Olive!

[Earthlyrose]

Hello guys,

I got my second chinchilla last night. However, my first chinchilla I had when I was younger, and I barely remember anything about her, so I'm definitely considering myself a new chin owner!

So as I was reading some threads, I decided to name this cutie Olive. She's black velvet, I believe. She's not full grown, but I bought her at a pet store, so I don't really know how old she is. I'm just going to assume a year, although she's probably a bit younger.


So I'm posting to a.) gush about this cutie pie, and b.) find out a little more about her behaviors.

I was instantly attracted to Olive because she is young and curious, and not shy to my hand. I wanted a baby chinchilla, but I fell in love with Olive, and I feel as if she will be easy to tame (fingers crossed!).

A few things she did really peaked my interest. Any time my hand would enter the cage, she would stand up on her feet and click, which I thought she might bite or spray me so I shied away. But then when I didnt, she would make this interesting sound like a click and a grunt? And she would approach me, still standing, and sort of "hug" my hand. So then I thought she was a lonely male, but she's definitely female. Is that a sign of dominance, maybe? I hope not because it's adorable and I want to encourage it xD.

She is in a feisty ferret 485, and loving it because she was locked to one story with 2 other chins. Her diet is sort of odd, I've never heard of anything like it before, but they mix sunseed chinchilla food with some of their seeded bird food. I can't imagine it being dangerous but I'm sure all that seed is bound to wind her up. So slowly I'm changing her over to just chinchilla food of a different brand.


So, any tips on taming? Like I said very curious little one, and I feel she's at a good age to shape her behaviors. So any advice would be great. I just got her yesterday so I'm mostly letting her be for now!

Thanks in advanced for advice

 

[Oregon_chinlove4]

I don't think seed is actually good for chinchillas... I could definitely be mistaken, but I think I have read on threads here that seeds shouldn't be fed to them! Again, I could be wrong

 

[Amethyst]

Chinchillas should not be fed seeds at all, they are bad for them and will cause digestive problems. You would be much better off just cold switching to good food and lots of hay and chuck the seeds in the trash or outside for the birds. Chinchillas are grass herbivores, meaning their primary diet is hay grass, they don't and/or can't digest properly, nuts, seeds, fruit, vegetables, or animal products (bone, meat, milk, hide, eggs etc). I realize chins in the wild do eat a very small amount of seeds and fruit, however their diet is also very very poor compared to a nutritionally balanced commercially made chinchilla pellet so they need the extra fat and sugar in the wild.

As for taming the best thing to do is be by the cage, and let her get use to you. You can read aloud, sing, talk, or just sit by the cage, this will allow her to get use to the sight of you, your smell, and voice. Over time put your hand in the cage and allow her to smell you and climb on your hands. You can do a search on the forum here and it should come up with lots of taming and bonding suggestions.

 

[Earthlyrose]

Thank you guys, I was learning too that they shouldn't have too much of "leafy greens'" or veggies in general, and hay should make up most of their diet. (The guy told me feed her tons of leafy greens) So I'm just going to throw out all of his advice xD

 

[Godofgods]

hay making up most of there diet is true. Not only should they have the loose thimothy hay, but there pellets are usually made from alfalfa based hay

 

[Cuddlebug]

Nuts and seeds of any kind should be avoided. They are filled with fats and oils which chins cannot digest. The result is fatty liver disease and a drastically shortened life. I would switch her cold turkey to a good food and sprinkle the food with acidophilus to help with any possible upset.