Is this weird?

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Evelyn

Evelyn

Well-known member
Joined
Mar 20, 2010
Messages
133
Location
Amarillo, TX
I realize I have posts so many questions since I become a member couple of days ago :p This is not just my first chin but the first pet I ever had so I'm scared I will make a horrible mistake without knowing.

I got my chin about a week ago. I noticed that my chin NEVER bark. I have never heard of him make any kind of noise. He's only obsessed with his wheel. At night when I sneak to see what hes doing, I usually hear the wheel but right at the second he notice someones coming, he will stop. He never seems to want any attention either. But if we play with him he doesn't mind that. I read a lot of post talking about how much their chins bark so I'm not sure if this is normal.

Thanks you guys for the help! I have learn so much from this forum..
 
Some chins are more vocal than others. I have a really quiet group. One only barks when she's scared. One only barks because she doesn't want you touching her.
 
I wouldn't be worried. Barking usually means something's bothering them. They don't bark often and I'm sure some people have only heard theirs bark a couple times or maybe never. But some chins do it frequently. It's just depends on their personality. He's still settling in so he may be scared and seem to not want attention, but he does, just non-threatening attention. Sitting in front of his cage and just watching him will help get him used to you and reassure him you're not going to harm him. Plus--it's wicked entertaining to watch a chinchilla!!!

A lot of chins are wheel-obsessed. I guess they think it's like the funnest thing on the planet. Chins are skittish and curious, so when they notice a noise or movement they stop, become very alert and try to figure out what it is. What you're describing is completely normal behavior. No worries.

I just got my chin a few weeks ago so I'm a newbie too. She has barked a couple times, but that was only when we got back from the vet, but she hasn't ever barked when she's home and everythings normal.
 
Mine only barks in his sleep, and then only very rarely. As for the wheel, I think they all have silly personality quirks sometimes - I know mine doesn't like sleeping somewhere we can see him (even after 2+ years here!). He'll occasionally fall asleep in his hammock, but heaven forbid we should see him in it! He'll jump up and glare at us like we just witnessed him committing a crime. :p
 
as for the fact that he never makes any kind of noise, it might be because he's a single chin. when I had my first chin alone he was very quiet, but now that he has a cagemate, hes always making noise to communicate to Indy. so it could just be that your little guy has nothing to say! wouldn't worry ;)
 
my chin rarely barks, and if she does, it is always when she is hidden in her tube or maze during sleep time. I just talk to her calmly until she settles down again. I wouldn't be concerned at all about a quiet chin...seems to me your chin has settled in quite nicely.
 
He's fairly new and probably still getting used to his new environment. Once he gets used to your routine and grows comfortable with you, you'll start to see all the cute (or irritating!) behaviors they can come up with. It's hard to remember sometimes because we don't see them as such, but they are a prey animal, so their instincts are to be as sneaky as possible so they don't catch the attention of a predator. Once they realize there aren't any predators to worry about, they really open up and turn into little clowns. :)

My guy's favorite pass time currently is waiting until the dog starts checking the floor for Shreddie crumbs (Don't know why, but the dog LOVES cereal), then smacking the cage with his front feet and scaring the dog out of the room/under the covers of my bed. He was a very timid, quiet chin when he first came home, but that has TOTALLY changed!
 
Barking in the wild is a way for chins to warn the "herd" of danger. They are domesticated now, but that hasn't gone away. Even with only one chin, the herd mentality is still there.

I have a chin in quarantine right now that will not shut up. Alllll night long, yakkita yakkita. It's a good thing I'm used to these fuzzballs or I might lose my marbles (no comment from the assorted peanut gallery that I'm sure would like to).

Lots of chins bark. Lots of chins don't bark. After he settles in, that may change. Try playing some soft music or leaving a TV on where he is. Sometimes the "white noise" effect helps to settle them down and they don't bark as much.
 
thanks everyone! like i said, this is my very first time to have a pet in my life so i freaked out over a little thing :)
 
Yeah, I had my first chin for about 2 weeks before I heard him start barking and it scared the daylights out of me :)) He sounded like a squeaky toy! He doesn't do it very often anymore, but I used to also have a female chinchilla (caged separately) and she didnt make much noise either until one day I had a friend come over and she would start barking every 30 seconds while my friend was over...it was pretty weird...
 
Upgrayedd did the same thing with the whole running but as soon as you look he stopped...
But he got better he is also obsessed with his wheel and doesn't make any noises until today he made a few noises during play time today just give your little friend some time
 
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