Boo Boo and Yogi

[lapm]

I adopted my chinchillas Boo Boo and Yogi from the Humane Society just recently and they have settled into their new home . Lately I noticed that Yogi will go nuts at ripping at the fleece and I will try to stop him. But he continues to do so. Their personalities are crazy and they love to bite my family members. Yogi has some hair loss on his right side, I don't know if it's due to his time at the Humane Society that caused it. They have been there for about a month before I adopted them. I let them out for playtime and when they are back into there cage Yogi goes wild. I was wondering if there is a way to calm Yogi down.
Thanks

 

[Chub_Chub]

First, congrats on your new little fuzzbutts!

Is Yogi trying to eat the fleece, or does it look like (he?) is trying to move it? Some chins will eat fleece, but most don't bother with it. I have one chin who loves to pull his fleece back so he can sit directly on the metal pan.
The biting is probably them being a little defensive in their new environment, you might try keeping them in the cage for a while and just talking with them, seeing if they will let you touch them a little through the bars before moving on to full on holding and handling. That way they can become more used to everything that is new to them without putting them into defense mode immediately. They will come around eventually.

Also, when you say Yogi goes wild, can you explain better? Is it popcorning? Grabbing the bars with its teeth? Attacking Booboo? Please be more specific and you will get some better advice on it. :thumbsup:

 

[caiti]

I like the names. Congrats on the new pets!

If Yogi is eating or tearing the fleece apart, just take it out. He may be a fur chewer. There are probably pictures of what the fur looks like when it's chewed on here if you search "fur chewing" or "barbering" and there's this website by sunset chinchillas. Fur chewers usually live normally without incidence, they just look weird is all.

Yea, my mom always, without fail, puts her finger in Chloe's cage when I'm visiting and she's all "why do you want to eat me, Chloe?!?!" and when I tell her it's because that's what animals do, she just says she knows, and puts her finger back in there. I guess the chance to touch her soft fur is worth being nibbled at, haha.

Your chins will likely mellow out and calm down after a while, almost everyone's does. It can take a bit, so be patient.

 

[lapm]

Thanks a lot and for the information too. I don't think he's use to fleece at all and it's more like he's trying to move it out of his way. He is not eating it that I know of. When yogi goes wild, he is grabbing the bar with his teeth. And I'm always talking to them when I enter the room and leave. I'll give it more time so they can warm up to me. :]

Thank you both for the input.