Separation Anxiety?

[Macha]

I know cat's and Dog's can get separation anxiety from their human "parents".

Can chinchilla's get it too?

I've been noticing that Danu is being unusually clingy the last couple weeks. I just took her to the vet about a week ago, and other than some slight urine stains, which was most likely a result of a recent change, she checked out okay. Since then I've been checking her over at least once a day and haven't noticed anything. She has always has fresh hay and food. and her appetite is normal. She is on filtered water,and the only treats she gets are plain shredded wheat, wood pretzel sticks, and timothy hay cubes. I'm pretty sure it's not anything medical.

In the mornings when I check on her she jumps up onto my chest/ shoulder and refuses to go back into her home. I'll usually let her sit there while I change her food and hay. When it's time to put her back she is defiant, she either jumps on me or sits right at the edge of the cage so I can't close the doors without pushing her. I've started bribing her with treats, just so I could distract her while I can get the doors closed. Then more often than not she will do a combination of sitting right at the edge of her cage or hanging on the doors while I get ready for work. Later is more common.

I have been trying to give her more "me" time in the morning and not having the last thing I do is to check on her. Unfortunately with my apartment set up I can't avoid her seeing me getting ready to leave.

When I get home it is a repeat of the morning. It used to be she was in her tunnel until closer to play time. If I disturbed her before then she'd get annoyed at me ans refuse to come home. The last few days when I get home I she is sitting at the edge of her cage, instead of her tunnel or cuddle cup.

9/10when I open her cage she jumps up on me and I have to bribe her so I don't close the doors on her.

I've increased play time, and have been giving her more "me" time.

I don't want her to be lonely, as much as I wish I could be I can't be with her 24/7.

She did have a house mate who died very unexpectedly (still unsure of what happened). Not sure if she is still reacting to that.

Is it a form of separation anxiety? Or is this just a normal phase that some chins go through.

Is there anything I can do besides being at her beck and call 24/7, which I wish I could but I can't, that would help her.

 

[Kansas City Chinchillas]

This sounds pretty normal to me. Some chins love human attention and at times demand it. Some throw fits when they don't get what they want or are mad at you. When play time is over try not to let her manipulate you. If she resists going into her cage it's OK to give her a gentle push. You have limits, hopefully given time she will be less resistant to the end of playtime. If you haven't already tried giving a dust bath in the cage at the end of play time you might try that to get her back into the cage.

 

[obcsed]

Sounds like she has you figured out and wrapped around her little paw. I love the ones that meet you at the door every time you get near them. They just want all your attention and are happy with a good scritch or nose rub.

 

[Macha]

Thanx, I guess I was just being overly worried.

She didn't use to be overly affectionate. Throwing a fit when she didn't get her way, that was more her style. Everything I read says to watch for any changes in behaviour, plus that it can take a long time for chins to warm up to people.

I'm keep her on a pretty strict schedule. I feel bad about it, but when her time is up in the mornings, back in her home whether she likes it or not. Usually give her a treat if she isn't being too much of a brat - I say that affectionately - about it.