Moving between cage and playroom

[y0urkrypt0nite]

I originally was going to keep my chin Harley in the large hardwood floor room I let him play in since it is 99% chin proof (they always find something). But the room is really out of the way and I never get to see him. I'd love to put his cage in my bedroom and then move him to the big room for play time but I'm worried about moving between rooms. I want him to get to see me and have the tv on while I'm at work.

My bedroom is NOT chin-proof at all. I'm not sure how to get him between rooms without having to snatch him from the cage and carry him to the other room. I thought about the using dust bath but thats usually how I get him back INTO the cage

Does any one have any advice?
Thanks!

(EDIT: Sorry Harley is a 3 y/o beige chinchilla that I just recently acquired through a craigslist ad from a girl who has too many)

 

[Directorthiang]

I think it's important for Harley to see you frequently, but will you be able to get to sleep if he's in your bedroom??

As for transporting between rooms--my chin Powder is a little nutball that does NOT liked to be picked up and taken to the playroom unless it is HIS idea, however, I've recently discovered two tricks that make it much, much easier:

1. I'll stand by the cage with my arms parallel to the door inviting him out to play. The first few times, he would come close and then take off, so I'd close the door and wait on playtime for another day. Eventually, he got so tired of being in his cage that he has started climbing out onto my arms for playtime around 8:00 pm each night.

2. When I just *have* to grab him out of there for a vet appointment or such, I've discovered that lightly covering him with a small hand towel causes him to freeze, which allows me to gently scoop him up out of his cage and into my arms. It's so much nicer than grabbing at him and it doesn't bother him at all once he's in my arms and the towel comes off.

 

[Sinfonian]

I don't know about Harley, but my chins generally do well with being picked up from inside their cages. While they clearly don't prefer being picked up, they'll tolerate it if it means coming out for playtime or getting a treat. Once the initial resistance/jumping away is over with and they've been successfully scooped up, they're normally quite calm being held in my arms. I try to hold them briefly every day so they grow more and more accustomed to it. My youngest chin, who I acquired when he was 3 months old and been held every day by his original owner, doesn't run or jump away at all when I go to pick him up from his cage. To him, being picked up by humans is a natural part of life.

How often do you just pick him up from his cage and hold him?

 

[y0urkrypt0nite]

Well the picking up part is rather difficult. I've done it twice now (once each day) and he still seems to be skiddish about just being held. He jumps into my lap during play time but doesn't seem to be used to just being held.

I might try the thing you (directorthiang) did with just holding your arms out, and him eventually just wanting to get out. I need to just hold him everyday and give him a cheerio or something until he's used to it.

I think the previous owner had too many chins to give each one personal attention and now he's a bit overwhelmed with the fact that he has all of my attention.

Thanks!

 

[Marie5656]

Trixie is a normal chin..in that she is not really all that touchy feely, unless she wants to be. So, I invested in a cat carrier (would need it for vet visits anyway). I use that to transport her to her playroom. When she sees me come out with it, she gets all excited as she loves her playtime. At the end of play, she goes back into her carrier on her own. I then put my hand at the carrier door and she hops on to be carried back to her cage. I think she likes this little bit of snuggle time we get.

 

[y0urkrypt0nite]

That's a great idea Marie5656. I have a small carrier I used to bring him home so I can definitely use it to move between rooms.

Thanks!

 

[Marie5656]

To get her ito the carrier, I open the door of her cage, and hold up the carrier. She then will hop right in. I think you will find it works really well.

 

[Tillygizmo]

The thing with the carrier will work the same as the idea with hold out the arms. Initially, they might not like to go into it right away, but after being tired of being in the cage they will get curious enough to get in . I have on girl who is just horrified to leave her cage and getting her into the carrier is tough... so I gave her a wheel and try every night...


My biggest problem is getting them IN after playtime.. they dont ever want to go back (even with a treat involved)

 

[Idgie]

Idgie will come to the door and jump out into my arms when she knows that it is playtime. I play with her every evening after dinner, so she definitely is waiting for her playtime. I believe that chins quickly come to know the routine.
I actually sit with Idgie on the floor to play/bond. She crawls on me and lets me pet her throughout the time--takes awhile to earn that trust. I just then pick her up at some point and put her back in the cage. She knows that she will get treats upon her return into the cage. I hand feed her some oats or rosehips as a reward for going back into the cage without a struggle. A waiting dustbath in the cage also works.
Good luck.

 

[Marie5656]

When Trixie was younger, She would alow me to reach in and get her, or jump into my hand, but now she will not. I am just pleased whe will jump from the carrier to my hand when she is ready to go home. I atribute that to the fact she is just kind of tuckered out from her run. More often than not she goes for a nap when she is back home.