Can you turn a mean chinchilla into a friendley chinchilla?????

Question

I was given two pet chinchillas ( a mommy and baby), and the people that gave them to me turned them anti social.
Is there any way, they can change that?

Answer 1

Yes, but you must handle them often. Wear gardening gloves if they bite too much.

Answer 2

With time and patience, yes you can. First don't wear gloves they need to smell you and get used to your smell.

The first few steps :
Try to not bother them let them get used to the new space and noises of your house. Pretty much just feed and water and talk to them. Then offer treats slowly (cheerios are a good option) through the cage. Then offer them on the palm of your hand stuck in the door open. Don't' attempt to touch or grab them or they will associate it with being caught, after a few days just touch them with the hand the treat is in. Usually a scratch under the chin or on the nose. After a few times move the treat up to your forearm, that way they have to climb in your hand to get the treat, again don't grab or react (especially if they nip) that is the hardest part. They probably will not let you hold them for some time but some never do no matter how socialized they were. Follow their lead they may even get used to being touched. Our adopted chin hates to be held but loves scratches and to climb on us. Not all chins are mean and bite. I have only been nipped because I smelled like treats or food. Good Luck!

Check here for more information and help:

http://www.chins-n-quills.com/forums/

Answer 3

How long have you had the chins? I'm hoping that the baby is a female. If not, he needs to be weaned and taken away from mom by 10 weeks of age at the very latest!! Moms and sons, fathers and daughters, brothers and sisters will be breed.

What kind of cage setup do you have and where is it located? High trafficked area or low traffic area? Do the chins have a hidey box? When are you interacting with them?

Chinchillas are nocturnal animals and are primarily active in the late evening. Chinchilla's need some time to settle into their new environment- this can be days or weeks or months. Just have patience!
Some tips that I use with my chins (I have 19 of them and they are all strictly pets!) is to talk softly to them, I sing to them, read out loud to them, sit near the cage. This is all done so they start to acclimate to me and the sound of my voice. Hand them pellets, different types of grass hays, wood chews- something to get them to come closer to you. I do not give treats very often, but during the bonding process, that rule goes out the window temporarily.(Chins need a high quality pellet, grass hay like timothy and water) I use cheerios, organic oats or rosehips to encourage them to come closer to me. Try scratching them under the chin- my chins love it! Try not to chase them around the cage to catch them- that just stresses them out!

I will also let them go into their bathhouse and then take the bathhouse into a small room like a bathroom and let them run around. They end up running up and over you as they explore. I set the bathhouse down again to catch them and put them back in their cages.

Of my 19 chins, I have two that do not want to be handled but will come out of their cage on their own. Chins are not cuddly animals by nature but very rarely are they aggressive and mean.

Good luck with your chins! Please let me know if there are some tips I can give you via e-mail

Answer 4

I don't know much about Chinchilla's how ever when I conscidered getting one for my child, the research showed that they are not very social animals. Most do bite and breeding them
is a very nasty bussiness. I have never meet a chinchilla that was nice.

Answer 5

of course. If you turn the chinchilla into like a nice scarf or something.

Answer 6

of course, you just have to handle them A LOT, so they can get used to you, give them treats, so they will see you as someone who gives good food!!