my birthday gift was a chin! no time to prepare

[ameliagolwitzer]

Hi! Im eighteen years old and i just received a chinchilla as my birthday present. I absolutely love animals so im very excited. Ive been doing some research but i do have a few questions. First, ive read that chins are very lonely creatures and like to be cuddled. Ive also read that i need to leave him alone for the first few days so he can get adjusted to his home. Should i leave him completely alone or try to play and let him out? I dont want him to feel neglected! Second, ive heard two is better than one. I have a busy schedule sometimes and dont want him to get lonely. Should i go buy another male? And if so, can i put him in the same cage right away? Chin cages are big and i dont want to buy a whole other cage just to get the two used to each other. Third, i have a cat. i think he became jealous when he saw my chin. He hissed once and i decided that was enough of an introduction. Is there away i could get them used to each other and not fear for my chins life? Please respond! I dont want to be a bad owner! Also i apologize for my grammatical errors. I am doing this on my phone and i really should be getting up for school but i just received him last night

 

[SeeleyAnne]

Hi! Congrats on your new chin
To answer a few of your questions, No, chinchillas are not naturally "cuddly". Some of them like to be held more than others, but for the most part, they don't really like to be handled too much. They would probably prefer some chin and ear scratches. I would suggest just sitting by his cage and talking to him for a few days, so he can get used to you, before letting him out to play.
As far as getting another chin, I wouldn't, because if you aren't willing to buy another cage, then it is not going to work out. You have to slowly introduce them, by starting off with their cages side by side so they can see and smell eachother, but not touch each other. If you just threw a new chin in his cage, they would most likely fight. Chins can fight to the death.

 

[ameliagolwitzer]

Thank you

Thank you for your help. I think I will just stick with one chin for now and try to make him feel at home

 

[Pikaia]

Hi and welcome! Here are some threads you should read up on:

http://www.chins-n-hedgies.com/forums/showthread.php?t=850

http://www.chins-n-hedgies.com/forums/showthread.php?t=46

http://www.chins-n-hedgies.com/forums/showthread.php?t=45

http://www.chins-n-hedgies.com/forums/showthread.php?t=44

SeeleyAnne is right. Chins are not real cuddly by nature, some are just more friendly than others. Some hate being held and some tolerate it. They all have different personalities.

As far as getting another chin, you do need to be prepared if it doesn't work out with another cage in case. Also, you need to keep that new chin away in quarantine for 30 days to make sure they don't have any illnesses. You can read more about introducing chins in the FAQ section here if you're interested: http://www.chins-n-hedgies.com/forums/forumdisplay.php?f=31&order=desc&page=2

As far as chins and cats go, that is a big NO NO. Your chin needs to be kept away from your cat- no exceptions. There is just too much risk of injury.

There is so much to learn! Don't get overwhelmed though, it's not that bad and chins are worth it! Don't be afraid to ask questions, we are all here to help!

 

[buffy88]

Hi! I am a new chin owner too (5 months now) and I know what it's like to have alot to prepare for knowledge wise.

But a big big congratulations to you first of all

If you keep us updated here I (we)'ll happily talk to you about what your queries may be, but as you see from Pikaia's post above, there'll be more than enough to go upon!

I love animals too but chins differ in that they are very very introverted at first (because change is very uncomfortable) - certainly do not rush anything. An area with less ambient noise and more gentle speech/hand presence after dusk from you works best towards welcoming a chin in my experience.

How old is your chin?

Hope all goes well!

 

[Stackie]

You have to slowly introduce them, by starting off with their cages side by side so they can see and smell eachother, but not touch each other. If you just threw a new chin in his cage, they would most likely fight. Chins can fight to the death.

Before you even reach this point, you need to quarantine for 30 days- this means keeping the chin in a completely separate area of the house with absolutely no contact between them, to prevent the possible spread of disease as well as allow the new chin to settle into it's new environment.

Many chins are perfectly fine being "only childs".

As for the cat- it's never a good idea to allow the two to mingle. Not only are cats predators and chins prey, but cats can carry some nasty bacteria that can cause serious and life threatening diseases in chins.


Pikaia gave you some good links to read up on )

 

[buffy88]

I agree - "lonely" chins aren't really lonely, no matter how tempting it is, chins can be difficult to introduce and then some never get along unfortunately but with patience, a good bond between you and your chin will tell you what is best, give it a few months at least if not a year before deciding on a new chin