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Emotional Health & Behavior
If you talk to the animals, they will talk to you.
And you will know each other.
If you do not talk to the animals, you will not know them.
And what you do not know, you will fear.
What one fears, one destroys.
Chief Dan George
The emotional health of your chin is just as important as his physical health. As a matter of fact, your chin's happiness will affect his overall health. If a chin is bored, lonely, ignored or kept in dirty housing, he will be moody, lethargic and will not care about much of anything most, if not all, of the time. Yes, chins are very sensitive, caring and emotional little critters. They are very curious and love to interact with their friends whether human or another chin. Listed below are many of the factors that should be considered when thinking of your chin's emotional happiness and well-being.
Chinchillas' Relationship with Their Guardian
The relationship you have with your chin is what you put into it. The amount of time and effort you spend getting to know him and having him gain trust in you will be the mitigating factor in the end result of the relationship. Chinchillas are very social animals as long as you are patient with them and give them lots of love and attention. Just as with people, every chin has his own personality, likes and dislikes. There are very few chins that will be your best friend right away. It is very rare to find a chin that is a 'lap chin'. This is a term people use to describe a chin that acts like a cat or dog and just wants to sit on your lap and be petted and is content just lying there. This is not the normal behavior of chins, so don't expect this, or you will be very disappointed. This is an expectation we hear about over and over again. Even a chin that is very friendly and will allow you to pick him up and hold him for a short time will become restless and want to get down and run around or go back to his home.
Spend time with your chinchilla. Talk to him every day. He will get to know your voice. I have been asked many times if chins know their names. The answer is 'Yes, of course they do!' Chinchillas are very intelligent animals. If you greet him by his name, he will learn very quickly. Once he has familiarized himself with his new cage, give him some quiet time to eat, drink and sleep since traveling and being in a new home can be very stressful for chins. When you go to check on him, speak in a soothing and reassuring voice. This may sound like a bit much to some of you, but it shows consideration for your chin's feelings by doing things that build a great and trusting friendship. There is a chance your chin may 'bark' his first couple of nights in his new home. This is a warning call and just tells you he is nervous. Here is an excellent link to let you know what sounds a chin makes so you know what to expect www.chinchilla-sounds.de/index_en.htm.
Once he seems to be comfortable with you coming over to say hi, you can place your hand in the cage and let him come over to you. They are curious by nature and unless he is especially nervous, he will come over to sniff your hand. Do not try to win over your chinchilla by giving him treats! He will come to expect this from you, and you will only succeed in creating a treat junkie. Treats should be a minor part of your interaction with your chin. Base your relationship on trust, not bribes.
The chin will usually start to climb onto your hand. Do not try to grab at him. They like to just sit on the open palm of your hand. When he does not appear to be so nervous and comes over to you readily or is even waiting for you at the front of the cage, you can try to pick him up and hold him. He may let you pick him up or may even wiggle a little; this is normal. Just be gentle when handling him and make sure you give full support with the open palm of your hand under his body. If he completely goes crazy and starts to frantically run around the cage, then he is not ready yet to be picked up. Part of this behavior may be based on where you got your chin from and how he was raised and treated. In the wild, chins are more cautious simply because they are prey animals and always need to be on guard and alert. Even though the chins we live with in our homes are born in a domestic environment, part of that instinct never goes away. That is why a great relationship with your chin has to be on HIS terms and in HIS time.
One of the biggest mistakes a first time chin guardian makes is lack of patience! Showing your chin patience, having respect for how he lives and trying to see life the way he does will be one of the greatest things you can do for him. There are no words to describe how wonderful a trusting, loving relationship can be with your chinchilla. They are so sweet, affectionate, energetic and just plain silly at times. As much as we love and adore chinchillas, we are very honest to acknowledge that they are not for everyone.
Animals are such agreeable friends...
they ask no questions,
they pass no criticisms...
