female chinchilla tail wagging?

[lizluck88]

i hope i am posting this in the right place!...

my female chinchilla (who has two kits that are two weeks and two days old as of right now) wagged her tail about 3-4 times tonight. i was curious as to why so i googled it. i could ONLY find things about male chins tail wagging. i know why they do that! anyways, they had, in the past 30 minutes-1 hour, had a brand new fresh dust bath. the only thing i can imagine is that she was extra happy tonight to have a dust bath? also, could tail wagging be an unhappy type of behavior? we had a loud/bad/SCARY thunder storm tonight... could it have anything to do with that?

on a separate note but regarding the same chin... she stares at me. all the time. to the point where it sometimes creeps me out! it doesn't matter what i'm doing. eating, watching tv, whatever. sometimes with the stink eye (for no apparent reason) and sometimes like... she could be staring at me or she could be staring at a wall, who knows... is this because she finds me interesting, or is she plotting some evil plan to take over my entire house? :laughitup: just kidding about that last part! but i am curious as to why she does this. she stares at my husband a lot, too. our other chins stare at us a little bit but not as much as her. still creepy!

any hypothesis/suggestions/theories welcomed

 

[Daina91880]

My girls have both wagged their tails a few times in the almost five months we've had them. It always seemes to be when they're really active and happy. It only happens for a few little tails swishes then it's over.

One of mine stares too. Usually it's if it's been a while since I've paid her special attention. If I notice, I get up and go talk to her, then she usually finds something else to do. She likes to watch tv too. (She's doing it right now, actually!)

 

[DaddyslilDimwit]

I don't know about the tail wag part, but one of my Females stares at me quite often. Usually she wants attention or a treat. It's REALLY creepy when all 4 stare at one time :/

Now that will make you feel like they are making some kind of evil plot. hehe

 

[becky12883]

My boys stare as well. I usually talk to them or give them scritches when I get too creeped out by it. There are definitely times that they are plotting to take over the house though, where they are both sitting right next to each other staring and then turn around and chitter and then turn back and stare again.

 

[Lynn & The Chins]

i think that they appear to be staring, but many times they are semi asleep with their eyes open, still ready to flee if necessary.

It bothered me at first when I got Mr. Whiskers, because I thought it was strange, but I've found over the years that when they are really, truly, comfortable and feel safe with you, they will actually close their eyes all the way when they sleep.

 

[Cuddlebug]

Chinchillas can sleep with their eyes wide open. This is because they are prey animals. Many times, what looks like staring, is just sleeping. As far as the tail wagging goes. I have seen females wag their tales for excitement and anger, both. It depends on what is going on.

 

[mistywaterwoman]

Sally wags her tail when she is super happy, like the three different times she upgraded cages, lol. Okay, sorry, four times she upgraded cages.
And if I have to skip playtime one night, she'll be tail-swishing all over the place during playtime the next night.

 

[Regan713]

Haha, I'm glad to see I'm not the only one with plotting chinchillas my boys will stare at my boyfriend and I while we watch tv from of the highest spots in their cage. It's their way of demanding I look/talk to them (little attention whores!)

Shortly after I got my chillas, my boyfriend had to go to Seattle for several months. So obviously he didn't bond with them at first and wasn't used to them. A day or so after he got back, I was at work and he was sleeping in his recliner which is near the cage. I guess he woke up randomly to find both of the staring straight at him and one was apparently glaring as well. He now claims the boys have it out for him, plotting his demise, but I think they just didn't like his snoring in 'their' room. :nod:

 

[lizluck88]

thanks for the info everyone! i think they will all probably end up taking over my house in the end. oh well, at least they are cute

 

[Eryn]

I was wondering why my male chinchilla wagged his tail the other day when my boyfriend, Mark, was playing with him. Mark thought it was so cute. I just looked up why males do it. Can't wait to tell him.