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[animalluver]

My chinchilla doesn't really seem to like me all that much. Sometimes, when she's feeling a bit more active, she'll come out to me, and sometimes she'll push my hand away (whenever I try to take her out it's always at night, though). When I let her run she'll jump and sit on me, but overall it seems like she is only eager about playtime, not me. Is there any special trick I could try? Also, is it true chinchillas lick you? I've heard that, but mine never has.

[dianah]

many chins don't like being picked up. what happens when you stick your hand in the cage?

i have six chins and only one of them licks me. and it's not like a dog or cat lick, i don't know if she does it out of affection or just by accident

[jmdebb]

OMG that cracks me up    angel does it all the time, gets both paws and just PUSHES ME AWAY.. haha.. get away from me mommy...

that is totally normal.  ever have a cat, they hate to be picked up.. but on their terms they can sit on your lap and cuddle.  well chins are worse, they don 't even cuddle.. so its all normal.

i say since she's jumping on  you thats a good sign she's getting use to you and not afraid of you. 

[dianah]

see, spock actually very much likes to be picked up. he actively asks to be picked up. unfortunately he doesn't like to be held (i know, weirdo!) so you pick him up, put him back, pick him up, put him back.. he enjoys it though

the other lot are not extremely keen on being picked up but once you've got them, they don't struggle and they're quite happy to be stroked and stuff, as long as you don't try any funny business like checking for hair rings and such.

[animalluver]

lol ok It's good to know all this. When I stick my hand in the cage she just comes up and sniffs it. Thanks for all the help and funny stories!

[dianah]

if she comes to your hand then she likes you. she just doesn't like to be picked up and i guess it is understandable. i would imagine if you get lifted up in the wild, you're just about to be eaten so perhaps they are born with that phobia just like we are born with phobia of falling. also, some like to be picked up in different ways. spock likes to be cupped around his tummy, mae's happier if i cup her tummy with one hand and her back with the other hand.

[animalluver]

Yeah-- my chin likes having my hands on either side of her so she can just sort of take a running leap into my arms lol 

[jmdebb]

actually chin chin can be picked up too, if i do it slowly, but he was my first and i worked with him alot...

[dianah]

mae can be picked up quite easily but this is simply because she has learnt that mummy always wins - i had to pick her up a lot from the start to give her medicine and check things. she also prefers to be picked up when she's facing a certain way on top of her tunnel so that's how i do it. i can't say she enjoys it though, she accepts it's a necessary evil. she loves being stroked and tickled and all.

[Debbie.nl.ca]

Take her out and put her inside you sweater/jacket/fleece, something with a tight waist band. Let her run out your arms and poke her head out the sleeve. They seem to like up behind the neck 
And do it during the day, before they are fully awake and a ball of energy. Chins don't mind , unlike some other rodents who'd bite the hand off you if you woke them.
They are just so much easier to handle then, their run time is just that.

[animalluver]

OK, I'll try that right now-- it's daytime so she'll be sleepy 

[Blondy40]

LOL... ..each one is so different..All 4 of mine are okay with being held..just not for long..they get squirmy and I think overheated and anxious. The boys are a bit more relaxed but they have been with me more than a year longer than the girls. It is fun to let them out at exercise time (boys separate from girls)..because they will jump all over me and sit on my shoulders or under my neck. I love to observe the different behaviorisms of each of them...girls are so much wilder than the boys... ..I swear I need to get some sort of night camera and keep it in their room..just to get a glimpse of what they do..from the looks of the cage and everything they each have to play with..I think the girls believe they are in some WWF arena with the way things are tossed around the cage... The boys are sloppier definitely but a bit more calmer and just plain lazier than the girls. The girls are WILD Women! I just love them!! 

[Debbie.nl.ca]

That's so funny.... as hidden camera 
Yes I wonder????hmmmmm
My  4 year old grandson and I say they are partying all night. He is usually ahead of me and walks in the room and says " nanny they had some party last night" !!!!!   

You have to think like a prey animal, every move you make will invoke a reaction, so slow and steady is best.
Some love to be in a blanket, or a sack. I have carried many around on a knapsack on my shoulder lines with fleece.They need to feel protected.

[opaldamour]

My girls don't like being picked up. Lily will let you hold her (if you can catch her) as long as you hold her facing you with one hand cupped under her tush and one around her middle. But she doesn't overly enjoy it. Dharma will sit in your craddled arms for all of 5 seconds before she's trying to jump off.

However, they will both sit in my lap and let me pet them on occasion. Try laying on your stomach on the floor while your chin is out playing. That's one of the things we did. Our girls decided if we weren't staring at them, it was ok to crawl on us and it went from there. It's like a miny Chinny massage!

We also got into the habit of giving them a treat whenever we went into the room, or took them out. And by treat I mean a flake of oatmeal. Something incredibly small. They only get one raisin a day, period. But the oatmeal flakes can be doaled out one bit at a time in small quantities. Now, they hear the oatmeal container or the raisin container and they are all over me. They also will come to the front of the cage if they hear us in the room, hoping for a treat (although at this point it's mostly scratches only).