George Eliot
Chinchillas and Children
On average chinchillas are not recommended for young children (under 12 years). Children want an animal they can hold and pet, and a chinchilla will not usually allow this for more than a short time, if at all. Chinchillas are not 'lap' animals so the expectations of what a person wants and what the chinchilla is comfortable doing can be two totally different things. Children tend to be very active/hyper, as are chinchillas and the two together can be overwhelming. Chinchillas are very delicate and even if unintentional, kids tend to be a little rougher than a chin can tolerate. This is a very stressful situation for the chinchilla and they can be easily injured. Chinchillas are nocturnal which means they sleep all day and will be up playing all night. All factors considered, chinchillas are best for responsible teenagers and adults in a home environment.
This also means chinchillas are not suitable for a classroom of any age group. Considering they are nocturnal and are very sensitive to such a hectic environment, a classroom is not an appropriate place for a chinchilla, and we do not endorse it. This also includes dorms or any other college atmosphere which is really not the place for a chinchilla. These places are much too stressful for a chinchilla. So please consider the chinchilla and his physical as well as emotional health before bringing him into an environment such as one of these that are not calm or friendly for him.
Chinchilla Pairs & Bonding
Chinchillas live in herds of as many as 100 or more in their wild
habitat. That sounds great and things should be real simple in having chins live in pairs or small groups, right?
Well, with a domestic chinchilla, things are not that simple. First, I want to say that I believe most chins are happier living with another chin, but that does not necessarily mean in the same cage. They could end up being in separate cages that are side by side so they can see each other and talk to each other. There are a few chins that just will not get along with any other chins. As cute as these little furballs are, they are also very territorial. They can be vicious and will tear each other apart if they don't want to accept another chin. You should never just put two chins together in a cage, or they will fight and have been known to kill each other. Not all chins will fight and what can be worse is if one chin is much stronger and attacks a submissive chin causing critical or fatal wounds.
Since man has put chinchillas through so many changes, including confining them to small cages, for some, living in pairs or small groups is something they are no longer comfortable with. Please be aware of this if you are getting your first chin or are trying to pair a chin that you already live with. If this is your first chin and you think there may be any chance you will want another one down the road, get a bonded pair from the start. It will make things much easier for you and if the chins are already bonded they will be happy to stay together.
If you have a single chin and are thinking of getting him/her a cage buddy then you need to be prepared for the process of pairing them. This takes time, sometimes weeks, so don't expect it to happen overnight. There is also a big commitment on your part as the guardian. If chins are very young you have a good chance of getting them together. I have also gotten together many pairs that were adults, but personality has a lot to do with pairing. Males are usually easier to get together than females. Females are more territorial, males are more dominant. Over the years, people have used different methods to try to get chins together. The method that I always use and have had great success with is the cage side by side method. I have gotten together over a dozen pairs by doing this. Since I do not promote breeding, I will advise you to do same sex pairing only, unless you have a neutered male (I do not recommend spaying a female).
If you currently have a chin, you will need a second cage for the new chin. You want to keep the cages about 1" - 2" apart. You want them just far enough so that if paws are outstretched no fingers will be bitten. I let the chins live next to each other for about a week and see how their behavior is. If there are any signs of aggression; yanking on the cage with their teeth, growling, aggressive pacing back and forth, you want to give them time to settle in to living next to each other. You can also switch the chins to each other's cage every couple of days. That way they can adjust to each other's scent more quickly. When they seem comfortable with each other they will either ignore each other or sit near each other on parallel shelves. Most chins are not bothered at all by living next to another chin and are very curious as to who their new neighbor is.
You will need an area that is neutral to both chins, meaning an area that neither chin has been in before. That is where you will do their first introduction face to face without the separation of the cage. Put each chin in this neutral area and never leave them alone. You must be right there in case a fight should break out. If they charge at each other you must put each one back in their cage and give them a couple of days before trying it again. You don't want their last encounter to be a negative one, so that is why if the first meeting does not go well, you want to give them a little time. If, however, they run around and avoid each other or even get close enough to sniff each other and then run away, things are going well.
