Getting used to handling

[sheena lee]

Since we got Abby, we realized that it's really nice to have a chinchilla that we can hold -- and I've become much more comfortable handling chinchillas in general because I can actually "practice."

So we've started an initiative where we will only give Chia a treat if she's in my arms. We started this 3 days ago, and so far have been having really great results! She's a pain to get into my arms (I've got some nasty chinnie nail scratches from her freaking out) but once she's actually settled In my arms, she's pretty calm. I've been increasing the time she's held for really slowly, like today I held her for an extra 20ish seconds before my bf handed her her treat and she ran off with it.

It's been working out well, but I can tell she's wary of me when I go to see her for non-treat-related interaction. I hope she'll soon start to see that holding = treats, and not be so fussy when I'm trying to get her in my arms!

Has anyone else tried this? Is it a good idea?

 

[jess32247]

I had the same problem when I first got my chin. She was always wary about going on my arms, even with a treat. Then she wouldn't go on at all if she didn't see the treat!

After a while, once she got comfortable being on my arm with a treat at the other end, I cut out the treat completely. As a reward though, she would get playtime! It took anywhere from 5 minutes to 20+ minutes for her to get on my arm and be comfortable enough for me to move, that went on for weeks. At long last though, she uses me as her own personal jungle gym LOL.

As for her running off with the treat, I hold mine between my fingers tightly so she doesn't eat it all right away, and to keep her there with me. Please be careful though, she's accidently bitten me VERY hard trying to get the treat between my fingers!

I would keep doing what your doing. It might take some work, but it's worth it!

 

[sheena lee]

I think I'll try holding the treat in my hand so she doesn't run of with it next week! For now when we finally give her the treat, she runs away and hides. I don't want to put more stress on her.

Once I'm holding her though, she's not as bad. She squirms a bunch for a good few seconds and then after that she calms down, her breathing returns to normal and she's tolerant of me. I think since I was never comfortable holding her and would get nervous myself, she was always very nervous. I'm much less nervous now, I hope that she senses it!