Depressed chinchilla

[ChinySkratcher]

Hey guys I have a chinchilla named millow and since I’ve got it’s been a rough ride when it comes to bonding. But recently millow has started not look so happy. Everyday she sits in one of two conors of her cage and stays there all day sometimes moving to another Conor I’ve also noticed she chews and scratches her side and privates a lot. At night time she seem normally active she doesn’t sit as much and eats all of her food and most of her Timothy hay. I let her run around my room every night for about an hour or thirty minutes. The only time she really active in her cage is when the lights are off. What should I do to make her more happy during the day?

 

[Pepperpot]

Chinchillas are crepuscular, that is most active at dawn and dusk. That said, they can be active during the day, but more so during the hours of darkness. You do not state how long you have had your chin, but bonding can take anything from several weeks, to even years. There is no set pattern. Instead of letting her out for this length of time, try sitting by her cage and speaking quietly to her, read to her or even sing to her. She will settle in her own time.

 

[808chindad]

I have two chins and they have very distinct personalities. Both are sisters and one is an introvert named Squeak. I persuaded Squeak out of her shell and bonded with her by using dried oatmeal as a treat and training tool. I used unflavored Quaker Oats very sparingly. At first, I started to place the oats next to her and eventually led her to the cage entrance. Eventually she became less shy and now appears at the cage entrance almost on cue if i'm around.