My chinchilla hates me? 5 tips to help your chinchilla like you

My chinchilla hates me? 5 tips to help your chinchilla like you.
In this video I will share some tips on how to make your chinchilla warm up to you.

[@pamelahagen4697]

This video made me feel much better. My adopted chinchilla does NOT like to be picked up AT ALL! I thought it might change over time, but after 3 years it has not. He loves playing outside of his cage and also loves to be scratched and climb on me.

[@crystalcritt1895]

My chinchilla was named Chilly she just died December 27, 2019 she lived for 23 years 🥺😢😭. I really miss her so much!

[@AllysAnimalAntics]

So sorry for your loss, they leave such a big whole in your heart when they pass away 😢

[@aleksandragieralt7370]

Aw!! Poor chinchi!! 💔

[@sanasanober6691]

sorry for your loss I’ve lost a lot of pets but I was very young so I didn’t really understand much but now I can’t imagine losing them 🥺

[@luc.5412]

Wow 23 years are a lot! You surely took good care of her.

[@nuclearw1nter]

Sorry for your loss. You must have really taken good care of Chilly if she lived that long.

[@veronicamicle3347]

Thank you so much for this video !

[@the_outcast_sanctuary]

Lovely video, thank you very much. This will help me with the 2 brothers I rescued.

[@brandybutz]

My chinchilla wont even let me hold her, she was like that when we got her. Shes literally terrified if i move my bed sheets the wrong way, and runs to hide. I thought maybe it was just because she was in a new inviroment, but shes been with us for like 4 months and its only getting worse. She barks at me sometimes to, or for no reason she barks in the night, i worry for her i just hope she wont be so fearful for ever because im sure its not healthy for her. I cant even let her out much because she wont come back to me, and i dont want to force myself on her because i know it scares her

[@AllysAnimalAntics]

some chinchillas are naturally quite skittish and there won't be a great deal you can do to change it. But I would initially just spend a lot of time near her cage start a metre or so away and get closer as she gets more comfortable , it's all about reducing her circle of fear. It does take time, I once rescued a chinchilla from a bad situation in which her living conditions weren't great and she was surrounded by really noisy parrots all day and night. When we first had her she would alarm bark whenever we went near or walked passed her cage. I didn't ever think she would get used to us but given time she got a lot better. She never really liked being handled so we would try and avoid it as much as possible, but in the end she would always come over to us if we were by her cage It takes a long time and you might feel like you are not making progress but don't give up. As I say she may always be nervous but you should still be able to get a bond with her.

[@chongpohng6105]

Wow .. this is so useful.. thanks :-)

[@katherinepilkington6588]

Hi ! I'm in search of information on how to get my Lulu to warm up to being handled. She doesn't like to be caught but doesn't refuse either. I'm having to do a daily check up on a hurt toe and could use some advice if you've any ideas! She's a big personality and loves her momma but on her terms! Thanks so much!

[@AllysAnimalAntics]

best advice is to take it slowly and the more calm you initially pick her up to handle her the better as this will help relieve stress. Also positive reinforcement works with my chinchillas, give her a treat (doesn't gave to be a treat as such) could just be her favourite piece of hay. This way she will associate being handled with something good.

[@Monica_bondevik]

My little Picchu did kinda like being handled but she recently had a respiratory infection which I had to give her medication for, since then she has really started to have this love hate relationship with me and she can turn on the drop of a hat from letting me pet her and coming out on my lap to fully spraying at me... I've been working with her using oats as positive reinforcement and trying to let her come out onto my lap for play time as her play area is the bathroom so I have to move her. The moving by me without a sandbath has never been a problem and she actually likes being perched up on my shoulders as I walk but nearly 5 years of working on that bond was broken just by having to give her medication which really hurts. She also has this ongoing problem where her feet get super red and seem to sting so I do try to apply antibacterial stuff to them just to be on the safe side (extreme anxiety with me so I super scared of like bumble foot)

[@AllysAnimalAntics]

I am sure she will come back around to you given time, I had a chinchilla that broke her leg and had to have it amputated she was on a lot of medication for a while. She completely lost trust in me, but with time and patience she eventually began to trust me again.

