Discovering the past

[Vcchinchilla]

I thought this was interesting and should share and see if other people have the same experience

I consider Davinci (lets shorten his name to DA) a rescue.

I know nothing of his past, he's been with me since end of sept.

it's been hard since moving in to MeiMei's cage to teach him to go potty in the right place.

The idea of "how to" perked up in my head when one day I was eating an apple and there DA was, right up against the cage begging. (ended up giving him a flower instead)

He has never ever begged for anything on his own so badly. He doesn't really care whatever I do around the cage as long as it doesn't involve him.

I figured his past owner must of given him fruit, or maybe even other human foods.

Thats when I guess maybe his past cage bedding was maybe wood chips (i'm trying to get through the last bit of carefresh i know its bad! :wacko: )

So i bought a small bag of aspen and BEHOLD he hasn't peed anywhere in the cage only in the toilet!

so ! i know a lot of people rescue here. For the people who know nothing of their chins background, did you ever find out things about their past through the chin? or hints?
after they work past a little bit of their fear of you?

any tips what other things I can pick up as clues? I'd love for DA to be more comfortable with me =D
what are the bad or typical new owner things do for their chins?

my own experience with my first chin wasn't the greatest i learned all the things i shouldn't do mainly human food/ excessive cuddles/ grabbing
and i use to have a extremely outdated chin book
everything i now know is from our FAQ and reading "how tos" through rescue chins web pages
which is completely different from the dated book

 

[tcraighenry]

We got our little girl off CL and discovered at least one thing over the last couple months. I don't think she'd ever had hay, or been out to play. The first couple times we tried to let her out she just kind of wandered and didn't know what to do. Now she's a little speed demon. When we first started getting her hay she went crazy for it. I think they just had her on pellets

 

[6Dusters]

I think the biggest mistake people make with chinchillas is not giving them enough time to adjust to their new home. New sounds, smells, household traffic noise, children, other pets that make noise, washer/dryer sounds ....well you get it.

With some chins the response to new owners vary. Some are calm and will come up and investigate a hand placed inside the cage being still. Most chins will start to groom or nibble. Thats a good sign. Other chins are not nice. They bite! Some spray. Biters almost always retain that behavior.
I have a chinchilla I purchased from a ranch. He has this habit of charging the cage if you walk by. My chin sitter was terrified. I told her it's a bluff. When you put your finger in the cage nothing happens. When you open his door.......nothing. He just seems to have cage protection issues. Go figure.

I always talk before entering my chin room during the daytime while they are sleeping. ( just a simple "I'm walking in and listen to my voice")
That also works with throughbred horses as well. High strung/prey animals then know what is coming. I can't even begin to tell you how wonderful this works with that breed of horse and my chins.

I also can't stress the importance of resisting treats. I know it makes you feel good. They respond and run to the doors when they see you. Try handing out applewood or some other chin safe non food item a couple times a week. Keep the treats to a bare minimum.

Offer alternatives of affection. Work on the "scratch" or a rub to the chest. Move from a scratch to a rub through the ears. To chins that have earned your respect you can move over to the chin smooch. All my animals love the smooch. They greet each other that way and its quite natural to them once you make it a routine. It's quite rewarding to earn that respect as well.

As far as play time is concerned. I really don't have alot of time for that. I keep a playpen and put them in it with little hide outs and the duster. They don't mind not having the one on one with me. After all.......its playtime.