Chinchilla Blog

Your tips on taming chinchillas and them being more fond with you is very helpful! I'll definitely try them with my chin, Pikachu.

Thanks! I always thought that Pikachu was a chinchilla. Best of luck.

I was at the pet store and my mom was worried about if the chinchill a got away I would be done for or. Also the petstore people wich I do not believe said it would take a year to bond to you chinchilla? how long does it take to bond to a chinchilla?

Best of luck with your new pet! Chinchillas are a lot of fun. What I would suggest is that the more time you spend with your pet chinchilla the more quickly it will bond with you. They are not like dogs, but do enjoy being scratched under their chins and the top of their head.They even purr when they are very content and can be trained to ride on your shoulder like a parrot! It's pretty neat! Good luck and let us know how it goes.

I love chinchillas and really want to get one, I just have one concern. My dog barks at the doorbell. If I got a chinchilla it would be in my upstairs bedroom where the noise is not loud, but would it still bother a chinchilla?

Hi Gina. I think that your Chinchilla will be fine in an upstairs bedroom. They are usually more frightened when the noise is in the same room with them. They will grow acustumed to the dog barking downstairs and realize that it is far enough away and they are not in danger.  
 
Just be sure to keep the door shut to your upstairs bedroom at all times and especially when you leave the house. Also, do not have the dog in the bedroom unsupervised. Keeping the door shut will ensure your chinchillas are in one area of the house if they happen to escape the cage and safe from other pets and non chinchilla safe areas.

our chinchilla has been acting very weird lately. her cage is wooden on the top and bottom and arond the edges and everywhere around there are metal bars. she is usually stting at the top and sitting against the metal bars with her fur sticking out. is that good? i have a feeling shes scared of us. and she stays in the garage and ive been telling my dad 2 get her a light so most of the time shes in the dark except daytime. is that bad? were going 2 get her some toys 4 her play with and get comfortable. which ones do u recommend. sorry 4 all these questions but i just want our chinchilla 2 love us and have a happy life living with us.

Hi Maxxie! As far as a light goes I think your chinchilla will be fine without it. If your garage has windows your chin should be able to get plenty of light in through the windows, and either way chinchillas are more active at night. They are crepuscular animals which is sort of like being nocturnal, which means active less during the day and wide awake in the evening and twilight hours. So your chin should be able to see just fine at night. 
 
As far as sitting up by the bars it sounds like she may be wanted a private place of her own. I recommend buying or building a chinchilla hiding house if you do not have one already. Chinchillas feel more secure when they have a hiding house to hang out in. Also your chinchilla may be getting hot. Does your garage have air conditioning? Chinchillas are extremely sensitive to temperature and you chin may be trying to keep cool. If you do not have air conditioning in the garage you should buy a fan to keep your chinchilla nice and cool. Place the fan so that it is blowing only on one side of the cage. Your chin can cool off as needed this way. 
 
As far as toys go I would recommend chew stick and chew toys. You can ask your pet shop which ones they think are best for your chinchilla. I put up a list of the ones my chins really like here is the link http://www.chinchillaplace.com/chinchilla-blog/bid/5236/Chinchilla-Toys. I am sure your chinchilla will be happy and love being part of your family. It just takes time for chins to get used to their human family. Make sure you go to the garage to talk to your chinchilla every day and try putting a little radio out there so your chin gets more used to human voices and sounds. Best of luck and let us know if you have any additional questions! 

my chinchilla is so jumpy! she seems like she is always scared of us and doesnt really want to be messed with. i dont know what to do i got her when she was 3 months and i have only had her for a month or so will she warm up?

me nd ma sister both have a chinchilla 
 
she lives in london 
 
hers is always sniffing and taked food when given and loves ot play 
 
but mine just sits there and refuses to eat treats 
 
iv never seen him eat 
 
iv had him about a month now 
 
):

Hi Elena. I wouldn't be discouraged. Chinchillas take a little bit of time to get used to a new environment. They are also most active at night. I would try sitting next to the cage one evening and talking soothingly to your chinchilla-- like you would a baby. This will help your chinchilla get used to your voice. Also avoid fast movement or trying to grab your chinchilla as this will only further the skittish behavior causing him to become more frightened. Chins take a bit of time to trust their human friends and get used to a new home.  
 
As for the treats, hold one still at the opening of the cage. Your chin will likely come up and sniff at the treat. He may not take it at first, but showing interest is the first step. If you chin does not take the treat from you leave it near where you were first offering it. I bet that if you leave the room and come back in a couple of hours that treat will be gone! Try again the next day and see if your chin is more eager to take it from your hand. Also be careful as a chin may not be able to tell the difference from a finger nail and a treat if they are in a rush. 
 
If the treat is still there and the food bowl is no lower than when you first filled it, you may want to contact your vet. I have never known a chinchilla who could turn down a raisin or other dried fruit or nut treat. 

Hi Elena, 
 
 
 
I would not be concerned that you never see your chinchilla eat. My chinchilla, Tango, doesn't like to be watched when he eats, but I catch him eating every now and then. It's really more important that you notice the food level in his food dish going down. If no food disappears, then call a vet immediately, one that has experience with exotic pets (specifically chins). Your chinchilla may be suffering from a maloclusion (you can find an article about it on the main page, right tag menu bar.)  
 
 
 
What kind of treats are you offering? Sugar is not good for chinchillas and, for this reason, if you are giving a treat that is high in sugar, your chin may start to reject it because it can make him sick. Go to the grocery store and buy shredded wheats, the Post cereal (the small kind), and NOT the frosted ones. Double check the nutrition info to ensure you have the right one and there is no sugar. These make a great treat. I give Tango about 2 per day. 
 
 
 
Chinchillas each have different personalities. It is important that you gain his trust and this will take patience. Instead of chasing your chin, let him come up to you when he's ready. I definitely agree with Jennifer and suggest talking gently to him. They are very social creatures and this will help him become more comfortable with you. 
 
 
 
Good luck! 
 
 
 
Amanda

I also wanted to mention that, in addition to gaining his trust, it will take some time for your chinchilla to learn his new surroundings. They are creatures of habit and adapt slowly to change. It may seem like a month is sufficient, but your chin his probably still figuring out what treats are and that he should approach you when you come up to his cage. My advice would be to develop a routine if you can. Try not to disturb him during the day while he's sleeping and let him out of his cage in a safe area for play time around the same time every evening. This will help him to become more comfortable with you and his surroundings. Just be patient - it will take a little while for him to adjust. If you are concerned at all that he is ill, certainly contact your veternarian right away.

I apologize for the length of this email. I have a strange question so maybe you can decipher it. Background so you can understand a bit better. I have two chins, have had them for almost 7 months, they were little. Every night, and I mean every night, we have playtime. I keep them in a bedroom. There is a little couch with lots of pillows and they run and jump on it, play hide and see with me, and use me for everything - as a bridge, a resting place, walking from couch to floor, to cage, etc., one give kisses (nibbles my lip), when I use a happy voice, they usually jump straight up in the air and twist, like they are having fun, and if one does it, the other one will too. They seem to be having fun. NOW..to keep them from getting under the couch, I have towels stuffed, but the larger chin knows how to pull towels to get under there, and she actually knows she is not supposed to. I was sitting on the floor, and as she pulled towels, I stroked the top of the back, she was busy digging, she ignored me and just mumbled so I scooped her up --now she was a very unhappy chin. I put her down and she ran away about two feet, stopped, turned around and charged at me. This happened again, scooping her, etc., but this time, when she 'charged' at me, she stopped, looked up at me for about 3 seconds, ran completely around to the other side of me, found my feet, and bit my large toe !!! Not hard at all, then ran back to her cage. Ok - question: what in the world was that all about? Is this normal??? 
 
Thanks so much

Sounds like your chinchilla is really just playing with you. It was probably testing your toe to see if it was a treat.  
 
Not that Chinchillas can't be highly trained assassins, but aggressive chinchilla behavior is marked by teeth chattering, a short snorting sound when you approach the chinchilla, and finally, and especially w/ female chinchillas, spraying urine in your general direction. 
 
My poor wife has been targeted more than once by this challenging maneuver. 
 
Whereas your chinchillas appear to be inquisitive an not threatened by you, I wouldn't worry. Keep on playing.

Also, reflecting: it probably didn't help that I laughed at her the first time she did it. It was too comical. After she ran into her cage, and I talked to her, she got really close to me, and as if to say that I was boring her, she proceeded to groom herself, which is so fun to watch, when your chin stops grooming their whiskers halfway, so their little hands are crossed over their tummies....

Ok, I have a one year old chin that is very very hyper. He hates being picked up from his cage and runs into his tube each time I try to get him out to play. any advice?

Brandy - that story was hilarious! Quite the personality your little ones have! I concur with Bert - if it was an act of agression, you would have heard this expressed vocally. She was probably either being playful (they nip at each other sometimes) and went too far, or she thought your toe was food. For some reason, Tango shows particular interest in my toes!

Hi Miranda - this is a VERY common question about chinchillas. Part of the fun of owning them is the process of earning their trust. This is still a daily project for Tango and me because I rescued him from a situation of neglect and abuse. There isn't a straightforward answer to your question, but from what I can tell, your chinchilla is showing a fear response. You will have to go back to the basics and let him gain comfort in his surroundings and owner. Here's a few tips reiterated from above:  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
1. If he doesn't want to be held, don't try to pick him up. Don't chase him around the room. The worst thing would be for him to associate you with fear and as a threat. During play time, let him approach you, walk on you, sit on you, etc. on his terms.  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
2. Try not to disturb him during the day. Chinchillas sleep during our daytime hours and will be less on edge if they don't feel like they have to protect themselves and "stand guard" when they should be resting.  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
3. If you haven't done so already, get him a metal exercise wheel. Most chinchillas are highly energetic and it's good for them to get plenty of running time.  
 
 
 
4. Talk to him. No, I'm not crazy. Chinchillas are social creatures and if you only have one chin, like me, you have to take the place of his chinchilla companion. Let him get to know your voice and recognize you as a gentle, trustworthy person. He will probably start talking right back to you if you mimic him!  
 
 
 
5. Be patient. Not every chinchilla likes to be held or cuddled, especially the energetic ones! Tango is exactly like that. When it's his play time, he wants to run to and fro and inspect everything. He might sit on me for a few seconds, but he surely does not ever like to be held and I'm okay with that. Ultimately, we want them to be happy and comfortable with us. Sometimes, unless you have raised them since birth and always held them, chinchillas just don't like to be held. It's not really an inherent notion for them, if you think about it. (I've found that if you put a wheel in the cage, they are generally more calm during play time and might visit with you more.)  
 
 
 
6. If he does eventually let you hold him, even to lift him from his cage to the floor, be sure to support his hind legs and be very careful not to squeeze his mid-section even if he squirms. They are very susceptible to organ rupture.  
 
 
 
7. Check out Jennifer's tips in the article above. She has a lot of experience raising chinchillas and gaining their trust. Basically, you don't want to be a scary figure to him. Let him warm up to you - it's a slow process.  
 
 
 
Let us know how it goes! Thanks for stopping by :)

You guys are very knowledgable - just two more questions? :) 
 
How good are chins' memories? I play with them every night so they are used to me, but I am going away for one week in December on vacation. My 20-year old daughter, who loves them too, is going to stay here, and play with them every night (as much as they will let her). Will I be a complete stranger when I return? Also, what is the perfect temperature to keep them at, and what is definately too cold and too hot? thanks!

Good questions - I tend to think chinchillas have pretty good memories. They are creatures of habit afterall. I'm 99% sure based on the amount of time it sounds like you spend with your chinchillas that they will remember you when you come back. They get to know your voice, your smell, and even where you sit during playtime! I should warn you, however, that if your chins are anything like Tango, they might have a bit of an attitude toward you for "abandoning" them for a week, but consider it just that they missed you, haha. Having your daugher stay with them will be good because they are probably already familiar with her and their play/treat/bath schedule won't be interrupted. 
 