A lot of the reaction from both of them will depend on their personalities. As long as there is no fur flying (literally) or charging to attack each other, things are going in the right direction. For their first encounter only have them out together for no longer than 15 minutes. If they seem to be getting along in the beginning and then getting a little edgy before the 15 minutes is up, don't wait; put them back in their cages before things go bad. Once you have started the process of pairing chins you want to stay committed to it, and as long as things are going well, you want to have the chins spend some time together in the neutral area every day. Consistency is important. You want to add about five minutes to their play time together every day, so basically they need to be getting along well for at least thirty minutes to an hour. You need to make time in your schedule for these play times since you cannot leave them alone. A way to help them accept each other is to put an open dust bath (a baking pan works well) in the area where they play. That way they will hide their scent with the dust for a brief time, and it will give them a chance to get to know each other. Plus, they very often will roll around in the bath together.
When the chins are basically ignoring each other or greeting each other and then go about playing, that is real progress. When they pass each other with no aggression for at least a week maybe two, then you want to consider putting them in a cage together. If it is at all possible, starting off with a new cage for them is the best thing to do because it will not be either chin's territory and will have no scent in it. If this is not possible and you use a cage you currently have, you should completely clean the cage to try to rid it of the current chin's scent. Scrubbing the cage and disinfecting it with white vinegar is best. I recommend getting all new things for inside the cage: new house, ledges, toys, etc. If you must use what you currently have, then you must thoroughly clean those items too.
Very Important: You must supervise the chins for at least a couple of days when you try to put them together in a cage. Some chins, even after getting along great in a play area, will fight when put in a cage together. That is why having a large cage and a couple of hiding spots (house, tubes, etc) are so important in case a chin gets nervous and needs to hide. Clear your calendar when you are ready to put them in a cage together. Usually when they snuggle and eat together a friendship is formed for life, but you want them to live together happily for several days before you can relax that they will be ok.
If you try to get them together and they never accept each other, do not ever put them in a cage together and don't continue to stress them out by forcing them to play together. You will have to accept that they will need to live separately in their own cages.
Chinchillas' Relationship with Other Animals
You should not house a chinchilla with another species of animal. If they are compatible, you should only house a chinchilla with another chinchilla. Chinchillas have specific requirements which are not the same for any other species of animal. We have heard of someone keeping a chin with a bunny, and this is a bad idea. Besides the fact that a bunny and chin require different diets, housing and sleeping times, you must consider the bunny's size in comparison to the chinchilla. Also, a huge factor for not housing a chin with another animal is their dust bath, which can cause respiratory problems for other animals. We are not saying you should not have any other animals living with you in your home, but no other animal besides chinchillas should share the same cage. No matter how well behaved a dog or cat is, never let your chin out to play where he is not completely protected from them. If you have a cat or dog that continually sits by the chins cage stalking him, you will have to move the chin to a room where this will not happen. This is very stressful for the chinchilla and will take its toll on your chin's health both physically and emotionally.
Picking Up & Holding
When trying to pick up or hold your chin, be very gentle. Remember, under all that fur is a small delicate body. Because they are prey animals in the wild, chins have the ability to 'slip' their fur. If you are inadvertently a little rough when handling him, he may lose or 'slip' a patch of fur and what is left behind is a clump of fur in your hand and a baby smooth bald patch of skin on the chin. We have seen chins lose a spot smaller than an aspirin and as large as a half dollar. The fur will grow back. How fast it will grow back depends on the age and health of your chin. Usually the younger they are the faster the fur grows back. Obviously, you want to avoid handling your chin in a manner that would cause him to slip his fur.
Whenever you pick up or hold your chin you want to be gentle, but hold him in a way that he is secure and won't fall if he starts to squirm a little. If a chin feels like he doesn't have something stable to rest on or that makes him feel secure, he is more likely to wiggle and squirm. Always have your hand palm side up under your chin's feet, while your other hand is either under his armpits or cupping his back. Hold the chin close to you, and this will make the chin feel secure and give you control should he start to wiggle a little.
Play Time
Letting your chin out for play time will be great for his emotional health. Watching a chin out for play time is a real joy, but unless you have time to keep an eye on him and interact with him, don't let him out. Chins can get into trouble very quickly. Don't be so occupied with watching TV, reading or talking on the phone that you are not paying attention to him. This is your time together. You should make the most of it. The bottom line is, if you are not willing to make a chinchilla part of your everyday life and really don't have time to spend with a chinchilla companion, spare him a life of loneliness and depression and don't get a chinchilla.
