Chinchilla care

Question
Hi Dawn,

I have recently adopted a 4 month old chinchilla. He is a bit scared of us and I find that on his bad days he is happy to show us (by making defensive sounds). On his good days he will actually let us pet him ( w/o holding him). I have noticed that more and more he is curious to come out of his cage to explore. Do you have any suggestions on making our bond with him strong enough so that we can take him out to spread his legs and explore? I want to be able to take him out without having to chase him down to put him back in his cage. I think that would ruin what bond we have curently.

Answer
   * Hang Out with them During Play Time. If you sit in the room and watch your chinchilla play and dust, they will eventually come up to you and check you out. Do not pursue your pet - be patient and let them come to you, and allow them to explore your hand and arm. As the chinchillas trust in you increases you can try stroking their back petting their ears.

   * Get Eye to Eye. Make sure that you Chinchilla does not feel like they are being attacked by Godzilla hands every time you go to fill their water bottle or food bowl. Chinchillas are very curious, but flee if you use quick motions. This is the way they keep safe in the wild. If you approach their cage slowly and get down to eye level with your Chinchilla before opening the cage door, they will be less anxious and should begin to look forward to you coming to the cage, as it typically means a reward of some kind.

   * Chat with your Chin. Chinchillas talk to one another and have various sounds that they use to communicate. Speaking in a calm tone to your chinchilla, and while you are around your chinchilla, will allow them to become more comfortable with human voices.

   * Try Music. Ever hear the saying that music calms the savage beast? Well not that your chinchilla is any kind of ferocious beast, but a little soft music or classical music can help to sooth them as well as get them more accustomed to human sounds. I would not necessarily recommend the Sex pistols, as your chinchilla will likely not be a fan of rock. Loud noises tend to frighten chins and leaving rock on all day may make for one nervous or aggressive chinchilla!

   * Hold your Chinchilla. Some chinchillas may resist being held at first, and if they really dislike it give them time. Chinchillas live a long time, and there is no reason to rush them. They can be picked up from the base (never the tip) of their tail, but we do not recommend holding them this way, and only on rare occasions when a chinchilla has escaped and we are trying desperately to get her back in the cage will we resort to grabbing their tail. Though it does not case harm to the chinchilla physically, I can not think of any animals that particularly likes being grabbed by its tail, and chinchillas do not seem to be an exception to the rule. We hold our chinchillas against our chest so they feel safe and secure, supporting their entire weight and making sure they are not dangling their feet. Also never grab them by the fur. If you do, you will likely end up with a wad of fur in your hand and a pretty unhappy chinchilla. As part of their natural defense, their furr pulls out when they are feeling threatened. I have heard that some chinchillas will never like being picked up, but working with your Chin and building trust are great ways to get to this step.

   * A little bit a sweet goes a long way. Ok so the music and the eye to eye didn't have the results that you anticipated. No healthy chinchilla we have ever met has turned down a raisin treat. Chinchillas love treats and hay, and may be given treats in moderation for good behavior. Much like you would train a dog with treats as a reward for good behavior, you can train your chinchilla. This does not mean that you should expect your chinchilla to roll over and jump through hoops on command (but if it does PLEASE send the video, that would be the cutest thing ever!) but they seem to learn their names pretty well and respond to you a lot faster if you have a tasty treat to offer!