First few days with chin and need advice

[Ash13]

Hello, I just got my 2 1/2 yr old chinchilla two days ago from another owner, not a pet store. I have been reading alot and it says to take it slow and let her warm up to me. But my concern is that in a day or two I'm going to need to take her out of the cage so I can clean it and have her exercise, and I'm worried I will scare her and she won't want anything to do with me. Today was my second time interacting with her and she took a raisin out of my hand but she just sits there and checks me out while I sit next to the cage and talk to her. She doesn't move around her cage very much probably because she is trying to adapt to her new home. I guess I just don't want to be terrified of me and I need to know the best way to get her to come out of her cage so I can clean it and so she can play without her hating me. Maybe I'm putting too much thought into this. Any advice?

 

[Isabella Whateva]

When I first got Pudge from someone on Craigslist, she was completely terrified of me and my fiance. I started spending hours in front of her cage with the cage door open. In about a week she finally crept up to the door and hopped in my lap, and I let her play around the room for a while. It took FOREVER to finally get her back into her cage though. Luckily, it's on the floor so she eventually just jumped back in.

Are you using shavings? You could just carefully scoop the shavings out of the cage with her in it if that doesn't startle her too much.

 

[Laurie]

Hi and welcome off the bat stop feeding raisins as a treat and give her someone healthier like a dried rose hip, a cheerio, a small pinch of old fashioned oats or a half of plain shredded wheat.

Most chins love their dust baths, you can put the bath into her cage and when she pops in take it out with her still in to try to clean her cage.

Does she have a house to hide in or a fleece tube to go in? When I clean my chins cages they just migrate to those areas and I clean around them.

You do want to go slow with her so she trusts you, but you can probably go an entire week without cleaning the cage for one chin for sure.

 

[Ash]

My chins stay in their cages while I clean them. Like Laurie, I just clean around them. She'll realize that you don't intend to hurt her, although at first she may be upset and scared. However, she'll probably move to the top of her cage and hang out there until you're done.

Good luck with bonding, and just take it slow like you've been doing. Just remember that she may always run from you, as chins aren't the cuddliest of creatures and few like to be held. More often then not, they prefer being pet and that's about it.

 

[Dusty Foot Prints]

Welcome to the forum! I'm a a fairly new chinnie owner too, and we've had good luck with wheeling the entire cage into the bathroom for cleanup & playtime- not sure if that would be feasible for you to try. Annabelle is so curious that the second the cage door is opened, she wants OUT so it just works out best for us to move the cage into the bathroom. She usually plays about 45 minutes and then goes back in when she gets tired, or we tempt her back in with a rosehip or Cheerio. The dust bath trick may work for you, but Annabelle is a squirmer and would try to get around it to escape.

 

[Pleiades]

I'll echo all the advise above me. The best thing is to just spend some time quietly talking to her every day, and progress slowly. Don't ever chase her for any reason, and try not to make quick startling movements at first.

As far as getting her in and out of the cage for cleaning, I'll agree that dust will be your ace-in-the-hole. Get some kind of enclosed dust container she can hop into and patiently hold it there. Let her roll once or twice, then let her go in a chin-proof space or playpen while you clean. To get her back into the cage, you can offer the dust container again. I think this is the least scary way for new chins. You want her to always associate you with good things: dust, wood, safe food treats.

 

[3CsMommy]

Other means of interaction: stick one finger into the cage through the bars to let her investigate as much as she likes. Eventually that finger will get the chance to pet her. Behind the ears, at the base of the jaw, and under the chin are popular "good spots". Some like their tummies rubbed. I also sing to mine. Many of them respond well to music, though I never play it loud since sudden noises (like commercials coming on twenty thousand times louder than a TV show) can startle them.

Those old fashioned oats can be a good short-term ice breaker too. Mine is actually trained to get onto the scale for his monthly weigh ins to earn oats. If you keep them in your hand, she'll have to sit near you at least for a few seconds to grab them. But, food shouldn't be the only thing she associates with you. I used them after the week of leaving them alone is over to tempt mine into wanting to work on that trust.

 

[Dewdrop]

Just take it slow. I got my boys as babies from a breeder. (About 4 and 5 months old) Gemini was friendly almost immediately. It took Leo close to 3 months before he warmed up to anyone.

 

[Jenn]

I got my chin from a petowner, who was labeled as quite friendly, and it took a month before she finally stopped kacking at me and became accepting of me. I took the time to sit by her cage and get her used to my precense. Offering healthy treats, like Laurie suggested, will help strengthen the bond as well. If you have to, clean her cage while she is inside if you have a chin proof area to do so in case she runs out. Like the others have said, take it slow and it will pay off.

 

[Ash13]

Thank you every one for the great advice. I got a small hand vac and vacuumed out the pellets and she didn't seem to be bothered by it. After that, I gave her her dust bath and she came to the open door and stuck her nose out to investigate me. Then she took a cheerio out of my hand and seemed very content. For only having her for 3 days I think she is warming up to me. Next step is trying to get her to come out of her cage to play.