Receiving an old chin

[mscreampoof]

I've always been wanting a chinchilla since I was a kid and now that I'm older and more responsible, I have decided to get one. I was very fortunate that my friend decided to give up his chinchilla so I was able to adopt it.

The chin is around 7-8 years old and i've gotten her a new CN cage and getting all the supplies and fleece covers before I start to introduce her to the new environment. I have the following new questions and would love to recieve advice:

1) TBH, i'm a bit scared of the chinchilla. I'm scared of injuring her or her biting me. I've been sitting by her cage for about an hour a day so she's used to me and putting my palm near the cage so she can smell me. I also give her food once in the morning and once at night, replace her water.
Since she's new to me, how do i remove her from the cage so i can give her cage a complete clean up and wash? I don't want to lift her without her trusting me. The best I can do right now is slowly take out the bedding and replace new ones.

2) Since she is older, will it be harder for me to bond with her? Her last owner didn't spend much time with her after a few years due to commitment issues. and i'm trying to give her the best home she can.

3) Any advice for a new (and a bit scared) owner?

thank you!!

 

[mgonya]

I've never heard of anyone being bitten by a chin. They will nibble until they realize you are not a treat or if your hands are not clean. Please don't be afraid of her, she is definitely the one who is scared. If you have a double cage I would block her off in the top or bottom. If not, could you possibly roll the cage into a bathroom or other chin safe place? You will not hurt your chin until you try to pick her up around her belly and squeeze her ribs too hard, also do not grab the end of her tail. Good luck and keep researching on this site for a lot of good info. Congrats on your new chin!

 

[alooper19]

First, I completely agree with Mgonya. You will not hurt her nor will she bite you. Our chins nibble all the time, they're just curious and think you're a treat.

Second, she should have unlimited hay and food at all times and of course the same with water.

Third, she should allow you to pick her up but she may be scared. She is definitely more scared of you than you are of her. You should place her in a chin safe room (we use a playpen I bought of ebay) others use the bathroom as the chin safe room.

As for the bonding, it will take time. You're taking the right steps though. Just give it time and continue to sit by the cage and talk to her.

Advice, DON'T BE AFRAID. They aren't cuddly animals but I can assure you she is way more terrified than you are.

 

[obcsed]

Most of my rescues have been around that age. Each one is different. Some are terrified of me at first and others think they have found chinnie heaven. I let each one set the pace for getting acquainted. For the first while, I do as you are doing. I just let them get used to their new surroundings and to me for several days. If you can manage to let the chin get in and out of the cage themselves, it really helps. I use a step stool and just open the door and watch. They usually figure it out quickly and come out to explore. They will also usually go back in when they are done too. When they are out, I sit quietly on the floor and let them come to me. Once they figure out I'm not going to touch them, they start to use me as part of the playtime equipment and I go from there.

Just make sure the room is chin proof. Cover all cords and block off access to your walls and woodwork. They will chew anything they can get their little teeth into. Also block off any possible hiding places like under furniture etc. Then sit back and watch her enjoy the free time with as little stress as possible. Picking her up can come later.

 

[EternallyCynical]

I've had my boy since October and he's about 8. He came from a pretty unpleasant situation where his first owners had him in a teeny cage with bad flooring and he was alone in a dark basement most of the time, recieving almost no attention. This was how he spent most of his life. My cousin did a lot of work with him to get him to open up but I was told that he might still be kind of closed off when I got him, that he still needed work. As soon as he got into the big double CN and had space, decent flooring under his feet, natural light, and some gentle attention he opened RIGHT up. He was letting me pet him within a day or two. As I got him onto better food and got him proper things to chew on and the like his personality's just come through more and more, and although he's a fickle little diva most of the time, we're pretty fast friends. Older chins are just as capable of being friendly/happy/bonding with you as the younger ones. Of course, they all have their own personalities, but I bet she'll form her own friendship with you in her own way once you get used to each other

 

[mscreampoof]

Thanks for all the advice!!!! I guess i just have to keep being patient and let time do it's job.

I'm going to pick up a new CN cage for her tonight and going to modify it so it's chin safe with wooden base and fleece lining. I'll keep trying to bond with her daily and give her unlimited hay and pellets.
I'm probably going to buy her a play pen too. I keep her cage (right now) in the front entrance of our house (we never open the front door because we always leave and come in the house through the back) It's a huge space and I think i can set up a play pen so she can run around while I clean her cage.

Thanks once again for all your advice!! I'll keep researching so I can provide her with as happy as a home as she can have =)

 

[fuji9991]

Thank you for adopting. She will get used to you but it may take time. Do you have a chin safe area she can be in when you clean the cage. My chin is in a room that is also her play area so I encourage her out of the cage then I shop vac the cage while she is out and about.

Chins are super friendly and clever animals as long as they haven't been abused they warm up to their owners within their personality. Some chins are super dosile others are hyper and hate being touched and held. Ours is very timid at first but now is no longer jumpy but only tollerates being held but will sit on my lap.

She will be 13 very soon

 

[mscreampoof]

I do have chin safe room for her to jump around. I let her out today for the first time and had the hardest time getting her back into the new cage I set up for her. I bought her an all natural timothy hay woven cave like thing and she LOVES it. keeps chewing and biting on it and jumping around it. I had to lure her into the cave then lift her back into the cage. I don't think she's comfortable with me picking her up yet so i didn't.

She find that she also scratches and maybe nibbles on the fleece lining I bought her. I don't know if its because she's not used to the fleece rather than the bedding she used to have. Is this common?

 

[Godofgods]

Some chins will tear up fleece. Some ignore it. Unfortionilty if they tear it up, chances are it will have to be removed so they don't try to eat it.

 

[mscreampoof]

That would make sense. I'll monitor her just to make sure she doesn't tear up the fleece. So far I've only seen her try to dig in it and maybe nibble on it once. other than that she's been fine.

She's also very hesitant to go to the second level of the FN cage i got her. I guess she's still trying to get used to the new environment.

Thanks again for all the advice!!!

 

[Shenanigans]

1) a common thing is to use the dust bath to pick her up. If you do it without much shaking she may be enjoying the dust enough she doesn't notice you trapped her. But keep working on picking her up each day even if it's just for her to tolerate it, you need to be able to in an emergency-scoop her up with a hand on each side rather than grabbing-chin ribs are delicate things.

2) I started with a six year old chin and we didn't have any extra problems. Keep reading on here- there's plenty of advice on getting to know your chin

3) prioritize what you want to get her and be careful about buying too many treats. it's easy to over-shop for these guys and get more than one chin will eat. Actually I'd go for chews over treats and different flavor sticks can be treats. I have tons of grapevine, so that's Yuki's main stick that he gets unlimited, and there's some big bird toys too, but then apple, pear and blackberry sticks are treats in his mind since they aren't daily things. That way I can give him as many "treats" as I want to, but they're healthy chews.

I hope the fleece lining works out- It's soo nice to just throw in the wash and reuse. Haveing an extra or two is nice so you can put the spare in while you wash the first and just cycle though.

Time and patience are the biggest things. If you're a reader, just sit still next to the cage or in the pen with her during playtime and read (make sure she's not useing you to climb out!) The more youre around as a normal -and not scary- thing, the less nervous chins get. Being still is a big thing. the more fidgety you are the scarier you'll seem. You may be planning on getting her. A breathing mountain may be fun to investigate and see if treats are hidden. (breaking up a treat and leaving them on you may be a good way to encourage your chin to investigate you too.)