Do not ever put a leash on a chinchilla! Once again, these are gimmicks sold by pet stores and are not safe for a chin. Chins have very small and fragile bones and can become injured very easily or entangled with a leash. It will also cut into their fur which is not healthy. You need to provide a safe indoor play area for your chin's exercise time.
Chins love the opportunity to run around, and this is a great way for them to bond with you. This will allow him time to explore you by climbing on you and get more comfortable with you. If you sit or lie on the floor when he is playing, he will use you as part of the obstacle course. He will sit on your lap, climb all over you and many will even rebound off of you! He will look forward to his play time with you. So that you can start to build a trusting and long lasting friendship, we advise people to wait at least a week before letting your chin out to play for the first time. The purpose of this is so that you do have some trust established and he will allow you to pick him up. Otherwise you will be chasing him to get him back into the cage, and this is very stressful and tiring on the chin and frankly for you, too.
You have to chin-proof the area you will allow the chin to play in. Make sure there are no exposed wires he can chew on. If you have any wires at his level he will bite them and it would only take one nibble to kill him or hurt him severely. Clear tubing can be purchased to cover your wires.
You can get it from any home improvement store or bunny supply resources online. You do not want him to chew on painted or varnished surfaces. If you have grandma's priceless antique end table sitting there, either move it, block it or wrap a towel around the legs. Chins will test chew everything.
Lie down on your floor where you want to let the chin play and look around. Now you are on his level. What do you see? A small hole under a counter you didn't even know was there? Well guess what ... you would be amazed at the small opening that a chin can get into. Curiosity is usually what gets them into trouble; they mean no harm. Very often though, once they get into a predicament, they get nervous and panic and won't come right back out. That's when you start to get nervous and all the sweet talk and treat bribes in the world won't get him out. Whatever you do, don't get mad or yell at him. This will only make him barricade himself in his new found hide-away. We have heard of more than a couple of times when people have removed moldings, pieces of wall and so forth to free their chins.
You can easily prevent all this by checking things out on his level and preparing an area each time your chin has play time or if you have a small space you can designate as his which can stay set up with his toys all the time. You will want to limit the space where your chin will play for the simple reason that you want to be able to keep track of him. Also, it will be easier to get him when it is time to go back to the cage. It is great if you have an area that has at least one wall because chins LOVE to rebound off of walls or as someone once described it to me 'wall surfing'.
"I'm a wall surfing Dude!"
Give him things to play with to occupy his time so he won't look for trouble. Give him an obstacle course to play on and make things that are different than what is in his cage on a daily basis so it will be adventurous. We also make sure to have things that they can chew when they are out playing; such as a willow wreath, willow basket, organic apple sticks, fiddle sticks etc.
I recommend that you slowly build up the time that the chin is allowed out for play. If he has never been allowed to run around or has not been out to play in a while, he will get tired and overheat more easily. He will need to build up stamina each time, just as a person who starts to exercise after not doing so in a while. I usually recommend people start out their chins' play time for about 20 minutes. Then add five minutes every day until you reach a comfortable schedule. It is very important that you don't let your chin get overheated. It is vital that the temperature in the room be very cool, below 70° and very low humidity.
Sometimes they are so excited about being out that they don't pace themselves and we have heard of chins collapsing and even having a seizure after playing for too long. This is caused by a drop in blood sugar. If your chin is unsteady on his feet or starts to act like he is drunk, that is a serious sign of this condition. You must get his blood sugar back up quickly. If your chin is able to chew, give him one raisin. This is the only time you will ever read these words from me. Raisins are not a suitable treat for chins since they are 80% sugar, but in this case that is exactly why it would help your chin. If he is unable to chew, then you can either rub a very tiny amount of molasses, sugar water, or Nutri-cal on his gums. That is all it should take to stabilize him in about 10 minutes.
Young chins and sometimes older chins will do something called 'popcorning'. They will act like a piece of kernel corn right as it pops into popcorn. Standing still they will suddenly spring straight up into the air and very often add a little twist to this movement. This is a very happy chin and it is a total delight watching them do this. Babies will often do this several consecutive times.
