Anyone all for the hands on approach?

[Tillygizmo]

I see so many people commenting that some chins just dont like to be held and to leave them be and not force them. I also read on a lot of different sources that it means they are afraid and they need to feel reassured and get used to you and being held is healthy if done correctly.

Before I knew about chins, I had Tilly and I consistently held and cuddled her although she fought it. Now she willingly will jump into my arms and love being loved for 10-15 minutes at a time. She loves to snuggle also. I think for my other three chins I want to be hands on also.


Is anyone else all for hands on approach?

 

[Newt]

after each playtime I 'practice' holding my chins with both hands for a few minutes. After playtime seems to be the best time because then they are relaxed and have already expended a lot of their energy.
After four and a half years, Rosey and Poppy are quite used to this. I have only had Jasmine for around a year though, and she still struggles to be free, though I talk soothingly to her and make sure to give her a small treat afterwards.

The reason I do this is in case there is ever an emergency of some sort, and I need to hold them for any length of time...either a medical emergency or otherwise.
The chins dont like to be picked up by my hands- they prefer to jump on me of their own accord, but I think it is best they learn to be held as well, just in case.

I dont think any of them will ever be snuggly chins though, but I can dream!!

 

[arf2184]

I think it depends on the chinchilla.

If they truly are afraid, then forcing the issue could go either way: make them more afraid, or make them realize there is nothing to be afraid of. With fear, I prefer to take it slow. Leave them alone until they're calm, and then give them the opportunity to come to me, maybe with a treat as a bribe.

That said, its not always fear that makes them not want to be held. They each have their own likes and dislikes. Some like to be held, some don't. Likes and dislikes change as we get older though. If you hold them even when they fight you, they may one day discover being held isn't so bad (like when mom makes you taste food you don't like and one day you discover its not so bad after all). If you force it too much however, you could make things worse. They may start to associate you with 'torture' and may want nothing to do with you at all.

 

[HaleyGoBoom]

Kingston will let me hold him on a rare occasion during playtime, and by hold I mean he'll get in my hands and sit for a while. He's pretty tame for being new, he's very comfortable climbing on me and such, but I'm trying to do his hair ring check and he hates that. I'm too skittish with animals squirming to force them, but I think a little practice every day and letting them come to you rather than forcing it would work without scaring them.

 

[Laurie]

It really does depend on the chin. The breeder I got Mick and Wesley from held them everyday and they are the two I have who most tolerate being held. I've had Bobo the longest and she HATES when you try to get her out of the cage, but she will snuggle willing for a good 15 minutes once you get her out.
Leonard loves scritches, but touch his rump, once you do it's all over, which makes holding difficult!
Abigail, my sweetest girl had an URI almost 2 years ago and because of that and all holding it required to give her medicine she never minds being sneaked out of the cage for holding. But it always has to be on her terms. She and Solange live in the 3rd story of an FN and I know she will be held willingly when she sits on a shelf attached to the door and when I open it she stays on the shelf while the door swings open then allows me to scoop her down. Solange and Bronwyn are skittish, but Bronwyn I can get at and do hold her for kisses daily. Solange is 7 feet in the air and I'm not able to get her down for pets and kisses. She will let me pet the top of her head with my finger though. Getting her out is always traumatic for me because my son gets her down as he's almost six feet 5 inches, but she always slips fur which makes me sad.
I think if you do work with them they will tolerate it, however sometimes they just don't want to be held and I think it's best to respect those wishes.

 

[Nancy S]

I sit and hold (pet their heads), while on a stool. If i sit in a chair they're wanting to jump off. If i make it short-time wise; they do like it. You have to be able to hold your pet for a short while--then you're able to do the health checks. Mine do like it best though-when they're in the play room and they get to jump all over me, and my hands aren't all over them. But, when it's time to go back to their cage, my oldest chin stands right by my feet ready to be picked up (he's sooo cute!).

 

[3CsMommy]

I have one that I can hold for short periods of time, and one that refuses to let me hold him at all unless I take him by the base of the tail (the 'breeder hold'). But, he lets my Taller Half pick him up and do whatever to him. It's only me that can't hold him in my hands. Why? I don't know. But, we're working on it.

 

[starleomach]

All mine will sit and let you scratch chins...very few want to be held. Most will sit on me if I don't restrain them. But they all want to explore

 

[Stackie]

As people have said, I think it depends from chin to chin. My rescue boy, Felix, I would never force to do anything. He was abused in his previous home and is terrified of just about everything..to the point that he gets so frantic, he could hurt himself. I would never force myself on him, because it will only stress him out and increase his fear.

As for my more bratty chins, I do scoop them up and hold them, but I don't force them. Once they get to the point of frantically trying to get away, I let them. I think forcing them to be held is just increasing a chance of injury to the chin while they are struggling.

So I guess I am not for the hands on approach, but I suppose it could work for some chins. I'm content with just letting my chins hop all over me. I can scoop them all out long enough to say, be put in their carrier, and I think that's all that's really necessary.

 

[sight]

I would have to say that i was all for the hands on approach. Tika was often frightened and did not want to be held, but if you never show them that it is safe to be held how will they know anything different. But it is very chin dependent, and also time dependent. I don't think you can get a new rescue that was neglected and do a hands on approach its first day with it. But if you have a chin that is already curious about you and some semblance of trust than a hands on handling approach will probably have some benefits.

 

[Sandi]

With my first chin, we did do the hands on approach, he was our first pet and I had a 6 & 4 year old at that time and they wanted to hold him and pet him and let him jump all over them. My kids were never allowed to put their hands in nor take him out of the cage without my or my husbands supervision. I will swear to you that he was the most tamest chin and believe that this method will depend on the chin that you have, and we were very lucky to have this type of personality in our very first pet. With our 2 current boys, we are approaching things differently and believe that they have come around in their own time but still they are nowhere near the way our first chin was as far as "enjoying" being held and thats fine with us.

 

[Jenn]

My chin has come a long way socially since I got her but still does not like to be held almost a year later. I really don't push too hard, I believe that is why she has learned to trust me. She loves to sit on my lap but if I try and pick her up she will kack at me and bound away. I gently practice by holding my hands around her but letting her run away so she can see my hands are not a threat. I gently practice all the time with her, but I do believe that in her case, if I push too hard I will lose her trust. But like others have said, and just like all animals, it just depends on the temperment of each animal.

 

[Dappleganger]

Our little Buddy is very affectionate and loves to be petted, scratched but NOT being held. We do it anyway, hehe. Rose has always been timid (she was seriously neglected when she went to her rescue) but at certain times of the day she enjoys being handled as long as it is quiet and no dogs are around. My approach is to be consistent with the handling and giving their treats so they come to expect it.