I am new to chinchillas, I've had 2 male chinchillas that are 7 months old, Holmes and Watson, for about a month now. Everything's been great, a few stumbles but we're building bonds and getting to know each other well.
However Holmes seems to long to be outside, he absolutely frantically tries to escape every time I open the door, and he even seems to longingly stare out at his favourite play spots when he's inside.
I have to say, he has absolutely no fear either. Has anyone else encountered this? I'm sure it's not uncommon, but I never expected such fearlessness from a chin, especially after all my reading about them before getting them. He'll take risky jumps, dive at things, have no concern about what something is before running up to it and just general seems to not care which is quite cute really. We keep him safe but given the chance he'd try anything once.
He takes risky jumps (although he has the confidence to go with it, skill, and power to do so, I've been told he's quite big for his age) and has done since about 3 days of bringing him home. He isn't frightened by anyone, he was jumping on to me almost immediately and leaping very far to unknown places (as in he wouldn't of known how stable what he was jumping on to was going to be) by the end of the first week.
He's the dominant of the two, gets a little jealous if he notices Watson is receiving attention (although after pushing him away he doesn't want the attention, he doesn't like to be stroked or scratched unless out the cage), and is developing bad habit of biting if I am changing something in the cage and not being let out which I'm hoping to solve.
He sometimes grips the door with his teeth and hands and shakes it violently if I sit by the cage too long doing something else, like giving Watson a little affection (I know when he wants it as he comes to his lava ledge for it, he comes up to have his head scratched and under his chin). I feel bad, I would let him out more but he needs to learn when play time is so he can't come out/play all the time. He gets a little affectionate and really playful when he is out though, he looks so sad in the cage as he'll press his head against the mesh looking out at things.
We love him though, a pain as he can be he's a wonderful character. Complete opposite of his timid brother Watson, who questions everything and is super cautious and affectionate. Watson gets bullied a little (a poor word really, it's not violent or harmful), like being pushed past, ran past and bumped in to on purpose, and sometimes stealing having his spot taken for no reason (Holmes will just barge on, make him move, then move immediately).
Really enjoying the experience and looking forward to watching them grow up and mature, such unique personalities and wonderful additions to the family.
However Holmes seems to long to be outside, he absolutely frantically tries to escape every time I open the door, and he even seems to longingly stare out at his favourite play spots when he's inside.
I have to say, he has absolutely no fear either. Has anyone else encountered this? I'm sure it's not uncommon, but I never expected such fearlessness from a chin, especially after all my reading about them before getting them. He'll take risky jumps, dive at things, have no concern about what something is before running up to it and just general seems to not care which is quite cute really. We keep him safe but given the chance he'd try anything once.
He takes risky jumps (although he has the confidence to go with it, skill, and power to do so, I've been told he's quite big for his age) and has done since about 3 days of bringing him home. He isn't frightened by anyone, he was jumping on to me almost immediately and leaping very far to unknown places (as in he wouldn't of known how stable what he was jumping on to was going to be) by the end of the first week.
He's the dominant of the two, gets a little jealous if he notices Watson is receiving attention (although after pushing him away he doesn't want the attention, he doesn't like to be stroked or scratched unless out the cage), and is developing bad habit of biting if I am changing something in the cage and not being let out which I'm hoping to solve.
He sometimes grips the door with his teeth and hands and shakes it violently if I sit by the cage too long doing something else, like giving Watson a little affection (I know when he wants it as he comes to his lava ledge for it, he comes up to have his head scratched and under his chin). I feel bad, I would let him out more but he needs to learn when play time is so he can't come out/play all the time. He gets a little affectionate and really playful when he is out though, he looks so sad in the cage as he'll press his head against the mesh looking out at things.
We love him though, a pain as he can be he's a wonderful character. Complete opposite of his timid brother Watson, who questions everything and is super cautious and affectionate. Watson gets bullied a little (a poor word really, it's not violent or harmful), like being pushed past, ran past and bumped in to on purpose, and sometimes stealing having his spot taken for no reason (Holmes will just barge on, make him move, then move immediately).
Really enjoying the experience and looking forward to watching them grow up and mature, such unique personalities and wonderful additions to the family.
