Northamptoner
New member
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!!
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!!