Taming

Question
Hi
I've been talking to a lot of chinchilla owners and breeders about how to taming a un-social chinchilla.

Leo, is not very social at all.
I got him about 2 months ago. I bought Leo STUPIDLY, at a pet store. Back then, I didn't know much about chinchillas, and well....I just wanted him.
Sadly, Leo's been in the pet store for a bout a year. No one came to play with him, or socialize. So, Leo is not trusting me right now. And, I don't blame him.

What I'd like, is a way to gain his trust and love.
Now, I've read up on basically ALL of what to do, but to be honest, it's STILL quite difficalt getting Leo back into the cage, with out grabbing him.

What I've done, is taken the dust bath OUT of his cage. I used to always just leave it there, for him to have a bath whenever he would feel like.
So, in taking the bath out, I'm hoping he will soon "miss" it, and whenever I take him out, and it's time for him to go back inside, I'll place it on the floor and let him have a bath. After he's had sometime inside, I'll scoop him up with the bath.

Now, one thing I don't know. Would or do you think, this will let Leo get used to me?
I mean, I know for the first few times, i will frighten him, but, with his cage being on legs, its not that easy finding ways to get him back inside.

I'm working on taming him. Seems to be going quite slow, but thats expected I guess.
If you could please give me a few ideas on taming him, that would be most unappreciated.

Answer
Okay, it could go either way here. He could take a long, long time to get tame or he may never get tame. Chinchillas really aren't the tamest, cuddly animals.

They are KNOWN to be quite skittish. You may however may get the extremely odd chinchilla who sleeps on your knee.

That probably won't get Leo used to you. He may get a bit better with a lot of time but he may just be one of those chinchillas. They all have different personalities!

I basically said in my past answers.....Sit by his cage talk to him softly, handfeed him his pellets then give him the bowl after a while, read/listen to music by his cage etc. Let him climb over you during playtime...Keep still!

Mae.