Aggressive Chin

[Essentia]

I took in a female chin today who is fairly aggressive. She doesn't like to be touched and you definitely can't pick her up. She head butts you if you come too close and she sprays you even if you walk by the cage (according to the previous owner). She said she has been like that ever since she was rescued from a woman with 5 dogs. Her owner said she just didn't know what to do with her anymore and she wanted someone to come get her.

Honestly, she was replaced. When I went to pick her up she had a black velvet in a carrier waiting to take over her cage.

All that being said, what would your next step be? I sat by her cage this evening and read a book (out loud) so she would get used to me. I gave her a rose hip, which she did take from my hand. She hasn't sprayed me yet so I don't know if it really is as bad as she said it was. She has tried to head butt me though. I was moving her water bottle to a better location and she head butted my hand and bit pretty hard in the process. I don't want to stress her out any more than she is already. According to her previous owner she did get at least an hour playtime. Should I let her have playtime or should I let her get acclimated to her new surroundings for a couple days before attempting it? Also, for those of you who have worked with an aggressive chin, what did you do to work with them? She has been given those wood baby alphabet blocks that she loves to chew on. Are these safe? She's had them the entire 7 months she had her, but I want to make sure.

Sorry for the 20 questions, I just want to do the best I can with her.

Everyone meet Lala.

(the plastic is being switched to wood tomorrow when I can get to the store to buy the supplies...she wasn't an expected rescue)

 

[alli713]

Aw she is very cute! I think I'd give her a couple days before playtime. And especially if you'd have to try to catch her to put her back in her cage. But honestly, sometimes chins just choose to not like certain people. Maybe she will do well with you and not be as bad as the previous owner stated. If she hasn't sprayed you and has taken a treat from you, I don't think she sounds all that mean. If she were mean, she would spray and bite. So it sounds like she can come around.

ETA: oh sorry, didn't see that she did bite in your post, but now I re-read it. But she could be stressed out by the move as well. I would just give her time, she may still come around with some good attention )

 

[Essentia]

She has always been moved with her dust bath. I don't think she was ever held by the last owner. And she took the treat, from my hand, through the bars willingly. It wasn't until I had to put my hand inside the cage that she went to headbutting and biting.

 

[Sheri]

Sounds to me like she might have been swatted at or such. I have a very agressive chin. She will come after my hand until I get a hold of her then she is fine. I don't know what happened to her before I got her but that's the way she is.

Give this girl time. SHe sounds like she is young and all may change with a little love. My girl is 7. I don't think it's going to change for her.

 

[Rickman]

I've used leather gloves with agressive rescues, with much success! After they bite a few times, and get no reaction, it seems they give up even trying!
Sounds like she'll come around with time and T.L.C.!!!

 

[corneliuschins]

I agree with Rickman. Give her about a week or so of getting used to your house and your noise/smell before taking her out for playtime. You want her to enjoy her time with you. After a week of being cooped up i'm sure she'll be ready for some play time. She'll know that she has to come to you to be able to get out. Treats, of course in moderation but if it's over a short period of time, it may just be the thing that turns her around. Make sure her interactions with you are positive. Treats are good for this. Soft speaking or making noises with your mouth can bring her to the front of the cage to come and look at you. When it comes time to take her out, i'd use the gloves. That way when she realizes that you are not the old owner and that bites don't get her anywhere she'll most likely give it up. One thing i've noticed bigtime is that when people just shove their hand in the cage, grab the chin in one quick scoop and hold it with authority and not fear, the chin will act much better towards you. The gloves will help with your fear of being bit. I also wanted to add that many times when an owner wants to get rid of a problem, they'll trump it up and say that the animal is satan and has killed their 4 children. On the other hand, sometimes animals are as bad as people say. I think that chins can change too though. The more authoritative and confident you are, the less she'll put up the fight. And when she realizes that your hands often have a wonderful tasty treat, they'll be less scared of you and more loving towards you. Just make sure her interactions with you are positive and you'll win her over in no time. - Jessica

 

[Rickman]

Wanted to mention; at the time I took in this particular chin, I met Dawnna and bought a large jar of LifeLine - I gave it to all of them, mixed in a paste, with a spoon, and it just seemed to "chill-out" the whole herd - less squabbling, etc. Maybe a chin with a happy tummy is a happy chin!
Don't know if that was part of the reason she settled down, but I'm sure it didn't hurt!

 

[eroomlorac]

I agree with everyone else, she will come around with time and patience and kindness. I'm glad you took her in.

 

[Essentia]

Thanks for the advice. This morning I went up to her cage and softly talked to her and put my hand up to the cage for her to smell it. She kacked at my hand, thought she didn't bite it, but she did run away. I went back about 5 minutes later with an oat, and she took it from my hand again. She's never scared of food.

 

[Chinniechantel]

Those blocks are usually ok for them, but if you don't know the source her old owner got them from, I would not chance it- with the lead/China risk and all. You can find them on bird websites if you want to get her some safe ones. I would give her a few weeks before you start trying to do playtime. You can put your hand in the cage, talk to her like you are doing, and just let her pick the pace that you interact. Good luck, lets hope a new house and some love will get her sweet in no time.

 

[Riven]

Stop giving her treats through the bars, open the cage and put your hand there with the treat in it, so she has to come and take it out of your hand. Eventually she will learn to sit on or near your hand to eat it. Oats works good for this because they get one, eat it fairly quick, then come for another. They will decide it sucks trying to run back again and again, and just stay. If you do this and she bites your hand, then you can go back to the bars. Be sure she's watching you and knows the treat is in your hand.

 

[Sugarmama]

Crysta, Stumpy was pretty aggressive towards hands in his cage after I first got him. He managed to get Ty and me fairly often. He used to charge at me everytime I gave him hay and pellets. At first, if I had to get him out of his cage for gas drops and to check him over, I put a hand towel over him and picked him up that way, until he was more used to being held.

When I would burrito him, he would bite at every bit of the towel he could get his teeth on. I was thankful that it was the towel and not my hand! But the more he got used to being held, the less he bit. Now, he doesn't bite at all. I'm sure your girl will come around, she just has to get used to human contact again, and learn that your hands are "safe" and not harmful.

 

[Essentia]

More pretty pictures. She looks so innocent.

 

[addictedtochins]

I'm glad you got her, sounds like she had a very poor life before. She is very pretty. It will be worth the effort.

 

[kaotictenshi]

Mork was VERY aggressive when i first got him. I would sing to him and read to him out loud, and after about a week, i would pull a chair up to the cage and just place my hand inside, he would hop around it (he nipped me a couple times at first) but I just sat very still and he eventually would sit on my arm and now he's friendly as can be, he leaps out of the cage and cuddles with me every day!

 

[Laurie]

Definitely agree with Riven on the treat giving through the bars. Bobo is vicious as all get out in her cage, but when I give oats she has to come to me and eat them from my hand. I tell her treats so she knows what it is and that way I don't get pee'd on either. She's a cutie girl I hope she'll come around for you.

 

[stampinchick]

I think that every chin has it's own distinct personality, and this one sounds like she will just take some time to get used to being handled. It is pretty obvious that she was not handled in her previous home. All of the tips above seem to be pretty good. I was also thinking, what if you carried a piece of fleece with you for a day, and then put the fleece in the cage with her. This might get her used to your scent, and possibly more comfortable with you. Just an idea.

 

[Siylvat]

LOL, that stick is almost as big as her! Good luck with her, I don't really have much advice because my chins are all lazy pushovers. Wish you the best though!