Anniemarie89
Member
- Joined
- Jun 14, 2010
- Messages
- 14
Hello! I just joined the forum and see everyone here is very knowledgeable... especially with food. Here is my problem: my chinchilla Benjamin is the absolute LOVE of my life, but I think I've done something terrible. The lil' guy is ADDICTED to treats. I shake the jar accidentally and he comes running!! The raisin a day is how I initially bonded with him, and then another raisin to jump on my arms and cuddle, and another, I think you can get the picture!
I am now cutting back down on the treats and thankfully he still comes to my arms and grooms my hair and eyelashes... BUT, I'm scared once he realizes I'm not giving him enough food he will stop.
I knew when I got my Benji that they aren't cuddly animals, but he has become one to jump on my shoulders and groom my ears, or hair for minutes at a time. I don't want him stopping this. My question here is, WHAT do you guys do to get your chinnies to bond with you, OTHER than using rosehips or raisins?
Some background: I got him in March, he was a year old this November, and I got him from a vet/breeder. His cage is 48" tall, 24" wide and 24" deep... he's got a wooden house, wooden chews, hay feeder, wooden toys that hang from the top of his cage, a chinchiller, a dustbath I keep outside of his house for playtime, and plenty of wooden boxes and cardboard boxes for playtime. I normally let him run around my bedroom (I keep it as chin safe as possible) for 2-6 hours a day... maybe 1 day a week he is only able to be out for an hour.
Is there anything special you do to get your chin to love you eveeen more? Like, switching something up with the dust bath.. putting it IN the cage? Or anything you can think of?
Here's some pics of Benjamin eating treats! The reason why it's so hard for me resist feeding him tons!!!
I am now cutting back down on the treats and thankfully he still comes to my arms and grooms my hair and eyelashes... BUT, I'm scared once he realizes I'm not giving him enough food he will stop.
I knew when I got my Benji that they aren't cuddly animals, but he has become one to jump on my shoulders and groom my ears, or hair for minutes at a time. I don't want him stopping this. My question here is, WHAT do you guys do to get your chinnies to bond with you, OTHER than using rosehips or raisins?
Some background: I got him in March, he was a year old this November, and I got him from a vet/breeder. His cage is 48" tall, 24" wide and 24" deep... he's got a wooden house, wooden chews, hay feeder, wooden toys that hang from the top of his cage, a chinchiller, a dustbath I keep outside of his house for playtime, and plenty of wooden boxes and cardboard boxes for playtime. I normally let him run around my bedroom (I keep it as chin safe as possible) for 2-6 hours a day... maybe 1 day a week he is only able to be out for an hour.
Is there anything special you do to get your chin to love you eveeen more? Like, switching something up with the dust bath.. putting it IN the cage? Or anything you can think of?
Here's some pics of Benjamin eating treats! The reason why it's so hard for me resist feeding him tons!!!




