Asleep with eyes open?

[Michelle43]

Do Chins sleep with their eyes open sometimes? Often I walk up to Mr. Chinny's cage and he looks awake and even looking at me, but he isn't. At least I don't think he is. Either he is sleeping with his eyes open or he is off in some daydream? It takes a few seconds of petting for him to come around, and when he does he jumps like WTF.

Do they sleep with their eyes open sometimes?

 

[GorillaJTA]

Yeah, mine usually sleep with their eyes open. You don't even realize they are asleep until you wake them up and they jump. perfectly normal.

 

[Michelle43]

Ok Thanks, I was worried. from now on if he doesn't come to me I will let him snooze.

 

[Claire D]

Scary little devils, aren't they? :hilarious:

Wait until Mr Chinny is crashed out on his side (probably with his eyes open), fast asleep - this is what will happen:
You go into the room & see what you think is a dead chin.
Your heart skips several beats & you call the chin's name.
Nothing happens. No movement. Nothing.
You're beginning to think the worst.
You go over to the cage - nothing.
You open the door - nothing
You poke said small, furry critter & he leaps up like you've put 10,000 volts through him.
He gives you the most evil look you've ever seen in your life.
You collapse in a heap beside the cage, cursing your little pal while he sits there suddenly looking angelic ("Treat now, human, yes?").
You give him a treat & walk away from the cage on still wobbly legs.
Your heart is still going at 20,000 BPM.
You swear your chin is out to send you to an early grave.
You go to the bathroom & count more grey hairs.
Chin goes back to sleep, thinking, "stupid human"


There's a whole bunch of chinchilla owners reading this & nodding because they've been there.

 

[Dragonflye]

* nods at Claire's description*

A couple of my guys have mastered "playing dead" very, very well. Clearly that is why my hair is graying...

 

[saphire]

Sooo Very True! LOL!

 

[Stackie]

Oh Claire that is perfect! Smudge has started sleeping on the floor of his cage, in the complete open. On his side with his back legs splayed out, mouth slightly opened, eyes halfway closed. It scares the poo outta me every time!! I think I go through that same scenario every day with that brat!

 

[cindyv3737]

Perfect description Claire! I go through that here daily. Now if only they included that information in the bumph handed out at petstores.

 

[ticklechin]

Its even better when you are a newbie who just got a new rescue and you see that and SCREAM that you killed the new chin and go crying to your hubby to remove the body!

 

[bnrchins]

JoJo does that to me a lot. It scares me half to death! :/

 

[Sandi]

Its even better when you are a newbie who just got a new rescue and you see that and SCREAM that you killed the new chin and go crying to your hubby to remove the body!

:hilarious: Ok, I will admit that I have been startled by quite a few things when I first brought the boys home a few years ago, although my husband will say I screamed and not startled, lol!

 

[Michelle43]

Scary little devils, aren't they? :hilarious:

Wait until Mr Chinny is crashed out on his side (probably with his eyes open), fast asleep - this is what will happen:
You go into the room & see what you think is a dead chin.
Your heart skips several beats & you call the chin's name.
Nothing happens. No movement. Nothing.
You're beginning to think the worst.
You go over to the cage - nothing.
You open the door - nothing
You poke said small, furry critter & he leaps up like you've put 10,000 volts through him.
He gives you the most evil look you've ever seen in your life.
You collapse in a heap beside the cage, cursing your little pal while he sits there suddenly looking angelic ("Treat now, human, yes?").
You give him a treat & walk away from the cage on still wobbly legs.
Your heart is still going at 20,000 BPM.
You swear your chin is out to send you to an early grave.
You go to the bathroom & count more grey hairs.
Chin goes back to sleep, thinking, "stupid human"


There's a whole bunch of chinchilla owners reading this & nodding because they've been there.

HAHAH! That happened to me the first time I caught him sleeping like THIS!

 

[Claire D]

LOL That's the pose, right there! Just remember this thread when you see him like that but with his eyes open.

 

[Michelle43]

LOL That's the pose, right there! Just remember this thread when you see him like that but with his eyes open.

haha will do :thumbsup:

 

[GorillaJTA]

I can't find the picture right now, but I have one of Flea layed out on his side with his eyes open, smooshed under the chin spin. All I could think was some improbable situation where he was running, slipped, and got thrown under the wheel and smooshed. Never mind that the wheel is high enough that he can crouch under it... I poked him with a stick, at which time he bonked his head on the chin spin (oops...) and snatched the stick in retribution.

 

[jordanln97]

If Rocco starts this, I think I'm gonna die...

 

[Millie'sMum]

omg you guys are too funny! I am sooo glad I have read this thread incase mine ever do this in the future...i probably will not remember it when the time comes, but after I freak out and wake her up and realize everything is ok, i will remember this thread and lol! cute stories and pics...these are such amazing creatures and i learn everyday!

 

[broderp]

:rofl: Same thing here. Chili has been caught eyes open, on his side, feet in the air (like rigor has started) and you have to look REAL close to see he's breathing.

I'll have to take a picture the next time I see this. I still have to poke my finger thru the cage and stroke behind his ear, which wakes him up...only to get the 'evil eye' for disturbing him.

 

[Chibigirl]

Hehe, Imagine the same scenario Claire described except finding the chinchilla burrowed under the cage liner and all you see when you walk in the room is an empty cage at first (OMG she got out?! HOW) and then a motionless lump on the bottom of the cage...

 

[Marie5656]

:rofl: Aah, the joys of new parenthood. A few months after getting Trixie, I was spending the day working in my office. Came out into the living room for a break, saw her lying ON HER SIDE in her wheel. (Now, this after reading that if they were on their side they were sick, overheated or dead). I went into a panic, and just as I was going for the phone to cry to my husband, she popped up her head and gave me the most awful stinkeye you'd ever want to see. Then went into her hidy house, and I did not see her again for the rest of the afternoon.