Talking in Chin Language?

[chocochin]

So my little baby chin loves to squeak / "woot" as I call it when he's curious, wanting attention, whatever. After a couple weeks of trying to imitate this noise, I've found a little squeak that I can make which he makes him start wooting and squeaking back like crazy! also when he grinds his teeth I imitate that and he gets all excited and starts popcorning everywhere haha.
It feels really great like I'm talking to him with something that he understands, but I wasn't sure if this was like a normal communication thing. I'm talking to him a lot in normal human tones as well, so he'll catch on to his name and things, which is going pretty well actually.
Who else speaks Chin? Are there any weird noises they respond to for some reason or another?

 

[becky12883]

I don't really speak chin, but they definitely understand things that I say to them. Rufus and Zoidberg both know their names, and they know cookie, cuddle, kisses, play, go home, no, stop, and sit pretty. Each word has their own tone that they are said in. Also, just because they know the words doesn't mean they do what I want when I say them. Oh yeah and my favorite one that they know is "Is that your house?" when one of them are in Dale Earnhardt's cage during playtime, I ask them that and they hop out of D.E.'s cage and into their own.

 

[chocochin]

Aw I love your chins' names! And yes, I think chins are smart enough to understand quite a bit, but cooperating is a whole different story.

 

[kellylynnmarie]

I speak chin, too! Haha. Over the past couple of weeks my boys have become very vocal so I've spent some time practicing and getting their lingo down. It's fun to be just as excited as they are! Haha. They also understand their names, and certain words (just mentioning "dust bath" and they start grunting up an excited storm!)... it's fun and it's kind of nice to connect on another level with them.

 

[Mandy]

Not sure about 'speaking chin',
I had a pair of male in my room once and one (Rafi) would start barking at me when I would go to bed. So, in the dark every night, he would bark...and I would 'bark' back (sad little noise to him probably). We did this back and forth until one of us passed out or just ignored the other.

 

[Zoaea]

I notice body language more, my girls pretty quiet. They greet by nose touching so alot of times ill say hi to her by leaning forward and she'll come tickle my nose. Also when she is agitated or full of energy she will swish her tail around.

 

[3CsMommy]

I 'urp' back at the boys when I'm at the cage, and they're allowed to greet me with "whisker kisses" like they do each other. They also respond to their songs (I'm a theater person, the inside of my head is like a broken iPod Shuffle) when I sing them and know to come to the cage door for luvins and treats.

 

[TahlulahBelle]

My Lulu does these little squeaks so I squeak back at her and she seems to really like it and sniffs my nose. Then I when she is chewing stuff she isn't supposed to chew I try to kack at her and she stops...sometimes. Hahah.

 

[Chinbutt]

I try to mimic that cute throaty little squeak they do, and it actually makes them come to me to see what's going on. They also know certain words like "treat." lol

 

[chocochin]

All the funny chin behavior is great! I love their language! Thanks for sharing

 

[tcraighenry]

I discovered Vincenza likes it when I sing "Little Bunny Foo Foo" to her. I think because she's an evil rodent who wants to bop other rodents on the head.

She's really vocal and knows her name. When she's feeling needy she runs up to the side of the cage and makes her contact noise. And if she's barking she calms down quickly if we talk back.

She really hates Beethoven.

So I don't really speak chin but she definitely talks to me and we talk back.

The other one was part of a larger heard and I don't think was talked to a lot. She's not nearly as noisy.

 

[JamaisVu]

My chins have veeery different personalities.

Susu is very quiet (VERY, she makes no noise while running or playing, unless she's really excited), she responds better to body language or sounds I make. For example, if I push my face forward, she'll take that as an invitation to "socialize", so she'll groom my eyebrows and push her nose against mine. If I put my hands out, palms down, she takes that as an invitation to perch on them. Also, if I tap on her bathhouse she knows that the sound means it's bath time and she'll run excitedly to the door, and if I tap on her carrier during playtime she knows it's time to go back.

She also recognizes the words "no", her name, and "c'mon" (this last one means it's time to play).

I've noticed though that she grunts when she's really really pleased (this only happens when I give her treats or I put fresh hay on the hay holder). The tastier the treat, the more she'll grunt.

My boy is a different story...he's a vocal one...but he doesn't respond well to me imitating chinchilla language. If I imitate it he'll stop and look at me for a really long time as if saying "why would you do that?" Funniest thing I recently discovered is that if I don't imitate him, but respond with "human" words, he'll play along. Like if he's upset and starts yelling (he does this thing where he'll do just one tiny yell, scoff, look around, and then yell again), and I use a baby tone and ask him "what's wrong?" he'll yell softer back, in the exact same tone I used, and then make tiny sounds, as if complaining about whatever made him upset.

It's adorable.

 

[chocochin]

They both sound like cute little rascals! Haha chinchillas are such personalities. I'm torn between wanting Ganache to be more vocal (he really only makes his one noise, either when he's happy or curious) but at the same time being glad he's not waking me up every night with crazy barks and things. Although, a bark might be a fun challenge to imitate