Peeing out of anger?

[UnhappyRefrain]

Is it normal for chinchillas to start peeing where they don't normally pee out of anger or irritation? My eight year old male chinchilla Perkins has started a new behavior this year where he has begun urinating in odd places. A month or two ago, he started urinating in his hay dish. After the third or second time he did this, I replaced the bowl with a trough that hangs on the side of the cage. Then he started peeing on the roof of his wooden house and his hay mat after we rearranged his wooden house and wheel. He stopped this behavior as soon as we moved his house and wheel back to the position that it was in before.

Now, just last night, I noticed that he urinated on his little couch (which he has never done before). He is eating, drinking and looks and acts perfectly healthy. He was even running in his wheel last night. The only thing I can figure is that he is angry that we just got a puppy and he is displeased with my lack of attention (or the fact that there is just a new critter in the house). I looked into chinchilla incontinence, but his seemingly deliberate actions just don't fit the criteria. Is this just his newfound way of telling me that he is angry?

 

[Amethyst]

Chinchillas have been known to pee on things they don't like or if things aren't were they want them. Some chins also don't do change well, they want their cage to stay the same and their routine to stay the same. They let you know normally by throwing things, but peeing on things is another option if it gets the message across. Him peeing on things causes you to have to pay attention to him, by coming to the cage to clean up the mess.

Just like any other animal or even human child, when you get a new addition to the family make sure the current members don't feel like they are now number 2. Give the chin the same amount of attention, or if you can, more, to make him feel like he hasn't been replaced.

 

[UnhappyRefrain]

I'm really glad I asked. I thought that he might just be rebelling, but a part of me was really worried that it could be something else. I'll have to look for some new toys to try to cheer him up. Thank you so much.