 
 
As for tempurature, chinchillas are naturally found in the Andes Mountains where the temperature can vary from 50 - 70 degrees F depending on the elevation and time of the year. In the summertime, we keep the thermostat around 68 F and that's generally fine for Tango, so long as the cage is not in direct sunlight. He also has a marble slab to stand on if he's feeling overheated. In the summer, make sure the cage is not too close to the air vent or a blowing fan. They should never have air blowing directly on them. In the winter, we keep the thermostat around the same temp, but close the heat register in Tango's room. In general I'd say keep the chinchilla's area on the cooler side without freezing out the rest of the family :P 
 
 
 
Have a nice vacation you lucky duck!

OK, last night I opened his cage (It's as tall as I am) and sat in a chair level with one of his shelves. He was so cute! He walked right over to my head and started sorting through it with his little paws, and nibbling on it! SO CUTE! 
 
 
 
1) Yeah, he likes to jump on people (especially my mom!) 
 
2) I'm at school during the day and when I get home that's when he's usually waking up so that works out good. 
 
3) I have one of those flying saucer things for him and its so funny to see him run on it 
 
4) I feel like a fool when I talk to him if no ones around......=/ 
 
5) I got him when he was 4 months old, he was in the pet shop inside the little glass cage that was maybe 2 feet by 2 feet and I felt like I needed to rescue him! 
 
6) Ohhhh good to know, he does like to try and escape 
 
7) About the scary thing... Whenever my dad walks into pepper's (that's his name) room he charges the front of the cage and barks at my dad. What's all that about? 
 
 
 
Thank's for the advice!  
 

OH NO! I just read that chins should not be in a room all by themselves, that they should interact with the family. Mine do have their very own bedroom because our house is small and we have cats and no public place to put them. Is this bad that they are always in their own little room?? Am I being cruel?? :(

Hi Brandy. I wouldn't worry about it as long as you go in and spend time with them every day. It is probably safer and less stressful for them to have their own room, especially when you have cats roaming around. It seems like you have more than one chin too, so they will keep each other company and chat chin when your not around :) 
 
Our chins have their own room and I don't necessarily think it is ideal to share a bedroom with your chin. I did it for many years in high school and college, and perhaps one isn't bad, but sharing a room with all 8! Wow allergy central. Hay, dust, fur--even the cleanest of chin owners would have a hard time keeping a chin and human friendly room with a herd of chinchillas. Mine seem perfectly happy spending time with each other. I go in several times a day and talk to them, feed them and pet them. I would not say you are cruel for having them in a safe room.

Hey Miranda! Thanks for the update - sounds like Pepper's in good hands :) As for talking to him, haha, we all look a little silly sometimes but they thrive on social interaction and I think it's so important if Pepper is an only-chin like Tango. Believe me, we look like idiots at our house, lol! It's good to hear that he jumps on you and your family - this is the first step toward gaining trust. I remember in the very beginning Tango wouldn't even come out from under the bed to approach us! I'm so glad you were able to rescue him from that pet store nightmare - what an improvement his new home must be! 
 
 
 
Just like it took some time for Pepper to get to know you, so will he slowly warm up to others if they are gentle and kind towards Pepper. He may be frighted of your dad for a while because perhaps he has a lower voice, or bigger build, or even because Pepper associates him with an unfriendly male pet store clerk. I can tell you that Tango doesn't like loud noises and hides whenever someone is speaking loudly outside his cage - maybe it's a volume issue. Either way, don't fret, Tango loves my dad and husband - I'm sure Pepper will get over his fear too! 
 
 
 
The barking is usually an alert call to other chinchillas that danger is approaching (like a predator of some sort.) Tango does that when he hears loud bird calls outside his window and he runs and hides (which is a huge pain if it happens during play time and he holes up just out of reach!!) If you want Pepper to become more comfortable with your dad, have your dad sit in the room during Pepper's play time outside of the cage and ask everyone in the room not to try to pick Pepper up or even reach for him and have everyone speak gently. Before long, Pepper will learn that your family isn't threatening. Just take baby steps! 
 
 
 
Let us know how it goes. Thanks for your post! 
 
 
 
Amanda

Lol Brandy, you are NOT being cruel! I think it's a great if you are so blessed to have a spare room for their cage(s). Tango lived in my bedroom when I lived with my parents and my allergies and ears would go crazy at night! I also had to be sure to just play my music quietly and use extra blankets at night rather than turn the heat up in the room. Now that I'm married and we're in our own house, Tango lives in the spare bedroom and it's been a major improvement.  
 
 
 
First, I was able to "chinchilla-proof" the room so it's not so stressful keeping track of him during play time. Also I can monitor the temperature specifically in that room by closing the air vents or door to cater to adjust it appropriately. This arrangement is ideal for the day time as well when they sleep because they won't be bothered as easily and will be well rested for play time! Surely he is better able to rest knowing he doesn't have to stand guard for cats! While certainly not a possibility for everyone, his was definitely a good move for his comfort and yours. 
 
 
 
You are absolultely correct about chinchillas being highly social creatures. In nature, they run in packs and enjoy companionship with other chinchillas. If you only have one chinchilla like me (we tried to adopt another, but it turns out Tango does not play well with others, haha) the humans become especially important in taking this companion role. If you are making sure to interact with them daily during play time, I see no negative side to this living arrangement. You may even find your chinchillas are more playful in the evenings because they were not stressed by noises and chaos in the house during the day.  
 
 
 
Good question - thanks for your post! 
 
 
 
Amanda

My littlest chin -Daisy-, during playtime -- she really plays and runs all over me and the couch at full speed and gets all excited (like a little puppy) and I assume poops herself out, because she goes back to her cage, gets on her granite slab and "flops" down, usually on her side like you or I would and immediately goes to sleep for about 15 minutes (and she is out like a light!), then she is ready to go again. If I touch her, she will wake up, look perplexed at me, and roll over away from me and fall back to sleep.. Is this normal? Thanks for all my emails and questions! I have nobody else to find out from and these questions may apply to other people and their chins.

Interesting... I don't know for sure what's going on with Daisy. I can tell you that before Tango figured out his wheel, his time outside of his cage was his only exercise and he would run around like crazy. Now that he has figured out his wheel, he is much more calm during play time and sometimes heads back into his cage after about 15 minutes, similar to Daisy. 
 
 
 
My big concern is that you say Daisy flops down on her side (she may be overheating) and is lethargic even after waking her from her sleep.  
 
 
 
What is the temperature of her feet when she does this?  
 
 
 
Is her breathing labored?  
 
 
 
How old is Daisy?  
 
 
 
Is this a behavior she has always displayed?  
 
 
 
I suggest contacting your *chinchilla-experienced* veterinarian right away to let him or her know what's going on. Daisy might be overheading or it could be a metabolic disorder that you can control through dietary alterations. The vet will probably ask the questions above. I hope she's okay! Let me know what you find out.

I like the tips but I am worried I might be doing something wrong. I recently got a chinchilla from a breeder who took it in from an owner who didn't want it... It was my first chinchilla, I read up a lot... He is about six months old and I have had him for two weeks...so far he appears to be adjusting well though he is very skitish which I expect...he does appear to be tame in that he will not ever bite and will come over to you to investigate.. However he absolutely can't stand being held--I don't think it is out of fear but I can't tell...I take him out to play in the bathroom every night, but I have to catch him everytime.. I hold him properly giving support but also as loose as I can, only altering my grip when he does squirm....I try to to things to associate good with being held...speaking softly, scratching behind the ear, I even tried putting his daily raisin in his mouth...he just squirms and squirms. I make a point of never letting him ago until he is still for awhile. There seems to be two schools of thought on holding...one you wait until he comes, and two you grab him until he learns that being 'caught' by you leads to good things...it seems he will not ever bite me just run away and snorts at me.., should I keep up what I am doing or should I not try to catch him ever? This would make playtime impossible because I can't move his cage into the bathroom...

I have a call into my vet now. In the meantime, Daisy's feel seemed cool like normal.. She is about 6 months old (I bought her from Petsmart on Aug 26 and they told me she was 3 to 4 months old, but she was a lot smaller than my first chin (and I was told the same), so I am leaning towards 3 months. Since the beginning, she has always run and played like mad, and last night, when she took her rest period, plopped down on her belly this time. But I did notice when it is colder in the room, she doesn't do it as much. She does seem to breathe harder most of the time. She is not as 'round' as Raisin so I can't tell if Raisin's breathing is the same, Daisy is more 'rectangle' shape. It is easier to see her breathing. I know that sounds odd. 
 
 
 
Also, re: the chin cage on your website, the "Chin Highrise" (30 x 18 x 48). It seems like a great size with great ledges. I have a smaller cage and was going to get a larger, more permanent cage. I can't figure out the measurements for all the ledges to tell the other vendor. Do you know them by heart? I hope you don't mind, I pretty much plan to copy this cage verbatim, since you guys seem to know what you are doing more than I do :) Thanks!

I'm glad you called the vet - it could be nothing, but if there is something going on, you are wise to find out early. 
 
 
 
I would *love* for you to "copy" Tango's cage! It's a great safe cage and I think everyone should use it, LOL! It wasn't my original design. The woman who runs the Chinchilla rescue in Michigan (from whom I adopted Tango) came up with the alterations to the Highrise and she actually built the shelves. She has used the same design at her rescue for years. When I get home, I'll look at my papers to get you the dimensions of the shelves. Also, I have a "floor plan" that will help you organize the shelves in the cage. Did you say you had a Flying Saucer or another wheel? The shelving dimensions differ slightly depending on the wheel.  
 
 
 
If you don't already have a shelving vendor, the woman who owns "Simply Chintastic" actually is a "foster mom" for the above referenced chinchilla rescue and she is very familiar with the cage design. Her info is on the recommended products page.  
 
 
 
I hope Daisy's alright. I'll email you that info this evening.

Hi Blake! 
 
 
 
Good questions. You may be doing absolutely nothing wrong and still your chinchilla won't like to be held. Sounds EXACTLY like Tango. A lot of chins just really like their freedom during play time and don't like to be restricted with your hands. I do think, though, that their mannerisms change as they get older. Based on the fact that your little guy is only 6 months old and is still new to you and your home, you may see some behavioral adjustments over time. Tango has come to favor human contact much more over the 2.5 years I've had him. 
 
 
 
In terms of the hold, or not to hold, debate, I don't have a definitive answer for you, but I just have to believe that if you continue to pick up the chinchilla against his will, he may DEVELOP a fear response if he isn't showing one at this point. Since you've had him for only a couple of weeks at this point, I recommend focusing your efforts on gaining trust. I'm glad to hear that your are holding him properly when he does allow it. That is so important and is the big reason why chinchillas are not really a good pet for kids. You are also wise to comfort him while holding him. 
 
 
 
I had a thought when you were describing that his play time is in the bathroom and the cage is not. What about trying a pet carrier to take him from the cage to the play area. We bought one for like $10 at Meijer (in anticipation of our move to TN) and left it in his play area for a couple weeks so he could become familiar with it. To our surprise, he really liked playing in and on it and I think, in a way, it reminds him of his bath house. He now jumps in it willingly, so we leave it on the floor in "his" bedroom. If you consistently use a carrier to transport your chin to and from the bathroom, he may start to associate it with play time and rest time and may be less traumatic for him than being picked up. Just a thought - thanks for your post!

Hi Blake. From my experience "The Chase" is the most stressful part of the holding experience for your chinchilla. The more you chase them around the cage the more they stress. The comes the hair flying out, the teeth chattering, the spraying (if you have a female) and general frustration for you and the chin.  
 
