Depressed Chin?

[Roadrunner041]

Hello All!
This past month I bought a chin and he's seeming a little depressed. This guy is just kinda sitting around his cage with his ears down just kind of staring around, he does hop around a little bit, not much though. He's barely eatten anything, not even an apple sliver, he is drinking though. When i let him out to play he kind of does the same thing. He'll hop around and play a little bit and i figured out he likes it if i "chase" him with my fingers, then he starts acting happy, and starts bounding around jumping off things and looking alot more alert and happy! (not scared and fightened that somethings chasing him, trust me )
I'm wondering if i should get him a friend? I know it can be tricky to bond males, and as much as i would love to see baby chins i don't want to, so a females kind of out of the question I think my issue is if i get him a friend and they don't get along, i'm going to feel bad if i have to rehome the new chin because of it.
Any suggestions or thoughts on what to do? I do spend a lot of time with him, probably about 2-3 hours with him out of the cage and he is in my living room so i am constantly around him and talking to him as well.

 

[tunes]

How old is he? Could he possibly be missing littermates? Define "not eating much." Have you kept track of his weight to be sure he isn't losing consistently? What kind of feed to you offer? Is it the same kind he's used to or is it something new?

I do believe chins can become depressed, especially after losing a cagemate or getting beat up. What you have to be careful to look for is lethargy. At first, that is what I thought you were describing, not moving, not interested in eating, etc. But on reading further, it actually sounds like he might be scared. Some chins adjust really well to a new house, others take longer. Does he have a house he can hide in in his cage? That can really go a long way to making him feel secure. Are there loud noises, pets, other people around that might make him feel intimidated? If so, try and ease back on those for a bit until he adjusts more. You can try playing some music too (please, just not Delilah - that makes my chins suicidal ). The "white noise" of the music helps to block other sounds that might make him nervous.

 

[jessica]

I agree with Tunes. If he's new give him some time to adjust to your house -maybe 2 or 3 weeks.

 

[Roadrunner041]

They told me he was no older then 6 months and if that is true he is the biggest 6 month old chinny i have ever seen! Spread out he is about 8 inches including the tail. When i brought him home he seemed to have had a rough time. He was calling out to other chins for about 3 days, and seemed to be shaken. The person told us that they had 3 orignally and one they received wasnt in "condition" to be seen. He deffinatly made progress and isnt very shy at all he'll let you scoop him right up and wiggles around on my shoulder and all over my arms. But when he's alone he gets really sad, it seems.
He has a house but chooses to sleep under a tube. I forget what the food is called but it is the same as he was fed. I dont think he has lost that much weight but he has lost a little.

 

[Carol~Anne]

If you only got him a month ago then I'd definitely hold off on getting him a buddy. Besides, if you bring a new chin into the home then you'll have to do a 30-day quarantine with the new chin before you even start introducing them which in itself can be a process and you have no guarantee at all that they will take to each other. I'd just do as suggested: hidey house, soft music, no loud/scary noises and mostly just give him time and try to be patient.

I'm working on taming a new chin too and he was so scared the first night I held him to check to make sure that he was really a he that he let off a smell from his scent gland. I've had the chin about twelve days now and he's coming around a bit and is taking a few oats from my hand. He's still quite nervous in his new environment though.

 

[Chub_Chub]

Chinchillas are social creatures, so eventually after he is settled in your home, you may want to consider getting another chin for him to have a buddy. In the meantime, maybe a cuddle buddy would help, my boys love their cuddle buddies. There are a few people on here who sell some, or you can get a chin safe stuffed animal. I got mine a baby stuffed animal (Carters brand) that has no platic parts (eyes and nose, etc) and has no pieces to be chewed off (like hair) and its small enough that they can carry them around the cage and playpen. I also took the mini-bean bags out of the animal and replaced it with more stuffing.

My other suggestion is, when you are ready to get him a friend, contact a local breeder to help you. That way you have someone with expertise giving you advice on introductions and if it doesn't work out, then maybe you can try another chin from their herd to see if the new guy works out better .