[@kaitlynredfield]

One of my male chinchillas had ringworm and my mom treated it it’s been like 2 years since then and he still has a little hate for my mom

[@dreadiethedreadhead3207]

I just got mine and she always pops out when I say hi to her from her hut but today my cat scared her over the pin she went. So I crabbed her (not too tight) and now if she smells my hand or finger she pops back into her hut. Watching this video makes me fell a little better that she one day will like me. Thank you!

[@bellaworld147]

Hello, i know this video is older but i still have to ask here. My small chinchilla who is like 5 years old or so broke her tail in half. (we treated her already) but giving her, her antiobitics is an issue...I am being gentle with her as ever and i am doing my best not to harm her or cause her fear, but she then starts to wiggle and squeek and i am scared that i did something to her... we gave her the antibiotics few times already (sadly with my mom being forcefull and holding her) i did yesterday without an issue but this morning it being very problematic. i dont know what to do, sometimes she crawls around my shoulders without a fear, and next thing i know she hids behind a table where i cannot get her out...i really do not know how to get her to like me more, she hears for her name and reacts but doesnt come over...

[@sweetdreamz9282]

The two chinchillas I look after will let me pick them up but not tickle them on the chin or around the ears like yours

[@oscarmartinez3186]

It’s been 4 weeks and no sign of my chin trusting me I gave her space,toys,attention but not too much and don’t touch her a lot I’m sad :/

[@kaleighmayy9533]

that’s how it used to be for me but it gets better slowly!

[@oscarmartinez3186]

@@kaleighmayy9533 my chin likes me now not fully but I can grab her and she gets near me

[@postalneanderhal2265]

I own a Chinchilla I got a day ago and I'm looking for any tips to really help her aquate with me more as she was alone for a few months before I got her and I would love if she could be happy with me and her new home, but I just don't know how, she's skittish and barks at me when I approach her with my hand and maybe the answer is in the video but I'm worried

[@moraaltuaich6157]

Hello, what kind of toys do you give them? I saw a blanket in a cage, is there no chance they could chew on it? A guinea pig of mine almost died because she ate parts of a wool blanket and a Chinchilla of mine died because she nibbled on a kitchen plastic cutting board that was above her cage.

[@AllysAnimalAntics]

Hi non pill fleece is fine for them , any other material is dangerous if left in the cage unattended. Go for natural wood and vine toys. They like apple, willow and hazel sticks but if you are getting them yourself from a garden for example make sure you wash and bake them before giving them.

[@primavera7899]

I just want to share my experience... when I got my chincilla and she didn't want to be touched, I tried with the sand bath to get her in and out of her cage. I only did it once. Next time she already new I had something on my mind and she was ready and prepared. She didn't trust me anymore. In my opinion chincillas are way to intelligent be te tricked. Well, in time she got used to me and we are best friends now. But it was really difficult at the begining.

[@alaynaelkins7129]

I have two male chinchillas, a standard grey named Diego and a light grey/white chinchilla named Zen. I got them almost a week ago, on the first day that I got them I let them out of their cage, but still left the door open so that they had the option to go in. But they stayed out for hours, jumping around and coming up to me and crawling on me. But everynight after playtime they hate getting back in their cage, leading me to trick them in. They both let me give them chin scratches, but only when they feel like it, which isn't bad, but I feel like our bond isn't really as strong as I feel like it should be. Should I just wait it out?

[@AllysAnimalAntics]

Yes I would wait it out 🙂, it can take quite a long time for them to really comfortable around to you, but it's worth the wait 😀

[@AllysAnimalAntics]

also love the names 😍

[@alaynaelkins7129]

@@AllysAnimalAntics thanks ❤️

[@santiagoliconloya521]

I've got a male chinchilla I got him yesterday an he doesn't like petting he was afraid before so he just stayed still but now he just bites and alarm barks do you have any tips??? I would love to interact with him

[@AllysAnimalAntics]