Sounds to me that you are doing all the right things with holding and treats and comforting, but I have to agree with Amanda and speak from my own experience, not all chins like being held. Now your problem sounds like getting him from the cage to the bathroom for dusting and playtime. I have a similar set up at my place and not all of my chins "like being held. I have found it best to do it as quickly and painlessly as possible. 
I walk up to the cage and start greeting them, and they run to the front hoping for treats. I usually hand them a treat and while they are munching away at it I pick them up. I do this fairly quickly and without hesitation. I pick them up gently and then swiftly move them to the dust/playroom.  
 
They do not seem to struggle as much since they have a tasty treat and it is a quick process. I do not hold them any longer than I need to get them to the bathroom/playroom. I am all about as low stress of a situation as possible for me and the chins. Once we are all there I hang out with them and they will run up and sniff at me and play together.

Great! that would so help if you have the size dimension since I would be lost on that one too! I thought I would also look for used, but I have serious doubts on that idea. I am too picky. 
 
I don't have a flying saucer yet, only a large solid purple plastic wheel that they are actually wearing out (the kind you buy at Petsmart), they use it so much. I plan to get a saucer though. I thought I could 'twisty tie' the purple wheel (I think it is about a 15' inch maybe..) where the saucer would go until I can scrounge up 'saucer money' :) To begin with I just bought two 'normal' cages and put them together, so my 'new' case turnout out to be 5 feet long. They don't seem to mind though, but I would rather have a tall one instead of long one.... I read a book about chins long after I bought mine that said chins were 'low maintenance and financially very cheap to keep.' If that is how that owner feels, he doesn't need to own any... or maybe mine have too many 'toys'.

He probably meant they are financially cheap to maintain, because most of the expensive stuff is a one-time buy kinda thing. If you get a good cage and wheel, the biggest purchases, they will last a lifetime. 
 
 
 
Your chins will love the vertical cage. Most like to hop from level to level. 
 
 
 
Of course our loyal readers could see me stepping up on my soap box from a mile away, but I *highly highly* recommend swapping the plastic wheel for a metal one as soon as possible. Not only is plastic a huge hazard if chewed, but plastic wheels are generally less durable and therefore less safe. Even if you wait and save up for a Flying Saucer wheel, substitute a cheaper *metal* wheel for the meantime. You can buy one from Forchinate Chins for $20: 
 
 
 
http://geocities.com/forchinatechins/chincessories.htm 
 
 
 
I sent you an email with some cage & shelving details. Hope it helps!

Guess what? The highrise (48 inch tall) cage is ordered !! I have requested the metal wheel price sheet and am waiting for shelving amount so I can pay for shelves -- Everyone was extrememly nice! I am so excited so last night I got eye level with Raisin as she sat on the couch and I was on the floor during playtime. I was about two inches from her and was whispering to her all about it. Apparently my whisphering fascinated her. She sat up, curled up her little hands into her chest, leaned in, cocked her head like she was straining to hear me. She just looked and listened. It was too cute.

YAY! Congratulations :D Did you tell them you don't want the metal shelves or ramps (since you are getting wood ones)? They will give you a discount. If not, you can call and request it if they haven't shipped the cage yet. I'm excited for you!! Your chins will love the cage :) 
 
 
 

I went online and bought 'toy' makings (wood rings, pumice, etc) to make toys myself to save money. I have two granny smith apple trees. Also, since I am in georgia, there are pine trees galore. Do you know of any website (I could not find any) that tells you have to 'cure' the wood yourself, so I could cut in wheels and things and drill holes in myself? I heard you have to bake it... I heard you need one of those serious ovens (for pottery).... I have no idea and didn't want to ask somebody who actually sells it... 
 
Thanks.

Hi Brandy, 
 
 
 
I wrote an article about how to prepare wood chews. It's on the homepage, on the tag menu on the right, called Safe Woods For Chinchillas, or you can copy and paste this link: 
 
 
 
http://www.chinchillaplace.com/chinchilla-blog/?Tag=Safe+Woods+for+Chinchillas 
 
 
 
The apple wood should be fine provided you can ensure the tree has NEVER been sprayed by any pesticides or other chemicals. I would not use the pine though because, unless you kiln dry it, it's toxic and I'm not exactly sure how to advise you on doing that. The apple wood should suffice though and you can prepare it in your oven at home.

I bought my chinchilla a flying saucer wheel, he loves it, but when he uses it in the middle of the night it shakes the cage so much and makes an awful racket, I can't sleep!. I don't want to take it down every night but it's absolutely driving me crazy. I am using one of the Martin's cages...do you know anyway how to soundproof this stupid thing from shaking the cage to oblivion?  
 

Hey Blake, 
 
My Chins LOVE their wheel too, but they actually run on it so often they finally damaged the side of their cage. The broken piece of the cage was what was causing the noise when they ran. It was strange since the cage is made of a strong metal, but wear and tear eventually caused damage.  
 
We went to the hardware store and bought some tough metal clips to enforce the other cage bars around the wheel to prevent it from further damaging. this also seemed to help with the noise by causing less movement between the wheel and the side of the cage. Amanda may also have some tips for you since she owns the Martin's cage you are speaking of. I have a variety of cages, but have yet to pick up a martin, though it may be on some special chins Christmas list:)

Ok, Im really worried about my little boy. I keep finding spots of blood here and there on his white shelves, but when I look at his feet they aren't scabby or anything just caloused. ?

Miranda - 
 
 
 
Call your vet right away. Make sure it's one that has experience with chinchillas.

Hi Blake, 
 
 
 
I responded to your question over on one of the wheel pages here: 
 
 
 
http://www.chinchillaplace.com/product-reviews/bid/6584/?t=633645835643927619#comment27161

Yeah I did just saw a little scab on his foot and I will see if the bleeding stops now. I have noticed a few other weird things he's been doing...chewing the furniture more then he usually does, being in a grumpy mood allot, and this sounds gross but he's been like chewing his privates like they're bothering him or something....

Glad to hear you found the source of the bleed. You may still want to call your vet to ask how to keep the wound clean and avoid infection. 
 
 
 
As for the "chewing", that's actually a really common behavior that's essential for males. Rest assured, it's not for pleasure, it's actually necessary that males groom the genital area to keep hair from becoming tangled around the penis resulting in a cut in neurovascular circulation. Here's an article from ChinCare about it: 
 
http://www.chincare.com/HealthLifestyle/Healing.htm#hringprolapsed 
 
 
 
If you notice he's really been chewing at it persistantly, you should definitely check to see if there is a ring of hair caught around the penis. If so, you or the veterinarian will have to remove it for him. It can become a very serious problem. 
 
 
 
I'll write up an article about it for Chinchilla Place one of these days - certainly an interesting topic! 
 
 
 

Hi! I am trying to convience my parents into letting me get a Chinchilla! Hopefully it will work. But I have no clue where to get a Chinchilla. All we have where I live is Pet Value, Pets101, and PetLand. Hmmmm? what color should I get? White, Black,Grey, Or Brown?? Well I really want one. They look like gentle and sweet lovable creatures! Can you help me on names and info! THANKS (Ur info will surely help)

Hi Sondra! Thanks for stopping by the site! Before we talk about colors, or names, or where to buy them, let's first talk about the responsibility you are thinking about taking on. While chinchillas surely are cute and soft, your parents' concerns may not be unfounded. 
 
 
 
A chinchilla is an exotic pet and, while the animal itself can cost anywhere from $25 - $125, it is actually the cage and accessories that can rack up quite a bill. First, your chinchilla's cage absolutely cannot have any plastic parts - plastic is extrememly harmful to chinchillas when chewed. For a quality metal cage, you are looking at $100 for a cage that is large enough and safe for a chinchilla, by the time you include shipping and handling. (Visit the Product Review link on the menu above to check it out.) The exercise wheel is another expense. A quality metal wheel can cost up to $80 for one that will last your chinchilla's lifetime. There are less expensive *metal* wheels (likewise, these also cannot contain any plastic components), but you may find your chin needing a new one every year or two. 
 
 
 
Next, a chinchilla's diet should consist of nutritional pellets, usualy alfalfa based (which many times cannot be found at your local pet store, and must be ordered online) and supplemented with loose timothy hay. Your chinchilla will need to take a dust bath around 3 times a week, so you will need to purchase some sort of bath house and *safe* bath sand (NOT scented stuff you might see in pet stores.) These are your absolute necessities, and of course you would want to provide chew toys of safe wood or hay cubes above and beyond what we've talked about to promote proper dentition (healthy teeth). 
 
 
 
A healthy chinchilla can live for 20 years - this is a long-term commitment by most pet standards! What will you do if you plan to go off to college (assuming you are younger than college age)? I had to wait until after I graduated from college to adopt a chinchilla because my dorm would not permit animals.  
 
 
 
Chinchillas require substantial attention. They should be let out of their cages in a safe room or area of the house so they can exercise and stretch their legs for AT LEAST 30 supervised minutes EVERY night. It's good for them to have a change of scenery or they can actually become depressed! They aren't like dogs or cats that often roam the house without "getting into trouble". Chinchillas can and will chew on things - currently we are trying to correct Tango's bad behavior of chewing on the baseboards of the walls in his room (this would not be a fun one to explain to mom or dad if the little guy chews on the house). Chinchillas are crepuscular, which means they are most active during the hours of dawn and dusk, though many will be active all night long with short naps here and there. This is the time, depending on your geographic location, that you should allow your chinchilla to have free time out of the cage. Tango, for example, sleeps all day long and is let out of the cage at around 7 pm. I know that when I was in high school, I was too involved with sports and homework to be able to fulfill this need for a chinchilla, so I had to wait until this was a realistic expectation of myself, given my schedule.  
 
 
 
If Mom and Dad aren't real fond of you getting a chin, I'm guessing that if you go ahead and get one your parents aren't going to accomodate the chin with its own room, but rather he or she will be bunking with you in your room. Many chin owners will tell you that they wish they had waited to get one until they had a spare room to keep the cage in. Remember how chinchillas are active at night? Being woken up by your chin on the wheel is bound to be a nightly occurrence if you are a light sleeper.  
 
 
 
Lastly, I should break to you the unfortunate truth that many chinchillas do not like to be held, and some do not even like to be cuddled. While it's a shame since they're so soft, your chinchilla will develop an array of behavioral issues if you chase it around the room or try to pick it up when it is unwilling. And of course, you should NEVER squeeze it if you do manage to hold or pick it up and it squirms - they are extremely susceptible to organ rupture. (This is why chinchillas aren't a good pet for kids, because squeezing is a natural instinct for them when holding a squirming animal.) So think of "cuddling" as a nice bonus if you happen to get one that enjoys that, not a guarantee. My chin Tango, for example, has NEVER liked to be picked up when it's necessary to move him for whatever reason. 
 
 
 
Ok, those are the realistic cons that you need to consider before adopting a chinchilla. I wanted to tell you these things because, even if you find a pet store that sells them, they are not generally going to take the time to educate you on the unique needs of chinchillas, most are just interested in making a sale. I want you to think critically about the extent of this responsibility. While they are cool pets and I totally encourage owning one, timing is crucial. I'm willing to bet you already heard a lot of these from Mom and Dad - I'm sorry to not be able to give you a bunch of things to counteract their concerns! - but it's terribly sad how many people purchase chinchillas only to then learn they cannot take care of them and they end up at a shelter or with someone who hasn't been educated on these unique little creatures. In fact, I know of many chinchilla rescue agencies that will not even adopt to people under 18 years of age! So I think your plan to own one is a good one, but what do you think about waiting a few years? I recommend scoping out chinchilla rescue agencies in your area. I find this is a good route to go about obtaining a chinchilla because they are generally the most interested in getting you the facts you need to know and ensuring your situation is compatible with owning a chinchilla. I also like to support those who are out to help the species and not just make a quick buck! I hope I've helped you make an informed decision. They are really cool, unique pets and I want to make sure you are equipped with the knowledge to care for them! Let me know if you have any other questions! 
 
