Getting your chin back in the cage?

[Crys12065]

Ok I have to ask, how in the world do you get a chinchilla back in the cage without chasing her around the room??
Delilah is not scared or uncomfortable with me at all. She is very tame and sweet. But man when she knows it's time to go in her cage she will run around the room in circles and is impossible to catch! I don't want to chase her, I feel that is not good for her but I also can not wait until she decides it is time to go. If she had her way she would never be caged! She LOVES to be out.

What do you guys do? Are your chins cooperative at all?

 

[GorillaJTA]

I use the dust house method. Put the dust house out, wait for them to go in, and set it in the cage.

 

[Sandi]

I do the same trick with the dust bath house but I have to be very close to it so that I could put my hand on the opening as some of my boys quickly jump back out as they see me approach it. Another idea could be for you to have play time in a bathroom so that you can easily get her as opposed to a bedroom.

 

[Chin_Parent]

We used to let our chinchilla out in the bedroom with his cage open, and he would periodically run back into it, but after a while he refused to go back in. So now he gets playtime in the bathroom which is fairly small and it's easy to grab him when he's climbing all over us, rather than having to chase him around.

 

[Cuddlebug]

If none of the above response work for you, you can try tossing a towel over her. She will freeze long enough for you to pick her up.

 

[StevieP]

I have some 4 foot long 8inch diameter cardboard tubes in their playroom. The chins go right in the tube when I put it in front of them.

 

[VolunteerChin22]

I use the dust house method and sometimes treats work. I used to have samson trained to get in the dust bath by tapping the sides everytime i put it in his cage so when he used to get playtime I would just tap the sides and he'd come running from where ever he was...

 

[Godofgods]

mine are well behaved in this catagory. When i place the ladder down to the cage, they no its tiem to go back in, and they will generaly climb up and go back in on their own. They also no that after that they get their daily treat'

 

[Siany]

My chinnies are also quite good, my bf will usually call them and sort of walk over to the cage and they go in. As my bf is poorly im hoping i can do the same

 

[ChinnyMom]

i'm in the process of trying to teach Rhino that when i say 'cage' he is to go back in. we've made a bit of progress! he knows he always gets his treat when play time is over, so going into his cage means a reward. i always leave the bottom cage door open, and it is close to the floor, so easy for him to hop back in. once in a while he hop back in his cage shortly after play time starts, and then look at me expectantly for his treat, hahaha!

other ways i utilize are holding my hands over either end of his cardboard tube when he's in it and then putting one end of the tube in his cage. or i'll let him into the short hallway outside my bedroom door, close the bedroom door, and the smaller space makes it easy to catch him (usually he'll jump on me within moments of going into the hallway, as i always sit down so i'm not 'looming' over him). i've used the towel trick once, but that was more to see what he would do when a towel was laid over him, lol.

 

[Shooper]

I was just telling a friend of mine about this! Lastnight I had to try for about 20 min to catch Charlie after their 1 1/2 hour playtime was over. Inca is pretty easy going, but Charlie... he's a brat :hair: I finally got him by the base of his tail and picked him up, of course then he is his lovey little self! I'm glad you asked, I too will try some of these methods!

 

[Crys12065]

Thank you everyone! Great suggestions, last night I used the towel method. She hops and runs everywhere to avoid being caught. It is funny yet annoying at the same time, lol

 

[Crys12065]

I was just telling a friend of mine about this! Lastnight I had to try for about 20 min to catch Charlie after their 1 1/2 hour playtime was over. Inca is pretty easy going, but Charlie... he's a brat :hair: I finally got him by the base of his tail and picked him up, of course then he is his lovey little self! I'm glad you asked, I too will try some of these methods!

I feel your pain! LOL

 

[Airyn]

Mine are wise to the dust bath trap and won't go anywhere near it. I have doggie steps that I use to get them back in. When they come out, I put the steps up and once they're out, I take them away from the cage immediately. When I want them to go back in, I put the steps back and tell them to "go home". They get a treat after playtime if they go in on their own. If I have to catch them, they don't get a treat and I get the stink eye, but that doesn't happen too often these days. They understand what "go home" means, even if I have to say it a few times. Of course, they still like to play games once they get to the steps... jump off, jump on, stick their nose in the cage, back out of the cage, turn around and face the other direction, etc. I just repeat "go home" until they listen. At this point, it's a 5-10 minute process, which I'll take over the hour-long chase any day!

Good luck!