Behavior change

[Anna]

Lately Ralphy has been grumpier than usual. And also more cuddly than usual. He is a total pain to get out of his cage and kacks and snaps and stuff if I even reach in to change the food. But he also lets me give him scritches all the time which has not happened before with any consistency. He also chirps a lot, not kacking or anything, but just really makes a lot of these peeping sounds when he's climbing on me or in his cage and not being brought out.

Any ideas? He's dropped a little in weight since I switched him from the new PANR thing to Oxbow, but he still eats a lot and his poops look a lot better since the switch.

 

[Claire D]

Sorry to bombard you with questions straight off.
How old is Ralphy?
Does he live on his own or with another chin?
Have you checked him for a fur ring at all?

It could be that he's a bit territorial over his cage or that he's maturing & his hormones are kicking in perhaps.

 

[Chub_Chub]

Good topic.. I'm interested to find out why one of mine are experiencing behavior changes as well. We've been bit collectively 4 times in the past 2 weeks.

He is also doing the chirping/peeping. He lives alone and spends a lot of his time sitting in the front corner staring into the other cages. Blocking his view has made him more upset than leaving it open, so we've left it open. My boy is almost 4 (we think) and he used to have a cagemate but they had to be separated over a year ago now. The chirping sounds and corner brooding have been happening a while (a couple months) and we would like to get him a cagemate again, but I'm a little heasitant to do so after the fighting with his last one and the current biting of us. I have someone reputable who is willing to help we with the cagemate picking if we decide to go that route.

What happens when chins get older? I've been (un)fortunate enough to live through a teenage bratty phase with his former cagemate, and I've wondering what's next?:hair:

 

[Anna]

Sorry to bombard you with questions straight off.
How old is Ralphy?
Does he live on his own or with another chin?
Have you checked him for a fur ring at all?

It could be that he's a bit territorial over his cage or that he's maturing & his hormones are kicking in perhaps.

He's about 4 and a half, He lives by himself (I have three all together but he's not caged with anyone) And yeah, I check him about once every 2 weeks or so, and I checked him a day or two ago...

 

[Blarklark]

I have a chin that i have had over about a year. he lives with another chin younger them him. they get along wonderfully. But within the past day. He Barks at me and stands on his hide legs. I don't know how to fix this issue.

He has never bitten me.. And once he is out of the cage he is fine.