 
 
Amanda 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Amanda, This is such great information for anyone thinking of getting a chinchilla. I was thinking of posting a "Before you get a chinchilla" article. Would you mind re posting this as a new entry so other people will know what to expect? And whether a chinchilla is a good pet for them? 
 
Thanks!

To avoid confusion, I meant to say that the chinchilla's time outside the cage should be a period DURING their active times, not the whole time :P For example, Tango has free time from about 7pm - 8pm every night. Usually after this time, you see his energy drop dramatically and he heads back to his cage for a nap.

Will do, Jennifer!  
 

Here's what I recommend for those debating whether or not to get one: 
 
 
 
1) Consider the points above and decide if your situation (living, timing, schedule, financial, etc) is compatible with the needs of a chinchilla. AND you can never do enough research on what the needs of chinchillas specifically are! This should be done before getting one. Browse Chinchilla Place for some good tips. I continue to research new info often. In fact, I just read some interesting info on how to adjust bad behaviors, such as biting, that I hadn't thought about before!  
 
 
 
2) Research costs of the things you will need for your chinchilla and save up the money to buy everything at once (this will be a few hundred dollars). 
 
 
 
3) THEN decide if your situation still works and research the best source of obtaining a chinchilla. 
 
 
 
Before owning one, I sort of thought that chinchillas were like large hamsters. While Tango reminds me of one when he's on his exercise wheel (haha), I'm glad I had a caring "chinchilla mentor" to teach me about how complicated they really are! I had no idea! I guess there's a good reason they're considered "exotic" :)

I read that Tango is being weened off chewing baseboards. I have never been able to replace this behavior in my chin LiLu who I have been with for 5+ years. I have resorted to rolling up towels into tootsie roll shapes and lining the base boards with them. What techniques and bribery are you using?  
 
Sometimes I think I must TILE the entire play room top to bottom just to keep him safe!

I almost forgot how I stumbled on to this blog! Your comment about "An exceptionally tame chinchilla will even purr and sit calmly" was a search result for my early morning search for "do chinchillas purr". Me and my chin were standing inside the back screen door looking out to the unusually cool morning yard and he started purring (kinda like shivering really deep and near his tummy). We were not cold and he had his eyes half closed. He was so cute. From all the searches I did today there doesn't seem to be a consensus on chin purring. Some authors even said chins don't know how to purr. Your reference seems to be the only one really. Thanks for your bonding blog!

Chin, my first chinchilla, was the only one who I got to purr so far! It's hard to really bond that closely with 9 chins. They end up bondng with each other very closely, but their human friend, ME, is just not as cool as a chinchilla *sigh*. I am really glad to hear that your chinchilla purrs too. Mine was the same way with the purring. When he was really relaxed and I would pet him along the top of his head and back it would be like a very deep vibration or rumbling with his eyes half closed. He was such a great chinchilla. He was also shoulder trained.

Hey Nichelle! 
 
Yes, the baseboard issue has been a tough one! He's not completely kicked the behavior, but he's definitely improving. Tango only chews on the base board under the bed where he thinks he's hidden. I think he does it when he thinks he's not getting enough attention. For example, if I'm in Tango's room playing with him and my husband walks in and starts a conversation with me, Tango is more likely to go chew. What I have been doing is engaging him the entire time he's under the bed, by talking to him to distract him from the wall. If he does chew the base board, I use a deeper, firm tone of voice than I would normally talk to him with.  
 
I read once that chinchillas can learn to recognize their own names, and it seems to be true in my experience. I also think he knows the meaning of the word "home", in reference to his cage. (How I figured this out is a story for another time.) But usually I lift up the bed skirt, get my face under the edge of the bed and say "Tango, do you need to go home?" he will run out and into his cage because he knows he's in trouble! Haha :P 
 
I've tried time-outs. I read on ChinCare that it works for some chinchillas. I haven't found it to be effective with Tango. I have found positive reinforcement to help, like if he retreats under the bed and emerges without chewing the wall, I will give him a small piece of dried banana. (He gets a total of 1 slice per night, so I break it up so he thinks he's getting more treats :P)  
 
He seems to be improving, but if he doesn't stop altogether soon, I'm going to have to block off the wall with something. I think I'll get one of those thick mats you use for office chairs to roll on carptet better. Aside from the little tooth marks on the baseboards, it's also a concern for his health since I don't know what kind of wood it is and it likely has some sort of finish on it that would be toxic to him. I'm careful about supervising though so I can stop him right away if he begins chewing! Maybe I'll have to try your tile idea, haha! Thanks for stopping by! 

Hi, I have a question about my little boy. He's been acting aggressive lately and he's being uncooperative when its time to come out to play. And tonight he did something he's never did before...he started like humping my arm and nibbling at it. should I get him fixed or something? He is about a year and a half now.

[Adriana]: First: I'd like to say, your site is great! It's an active site and there's TONS of information on it. So I need some advice and I think this is the place to get it!  
 
I adopted 2 chins almost two months ago. Long story short, they "supposedly" were used to people and being handled, but they don't seem to be at all! I've been very patient and tried not to force my hands on the chins and let them get used to me, but they dont seem to want to bond with me! They'll eat treats out of my hand, and when I let them out if I sit on the floor with them, they'll run up to me and even jump on my legs, but thats it, and if I move at all, they scamper away. Any advice? The major problem is that I let them out as often as I can, but then when it comes time to get them back in the cage... well that's when the trouble begins! How often should I be placing my hands in the cages? I try herding them back into their cages, but it always freaks one of them out, what can I do? posted @ Thursday, April 02, 2009 2:03 PM by Adriana 
 
 
 
 
 
Hi Adriana, 
 
 
 
This surely is a familiar story! There are a couple of reasons I can think of that your chins may have decided they don't want to be handled. First, it is possible that the "handling" by the previous owners was not friendly and not enjoyed or initiated by the chinchillas. I have seen people say that their chinchilla "lets" them pick the chin up all the time and then I proceed to watch the person chase the chin around the room, corner it, and grab it - obviously a traumatic experience for the chin. Unless you know the people who owned the chin and saw the interaction, don't take that info at face value. 
 
Secondly, the chins could have been in a tense situation in the previous household and were too timid to fight and run away when being picked up - an unhealthy situation for the little guys. Now that you are providing proper care, a loving home, and they feel safe and comfortable, they may be less inclined to want to be handled because they have "freedom", if that makes sense.  
 
Whatever the reason, you don't want to force them into being handled because this will induce a major stress response. Give the chins time to connect with you. Check out Jennifer's tips above and the responses listed here - it may give you some ideas to try. In the end, you can love on your chinchilla without holding it, and, in fact, I actually don't hear of too many that do like to be held - mine surely doesn't, but he's a fun little guy and I'm fine with getting a pet in here and there! He shows his trust by sitting in my lap and letting me pet his head (but only when in his cage, because when it's play time, he thinks he's free and doesn't want to be constrained or bothered!) 
 
As for getting your chin back in the cage, I started a routine when Tango was young, by which I would give him a treat when he gets out of the cage to play (a few flakes of oatmeal), a treat if he plays like a good boy, like not chewing on the baseboards! (a half of a dried banana chip), and 2 treats when he gets back in his cage for the night (a rose hip, which is more for his health than anything, but he thinks it's a treat so it's okay, and an apple pellet.) You can check out any of these treats at the Recommended Products page on the menu bar above, by the way. 
 
Another thing that we do at our house is to save Tango's dust bath until the very end of his play time. When we're ready to put him back for the night, we will set his bath house on the floor of his cage and thump on the sides a couple times, and he usually goes running straight for it. We then set his final treats on his shelf and shut the door behind him. When he's busy eating the treats a few minutes later, we remove the dust bath. 
 
I hope some of these tips help! Let us know how it goes. 
 
 
 
Amanda

Amanda & Daisy 
 
I was reading the blogs above (november 19 2008) and the situation with Daisy flopping on her side after play time reminded me of one of my chins, and got me a bit nervous. My chin, Yoni is pretty similar, she runs about during playtime, but nothing excessive, then she hops back inside the cage and flops on her side, and sometimes she does fall asleep! It's only for a bit, and if I move towards the cage, she jumps up right away and comes to the door, and then usually hops back out. I interpreted that as, "I just needed a little break, don't close the door on me because I'm not done playing outside the cage"  
Should I be worried though that she flops on her side after playing? or is the flopping normal, I thought it might be, although my other chin never does it. Yoni is older, I think she's about a year old and my other chin, Gizmo is her daughter and I think is about 6 months old. Yoni's breathing seems normal though after play time though, and I keep the place relatively cool just for them.  
What do you guys think?

ps. Amanda, thanks for the tips, I'll start them tonight and let you guys know in a week how it goes!

You're welcome! I wanted to add, for the dust bath recommendation, that we only do this on 3 nights out of the week (not every day) so his skin doesn't get irritated. 
 
 
 
In your other post, I think you are referring to Brandy's chinchilla. She spoke to her vet about the situation and was told that this is something young chinchillas commonly do - they basically get pooped out easily. I wouldn't be too concerned unless you notice that your chin isn't responsive, or that his/her feet are warm.  
 
 
 
Thanks for visiting! 
 
Amanda

Hi,  
i have a few questions regarding my new pet chin. i was hoping someone could help me. when i bought woody (that's his name), he seemed to be really stressed. i bought him from petco and he had been alone for a month, and i dont think they take good care of their animals. would that effect his behavior? I've only had him here for a few days and he doesn't seem to frightened by me. i put my hand in the cage and he smells me and walks on my hand and arm. how can you tell if your chin likes you at all? he makes a noise that I'm not sure of. it sounds like he's grinding his teeth. is that normal? sorry if this is a bit long. thanks for reading.

Hi Paige, 
 
 
 
Congratulations on your new chinchilla :) It sounds like you are right on the money with your thoughts. It is highly likely that your chin didn't receive the attention he needed at the pet store and may be traumatized from that experience. No worries though, he can still learn to trust you provided you are very patient with him. You are smart to let him take things at his speed, just putting your hand in the cage and letting him investigate it is a good place to start. Don't try to pick him up if he's unwilling or chase him around the cage. That will only further delay the process. I'm going to refer you to Jennifer's "Bonding with your Pet Chinchilla" article. There are many readers going through a similar situation and she has compiled some great tips for gaining your chinchilla's trust. You can also read through the comments - there are some other suggestions there. You can find the link on the right hand tag menu if you scroll up on this page. Also, here is another website from a friend's chinchilla rescue which frequently rehabilitates and finds new homes for abused chinchillas: http://secondchancechins.com/gainingtrust.htm  
 
 
 
Thanks for stopping by Chinchilla Place. Keep us updated on Woody's progress! 
 
 
 
Amanda

LOL.. nevermind, I just realized this IS the Bonding with your pet chinchilla page! Haha, sorry about that. If you haven't yet, definitely read through these posts. Hope they help!

Hi! I just got my first chin (Chuy) a few weeks ago and I had a couple of questions. He has been doing wonderfully so far, thanks a lot in part to you guys' wonderful tips! He LOVES our playtime when I take him in the bathroom and he wall surfs and hops straight up in the air and does this cute little mid-air wiggle. However, when I put him in his ball to run around, he seems to have a hard time moving it. He has the 11.5" mega ball (I got it at petsmart) but my padre thinks its too small for him, that the walls are too steep and thats why he is having trouble running in it. He does try to push it, but just cant seem to get it going without a nudge from me! Does anyone know if the bigger ball would work for him? (the 13") Also, I think I have the one single chin on the face of the planet that doesnt like raisins. I thought something was wrong with him at first since EVERY chin loves raisins! But instead, he adores dried kiwi. Occasionally a goji berry, but no banana chips and no raisins. Is this something to be worried about? He seems very healthy, he took a couple of days to get comfortable and used to me and my family but he hops right into my hands to come out and play and climbs all over me, rides on my shoulder (and poos on me!) and he seems to be adjusting well! Also, Ive seen it done both ways, but is it better to leave Chuy's bath house in his cage with him or take it out and only put it in there once a day? He doesnt usually poo in it and if he does I spot clean it, but sometimes he likes to sleep in it with his little chin resting on the edge of the hole. Should I start taking it out after he takes his bath? Thanks for such a wonderful page! You guys have made my little boy's transition so much easier I'm sure! 
 
