First Chin, mixed signals, help a newbie!

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Northamptoner

New member
Joined
Dec 3, 2012
Messages
4
Location
Pioneer Valley, MA
I recently got a male 2 year old chinchilla from Lynn's Chins [http://www.lynnschins.com/ Awesome lady, great communication throughout, I highly recommend her). He is beautiful and I knew when I got him that his behavior was generally shy but a snuggler. We brought him home Tuesday at 9:00am, today is Thursday. I know it hasn't been much time, I would like some advice though.

The first day, he spent some time on the bed with me, exploring a bit. He seemed to like me stroking him. I was mortified when he accidentally jumped off the bed (not a high fall by any means but it definitely scared him) and I had to grab him as gently and calmly as I could before he got anywhere else. We hung out for a while, he slept on the bed by me, and then I put him in his cage. Later that night, I took him out for a minute and he started barking. I realized that while I was quiet and gentle, I was too ambitious to take him out so much the first day. Since that night (about 3 days ago) I have not taken him out.

During the day I move his cage in my room (only about 6 ft away from where it normally is) so he is near me while I do my work on the computer. He has has spent about 80% of the time I see him in the hammock- and I can't tell if he is asleep or awake. Most of the time his face pokes out and he is laying there and when I think he's asleep he'll suddenly jump at seemingly nothing or a VERY slight movement of mine, edge back into his hammock and bark. Only once yesterday around 9pm did he come out and I think he drank some water, and just sat and stared me down for about a half an hour before going back to the hammock and normal behavior. I have offered him tiny pieces of raisins which he's only taken once (outside of the cage on the first day) and other times when I offer one to him, he wont take it. The only time I can really touch him is when I wake up in the morning he is usually awake sitting on a wooden house he has. I can gently stroke him and he wont move.

How should I make him more acclimated to me? I'm talking a lot in front of him so he is used to my voice. My only fear right now is that I want to give him a dust bath but I don't want to scare him trying to take him out of the cage.

Advice please!!
 
He was so calm the first day because he was scared stiff. I have seen that a lot. Now he beginning to let you know that he is not comfortable with things, that's why the barking. Give him a few more days where you just talk to him without reaching for him. After that you can begin putting your hands in the cage and letting him explore them. Once he i s used to your hands you can begin lifting him up while he is standing on your hands. He'll jump off at first, but if you do this over and over , he will get used to being picked up.

Chinchillas usually will not eat or drink much after a major change (new home). He will begin eating once he realizes that he is not in danger.

You can put his dust bath on the cage for 10 -15 minutes to let him bathe. If it does not fit, he will be fine for a few days without a bath.

Stop trying to feed him raisins. They are not good for him.
 
Thanks- I know raisins are too fatty and not an everday treat- i've literally been trying to entice him with pinhead size amounts haha. I've actually been sitting for a few hours reading to him and he is soooo much more active. he even walked out onto my hands a moment ago! im going to have my boyfriend do the same thing tomorrow :)))
 
Seriously, no raisins. Ever. Get some rosehips or plain cheerios or some other chin-safe treat. Raisins, sugars aside, are also bad for a chins teeth because they are sticky and if raisin bits get stuck in the teeth they can lead to teeth problems.
 
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