Biting Chin

[littlepiper]

Hey everyone,

I have a 6 month old male chin whom I've had for about 3 months now. For the past two weeks or so he's been very fussy and won't let me touch him without him biting... very hard.

He has always been a spaztic chinchilla and only for the past two weeks has he been very anti-social. Oddly enough though, when my girlfriend comes over during the weekend he is perfectly fine. He will let her pet him and scratch him, but as soon as I go near, he chomps. Furthermore, for the last two days he's also started to bite her.

Does anyone have any insight into this type of behaviour? He gets tons of play time in my room every day (usually an hour to three hours in total a day) and I do give him a fair amount of treats when he does things I want him to (like getting into his cage without struggle).

Thanks for any help!
-piper

 

[Cuddlebug]

Sometimes they just get grumpy on us. I would recommend that you wear leather gloves when you handle him. Usually, after a few bites that don't get them their way, the biting stops. By the way, removing your from his reach is giving him his way.

 

[Rickman]

I second the leather gloves! Had some rescues that were fierce biters, and clean welding gloves cured them right away!

 

[Ash]

Welcome to puberty!

 

[addictedtochins]

My newest chinny Sammy is a biter, the first couple weeks he really bit hard and drew blood. He was/is cage territorial, once he is out of his cage he is a doll. He has gotten much better, he's been here about 2 months now. I don't know how he does it but now when he bites...he just doesn't chomp down at all. All you feel is his teeth barely touching your hand, sometime just a little bit more than that. He is an adult male and I am pretty sure he has been teased and poked at. Poor thing used to shake and shiver when held.
Oh, lastly I wanted to say when he bites you don't reward him by putting him back in his cage or not taking him out, or stop petting him. You can't reward that bad behavior.