Chinchillas as Pets
Posted by Jennifer Snyder on Sun, Nov 08, 2009 @ 10:31 AM
I read several comments each day on disappointment in chinchilla ownership. This is a disturbing but all to common phenomena. Many people see videos on you tube, see friend’s chinchilla’s or see chins on animal planet and feel that a chin is the perfect pet for them; unfortunately this is not always the case. All too often I respond to yahoo answers, blogs and posts on unhappy chinchilla owners. The problem seems to lie in expectations. Chinchillas can be very rewarding pets...if you know what you are getting into. As you may have noticed comments I have made in other posts, chinchillas are not dogs, they are not cats, they are chinchillas. Often chinchilla owners express disappointment in their first few weeks or months of chinchilla ownerships. These feelings are almost inevitable if you do not have proper expectations when you purchase or adopt your first chinchilla. Chins do not respond in the way that a dog or cat does to a new owner. For example, a dog might lick you, respond to you and be happy to interact with you almost immediately. A chinchilla however, will likely be scared in her new environment, and not even willing to take treats out of your hand, let alone allow you to hold her. I know this might sound pretty drastic, but it is true, chinchillas take work, time and patience to trust their human owners and many do not ever like being held.
Chinchillas have VERY long life spans (up to 20 years), and after observing chinchilla behavior for the last 9 years, I can say with confidence, chinchillas are bright social creatures who learn new behaviors with time and patience.., they adore social interaction, thrive on it actually and can and will bond with their human owners. Like alpacas, llamas and other South American creatures, chinchillas thrive in pairs and hard time living solitary lives. If you choose to get just one chinchilla, she will depend on you for friendship and you will have to spend a lot of time talking to, petting and interacting with your chinchilla. Without this interaction your chinchilla may develop negative behaviors like fur chewing, bar biting, spraying, barking (defensively) and even nipping. They WILL bond with their human friends given time, but it can be frustrating for some people to love their new pet and not receive the kind of response they are expecting in return. Even if you are frustrated with your chinchilla never raise your voice to her in anger, NEVER shake her cage, never slap or physically sold your chinchilla. Rewarding your chinchilla with a small treat to reinforce a positive behavior (no more than 2 treats a day they have sensitive digestive systems) and a firm NO are the best ways to correct a negative behavior. I have found chinchilla ownership very rewarding watching my chinchillas interact together is fascinating. I love that when I come to their room they all run out to see who it is and run to the front of the cage when they realize it is me. They know that my presence means something cool is about to happen, a treat, hay, dust or just a quick pet under the chin. They like me, but they love each other. Pairs will “cry” when they are separated and immediately start grooming each other when they are reunited. They are capable of a wide range of emotions and behaviors, and as long as you have the right expectations from the beginning, you and your chin will have a happy fulfilling life together.