 
 
Ash

Ash, 
 
Congratulations on your new chinchilla Chuy! I am glad to hear he is doing so well. As far as the ball goes, though these large plastic balls are marketing in pet stores for chinchillas, they are unfortunatly not safe for them! Chinchillas can become overheated very easily and the plastic balls are one of the leading causes in chinchillas overheating. I recommend ditching the platic ball completly and purchasing a chinchilla wheel. Amanda did a review on them that you can check out here http://www.chinchillaplace.com/product-reviews/bid/6584/Exercise-Wheel  
though they are pricey it is a purchase you should only have to make once and Chuy will thank you for it. 
 
Raisins are adored by most chins, but they are also high in sugar. U am not sure about kiwi, but rose hips and apple chips are also very good. Our chins also enjoy a little bit of nonsugared shredded wheat cereal as an occasional treat you can check out some of the other treat recommendations here http://www.chinchillaplace.com/product-reviews/bid/7514/Chinchilla-Treats 
 
As for the dust it is best to remove it. For one to much dusting can make his skin dry 2-3 times a week is good for dusting. Also dist does become soiled and can cause their fur to become dirty and even mold if it becomes wet. Since chins have such thick fur it molds if it gets to wet and does not dry properly. 
 
It's pretty cool to hear he likes riding on your shoulder. I know personally that it can be tough to get them to do this. If only chins could be completely litter trained, but alas they are kinda poop machines. Best of luck with Chuy and please come back by chinchilla place and let us know how he is doing!

Hi Amanda, 
 
 
 
Progress report, I posted about a week ago about my chins and getting them back into their cages. I tried all the suggestions you gave (and the ones listed above) and it worked really well with one of my chins, Yoni. I tap the bottom of the cage at the end of play time and call out to her and she'll come right over and jump back into the cage, and then she gets her treat. My other chin... well, Gizmo is special! I'm going to keep trying with her, hopefully she'll get it soon enough.  
 
They still haven't bonded to me yet though, and I just read this on another site: 
 
"Lastly, a tip given to me by a breeder has worked wonders. If you want an extremely friendly and social chin, until the chinchilla is totally comfortable with you, don't let it have time to run free. Carry it with you, rather than allowing it to explore whatever area you've chinproofed for that purpose. Wait until you've bonded, or else the bond won't be as strong as you may have hoped." 
 
What do you guys think about that? I dont want to take away play time from my chins to "force" them to bond with me. Plus, I havent gottem them a wheel yet, so play time outside their cage is the only real exercise they get.  
 
What do you guys think? I have a feeling it could take a looong time to bond with them, they're only interested in sniffing my hand when there's a treat in it!! lol.

i need some help with my chinchilla.we got him from a abusive home and he does not like humans but i have tried everything with him and i tend to not give up. he is 5 years old and his name is chille

Hi Porcha. It is great that you continue to work with Chille. When chins come from a bad environment it takes a while for them to learn to trust.I would start with small steps. Will he accept a treat if you give it to him? If so that is a great start and a victory. Just a warning, he may never like being held. This is not necessarily a sign of his abuse, many chinchillas do not like being held. If you work with them they will often "tolerate" being held, but like and tolerate are very different. Let us know how everything goes and thank you for stopping by chinchilla place.

My chin Yoni, is missing fur above her nose (in between her eyes). It's a small patch and you can see a bit of skin. 
 
Its the only place she's missing fur. There's no evidence that her and Gizmo are fighting, they seem to get along great still.  
 
 
 
I looked it up, and found that it could be a fungus, although Gizmo and Yoni used to share a sand bath (before Yoni lost her fur) and Gizmo shows no sign of it.  
 
We've been adding athlete's foot powder to the sand bath to see if that helps if it's the fungus.  
 
 
 
What else could it be? Should I be worried and bring her to my vet?

Hey Adriana! 
 
 
 
Thanks for the updates! I don't know how I missed your earlier post, but I'm just now reading it - sorry! Glad to hear about Yoni's progress. I think you are absolultely right to be patient with both of them. I truly think this is the best way to build trust. 
 
 
 
I'm not sure about the breeder's tip. I didn't try anything like that with Tango, so I can't say either way from my experience. I have to think though, just as you suspected, that might just make for a miserable chinchilla instead of a bonding experience! It sounds like something you might have to start from birth, but maybe Jennifer would have better input on that theory since she's raised kits. 
 
 
 
As for Yoni's missing fur, if you can see a portion of the skin, I'm assuming she is missing a substantial amount of fur (sometimes they will "drop" fur if they run into something, or they might pull it out if they are stressed, but, unless it's chronic, it's usually just a small tuft in these cases.) If you suspect fungus or if the skin seems irritated, definitely take Yoni to the vet to be safe. Fungus is a common problem for chinchillas because their fur is so dense. Moisture can get trapped and fungus will grow. This can happen from a variety of causes such as urine in the dust bath, direct sunlight, overcrowding, or even just from the water bottle dripping. I've never heard of using athlete's foot powder, but it makes me a little leery. I read on Chincare that it is a myth that it can be used to prevent fungus (http://www.chincare.com/HealthLifestyle/HealthLifestyle.htm), but I didn't see anything about treatment. I would definitely just schedule a vet appointment. If it is fungus, ringworm is a common type and is transmissible to humans, so you'll definitely want to find out for sure. 
 
 
 
Let us know how it goes!

Hi Adriana, 
 
If it is the fur right on the top of the nose it could be a result of bar chewing. This habit does wear off the fur on the top of their nose from repeatedly shoving their nose up against the bar when they pull and chew. I had a problem with Haze one of my chins doing this a while back. He knocked it off once I got him a wheel. I also try to give him things to destroy that are chinchilla safe and mix up the cage with new things every now and then to keep him entertained. Another possibility is over grooming from your other chinchilla. Chinchillas will often groom one another as a sign of affection. They will groom under the chin and the top of the nose. I recently noticed that one of my females hair on the top of her nose kept looking "wet" and pushed down. After watching them for a while, I realized it was a result of being groomed by another female. They were not being aggressive, but it did make her fur look pressed.

Hello, all. 
I was reading all of the posts here i liked them all, but i still have one question. 
I just bought my Chin named Jack 2 days ago from petsmart they 3 of them in cage and i chose the most excited and hyper one, but at home he seems just to be quite, i do let him out of the cage to play around in my living room i keep an eye so he wont chew on anything so far he has been a good boy, but when i pick him i hold him against my chest and he will stay quite for a while, but the little guy poops like a pooping machine LOL. 
is this normal?

that's funny Jubs, one of the nick-names I have for my chin is Mr Poop Machine. I like that you are letting him free to run and keeping an eye on him. Hopefully your chin is not as curious as mine who will try to "taste" everything in his path. I have been cleaning his cage and when trying to back up I feel his paws on my hair and he's taking a bite! Good luck with your new pet! 
 
Nichelle 

Now does he poop when you pick him up? like Jack does? 
So far he hasn't chewed on anything yet.

For Jubs, Jack's chin parent - both of my little girls, Raisin and Daisy, are serious little poopie machines. Last night, Daisy found her way to the top of my head. A Daisy poopie soon rolled down my forehead, only to bounce off my nose. She seemed particularly pleased with herself because when I reached up and plucked her off my head and brought her down to eye level, she was waiving around another poppie in her little hand (like a miniture can of coke). She has a habit of waiving around items that she has no interest in eating, but isn't quite ready to hand them over to me. :)

Hi Jubs sorry to say that it is the truth. Chinchillas are cute little buggers but they are poop machines. They can be trained to pee in the same spot (actually they pretty much do this naturally) but they are not able to be trained to poop in a litter box. At least I have owned several chinchillas and NEVER had one that pooped in the same area. I have also never heard of one that did so. I also bought a shopvac and sweep around the cage near daily.

So question is how do i train jack to pee on the litter box?

Thing is, they'll train you where they pee. Then you just put a little ceramic liter pale there with some carefresh litter in it and you're off! Jack will prob later decide he also likes to pee in other places in his cage and you will just get more litter bowls/pails at that time.

Cool, i will try it, I am a little sad tho, today i noticed that Jack's poop are soft and wet, not like it was on his first days here hard, which looked like cocoa puff cereals LOL. 
any ideas why this might be happening? 
Thanks Jacks & jubs.

Hey, I've got some info on my Chin Woody, and some questions about a recent death of one of the other chinchillas. Woody is doing great!!! He is so cute and he doesn't mind being picked up or held anymore. I'm so proud of him. I talk to him all the time and he seems to like it. He really likes kisses. My sister and I have our own chins and we put them together a lot and they are really friendly towards each other. They have been good buddy's ever sense i got Woody. Now on to the sad news..... 
My sisters teacher had a chinchilla and he couldn't keep her anymore cause his rat bit one of the kids in her school. My sister goes to high school, and the girl that got bit had to get stitches. So the teacher asked Taylor to take the chinchilla. Sense we had two chins already, we knew we could take care of it. The thing is, because Chester ( the teacher chinchilla, female chinchilla) was with all those kids all the time during the day, she never slept, her bowl was to big and had to much food in it, and all the kids ever gave her was raisins. so i knew when she came to our house that she was overweight, stressed out, and extremely paranoid. So we put her by herself, and eventually she calmed down and was better. Last night she wasn't moving, which i thought was weird cause she's usually energetic, and she just slumped over. i was extremely worried, but it was one in the morning and i tried to find a vet, but it was impossible. so i waited till the next morning, and i still couldn't find a vet. Later on in the afternoon she was getting worse. Finally i found a vet and i tried really hard to get her there, but she died on the way. We had her for about 4 months. i wanted to know if anyone might have a clue of how she died. I think she had diabetes because of the way her previous owner treated her, and we just didn't see it. It really upset me that she died. I'm gonna miss her.

Oh Paige, I am so sorry and deepy saddened over the loss of Chester. My heart goes out to you - it's never easy to lose a pet, no matter how long you've had them! 
 
 
 
This is going to sound very unscientific, but the first thing I thought of is that you have Chester a new relaxing environment that may have just allowed her to be comfortable and let go of life. Sometimes when animals are traumatized or in a stressful living environment, they feel the need to keep fighting to protect themselves, and it just sounds so much to me like Chester found it finally at ease enough to stop fighting after what sounds like a very stressful lifetime. Do you know how old she was? 
 
 
 
Diabetes is a possibility from all the sugar - often these animals will drink and urinate frequently. The urine may have a sweeter smell to it also. You could check the urine for ketones post-mortem with keto sticks that you can get at the drug store, but it sounds to me that since Chester had a pretty rough life, there are many factors that could have contributed to her death - lack of chinchilla education on the teacher's behalf. Chinchillas do NOT make good classroom pets - they are supposed to sleep during the day for Pete's sake! It's just cruel :( You were very sweet to give her a comfortable home in her final days. 
 
 
 
Congrats on your progress with Woody!

Jubs and Jack, 
 
 
 
Wet poos are usually a sign of diahrea(sp?). With small creatures like Jack it can get seriously bad really quick! Did you continue feeding Jack the same food (the pet store was feeding him) when you got him home? Changing their diets suddenly can cause illness. It's best to do a long gradual change to a food with no frills (no nuts, rasins, "candy") just alfalfa pellets.  
 
