I just picked up the stuff in her house and forced her to come out. I then brought her to the bathroom where she has nowhere to hide. She slowly got used to me and stopped barking at everything. Believe it or not, she now tries to come out of her cage whenever she gets the time to. It'll just take some time to bond. Good luck!