How to catch my chinchila?

[Danky]

Hello everyone!

I have a question regarding my chinchilla.
I let my chinchilla have daily around 30-50 minutes of free playtime in my room but everytime playtime is over it's very hard to get her back in her cage.I tried catching her,but i have to chase her.She is scared and I don't like to do that.
Could you please advise me how to get her back to her cage in a nice way and whidout stressing her out.

Thank you!

 

[starleomach]

put her dust house down, let her go into that then use that to put her in her cage

 

[rcr]

I use a butterfly net to get my chinnies out from tight spaces, under beds, cages, couches ect...otherwise the dust bath works great.

 

[Gizmo24]

I rattle the dust bath house and he always comes running!

 

[AZChins]

I let my chins play in designated play areas where there is no place to hide. They've all learned that when I come back for them the jig is up and they need to let me pick them up to go back.

Just be as gentle as possible. Pick them up as kindly as they can so they don't associate the experience with anything bad. Most chins will learn that being put back isn't a bad thing. When you put your chin back give the daily treat or a new toy or something to chew up. They will then associate going back to the cage with something fun and not be so frightened. Chinchillas learn quickly and they are motivated only by positive things.

 

[eventgirl]

I will be watching this thread because I need some new ideas.

Wilbur will go back in his cage on his own no problem, but templeton is the worst.

I dont have a bathroom big enough to let them play in (my bathroom is a glorified closet lol) so I let them have their play time in my living room/kitchen (my place is really really small) There really isnt a place for him to hide, but he runs from me whenever he is out of his cage (in his cage he comes right up and has no problem being picked up)

I have tried the dust box thing, but he isnt interested in sticking around in there when I come over. He also wont come over for treats. I feel like I am being outsmarted! lol

 

[AZChins]

Awww...Wilbur and Templeton!

Do you ever just sit on the floor and let them come to you when they are being especially difficult? I do this with new chins and chins that are just having a bratty day...I'll give them a couple minutes and they always run over to jump on me and see what I am doing. At that point I can gently get a handle on them and put them back in the cage.

The treat thing never works. Freedom IS the sweetest treat. Putting out the dustbath has about a 50/50 chance of working.

 

[llough]

I give my chinchilla a little healthy treat like a pinch of oatmeal or part of a shredded wheat whenever I put her back in her cage. Once she realized the pattern, she went back in her cage whenever I started shooing her towards that direction. Now, she hops back in her cage every 5 min., or so, during play time just to "check" if its treat time, yet!

I think your chins are still to young for "food" treats (they should be six months old), but most chinchillas regard apple or other tasty wood sticks, small willow balls, or loofah niblets as great treats. A number of members of this site sell really great wood sticks or other non-edible treats for young chins, if you look on the "Chin Supplies" forum.

 

[PetProductsByNature]

Do you have a smaller travel cage that you could make accessable during playtime? If so, maybe you could put some treats (wood chews or sticks if they are under 6 months) in there and when they go in, you could pick it up and put them in their normal cage. Two of our chins come to us willingly...the two we adopted from Susan (AZ chins) the other two we need to coax or trick them into letting us pick them up to return them to their cage...often a lot of patience on our part, but they're really getting the hang of it and in no time I expect it to be as easy as pie. These same two chins adore us if they are in their cage, but like Susan said, Freedom is the sweetest treat

 

[AZChins]

That's great that they remembered their training! Yay! Yep, it just takes patience and kind reminders about what behavior is acceptable. Chins can be trained to do what they need to do. It's amazing that Barbi's chins are actually remembering and behaving for her. Most of they time they "forget" when they go to a new home and have to be retrained. They're great for me, but not so great for others... heeee...

 

[eventgirl]

I have a carrier that I always keep on the floor (so that they dont think the carrier only means going to the dreaded vet lol)

Maybe I will try that because that sounds like a really good idea.

Oh and yeah I always sit on the floor when they are out and they climb all over me but no matter how slow/fast I move templeton is always faster LOL. Wilbur on the other hand comes willingly.

 

[Megz1228]

My boyfriend and I got two boys on Halloween. Hank is 8 months old and Hemi is 6 months old. The person we got them from said they were handled daily. Each day we have been taking them both into the bathroom and having playtime. They now crawl all over us, and Hank will crawl all the way up to my face. I can hold Hank during playtime but only for a minute. Hemi is quick so being able to hold him is more of a challenge. Hank has learned that if he bites me hard enough I'm forced to let go. The other day Hemi learned the same thing. My boyfriend has not been bitten by the boys yet. We did get a pair of leather gloves, but I don't understand why they only bit me. I spend a lot of time by their cage talking to them and letting them smell me. I'm frustrated and confused on why they are just now biting. I read on here that if I don't react to the biting, they will stop, but that's not working. I guess I just need some reassurance that this is normal or some ideas on how to get this to stop.

 

[AZChins]

Give them more time. They're acting like that because they aren't acclimated to their new home just yet. The biting will let up after a little while. I normally give chins at least a week to decompress and get used to their new home before I let them out to play. At that point they are more curious than scared and playtime can go more smoothly. You may want to put them in the cage for a few days before you have playtime again. Definitely give it some time and you aren't going to need leather gloves anymore.

 

[NOLA Chins]

I handle chins immediately and keep handling them. As to your problem, chins can learn the word no. I get bit on the way to the play area, I tell it "No" and return it to the cage. In a few minutes I try again. Surprising how fast _some_ of them can learn not to bite.

As to catching them, the best trick I have learned (thank you Larry) is to use a piece of 4-6" cardboard tubing (left over from carpets) about 18" long. Cover one end with sceen secured by a rubber band. Place on floor. Chins will go into it. Cover with hand and take to cage. Remove screen and release chin. Alternately, a dust bath house often works.

Good luck.

 

[Sesame]

Megz1228:

Do you use scented soaps or some other similar product?

Sesame started to nip me more and more. I realized it was due to changing scented hand soaps on one occasion. Another occasion, was due to that I took a shower before her playtime and I guess the body wash scent made her curious to nip me a lot. It may only be coincidence, but perhaps this might be why they only nip you and not your boyfriend.