How much play time does your chin need? Ideally he should get out every day. However, life does not always have a set schedule. If your schedule does not permit playing every day, you should strive to let your chin out at least 4 times a week. That is why it is so important to have a great large cage setup for him on days that he will stay in.
If having a soul means being able to feel love and loyalty and gratitude, then animals are better off than a lot of humans.
James Herriot
Sleeping Pattern
Chinchillas are nocturnal which means they sleep all day and are up making noise, playing and eating at night. This should be a major factor in your decision about whether a chin is a good companion for you or not. This is their instinctual time clock and we do not recommend trying to change them into diurnal (awake during the day) animals. As much as man has tried to domesticate the chinchilla, nature has the final word and some things you will never 'breed out of' them. Letting them stay how they are in the wild as nocturnal animals is what is healthiest for them. Many chinchillas will take a peek to look at you if you walk by them during the day, but will quickly go back to sleep. We have had others not move at all from their comfy sound slumber. They may get up briefly to munch on some hay or get a drink of water. They also have different times when they decide to get up for the evening. We have some that are ready to start to play by 8pm and others who sleep in and don't get going until 1am.
Music & TV
Don't leave your chin in a completely silent room, even during the day when they are sleeping. Keep a radio on with relaxing music or the television with low volume if there is one in the room. We have a radio and television in the rescue and leave the radio on for our chins during the day and evening and the television is on 24 hours with the volume down. They seem to be happy with either The Food Network or AMC. We're expecting to walk into the rescue one day and find a seven course meal waiting for us!
Dust Bath
Did someone say Bath Time!!!!!
Regular dust baths are very important for your chins physical as well as mental health. We gave these chins a bath in an open litter pan so you could see how they roll around and have a lot of fun. They also create a dust cloud, so be conscious of this if you have allergies. Chinchillas need a dust bath 2-3 times a week. This will keep their fur beautiful, clean and healthy. It gives them a great energy boost and makes them feel wonderful. We have noticed that rescues we have taken in that have not gotten baths recently seem to be depressed or withdrawn. When they do get a bath again they are revitalized. The best brand of dust bath you can use is Blue Cloud. Give your chin about 10-15 minutes to take his bath. You don't want to leave the bath in the cage because often he will just pee and poop in it. Also, many chins will sleep in their dust bath and that will dry out their feet.
Toys
You should have toys in your chins cage for him to play with. They will help to keep him active, stimulate his imagination, and keep his teeth worn down to a healthy length. Giving safe chew toys for your chin will make him very happy. This, of course, is great for his emotional health!
Spraying Urine
When a chin feels threatened, whether by a person or another chin, they are able to shoot a stream of urine at the offender. This is called 'spraying'. All chins are capable of doing this, but not all will exercise this ability. A chin will stand up facing the perceived threatening party to accomplish this. It is amazing how accurate they are at hitting their target. It is also amazing how far they can spray. They usually do this very fast, often before the intended victim has time to move. There are times when they will give a warning stance, which is standing up fast and moving their pelvis slightly forward, but not actually following through with the deed. If he does this, heed his warning and leave him alone so he can calm down.
Try to replay in your mind what actions you took to make him feel threatened and obviously try to avoid doing them again. It could be something as simple as moving your hand too fast towards him which he perceived as an attack. Usually a chin that is so quick to spray has been handled roughly by someone in his past. Please show extra patience if your chin should spray you. Yelling at him will only make you look more like a threat to him and never hit your chinchilla under any circumstances. We have had chins come to the rescue that would spray or threaten to spray if we even came near the cage, let alone try to open the door. Over time and with a lot of reassuring, soft spoken words, we did gain their trust and they stopped spraying. We can not emphasize enough how important trust is between you and your chinchilla.
