Discouraged Chin Owner

[ChinchillaSlippers]

My chinchillas hate me or they are just total grumples.
They don't like being picked up, don't like being pet in the cage.
They don't often take food toys or treats offered from my hand.
They won't play with most toys, don't like their hammock, they just like to sit and stare at me or sleep.
I take them out for a good several hour chunk of time 2 or 3 nights a week (I have small children, so it isn't always easy to schedule in when no kids will harass them.)
They are difficult to catch when out. One likes to hide more than the other, but they both figured out my game of putting out their dust house to catch them in, so I end up chasing the **** things around the living room for a while. I know they don't like this but what is worse? Not letting them out of the cage ever or hunting them to put them back?

There is nothing that makes me think they are ill. They run/jump/climb all over the living room furniture when let out.

I won't lie, I am tempted to re-home them
I have had them a year now. I received them from a family friend that never handled them, just left them in the cage, no petting, nothing.
Are they just stuck in their ways? Do I have grumple chins?

 

[Dreamlite]

Most chins are that way. They want handled only when they want it. Finding a chin that wants held is extremely rare. Play time isn't needed if the cage is large enough. Chins don't 'play' with toys. They chew on them and that is about it. I'm not sure what you were expecting....?

 

[Amethyst]

It sounds to me like you need to work on more in the cage bonding with them. Chinchilla's don't need to get out of the cage, there are a lot of breeders that their chin's never get outside playtime and they are fine, it's just a nice thing to do if you can. It's actually better to give no playtime if you have to hunt them down, since it stressing them and hurts your bond. Instead of playtime sit and talk, read, or sing to them until they are more comfortable with you. If you can't pick them up or even touch them it's best not to let them out to play. Also you're better off letting them play in a much more enclosed space where they don't have anywhere to hide from you, several people have bought large enclosed dog pens like the one made by Ware for playtime, or in the bathroom if it's chin safe. With the pen you can put toys and stuff in the pen or even sit inside yourself to let them crawl on you, but more importantly they can't run or hide from you so they are easier to catch.

 

[3CsMommy]

They're normal prey animals. You just haven't earned their trust yet, and tbh, if the kids are pestering them when they're in the cage, it's probably not going to help. Do a forum search for "bonding" and basically treat it like starting over with them. Move slowly. Talk quietly. Don't let the out of the cage until you can reliably touch them to pick them up, or get them a ramp/stairs to get into the cage again. They'll usually settle down once they've figured out the household routine and figured you out too.

 

[ChinchillaSlippers]

Ok, thanks.
I'll work on in-cage bonding for a while.
Even that is hard for them. One will run when my hand comes in the cage, the other sits there, lets me pet him, but puts his ears back in what I take to be a "I don't like this".
Any definite suggestions for in-cage bonding?

 

[3CsMommy]

Sit in front of the cage with a hand in it and talk to them or sing. You can read a book if you want. The forum search I mentioned will go through a lot more details.

 

[6Dusters]

They may have never been socialized at their previous home.

Things I have found that work pretty good are:

1.When you come to the cage, speak softly to let them know your there. Before you open a door or if your just passing through. After all, most of the time they are sleeping.

2.Use a lot of hay. Place a pile of hay in the cage ( daily or every other day) and gently toss it with your fingers so they hear it. Back off and let them approach and start eating. Speak softly to them and close the door. After a month of so reach under them with a pointer finger and stroke the back foot top. All the while softly talking to them. In the beginning they will run. Then they understand after a month or so that hay and a calm voice is inviting. And they won't mind you reaching a finger under them to stroke the top of their back feet.

3. When they are used to a finger stroke.....try to scratch them with the pointer finger under the chin. In the beginning they may run....they may push your finger away with their front paws, they may jump back and try to groom the whisker. Try not to get the whiskers involved with scratching. Seems to tickle. Go to "Youtube" and see how people scratch and arm pit stroke their chins. Takes a lot of practice.

4. Try a small area to bond with at playtime. Use a hallway blocked off, a bathroom with toilet seat shut. Sit on the floor and just read a book and let play time be a kind of quiet time. They will inspect you and later when comfortable pop corn off you and nibble you and run back to you.

When moving your chins make sure you are picking them up at the base of the tail. Bring them to your chest and continue to hold the animal by the base of the tail. They hate it, but they get over it.

There are so many things to do. Take the advice and look at bonding suggestions. Patience is the key to these animals. They are not cuddly and often appear to a person as not wanting anything to do with you when your new to chin ownership. Each chinchilla is as unique as a person. Some like a scratch, others do not, some like a smooch, other don't. Some like a chin scratch but can't stand an armpit stroke.

The key is a soft voice, slow movements and as I posted before, patience. Once you reach a bonding experience you will be happy. And remember that a flighty animal in with a somewhat flighty animal may make the lesser more inclined to be a "flight" animal too.
I have found hay offerings a good start. Best of luck. They really do like you. You all will just have to learn from each how to begin the bond.

 

[akane]

They sound like normal chins. None of mine like being picked up. Some just tolerate it better than others. They never want caught to go back in their cage and often have to be followed around a bit until they corner themselves and can be easily caught. We use small areas with no furniture to get under like the bathroom or the bedroom (our bed does not have any space underneath it). We just have to get them out from behind the toilet or hiding in clothes in the closet. Only 2 of mine that were well handled will sit to be pet. The rest hide in a house or tube and stick their head out so you can stroke the top of it and feed them treats.

Some treat ideas are plain cheerios, plain wheat cereal (some of mine that don't like cheerios like this), little twigs (katsu goes nuts for little bits of apple branch), individual pieces of hay that they don't normally get like oat or clover when they usually get bluegrass, you can even feed them their pellets by hand.