Hi, if you just got him yesterday I would leave him alone for a few days. Just give him food and water daily and leave him be. New places really freak out chinchillas and they need time to adjust to new settings. After a few days to a week, these are the steps I normally take to try to tame a chinchilla and get them to realise you are not a threat . Start slowly , just spend time around his cage if he comes over to you check you out through the bars try offering him a healthy treat as a form of positive reinforcement, this can be something as simple his favourite piece of hay. Once he is coming over to you when he is in his cage you can try putting your hand in the cage. If he comes over to check you out offer him a healthy treat, again this reinforces that you are not a threat to him. Eventually he may readily come over to you. Also if you have him out for play time give him lots of hides for him to go in so he has places to go if he feels stressed. Sit with him during playtime and try not to make any sudden movements . He may come over to you to investigate you and again offer him a healthy treat just to let him know he doesn't need to be scared of you. It takes a long time and requires a lot patience. If he really doesn't like being handled and bites you try to avoid handling him, if you need to get him out of the cage for playtime or to clean the cage try using a dust bath to get him out. He should improve with time and realise that you are not a danger to him Hope that makes sense. Eventuallyn

[@cathyjerome1662]

My Rosie doesn't like being handled much either . Since her teeth issues BUT I do try to interact more . I did get friend still side by side in cages neither seems to wanting to interact ? Hopefully in TIME. I'm going to try cage swap this week since she's been HERE about 2 weeks now in seperate cage . Is it time you think to cage swap ?

[@AllysAnimalAntics]

you can try cage swapping them, you could try the smooshing method if you are having no luck when they are playing.

[@cathyjerome1662]

@@AllysAnimalAntics can I try them playing now ? Been 2 weeks side by side so far I don't see much interaction. Kinda looks like they don't care others there . I did hear talking 2x briefly it was cute . But now nothing ,? Good sign ? Sorry idk how they would act if they didn't like eachother I'm thinking ignoring eachother bad sign ?

[@AllysAnimalAntics]

@@cathyjerome1662 Ignoring each orher is not a bad sign it just means they are not bothered with each other. You can try doing a cage swap and in a week or so try having them out for play in a small area where you can easily break up a fight if they do fight.

[@cathyjerome1662]

@@AllysAnimalAntics ok ally I'll try today . Makes me nervous I don't know signs to look for . I'm looking at your video now on introduction.

[@AllysAnimalAntics]

don't worry , give it another week or two and have a go in a small area. main signs that they are not getting along is if they start chasing each other a lot or they start fighting. It can be a really nerve wracking experience I remember when I bonded my first two chinchillas I was a bag of nerves. But I am kind of immune to it now as I have done it so many times

[@tessapoh1213]

Hi i just got a chinchilla for a week and i didnt know anything and kept grabbing him non stop i didnt give him time to adjust :( he didnt bite initially when i tried to touch him just used his paws to push me aways but now he does please please help

[@AllysAnimalAntics]

best advice is to take it slow, just be around the cage and let him get used to you, let him approach you rather you approaching him, chinchillas are naturally inquisitive and will want to know what you are and what you are doing. If he comes over to you offer a healthy treat as positive reinforcement. Once he knows you are not a threat, are nothing to be scared and associates you with something positive he may stop biting. However nibbling is perfectly normal it's them just exploring what you are. Hope that makes sense.

[@tessapoh1213]

@@AllysAnimalAntics ok thank you !!

[@bananaburger3194]

I already hate myself for this so please go easy on me with the hate comments. I had a chinchilla for about 4 years and at this point she does not like my hand being anywhere near her. Just last night I thought she was just playing with my hand so I wiggled my fingers a bit and it wasnt till she sprayed me that I realized theres a bad relationship between her and me. I just want to know if I can redeem myself to her. Again I already hate myself for messing up with her so please go easy on me

[@AllysAnimalAntics]

It doesn't sound like you did anything wrong at all, some chinchillas just get freaked out by movement that's all and some are just very highly strung. Does she behave this way out of her cage? She may just be a little cage territorial.

[@bananaburger3194]

@@AllysAnimalAntics shes actually tries to get out of her cage as soon as I open it up. I block her though. She likes to explore but at the same time though she is difficult to catch cause shes always trying to get away from me. My other chinchilla however who I got last Monday, seemed to be already used to human contact before I got her. She would let me pick her up alot. Except for when she slightly move away makes her growling noise. I'm wondering if getting a new chinchilla caused my other one to get a little hostile

[@sharkbv8796]

I hit mine because it bit me really hard all of sudden.... long story short It got me angry, i was giving him food treats and everything and little rascal had decency to growl and bit me. So i thought id return the favour. Now it hates me a bit but hey now I know this shit is like this sometimes and might be better