chin agression
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CalicoPrairie
Well-known member
I had one that went from not biting to biting every time I put my hand near her. What seemed to help was when I quit approaching her with my hands, but instead, allowed her to approach me on her terms. I'm not sure that helps you at all.
Another thing I'm learning is to help them understand what I'm doing when I open their cage. I use the words "pet your paw" when I'm just going to pet them, feed them, or do some other thing besides petting them. I use the word "getcha" when I am going to pick them up. It seems to be helping them to understand that I won't be chasing them around their cage every time I open it, and they seem more relaxed in allowing me to pet them (I do sometimes literally pet their paws, but I don't always). Not sure if any of that helps at all, but I think they remember how we approach them and if it's uncomfortable for them, they will try to defend themselves against it if they think they need to.
Another thing I'm learning is to help them understand what I'm doing when I open their cage. I use the words "pet your paw" when I'm just going to pet them, feed them, or do some other thing besides petting them. I use the word "getcha" when I am going to pick them up. It seems to be helping them to understand that I won't be chasing them around their cage every time I open it, and they seem more relaxed in allowing me to pet them (I do sometimes literally pet their paws, but I don't always). Not sure if any of that helps at all, but I think they remember how we approach them and if it's uncomfortable for them, they will try to defend themselves against it if they think they need to.
She doesn't bite when I grab her or pet her, which she is still adapting too she doesn't know if she likes being pet yet and I can tell she doesn't like being held either. She just bites because she wants to be free, it's getting to the point where I cannot go near the cage or open it because she tries to break free and if my hand is in the way from her leaving the cage she'll literally push it with both her paws or bite me to move. I think I might have gave her too much freedom at such a young age. When shes out shes fine and will use me to jump on and everything, but she does not want to be locked back inside her cage either.
CalicoPrairie
Well-known member
It sounds like she is a pretty normal chin. They aren't very lovey and sometimes they aren't even friendly. They are pretty good little escape artists too if they really want to. Just for comparison, most of my chins push my hands with both of theirs and when I'm holding them--most of the time when I am doing a head to toe check--they do bite me to get away. However, I haven't had mine bite me to move my hand out of the way so they can escape--they usually just run away from it (hence the "pet your paw" and "getcha" techniques).
What do you mean by saying that you gave her too much freedom at a young age? I would think that if she is used to having more freedom than she has in her cage, that yeah, maybe she remembers that and wants it again, but I've not had a situation like that. Mine have been sort of the opposite, where most have been in smaller quarters and are having to adapt to living in much larger quarters with lots more fun stuff than they have probably ever had.
What is in her cage? Does she have a lot of fun things to do? Places to hide? If it were me, I'd probably start by adding all sorts of interesting things to hold her attention. If you already have that type of setup, perhaps you can try moving her to a different cage when you need to get in there and feed/clean up. Hopefully someone else will have some suggestions for you as well.
What do you mean by saying that you gave her too much freedom at a young age? I would think that if she is used to having more freedom than she has in her cage, that yeah, maybe she remembers that and wants it again, but I've not had a situation like that. Mine have been sort of the opposite, where most have been in smaller quarters and are having to adapt to living in much larger quarters with lots more fun stuff than they have probably ever had.
What is in her cage? Does she have a lot of fun things to do? Places to hide? If it were me, I'd probably start by adding all sorts of interesting things to hold her attention. If you already have that type of setup, perhaps you can try moving her to a different cage when you need to get in there and feed/clean up. Hopefully someone else will have some suggestions for you as well.
SuperDuper ChinnieBaby
Active member
How old is she it could be her going threw the teenager phase. A lot of chins are so nice and sweet as kits but once they get a but older hit puberty they start getting a bit grumpy and additude and might keep it as adults they don't always stay that super sweet little one the bitting might stop when she gets a bit older or it might stay.. but won't be as bad as right now if that's what is going on... she will adjust.. think about when u where or are going threw pubery it wasn't the best of feelings lol... ..but that's what I think it might be I could always be wrong tho
She is 3-4 months old now and I got her when she was 7-8 weeks. She adapted to me super fast, she was skittish for the first couple of days. She started off in a small cage with just enough room to eat, sleep, and hide until I was able to get her a bigger cage. So, I would give her 30-45 mins of freedom everyday because of the cage being so small, but then she began biting the bars all crazy. I figured it was because the cage was small, but nope she has a pretty big cage now with 2 flat floors that I created for her because it was all bars, and a total of 4 different levels. She has lots and lots of things to do and I know she loves it, she does the happy hop dance and runs around it in at night. She is super spoiled and has so many chew toys to chew on, 2 hammocks, and 2 hide outs. I just recently liter trained her to stop going on the 2nd level of her cage. The cage is big though, and I have an even bigger mansion cage for when she gets older, because she can escape and squeeze through the bars since shes too small. But even with her big cage she still rather bite and move my hands out of the way so she can run and be free. I just don't know if i gave her too much free time at such a young age, since I was letting her out everyday, because her biting on the cage didn't start to happen until she knew what freedom everyday was, now it's leading from biting the cage to biting my hands. Once shes out and running around like I said shes fine, she'll jump all over me and off of me.
i just don't know what to do to fix the problem from her getting mad everytime I'm near the cage and starts digging the corners or biting the bars because she wants me to let her out or from me opening the door to change her food out she moves my hands with her paws and sometimes bites me to move out of the way so she can get out. Should I stop giving her play time until she gets use to her home??
Since I had her she has had 3 homes, one small one, the mansion one (which she escaped from because she could squeeze through the bars), and then she was moved back into her small one (which she was not happy about, for a couple of weeks) and then I found her the big cage I have for her now.
i just don't know what to do to fix the problem from her getting mad everytime I'm near the cage and starts digging the corners or biting the bars because she wants me to let her out or from me opening the door to change her food out she moves my hands with her paws and sometimes bites me to move out of the way so she can get out. Should I stop giving her play time until she gets use to her home??
Since I had her she has had 3 homes, one small one, the mansion one (which she escaped from because she could squeeze through the bars), and then she was moved back into her small one (which she was not happy about, for a couple of weeks) and then I found her the big cage I have for her now.
Kits under 6 months should not get playtime... Not sure if you are feeding treats but they should not get any of those under 6 months either. Kits do not know their limits and they can run themselves into seizures. They should also have limited jumping spots, since they're rather clumsy and are more likely to injure themselves. The bottom line, you need to stop giving her playtime until she is of age.
She sounds like a normal chin to me... Not all like being touched. They're happier running around. Kits are also a bit bratty, so she could grow out of it.
She sounds like a normal chin to me... Not all like being touched. They're happier running around. Kits are also a bit bratty, so she could grow out of it.
When can they start having treats? So she's just a brat then 
lol. I'm going to try the "no more" free/play time and see if that works. She did pretty good about knowing her limits, she's a smart cookie, I only let her have free time because of the small cage she was in, but I understand, hopefully no more Plat time will help in time. Thank you everyone for the advice, I will try it all!
lol. I'm going to try the "no more" free/play time and see if that works. She did pretty good about knowing her limits, she's a smart cookie, I only let her have free time because of the small cage she was in, but I understand, hopefully no more Plat time will help in time. Thank you everyone for the advice, I will try it all!
