Rushing the cage bars

[Brittany]

For the past few nights my 9 month old has been charging his cage bars whenever I walk by. If I stick my fingers up to the cage he gets very wound up and tries to nip at me. However when I open the cage door he's back to his regular sweet and easy-going self. He only does this to me as well, he's fine with my boyfriend.

Is this a hormonal thing? What kind of behavior is this, dominance? aggression? I haven't come across this before and I'm still learning to speak chinchilla :wacko:

 

[shubbles]

That happens to me too. Is this always at a specific time, I just take it as it is annoyed, but I don't know when they go through puberty.

 

[Laurie]

I have a chin, Bobo, who is my first chinchilla. I have had her for 5 years now and she always charges the bars, kacks, and sometimes sprays when you stand outside her cage. Once you get her out of the cage she is very docile and sweet. She is this way to everyone who walks past her cage. I believe with her she is very territorial about her cage.

 

[Sandi]

I only have 1 attention seeking chin here and it wasn't so bad when he was with his cagemate but now that he is in his own cage by himself he has started rushing at the cage bars everytime my daughter or myself pass by. I believe he's got us trained now because we walk by, he rushes at the cage bars, then we say awww and give him some scritches or an apple wood stick or we let him out for playtime. See, he's got us trained!