 
 
If this is not the situation, I don't know what to tell ya.  
 
 
 
Does anyone else know reasons for loose stools in chillies?

Nichelle, 
 
I couldn't have explained it better. It may be the switch in food or possibly too many treats. A plain alfalfa food with no frill (ie treats)is ideal. If the food has treats in it, your chinchilla will likely dig through pick out the treats and dump the good stuff. Like a kid eating lucky charms.

UMM.. that could be, i am using the same food that it came with the cage, i am giving him hay too witch it came along with the cage kit. 
i haven't been giving him any treats yet.

Jubs,  
 
Sometimes the food that comes in the cage kits is old. You might want to maybe get it some fresh food, preferably whatever it was eating in the pet store. (since its schprinkles were solid when it first came home)

Amanda, 
Thank you for the help, and you condolences. Chester was only a year old when she was brought to my sister and i. Which, makes this more tragic, so young, she had a lot more years left in her; assuming that she had properly taken care of. We told the teacher that she died, and explained to him to never get another chinchilla, unless as a household pet, and to read up on them before purchasing another. I asked a vet and she believes that diabetes and lack of care in early life, is what caused her passing. Thanks for caring, it was very nice of you to respond to my long paragraph. Thanks so much.

Ok so. Im really wanting a chinchilla and somebody I know has found one that is for sale that has been with someone else for a while. Do you think it wouldn't like me since it was with some one else. And my house is probaly so much different than theirs. Do you think it would eventually get used to me and my house or do you think changing it's environent will change the way it acts.

i was wondering if putting a towel over my chins cage is ok cuz we have a limited amount of traffic and he just seems to be more comfortable im just worried if he chews on it will he get sick also i havent got him water bottle trained due to bad luck at finding one that doesn leak so i give him a bowl of water but almost immediately he tips the bowl over he'll drink the water and then dump it over and play with it and throw it around he has toys the waters fine i just dont get it and i worry cuz i cant refill it every time

Adrian- 
 
Chins cannot drink from a bowl like dogs do. Please pick up a glass water bottle from your local pet shop ASAP. You are correct to worry about the amount of water they get. They can get dehydrated so quickly!  
 
 
 
Also, when chins get their hair wet, it can cause organisms to get down to their skin and cause infections and growth. It's not healthy for them to get wet, if they do you should always dry them off right away, thoroughly.  
 
 
 
I have my chin's cage covered during the day so he can sleep. I have noticed he will pull the fabric through the cage wires if it is close enough. I have the cover about an inch away from the wire mesh to keep it out of his reach.

Hi Adrian, 
 
 
 
Good questions. While chinchillas will drink from a bowl as you have found, there are some hazards that come with it, as Nichelle said, which is why this method is not used. Since that is what your chin knows how to do, however, I caution you from just taking it out abruptly and swapping it for a water bottle. Introduce your chin to the water bottle so he can see that there is water inside. Put the bottle in the cage where the bowl is so he learns to associate it with water. It probably won't take much for him to figure it out (they're pretty intuitive) but you don't want him to think he has no water and he dehydrates himself because his bowl is suddenly gone and he doesn't know where else to go. And just be sure to observe him until you're sure he's figured it out. This is the bottle that Tango has and that I would recommend: http://www.lonestarchinchilla.com/store/product_info.php?cPath=21&products_id=48&osCsid=72bf9b014af4e8cf9c10414f20cddb88 . (Lonestar Chinchilla is great too - they often send out coupons and have free samples and drawings with prizes.) 
 
 
 
As for the cage covering question. Most chinchillas will shred towel if they have access to it without supervision (especially during the night if they can reach it with their little paws through the cage wires). If ingested, towel will obstruct the bowel and likely kill the chinchilla. But I can understand that covering the cage would make him more comfortable. I recommend using fleece instead because it can't be shred. You can of course get some at your local craft store. I would caution you from covering the entire cage, however. This can lead to suffocation and over-heating. Just find a piece that hangs over the top of the cage somewhat. 
 
 
 
Let us know how it goes! 
 
Amanda

Hey Tyler, 
 
 
 
I think the new chinchilla would have a high bonding potential provided that you are calm, patient, and spend some quality time with him. He might be a little skittish at first since his environment has changed completely, but they tend to warm up quickly and might even appreciate the change of scenery (especially if you are improving the living conditions!) 
 
 
 
I caution all new chinchilla owners that chins can live up to 20 years, so be sure you're reading for that kind of commitment. They should have time each day to stretch their legs outside of their cage for at least 30 minutes. But since you're here, I'm sure you're doing your research :) Let us know if you have any other questions we can help you with! Let us know if you go for it! 
 
 
 
Amanda

my little dionysis is so smart as soon as i hooked the water bottle in he starting drinking from it immediately like he knew exactly what it was. believe me i tried many a time to get him to use one but he wouldnt its amazing to see them take in info so quickly thank u for the info this site is great way more info then the book i got

Hi, I'm trying to make my little chin's cage a little more entertaining for him to play in since I don't have time to let him out to play every night. His cage is about 5 feet tall by 4 feet wide, and he has several shelves to climb on and a tunnel at the top. I still want to add a little more, because I read somewhere that the more complicated the cage the more fun they have. Any suggestions? Would a rope be a good idea?

Hi Miranda, 
 
Several Zoo's add new "toys" to keep their animals entertained and mentally healthy. I suggest mixing it up and giving your chinchilla a new toy to play with that is chin safe. I recently added a mirror surrounded in wood (it was a parrot toy) to one of my chins cages. They seemed to really enjoy it. There are also fun things to shred that you can add to their cage.You will notice that as soon as you put something new in they are dying to check it out.

Hi, i have a few questions. I have 2 chins, one is about 10 months old and the other one is 11 weeks old( just got him last week). I keep them in separate cages, but they are next to each other. I was planing to get them together eventually(yes they are both males) but there's something that worries me. The older chin doesn't seem to be happy with the new one being around. I have put them next to each other just an hour ago and at first the "old" one was jumping around and being hysterical(and i mean really) and was trying to reach the other chin. Eventually he gave up, and started chewing his chew toys like crazy, I've never seen him doing that. And now he is totally ignoring the new chin, and just doing stuff as usual, and the new chin is being quiet and watching the him all the time.

correction: watching him, not "the" him, sorry. Please excuse my english. I remembered one more thing: My old chin often sleeps on his side, like a dog. I thought that it was normal, but i never saw my new chin doing that. Is that ok?? Thanks in advance. 
 
 
 
...And hes chewing like a maniac again...

Haha just realised i didnt ask anything in the first post. Well, if you could give me any tips that would be great. Thanks

I got another one: Seems to me that my baby chin is urinating in his food.... Will changing the place of the bowl help or not? Please help :-)

Hi Og. To the "old" chin this new guy poses a threat to his territory. You are doing the right thing by keeping them in seperate cages. Your "old" chins chewing is likely a response to the "new" chin. It is to show his dominance and say THIS IS MINE. The change in behavior is not however uncommon. Chinchillas take a bit of time to adjust to new situations. Unlike a dog at a dog park that makes new "best friends" at first run, chinchillas often take times to warm up to one another. Having them side by side in seperate cages is absolutly the BEST first start in introducing the 2 chinchillas. Throwing them into the same cage at first meet can be detrimental and can result in injury to one or both chins and undue stress. 
 
Chinchillas are social, but slow and steady wins the chinchilla race. We recommend leaving them side by side for at least a week. After they become accustomed to one anther's "scent" it is time for a brief introduction on neutral ground. We like to use a bathroom during dusting/play time for the 2 chins and no more than 30 min during this first visit. I also like to include wooden chews, a couple of treats and a hiding house during this initial introduction. The goal is to have the chinchillas "meet" in an area where neither of them feel they have ownership. The toys and dust are there as distractions. It is a good bet that there will be some chasing and a little bit of fur flying. If this becomes excessive....separate immediately and try again in a few days. Patience is key. Most chinchillas will eventually bond. We have successfully had female female pairs, male female pairs, and even male male pairs ( a little tricky when females are int he vicinity). Overall chinchillas are very social creatures and do prefer the company of other chinchillas when given time to adjust. In some rare cases chins will not negotiate. If after several attempts they show no improvement, you may have to just accept a 2 cage living situation. One of our chins Haze is IMPOSSIBLE when it comes to living with another male. Give him a women and he is a total gentleman, yet try matching him with a male friend and he goes into aggressor mode. Good luck getting them to bond and let us know how it goes!

as for the urinating in his food, go for the high ground! Changing the bowl to a higher level or new spot is advisable. Remember chinchillas tend to urinate in the corners of the cage.

Thanks, you are very helpful, i hope they will get together just fine in the end :) 
 
And what about the sleeping on the side? 
 
One more thing also, i just cleaned my "new" chin's cage and he is resting in a corner where his food used to be, in a strange position, also on the side but not stretched like the other chin, he's sort of cuddled up. Oh he's not anymore, he just stretched as I'm typing. And he rolls around in the corner every now and then. And the strangest thing is: its 5:05 am here, dawn... He should be active at this time. Is he sick maybe? He is by nature very calm. Thanks

He took a little walk now and just changed the resting place

I see no poop... I've gave him some apple I've been told that it help. Is there anything else i can do? Massage? please 
thanks

Ogi, 
 
 
 
You need to call your vet that specializes in chinchillas right away. Your chin might have a bowel obstruction and should not be fed anything other than his pellets. Do not give him ANY treats. Fresh fruit and vegetables are actually NOT recommended at any time to your chinchilla and especially if it is having digestive issues. Call your vet NOW!!!

He had a surgery today... Passed away after that. He was suck a lovely chin, although i had him for only 10 days. Excuse me but i dont know the english word for that but his intestines were full of poop and the vets couldnt get them out... And his intestines were also coming out of his anus... Poor guy :( the breeder separated him from the mother too early so... i think you get it. he was the cutest thing ever 
 
take a look: http://img268.imageshack.us/img268/8198/27072009371r.jpg

such*** excuse my english

Hi, 
 
Thanks for the tips. My chin is a rescue and he wasn't in the best care. He is doing great now (I'm so happy!) Here's the craziest thing ever. He learned (by himself) to give me a kiss! It was so amazing! Now all I have to do if go up to the cage call him or make a kissing sound and he comes right up and kissed me! It's just too adorable!

Hey sorry this is gonna be kinda a long one. By the way i appreciate that you guys are so nice and willing to help other people out, i think its a great thing.  
 
 
 
 
 
Ok down to buisness, I bought my chinchillas about 2 months ago from a previous owner in college and they are a year old. Ragweed and Rasco seem very comfortable around me and let me pet them under the chin and belly but when i try to pet them between the ears or on the back or tail they scratch like it tickles or shake their head and take off bouncing off the walls like little ninjas, but they come right back, and saddly dont like to be held. I was wondering if u think it was the previous owner or just that they havent warmed up enough yet. But they do give eskimo kisses lol. Ok also, Rasco is a little overwieght (the person that had them before fed them rabbit food) i immeadiatly got some chinchilla food and slowly began to switch them over, but anyways after playtime, Rasco goes to one of their little houses and lays there for a while, or just lays out in the open. Idk what the deal is he doesnt seem to breath any harder than Ragweed, but Ragweed chews toys in the cage when i put them up. They are both major pooping machines too by the way lol.Ok my last problem is that they are both masters of escape. I use bread tyes to keep there doors shut and i twist them all the way to the end. The thing is they can untwist them and have escaped. I have a lot of cords in my room and i dont want anything bad to happen to the little turds so i pushed the cage up against the cabinet so they cant escape but now they are chewing the paint off the cabinet so any ideas or a good door locker lol 
 
Thanks for your time (P.S.) know any good ways to slim down a chinchilla or do you think he is ok? He is just as active as Ragweed (AKA)the thinner one) during playtime

Hi there, I bought my chin Jose with great excitement a month ago. I read your advices before start to pet him so I was quite careful to get along with him but he ignores me all the time! I gave him lots of space, never pushed him to do anything or to touch him. I just let him what he wanted to do. He plays by himself runs around jumps everywhere, but all alone, no treats accepted from my hand too :( I tried to touch him gently like lots of times but as soon as I touch him, he rans away from me so fast! And at night, near to twilight she hides under the couch and makes a sound like crying, I say his name and he stops, 1 min later starts over, and honestly this has started to annoy me now. I read that they aree social and fun animals but sadly mine has been a dissappointment :( This has been quite surprising for me and now i m pessimistic about our bond with jose. I would appreciate any advice.  
 
