greychins
NWI Chinchillas
So, I got in about 10 rescues all at once from a lady who got in over her head. Most of them have been adopted out to their new homes and are doing fine. However, one in particular, seems to have an issue.
This male was here for 3 months, went through his evaluation fine - eating, pooing, drinking, everything good. Sweetie here at the rescue. So we adopt him out - get an email from the new home that, while he came out of his cage the first night for playtime, now he won't come out, and has bitten and drawn blood. Further, when they get him out for playtime, he seeks out a box and hides. They also said he wasn't eating and drinking. Well, I said they needed to give him a little time to settle in, don't overwhelm him for the first few days, and so on. He was back here by day 3. The family basically came here and exchanged him for a different chin.
So... I get him back... and he seems fine! I honestly could not tell what in the world they were talking about, because I could pick him up no problem (they said if they so much as reached for him, they'd get their finger bit), I could take him out for playtime, he didn't hide, he'd run around, he was fine. He ate, drank, everything. Just like he was when I first had him. So, I wasn't sure if maybe I was getting half-truths or something from this person, but he seemed fine to me, so I put him back up for adoption.
He was adopted out, again, to one of our homes that recently adopted out one of this boy's previous cagemates. So, he was fine for the first nite... and turned from Dr. Jekyll to Mr. Hyde yet again. Biting, not wanting to come out of the cage, drawing blood. I told this home the same thing, try to give him time... they even went so far as to buy gloves that they could handle him with, because I said they should still try to handle him, but with the gloves, he wouldn't be able to hurt them, so he would understand biting wasn't getting him anywhere (which is how we deal with our biters at the rescue... and they all stop biting once they realize we don't react with the gloves on). So, they bought gloves, and they said it seemed to be going better... but then today I got a message from them saying that he was back to biting hard enough that (had they not had gloves on) the bite would have drawn blood. So... I get to go pick up this bundle of joy on Wednesday (they don't think they'll be able to get him out of the cage).
I have no doubt that he will come back to the rescue and be his typical sweet self. The last person actually brought him back and from the first second he was back. I reached into the box to get him, no bites, I could hold him, no bites, just sweet as pie. Both times, the adoptive homes were completely able to hold him, while he was here at our place... but then overnight this chin just spazzes.
I have a hard time believing this chin is just so enamored with me and with the rescue that he wants to stay here forever. Even when I first got him, he never acted like this - granted, I gave him his space and left him alone for a few days and just interacted with him in his cage (giving him cheerios, etc) but never once did he try to bite me, even at the beginning. Never once did I have a problem picking him up without him biting me... he never even nibbled! I don't use the gloves on a chin until they're "asked for" by the chin (they have to draw blood), and I have never had to use gloves with this chin.
This chin practically lives in his hammock, so both times he was adopted out, I made sure that the new home was going to have a hammock for him, to hopefully ease the transition (all chins that like hammocks go to new homes with one) - so much for that.
Since he's not "acting out" while he's here, I'm not sure exactly what I can do, short of find a home that is either really willing to work with him for a considerable period of time, or find a home that just wants a chin they can "look at" but not touch. Obviously, those aren't the majority of homes that want chins, but I have run across select people like those before, that like the challenging cases or that want the "cute pet." He will stay here if he never finds a home, that's not a problem. However, he's a cute chin, he's a pretty bv, and if this seemingly fear issue could be tackled, I know he'd find a home.
So, I was wondering if anyone had any thoughts about how to help this chin ease into a new home?
ETA: he's been at the new home since the 14th, so sad to say, he's hardly had a ton of time to settle in there before he'll be coming back here.
This male was here for 3 months, went through his evaluation fine - eating, pooing, drinking, everything good. Sweetie here at the rescue. So we adopt him out - get an email from the new home that, while he came out of his cage the first night for playtime, now he won't come out, and has bitten and drawn blood. Further, when they get him out for playtime, he seeks out a box and hides. They also said he wasn't eating and drinking. Well, I said they needed to give him a little time to settle in, don't overwhelm him for the first few days, and so on. He was back here by day 3. The family basically came here and exchanged him for a different chin.
So... I get him back... and he seems fine! I honestly could not tell what in the world they were talking about, because I could pick him up no problem (they said if they so much as reached for him, they'd get their finger bit), I could take him out for playtime, he didn't hide, he'd run around, he was fine. He ate, drank, everything. Just like he was when I first had him. So, I wasn't sure if maybe I was getting half-truths or something from this person, but he seemed fine to me, so I put him back up for adoption.
He was adopted out, again, to one of our homes that recently adopted out one of this boy's previous cagemates. So, he was fine for the first nite... and turned from Dr. Jekyll to Mr. Hyde yet again. Biting, not wanting to come out of the cage, drawing blood. I told this home the same thing, try to give him time... they even went so far as to buy gloves that they could handle him with, because I said they should still try to handle him, but with the gloves, he wouldn't be able to hurt them, so he would understand biting wasn't getting him anywhere (which is how we deal with our biters at the rescue... and they all stop biting once they realize we don't react with the gloves on). So, they bought gloves, and they said it seemed to be going better... but then today I got a message from them saying that he was back to biting hard enough that (had they not had gloves on) the bite would have drawn blood. So... I get to go pick up this bundle of joy on Wednesday (they don't think they'll be able to get him out of the cage).
I have no doubt that he will come back to the rescue and be his typical sweet self. The last person actually brought him back and from the first second he was back. I reached into the box to get him, no bites, I could hold him, no bites, just sweet as pie. Both times, the adoptive homes were completely able to hold him, while he was here at our place... but then overnight this chin just spazzes.
I have a hard time believing this chin is just so enamored with me and with the rescue that he wants to stay here forever. Even when I first got him, he never acted like this - granted, I gave him his space and left him alone for a few days and just interacted with him in his cage (giving him cheerios, etc) but never once did he try to bite me, even at the beginning. Never once did I have a problem picking him up without him biting me... he never even nibbled! I don't use the gloves on a chin until they're "asked for" by the chin (they have to draw blood), and I have never had to use gloves with this chin.
This chin practically lives in his hammock, so both times he was adopted out, I made sure that the new home was going to have a hammock for him, to hopefully ease the transition (all chins that like hammocks go to new homes with one) - so much for that.
Since he's not "acting out" while he's here, I'm not sure exactly what I can do, short of find a home that is either really willing to work with him for a considerable period of time, or find a home that just wants a chin they can "look at" but not touch. Obviously, those aren't the majority of homes that want chins, but I have run across select people like those before, that like the challenging cases or that want the "cute pet." He will stay here if he never finds a home, that's not a problem. However, he's a cute chin, he's a pretty bv, and if this seemingly fear issue could be tackled, I know he'd find a home.
So, I was wondering if anyone had any thoughts about how to help this chin ease into a new home?
ETA: he's been at the new home since the 14th, so sad to say, he's hardly had a ton of time to settle in there before he'll be coming back here.
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