i recently purchased a chinchilla from a private owner excatly a week ago.
he is 2 years old...and lived in a cage in a garage w/ his brother for 2 years.
he was well taken care of but fed only pellets.
he is now indoors in his own cage by himself, and i spoil him w/ hay and the occasional treat.
because i got him at such an old age, is he never going to warm up to me?
he pushes me away when i try to pet him and hates being picked up.
i want him like me! please let me know what i can do, thanks!!
Answers:
Time and patience. We adopted ours a year ago, typically they don't like to be held but she is coming around. She now loves to be scratched under the chin whenever you pass her cage. She will tolerate us touching her while she is in her cage. We started out by just sitting and talking to her in a quiet voice. Then while we were changing feed we left our hand in the cage longer and longer making no attempt to catch or touch her. When she would approach our hand we would hold still and let her make friends with us. After about a week we would offer a cheerio in our palm so she would have to stand/touch our hand to get it. after a time we would move a finger to give her a scratch. Now she will sit on our hand but if we move she will jump off. Treats we usually give are apple sticks and cheerios and shredded wheat and occasional oats. I try and stay away from anything sweet as sugar and upset their digestive track.
Well the good thing is he is not OLD, in fact he is very Young!! Chins average life span is 25 years so be prepared to have him for a long time. He will warm up to you with time and trust. The best thing to do is sit in front of his cage and talk to him you will have to do this for awhile it is not an over night process. Sounds like he will let you touch him, so try gentle scratches behind the ears, most chins love it. Raisins, cranberries, and plain shredded wheat are all great treats, but a raisin aday is enough. Shredded wheat is a healthier treat for them. Make sure he is getting his dust bath every other day, and just give it time. Lots of talking to him, will help him to gain trust in you. It won't be long and he will be climbing all over you if you allow it on his terms. If he does get loose the best way to catch him is with a large towel. Just gently through it over him and then pick him up. Also when you are holding him, the best way to do it is support his body and feet while holding the base of his tail. This will prevent dangerous leaps, and provide more stability for him.
Anyways good luck, and remember he needs to gain trust in you. Sounds like he was seperated from his brother, and your a new owner, lots of changes in his life.
This chin isn't a bit old! They can live up to almost 20 years! You need to "tame" you new chin. This can take up to a few months for him/her to gain your trust. Have you considered getting another friend for you chin? They travel in groups in the wild so i would recomend you finding a chinny friend...but remember this is a difficult task do this soon before you chin feels like this is his/her territory! Good luck
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