Chinchilla doesn't like to be Held or Touched?

[aliikai4]

Hey everyone, i recently adopted a baby chinchilla who was 7 weeks old and is now 12 weeks old. She is super cute and curious and will come out of her cage if i put my arm in and let her walk on it. She will sit in my hand and when playing come jump around off my legs and what not but she wont let me pick her up or hold her and she doesn't like to be touched. Is there a way to work with her to make her more comfortable? Is this normal?

the previous chinchlla i had was a male and he loved to be held and have his cheeks rubbed, so i'm not really used to her behaivor. She will come and eat out of my hand but wont let me pet her. Its hard to not be disapointed after having such a loving chinchilla before her.

Any suggestions or advice?

[Kendalle]

I think most chins are more explorerers than snugglers. its normal for them to not like to be held and petted

[ChinnyMom]

Another person that didn't do their research...


Again, Kendalle, you are dead on.


Chinchillas generally do not like to be held. I find that babies don't like to be touched until they're older.

They are more of a "Look but don't touch" kind of pet. A little research on behavior would have told you this.

[emtchickie]

I disagree I have 2 chins and one loves to be held and cuddled but he didnt at the beginning we just kept working with him , while my younger one doesnt but as much but we havent had him as long either he just has a different personality. But he is getting better he may never be like my older one but thats ok none of my human kids are alike either..Just take your time with alittle each day might make a difference. And/or it may not, she may just be one that is not so touchable. Good luck

[winterose]

I would just try picking up/petting them more often my old chin hated being picked up/touched until i started picking him up handling him for about 15-30 mins 2 -3 times a day then he loved being picked up.

[ABC Chinchillas]

It is rare to have a cuddely chinchilla. it is a hyperactive ball of fur running and jumping. Your chinchilla sounds normal

[SothPaw]

as with all animals.... patience, patience, patience.
i've helped bring back dogs, cats, and not chinchillas who were not cared for and even abused. it takes allot of time. and you can't scare them or get excited around them. every time you are near them you need to make slow careful movements and soft sounds... i even set a skunk free from a have-a-heart trap without it spraying me because i spent an hour just being patient.
try to give your chinch hand contact at least twice a day... the more your chinch realizes that you won't hurt it the more it will trust you.
we raised kittens from day one holding them and now they are all cuddle bugs.
we are going to try that with our new baby chinches.
good luck and be patient.

[ckane]

I agree about being patient. Once you have established trust with your chin he/she will become more friendly. Some chins like to be held and other do not. It all depends upon the chin.

[aliikai4]

Thank you all for the advice. She seems to be doing better, she is only 6 months old and the woman i got her from didn't handle her much at all. I've been trying to hold her more often but she just kicks and flayalls so i'm afraid of hurting her. She will let me pet her when i give her oats out of my hand. Ironically my boyfriend is the only one she lets hold her. She loves him so this was an amazing turn around, so hopefully i can hold her 2-3 times a day and she will get use to me, after all she lives in my room. The only thing that worries me is if i try to rub her chin when i'm feeding her she nips at my fingers, its not really aggressive but like she thinks my fingers are food. She isn't aggressive at all, she is really sweet so im hoping she will come around and be holdable. Thank you again for all the advice, you all out did all the zookeepers at the zoo i work at who had no clue what to do!

Thanks

[SothPaw]

it's wonderful that she likes your boyfriend. sit beside him while he holds her.
you might not believe it but in my experience animals can tell the difference between male and female humans and if they learned not to trust one sex than they will avoid them all together. they can learn to trust again in time with patience and care. but it's even better that she actually likes your boyfriend, that's very hopeful.

[buddysowner]

i got my chinchilla buddy from a family who loved animals but not enough they buy animals and then get bored of them after a couple of weeks and buy more so i brought buddy off of them for £60 with a cage and all the nessesary stuff and he had been neglected for perhaps 2 and a half years and he is 4 years old, he was still fed and given water and salt blocks and all the stuff he neded but not handled (although he was alowed to run around the house ocasionly) so he was a little bit odd about being stroked but you just need to sit and have a cuddle with them of an evening whilst watching tv aslong as it is turned down low this will gain your chinchillas trust.

[diamondskyy]

Well, all chinchilla temperments are different. I've had some extremely mellow, love to snuggle chinchillas, to chinchillas who will leap into my arms but don't like to stay there long, to chinchillas who will sit on my shoulder or head but not like to be held in my hands or arms, to chinchillas that quite frankly do not bond to humans at all. Your chinchilla is still pretty young and after being weaned he's probably pretty scared to be away from his momma and to be in a different home (or several different homes). Trust is the biggest thing.. I sit on the floor with the cage open and just let the chinchilla play with me (rather than the other way around) it helps more than anything and eventually they wont mind you moving them up to give you a kiss, and then maybe sit in your lap or on your shoulder and they might even enjoy scratches under their chin or behind their ears.. most chinchillas don't like feeling trapped though, I only have a few chins that will let me snuggle them, they usually just like to hang out. Its a slow process, but whatever you do, do NOT chase them around the cage to pick them up! It sets your progress way way back. I have a male that does not bond to humans at all and he started out extremely skitish (he was a rescued chin) and I have gotten him to trust me a little bit enough to not run and hide everytime I come in the room, and he'll come nibble on my fingers now (after lots and lots of work and about a year) but he will never let me hold him. I have to respect that because in my experience when I have tried to tame a chinchilla by holding them (against their will) everyday it doesn't help anything.. if anything makes them even more skittish.Good luck taming your chinchilla. =)

[rach17]

lots of chinchillas are this way. It take LOTS of time and patience to give them for them to trust you. I have gotten babies when they were 7 weeks old as well. 3 of them all girls and 2 of the girls are sweet hearts but one of my girls still doesn't like to be messed with and i give her just as much if not more attention than the other girls. each chinchilla just has its own personality and each takes its own time to warm up to you. I just got 2 new boys, one is 2 years and the other is a year and the 1 year old HATES being touched or held. I knew he was like that when i got him but i know all he needs is a little TLC. i will get him to love me eventually but for now im letting him have his space. I let him out and let him come to me rather than me grabbing him. It makes him feel more comftorable. You could sit in a small room(like a bathroom) for about a half hour to 45 min every day with your chinchilla and just let it jump on you and let it come to you. try giving it treats and scratches behind its ear, if it runs away. thats ok..that gives it time to think "hmm that felt good, maybe i will try it one more time" then it will come back to you more and more untill it feel comftorable with you. Just give it time. Well hope i helpes, if you have anymore questions please ask