Thank u for your time and help, greets from turkey

Hi Tanakan, 
 
 
 
The squeeking, crying noise is usually a "where are you?" call. The chin is usually looking to find his/her friend. When this happens with my chin, I slowly place my hand beside his wiskers and rub his chin or ear.  
 
 
 
Chins are lively and loving, but they are not lap dogs. I am sure Jose loves being around you, it will just take some time for you both to find games you like to play together. My chin likes to use me as a jungle gym- climbs all over me while I sit in his play room with him.  
 
 
 
About the treats, he will learn that what lies in your hand is not entrapment, but treats- if you are patient.  
 
 
 
Please search the internet for chin sounds/noises. I have found some really good clips out there that help me understand what my chin is "saying" to me. 
 
 
 
Have a chintastic day! 
 
 
 
Howident

hi everybody! 
 
i have a 6 month old chinny and she hates being picked up. when she was a baby, we used to hold her incorrectly, could this have something to do with it? also, she doesnt like coming out of her cage, she always runs into her burrow when someone comes near. sometimes she runs under the bed and we cant get her out. we are afraid she will eat something bad, as she already has eaten apart of a pill(dont worry, shes not sick at all), a bit of cardboard, and other odd objects. i am beginning to think she is untrainable. please help me!!!!! 
 
eileen

do chinchilla sopost to breath hard?

No Lilly, panting is a sign of heat stroke. Get your chin to a vet specializing in chinchillas immediately or he or she will likely suffer brain damage or death. Remember, chinchillas should never be in an environment warmer than 70 degrees!

Hello!! I've posted on Bad Chinchilla Habits blog and glad to have read over on this side now. We bought Gry from a pets store last August. I am the one who can stay up nights with him and get the trust going with him (7 years on the graveyard shift). Weh I went back to the pet store I noticed another chin in the same glass display case and asked if this was the same one there from last August and he was!! I asked if he was let out before the store closed for excercise, etc. They said they did when they could but I know this isn't enough. We decided to adopt him, too, because we have cat towers (Grey loves to climg and hop off/on these things and they are safe) and chew toys, treats, etc. We had them meet and they nuzzled noses and brought them home in separate carriers. Our new one, Nipsey, so named because he bites. I can support either chin when holding them but my husband got bitten really hard-bloody mess but band-aid only was needed. Grey was inquiring and trying to play with his new buddy and he was biten, too. We have them separated for now-Grey in his cage upstairs and Nipsey in the playpen downstairs. We think that he is really scared with his new surroundings. He was 'working' store hours and with store lights, intercom system, employees and inquistive customers in a flat case with food and water but not much else. He was shedding at the store and we have lots here since we put him in his own bath house. We had to roll it because he didn't do the usual chin washing machine moves. I know he's going to take a while to get used to being in a home and some leg room. But he did the darndest thing last night. He snuggled on my lap under the covers and went to sleep. Grey is like Tango-he'll come to you for a treat or two, use you for a spring board, resting spot, but other than that, he's a free spirit!! And we look like crazy people too, because we talk to our chins, too. So, we're gonna break out the classical cd's and get on the floor with Nipsey, but can anyone tell me what we can do to help him socialize with Grey? Grey has been lonely and snuggling up to my furry bathrobe, especially when it wiggles. We'll sit with them to keep Nipsey from biting back, but they both have forgotten that they were in that same little case last summer-snuggling together.

Hi Ellen, It sounds like Nipsy may have spent a little too much time cooped up and not enough time socializing with humans and other chinchillas. I have only been to one pet store that really does a great job with chinchilla habitat and care both physical and social. They even had veterinarians on staff that were knew how to care for chinchillas and one of them owned two. This place however is really the exception to the rule from what I have seen elsewhere....I have only ever had one chinchilla that bit. She was a rescue and did not like people at all, but she did like other chinchillas. It was so bad that when I would fill her food bowl, she would pop her head out of her hole grunt at me and start trying to bite. She got me pretty good a couple times when we first got her. It did get a bit better over time, but she was never 100% socialized. It is sad that Nipsey does not know how to dust properly, this is a sign that he was really not brought up in a chinchilla friendly environment. It will probably take quite a bit of time for him to trust you, Grey, your husband and his new surroundings. I would go with small steps for him. Teaching him to dust, giving him a treat when he acts calm. Once he learns how to be a chinchilla I would put them together to dust and keep a close eye on them. I would try switching cages put Nipsy in Grey's cage for a night and Grey in Nipsy's this will help them to become accustomed to each others scent. From there I would try dust baths together( once Nipsy gets the hang of it) but keep a close eye on them to make sure they do not harm each other. Eventually Nipsy should no longer see Grey as a threat.

Hi Jennifer!! Today I am glad to tell you that Grey & Nipsey are like 2 peas in a pod!! We kept Grey on his usual schedule and routine. We let them play together in the playpen downstairs. I would use a broom to keep them from fighting each other. Was too funny because they would each chew on their side of the broom. We left Nipsey downstairs, covered the playpen and let him have peace & quiet during the day. He seemed to be more friendly and not as defensive. We let them both play upstairs together by Wednesday night and they were able to get along in the same large cage from that night since. They play and Grey is showing him his hiding spots where we have to corner them to bring them downstairs. Nipsey still throws off a lot of fur but we figured this was normal from not having a bath in such a long time. They have their own bath houses and now he does that familiar funny roll as Grey does and that was nice to see. Now we have two buddies now and this is nice to see. I thought this was gonna take weeks and it only took a few days. But I think that they remembered each other. Just glad that they have someone to pal around with!

hiya my chin was chewing on a tube of glue about a week ago, im note where he found it or wether he ate any but now he seems so fat and i think he can't excrete waste, but he seems fine running around as normal and eating fine, not sure if he really is ok though, could any1 help please, thanks, gina x x

Gina, 
 
 
 
If your chin isn't pooping, you need to take him to the vet right away. There's only a small window of time that they can help. More than likely, he ate some of the plastic which is really dangerous. Ensure that he has a safe area to run around in, with no objects on the floor, because they will chew whatever they find. Best of luck

Hello everyone.  
 
I recently adopted a chin from someone who seemed to be 'bothered' by the care & attention needed by a chin. He's my first, a cute little guy named Eep. I fell in love the moment I saw him. I have no idea how old Eep is, how this person ended up with him, or how Eep's been treated up to now. 
 
He's acting a bit strangly, and I found a post above that sounds a lot like what he's doing, but I didn't see a reply to it. Can you please send me more info? Thanks for all your help! 
 
The post I am refering to is pasted below: Hi, I have a question about my little boy. He's been acting aggressive lately and he's being uncooperative when its time to come out to play. And tonight he did something he's never did before...he started like humping my arm and nibbling at it. should I get him fixed or something? He is about a year and a half now. posted @ Monday, February 16, 2009 9:41 PM by Miranda  
 

Hi Blythe, 
 
Many male chinchillas do seem to become sexually frustrated. You can have a male chinchilla neutered by a specialty veterinarian or you can opt for a "cuddle buddy" (yeah weird but they do make them for a reason) try a fleece bear or a piece of chinchilla safe fabric for the cage. It may help his frustration. Good luck!

Lately I have found my chinchillas cage covered in blood and clumps of his hair everywhere. he has a solid large wooden cage with no sharp edges and a running wheel that couldnt cause injury. I know they lose fur due to stress but would being in a laundry room be stressful? Im really concerned but Im trying to avoid a trip to the vet

The first thing I think of with blood on the cage is that the chin might have a rectal prolapse, which is a medical emergency. I highly recommend biting the bullet and taking him to the vet. This sounds serious.  
 
 
 
Amanda

Hi, so i just bought two chinchillas last week and they are both 9 weeks old. i have only had them for about a week and a half..and everytime i open the cage they run to the back like they dont want to be bothered. HELP

My chin, Luna, has only been here for a week or so. But she really likes getting her chin scratched, takes a treat or hay from everyone she meets, and is fine with playtime. 
It's almost impossible to get her out of her cage or her playroom though, and I think I scare her. It's really upsetting; one day she'll be all happy with me and the next she'll run away and won't even look at me. I don't think I have the patience for months and months of careful bonding... I also raised my voice at her because it's frustrating. I'm not sure if I should even keep her because I don't want to scare her.. she even tried jumping out of my arms onto the floor today. :'( 
Should I try to bond with her more...or should I bring her back and get a more social pet? (Which is what I wanted... I didn't research chilla behavior at all, just care.) 
Am I a bad person?

Hello, i bought my first chinchilla, Tinker about 6 months ago and my second, Tainga 4 months ago. They ajusted very well to each other and i had no problems with either one adjusting to me. I just bought a third chinchilla, Talia today and she is worrying me. See i felt i had to buy her because when i went to get my second chin i was about to get Talia but decided on Tainga instead. Today i saw that Talia was all alone and i felt terrible that she had no one to cuddle with like my chins cuddle with each other =[ so i bought her. They all came from the same store and were all housed together until i bought them. She keeps squeaking and its not like my other chins squeaks. Its almost like a weezing or the hicup squeak i heard on this site of chinchilla sounds but its been goig on too long for it to be the hicups. I figured it was because she was scared but she was fine until about two hours of being here thats when it started. She was not around anyone when she began. She did smack her head when trying to jump on my lap, she hit my computer and ran under the bed instead =[. Could she be making this noise because she is hurt? She is not grinding her teeth which is what i beleive is the usual sound to indicate they are hurting. I feel so bad. What if she liked being alone in the pet store =[

im getting a chin and already have a glass cage..i have read it is bad for them because of air flow is not so good...well i have holes on everyside of my cage that can allow air in well plus a mesh/metal top would this be ok for it?

Hi illa, 
 
Chinchillas are naturally found in mountainous regions and are more comfortable with heights than we might initially think. My chin will find the tallest thing in his cage and stand on top of it, and still look for something higher!  
 
A cage with multiple levels and ramps, that stands a few feet off the floor is the minimum a chin would need for a safe, comfortable home.  
 
Chinchillas are more comfortable with heights for many reasons, but one is that they feel safer being 'out of reach' of any potential predators. Thus, the few feet off the ground. Since they are prey animals, they also get nervous if people stand over them, or lean into their cages from above. You can imagine it brings up images of swooping eagles coming in for the kill. Keeping your chin at eye level is the best way to encourage trust and security. 
 
If you have an aquarium you are considering putting your chin in, you could check out some of the cage suggestions above in this thread for a more chin-worthy option.

Hi Amanda, 
 
Congrats on your growing family! I only have 1 chin, but have been considering a family for a while. There is so much to consider and prepare for, it's just taking me years to get ready.  
 
One thing you should always prepare for is that your new chin won't get along with the other(s). When bringing a new chin home, there are a lot of things to consider, they could get each other sick for one, and should be kept away from the other chins and their stuff until checked by the vet. 
 
Another is the smell of the other chins would be a deterrent for the new chin. The older chins would also likely be territorial when presented with the new chin.  
 