The Full Moon
Your chins, along with all other animals (including mankind), are affected by the full moon. You may notice that he is running around his cage more or seems restless. If he is out playing he may rebound off of the wall more often or may not be as easy to get back into his cage when play time is done. He may also be awake and active earlier in the evening than he usually is. If these symptoms occur, check your calendar to see if a full moon is approaching or is that night. We have also sometimes noticed these symptoms, but on a more mild level when there is a new moon. Obviously there is nothing wrong with your chin around this time, but it will help you to understand his erratic behavior when it comes on suddenly and then only last for 1 or 2 days a month. The Harvest moon which occurs in October will affect everyone more so than any other time of the year. We have seen chins' behavior start to get more rowdy as early as mid September and last until the end of October. Anytime there is a change in season you may also notice a slight change. This occurs with all animals regardless of breeding seasons.
Breeding Season
Even if you have only a single chin, their natural body clock will tell them when it is breeding season, which means that they may be a little more moody or amorous with their prime caretaker November thru April. They may have a little more energy when playing and may get into a little more mischief.
Scent Glands
Through research of numerous sources from veterinarian schools to breeders and 'pet' chinchilla sites, we have discovered there seems to be conflicting opinions as to whether a chinchilla has scent glands or not. We do know from personal experience that chins DO throw off a unique scent if they get nervous or would like to 'mark' an area. I think it has a slightly sweet musky smell, but I have also heard it described as smelling like burnt almonds. Either way, the smell is unique and it only lingers for a few seconds. We have had only a few chins that will throw off this scent. This seems to occur more often with chins that have not been handled very much or were handled inappropriately in their past. This scent is really not an issue, but we thought it was worth mentioning since there may be an occasion you experience it.
Transporting Chinchillas (by car or plane)
When traveling with your chin he needs to feel safe and secure. You want to make sure he is as comfortable as possible under the circumstances. Only use a pet carrier that is made for animal transportation; meaning one that is well ventilated, securely closes, plenty of room to move around and stretch out and one that should be able to survive an impact if there should be an accident. Do not ever transport a chinchilla in an aquarium, cardboard box or cloth carrier. Buying a travel carrier is just as much a requirement as purchasing a cage. Consider it part of your initial start up cost. Many people overlook this item when buying supplies and they shouldn't. You have to get your new family member home in the first place and then you never know when you may have to go to the vet. Be prepared and put safety first.
If he is the type to chew any and everything he can get a hold of, don't use a plastic carrier. You are better off using a small cage or wire carrier. We use a fleece blanket to cover the bottom of the carrier because it is soft and comforting to the chins. Some will also hide under the blanket. Please do place something on the bottom of the carrier for the chin's comfort. Unless you are making just a quick trip to the vet, you should put a small amount of hay in the carrier. We have found most chins will not drink when traveling, but we always have a water bottle available and periodically offer it to them. Do not hang a regular ball bearing water bottle in a carrier or it will just continually drip and then your chin will quickly have a very wet and uncomfortable trip.
We partially cover the carrier when traveling, especially if we are using an all wire carrier, to give the chins a sense of security. Do not put your chin directly in the sun. Just make sure you do not completely cover the carrier because they need ventilation and to keep cool. Your vehicle should be kept very cool for the chin. If you are traveling in the warmer months you must have air conditioning in your vehicle. You will also need to get the temperature down in the car first before you place the chin in it. This is not an option, it is a necessity! Speak often with your chin to reassure him that you are there and that everything will be OK. With all the chins we have traveled with, we find they all settle down after just a few minutes and sleep most of the trip.
We do not support or recommend transporting or 'shipping' chinchillas by plane. Animals are considered baggage when transported by airlines and the conditions in the cargo area are cruel and inhumane. The temperature is allowed to get extremely warm and we have heard of chinchillas dying during the flight. Plus the noise factor for animals is unbearable.
Chinchillas and the Holidays
If you have a lot of company around the holidays and your chin normally lives in a family room, we suggest moving him to a bedroom where it will be quieter. After the holidays are over and your home returns to normal activity put his cage back to where he is accustomed to living.
Chinchillas and the Family Vacation
Chinchillas should not be left overnight by themselves. Any number of things could happen from him overturning a food bowl to the water bottle draining out, etc. If you are going on vacation, please make arrangements for someone to check in on your chinchilla every day. He will need fresh water and hay anyway so they can just make sure everything is ok with him in general. Always make sure the friend that is checking on your chin knows of the exotic veterinarian they can contact should there be an emergency.