Advice and Information?

[SakuraSan89]

Hello everyone!!!

So I just got my first Chinchilla today! Yay! I have yet to name her, but I wanted to wait a little bit to try and see her personality.

I am starting this thread because I would love any helpful advice or information any of you had.
Don't worry though! I made sure to do my fair share of research before I got her!

I was a little worried today though, she was making a sound for about a half-hour over and over in her cage (the cage is next to me, but I haven't tried to pick her up or anything...I'm giving her like two to three days to get used to her new home before I try that!), and from what I've looked up, it's called barking...but I'm not sure if that was the right thing it sounded like this:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d_9lfCfZr9k

Anyways...I just want to make sure my baby girl (for she is but a wee-lass) will be as healthy and happy as possible, so please, I am welcome to anything!

And thank you in advance!

 

[tunes]

If she's barking, she's letting you know she's apprehensive or scared, which is perfectly normal when a chin goes to a new home. In the wild, barking would warn the herd that there is danger or something to be alert for. In domesticated chinchillas, the instinct to alert everyone is still there, even though she's alone. She will do that from time to time no matter how settled she is, if she hears something that doesn't sound like a familiar noise to her.

 

[Jenn]

Congrats on your new chinchilla! Give her time to adjust.

 

[mistywaterwoman]

Make sure she has somewhere to "hide" in her cage, like a hutch or house - preferably wooden - for when she is scared. That will help her to feel more secure. It can also help to put a piece of cardboard or a length of fleece material over the top portion of her cage to give her a "roof".
Congrats! Welcome to the wonderful world of chins!