You probably need to have two cages, one for the new chin, and one for the other two. Get the cages in the same room, but far apart, then slowly, over weeks, move the cages closer so the chins get use to each other's smells. Then they can have small amounts of Supervised interaction time, just ten minutes to start and increase over days, and gauge how well they get along. This should allow them to get to know each other.  
 
You may be the proud parent of a pair and a single chin. If the first two are a breeding pair, they may be more territorial than you would like, and the new chin would have to be kept in a separate cage for safety.  
 
Let us know how the training and introductions go. I read in your note that they previously shared a cage in the shoppe. Just remember that now your first two chins think they have you all to themselves, and may not want to share you with the new comer, so be patient and think safety first.

hey i just brought a wheel for my chin but for the last two weaks she has paid no attention to it. How do i make her use it? aslo is there anyways to get her from stop eating wires when i let her out?

Hi -  
So my boyfriend and I have had our chinchilla for a couple months now and we recently noticed that he's been turning his hiding houses over and moving them around. He never did this before and it's worrying us. We clean out the cage once a week, he eats normally, and gets a dust bath atleast twice a week. He has a really big cage so it's not a space issue and he will do it even if his cage isn't dirty...is this behavior normal?? 
 
Thanks!

Tracy- 
That is normal! He's probably just hyper or lonely. 
How often do you let him out of his cage? Does he have a lot to climb on or a wheel?

Thanks Jena! That puts our minds at ease a little bit! He has a huge cage - about 5 feet tall with many different levels and he has a wheel. We try to take him out every night - some nights he doesn't he want to run around outside of his cage and some nights he will never stop moving. I think its probably, hopefully, him being hyper!

my chinchilla is always trying to hump my arm when i reach into his cage. Is there something i can do to stop that from happening.

Just a couple quick fixes I know... 
 
For diarrhea if the food has not been consistent try giving them a little bit of oats. This seems to help if they get a few too many treats or a recent diet change. Then again if the food has been consistent and there has not been a massive handing out of treats...time to think about the vet. 
 
For the humping thing it seemed to be answered a bit higher up: 
Many male chinchillas do seem to become sexually frustrated. You can have a male chinchilla neutered by a specialty veterinarian or you can opt for a "cuddle buddy" (yeah weird but they do make them for a reason) try a fleece bear or a piece of chinchilla safe fabric for the cage. It may help his frustration. Good luck! 
 
And then a few of my own questions: 
So I know there is a ton on here about not chasing your chin around the cage. This might seem kinda silly but one of mine only seems to enjoy being picked up once she is up on her leaping ledge. She needs to be chased out of her home and then she sits on her ledge and waits for me to open the second door and scoop her up. I have a feeling that this is because I can support her better grabbing her that way. I assume this type of "chase" is ok? 
 
Now dad...horny, energetic, little guy. Well he is addicted to his exercise ball. But now I'm reading they are not recommended? What should I use instead? Or since he seems to have no problems to date (he's 3 years old and has always used one) is he most likely not going to over heat? And it's safe for him? He if allowed will run around the house for 3+ hours in his ball. And just adores it. Then again he is super high energy and seems to think he is invincible in the ball. I will admit I have a dog that runs around the house and although he is a chinchilla spring board and could care less about them I think he makes the dad more nervous when not in his ball. 
 
And last question, which I also asked in the breeding section... 
So my little guys had a baby about 7 weeks ago. I took dad out for about 3 weeks but he was seeming lonely, so after it seemed like mom would be out of the woods for a breed-back I put him back in. Well there has been quite a bit of noise between the dad and baby recently, so last night I took the kiddo out (I think it's a girl and really don't want dad getting her preggers). I was hoping for another couple weeks for the kiddo to still be with mom, but mom does seem to have weaned it. And honestly, dad seems to be drinking from mom now. What is that about? Is it common? Is he checking something else down there on her? 
 
So should I put mom in the separate cage with the baby? Or have they had enough time already. I will say there was no crying last night from the baby, but dad was ridiculously upset. Making all kinds of noise when the baby was first put in the other cage. Then he proceeded to chase mom around for a while till he did his thing. Then everyone was quiet and calm the rest of the night. 
 
So can anyone translate all of that for me and help me out? I'm trying to talk chinchilla...but I think something is getting lost in translation...

I got my chinchilla about amonth ago and she was 13 weeks old when I got her. Everything so far has been pretty normal, we are still in the "bonding process". But the last week or so she has been chewing off her water bottle from her cage. I work night shift and when I would come home it would always be on the floor. At first I just thought she was knocking it off on accident by jumping around but a couple days into the behavior I lierally watched her nod/chew the metal piece that keeps the bottle to the cage off on purpose. I am afraid if she keeps doing this and especially when I am not home that she will get too thirsty. I am also worried she is doing this because Im not giving her enough attention. Is this behavior normal and does anyone know what she is trying to tell me?

I have had my chinchilla for a couple days now. I got him from a locally owned petstore and they say he is about eight weeks. When I went to the store to get him he came right up to the side of the cage and investigated my finger and nibbled on it. Also, when the lady took him out for me to take him home he seemed calm and tame and let her pet him. Now it has been a couple days since he has been home and he seems to be adjusting to his environment well but not to me. During the evening when I go into the room he is in he will stop what he was doing and hide, then as I sit and talk to him in a calm voice he barks at me. Sometimes he will explore his cage while I am there but, he continues to bark at me. I have tried to offer treats but he won't come near me. Does this mean he is terrified of me? How do I get him to get used to my presence? 
 
Also, I was wondering how I get him out for playtime this early on in our relationship? I haven't tried to pick him up yet because I don't want him to get scared and not trust me. So my question is, how do I get him out to play and more importantly, back into his cage after playtime? Any advice, Thanks!

So i just got a new chinchilla! but he dosnt seem to like me very much. He keeps running under my bed when i try and play with him so i took him in the bathroom and he just sits behind the toilet and makes kindof a barking/angry kind of noise. i dont know how to make him like me. any tips? thanks.

Hello! I have a chinchilla that I have had for about 5 months now. I got him from an old teacher of mine who kept him a classroom pet and before that he was bought for a 3 year old. I would say he is rather accustomed to a little insanity.  
 
I keep his cage in te sunroom and buy him new toys at least once every few weeks. It stays pretty cool in there and he seems to like it just fine. He sits on the couch with me and jumps on my shoulder and even sleeps cuddled up in the blanket I keep on the couch if he gets worn out. :) 
 
I absolutely adore Finn and so do my parents and friends. I think he has bonded with me rather well in such a short amount of time. Is there anything more I could do to help him trust me anymore? I plan on having him for a long long time and want him to love me as much as I love him. Thanks!:)

Hi, I got my chinchilla (my first one) about ten days ago. Before I tell you my problem, I have to explain some things. 
 
 
 
Well first off. I got my chinchilla at PetSmart. My cousin got one from there and said her chin is amazing and loveable. So I thought it would be okay to get one there. (which I did.)  
 
At the store the woman brought him out of the cage he was in. (btw he was living at the time with another, older chin) and the woman let me hold him. He was just fine with me holding him. He sat in my arms and nibbled on my shirt and hand. I fell in love with him! Later that night I named him Chicco. It fit him just fine! 
 
(I was told not to bother him for 38 hours, just calmly talk to him. But dont let him out of his cage.)It had been 40 hours since I got him and decided it would be a good time to let him out. So I scooped him up (which he was fine with me hold him, just a wee bit squirmy) and i let him into my chin-proofed bathroom. It was going great and all, running around, jumping on me, nibbling ect.. until he started to examin my cabinet. Turns out my bathroom wasnt chin-proof after all. the pull out drawer at the bottom had a gap that I didnt catch. and crawled into the garp. I giggled and thought he would be trapped in my cabinet. So i pulled out the drawer and the one above it, completly out. And to my horror there was a second hole that leads into the floor board. And my chinchilla went into that hole! Scard out of my wits, I listened for him and I could hear him running around. Just having the time of his life! I figured out that there was only so far he could go. to my sinks to my door. it was so closed up that he couldnt get very far. Well the short ending to that is, I put a ramp into the hole and put food on the ledge and waited for him to scamper up. In which he did( That night he stayed in the floor and in the morning I saw him peeking around the ramp so i grabbed him, cutting up my arm.) 
 
Now its been days and days since that happened. Hes gotten comfortable with his new home. He didnt eat any strange things lerking around under the floor boards by the way. I moved Chicca into another room down the hall, completly chin-proof. Everyday I have play-time with Chicca. But the thing is that he'll jump on me, hes totally okay with that. He's okay with my hand in his cage and he occasionaly jumps on it to get from ledge to ledge. Chicco... can not stand me picking him up anymore. At the Pet store he was okay with me holding him, carring him to the bathroom he was okay with( a little squirmy)but now he wont let me pick him up. He violently squirm and bites me. I let him go and he acts like nothing happend. He jumps on my legs and crawls on my shoulders sometimes. But I don't get what happened. Why wont he let me hold him.I've tried everything!!!! I've gone to websit to website to website, trying different things. I just don't get it. I read other posts about cute little things other chinchillas do... with play-time abd what not. But mine just jumps out of his cage and runs aorund the room, jumping off the walls and he likes to look at himself in the mirror, but other then that. I cant play with him. He wont let me pick him up, this is stressing me out! I'm tempted to give him away if this doesnt chnage. Help!!

We have a chinchilla my daughter got for herself. Of course it is too hard for her to take time with him. He watches tv at nite time and of course plays. We take him out every night for 1-2 hours in his playpen. Me and my husband spend 40-60 minutes with him in the playpen. He doesn't seem to play without us in there. We did not expect all this time with him. So our problem is what do we do with him? As far as is there an easier way to care for him. Our life is hectic as many and 1 hour every night seems crazy for 20 years. There has to be an easier way. My daughter wants to find a home for it but I'm terrified that it will not be taken care of properly or they will get rid of the chin. Please help it has to be easier than this. Any ideas? Getting home at 7pm, running to mom rehab center and then chin for 2 hours is too hectic.  

My boyfriend have a chinchilla which is about 5 months old, and it is very energetic . 
The chinchilla's cage is under an aircon. But we got a problem is, sometimes there is some red/brown colour water somewhere near the bedding. I wonder what it is ?? It couldn't be the urine since it will urine at the bedding. So we thought if its the aircon leaking water, we change the position of the bedding. And the next day, the place where the water always found changes to another place near the bedding! 
Please anyone can tell me what is the red/brown colour water is?? 
 
 
And another thing i was wondering, when i was looking at the chinchilla eating its pellets, I decide to carry it to come out and play. It bark at me and jump off. What does this means??

We have a 1 1/2 year old male chinchilla who has been a member of our family since he was about 3 months old. He loves to be scratched and stroked, and will often just stand at the door of his cage waiting for this happen. However, over time, he began to stand up and try to pee on us anytime we would try to remove him from his cage. As soon as he is out of the cage, he seems incredibly happy, cuddling up beside us, jumping around and then "tagging in", or simply closing his eyes and lifting his chin for a scratch. Therefore, I don't know if this is all "for show," if he is just trying to show he is the boss of his cage, or if he is genuinely afraid. It seems more like a territory issue. I just don't know what to do to train him away from this behavior. I can sit beside the cage all day and he loves it and loves to be touched; but open that door and he stands up, puffs up, and sprays while chattering at you. Because he seems to enjoy his time once out of the cage (and because we want to play with him), we have started just grabbing him despite the "show." Any suggestions?

sorry about the ong reply i will need i will put each questoin on a different line 
 
 
 
can i paint my chinchillas nails 
 
when can i my chinchillas back and tail 
 
would a 36" long 24" wide 63"high cage be big enough for two chins and maybe a litter of baby chins 
 
 
 
how old should they be for me to adopt them