New Chin Owner.

louiekim · Aug 23, 2012

I got him yesterday. He still isn't used to me, but he will come to my hand if I had a treat, and I only gave him 2 today, because I heard that was the most you should give a chinchilla. But he will eventually get used to me right? I was also wondering if 76 degrees is too hot for a chinchilla?
I put an ice bag in my new chin's cage, covered with a towel just in case. He wasn't moving before, and his ears were kind of drooped, and he eyes looked droopy. Does that mean he's tired, or could it just be because it was still daytime. And i don't think it's a heatstroke, because he's being active now. I feel like I'm worrying too much, cause i was reading other stories, and problems, and how some ended in death. He also doesn't seem to want to take a dust bath, i shook the bath house, but he doesn't seem to respond. I'm sorry that I have a lot of questions, but I just worry about the little guy, and I want him to be the healthy as he can be. His name is Aslan. Oh and one more question, he keeps digging in the bedding and kinda scratches the base of his cage. What does that mean?

cindyv3737 · Aug 23, 2012

You need to give him time to get used to you. Having a chin for one day is a very short amount of time. Sit next to his cage, talk to him, put your hand in his cage and let him come to you. It could take days, weeks, or months before he is comfortable around you.

76 is a little high. Can you bring yours down a few degrees? Also, I would not use a towel to cover an ice pack. He may chew on it and pull at the threads. If he were to swallow a thread it could be very harmful to him. Many members use fleece in their cages. Personally, I leave frozen water bottles covered in fleece in the cage during summer.

His ears and eyes might be droopy because you woke him. Do his ears feel warm to the touch? If so, he is too hot.

His not wanting to take a bath is most likely because he is in a new environment. You could try leaving the bath in his cage and leave the room. Again, with time, he will get used to you and take a bath while you are in the room.

What kind of treats are you giving? We don't recommend more than one or two a week, not day. If you do want to give more treats, wood chews are something you don't have to limit. If it is coming from your hand, it is a treat.

Some chins dig up their bedding. Two of my girls do, one leaves hers alone. I friend of mine has a chin who will dig all the bedding out of his littler pan, and then sleep in the empty pan.
This thread is a great place to start reading about chins. http://chins-n-hedgies.com/forums/showthread.php?t=857

Congrats on your new boy!

louiekim · Aug 23, 2012

Thank you so much. I would bring it down but my mother complains it's too cold, but i told her that he needs to be comfortable. I am also trying to save money to buy him a proper hideaway, and some chew toys. Today I bought him a sleeper hammock and a bathhouse.

Kara315 · Aug 23, 2012

louiekim said:
Thank you so much. I would bring it down but my mother complains it's too cold, but i told her that he needs to be comfortable. I am also trying to save money to buy him a proper hideaway, and some chew toys. Today I bought him a sleeper hammock and a bathhouse.

A good thing to tell her, is it's basically like her wearing a winter coat in 76 degree's, very uncomfortable and hot, while her being cold, she can do things about, unfortantly chins can't with the heat unless we get them to a cooler spot.

louiekim · Aug 23, 2012

We solved the problem. Her room is the coldest because she has 2 vents in her room, so we closed one of them, so that should do it.

Daina91880 · Aug 24, 2012

Can you put him in a room away from your mom with a window air conditioner? I had a panic attack today when it was 75 in the house. Once over the summer when the air couldn't keep up because it was close to 100 outside, I had the central air, a window unit and ice packs in the cage. I would tell your mom that a few degrees cooler could mean the difference between life and death for your chin.