Scratching/digging?

[Sendra]

My chinchilla, Tribble has always been very docile. She loves her scritches, and will give you small, painless love nibbles if you put your finger in her cage, usually followed by some licks. But she's always had this strange habit whenever I sit down with her. She'll hop up near my face or neck, and sometimes on my arm, and start doing a 'digging' kind of motion, usually followed by a small nip on the base of my neck. Afterwards, she'll sometimes resume the 'digging', but she'll usually just sit peacefully in my lap afterwards, and she's never done this to any of my other family members: an older brother, mother, and father.

She gets out for about 2-3 hours every day, eats fresh Mazuri pellets, and always has timothy hay and clean, filtered water, so I don't think it's something I'm doing wrong. I even took her to the vet on Wednesday for a checkup, and she's in perfect health, and even impressed the vet with her calm temperament. As for her age, she'll be a year old on August 22nd. Anyone have some kind of clue of what's causing this behavior? Even any kind of speculation would be wonderful, as I'm stumped!

 

[iayla]

By her age, it might be hormones. Perhaps she's flirting with you
~Barb~

 

[Laurie]

I have quite the "digger" GiGi. All of a sudden for a few days in a row she will dig around her cage and then push and pull, push and pull her food dish around with her. She's never done it when I've had her out, but she does do this digging in her cage. It's kind of cute really, even though it's annoying and I have to clean up all the shavings she pushes out! She will be 2 years old in about a month. I'm not sure why she does it, she lives with her mom as a cagemate and has plenty to do, plenty to chew on and plenty to eat.

 

[InkedupTara]

Maybe she thinks she is returning the scritches and grooming you?

 

[Carol~Anne]

It does sound as though she's making herself comfortable with you. When I just had one chinchilla (Pip) he'd often sit on my shoulder, scratch around my neck and nibble my hair. When he sat on my feet he trimmed my toenails and gave my hands lots of love bites. I'd put my face to his face and he'd give me whikser kisses and I'd smooch him.

He has a cage mate now so he's more into nibbling him but he does come by and visit me on the couch and lets me pet him and then he's gone, haha. I've got another single chin Zeke though and he is very friendly with me.

 

[Easterpiggy]

Maybe she thinks she is returning the scritches and grooming you?

I agreee I think she's grooming you

 

[Jovi]

Wow, i read this and couldn't believe the similarities to a question i had. Lately when i take Rocket out for playtime i put a large loose shirt over the one i am wearing and he loves to climb in the neck hole and play in there . He started to do a digging movement a lot. He runs out and rushes around to get back in. If i am not wearing the big shirt he goes nuts and tries to get in any shirt i am wearing and just keeps going in circles around me looking for my shirt. He loves to do this. But ... the last couple days in addition to the heaving digging he took a little love nibble out of my belly! It wasn't the ever so gentle nibble he does to groom my finger nail.. it hurt but didn't draw blood. Tried again.. same thing. 3 strikes and he was out... i wasn't sure why he was doing this and i didn't wanna get bit but i was so sad to end the game he loves. Just sounded very similar to having the digging you are talking about and the little bite. I would love to understand this too.