bonding

[Chin_r_great]

I have two chinchillas both seem a little distant towards me. I have never grabed any of them. When ever I think they want to be held or played with they scurry away when I put my hand in the cage. I looked at some article on the internet have tried many things nothing is really working for them. I have done treats with the my standard not my mosiac yet. I haven't had the time to do that. So that may be the reason but my female is really the one I am worried about I have given her treats it worked out alright for while but something changed that caused her to become unplayful, I hope thats a word. If you want more info please post I want my chinchillas to think that I am not just a person who gives hay and food to them.
Al

 

[alli713]

Some chins are just not that keen on having human attention. Actually many aren't really cuddly pets. It's rare to find a chin that will want to spend time sitting with you or having you pet them. You may just have some chins that are just content having you feed them and don't really seek out human attention.

You can keep trying to spend more time with them, playtime etc. and giving them twigs and safe treats and they may eventually want more of your attention, but two of mine are this way and are just content grabbing the treat and then being by themselves.

 

[Tillygizmo]

Some good tips I have received have to do with playtime! If you have a chin safe area for them to run, slide the cage there so that they can come and go in and out of the cage into the playtime area as they please. You also sit in the playtime area and dont try to play with them but just lay or sit and let them climb on you. They may not do it the first few times but soon they wont resist. Also, sitting by the cage with ur hand or arm just laying in there on a shelf near them helps them get used to your scent and know your hand is not an enemy. Let us know how it goes

 

[Jenn]

I sit on the floor with my chin and interact with her. When I first got her, at 3 years of age, she didn't want me anywhere near her. I used to sit with her and not even try to reach out for her until she was ready. She let me know she was trusting me more by jumping on me and then sitting on me for longer periods of time. I let Tinkerbell take the lead and I didn't push her. She still does not want to be picked up, but she will cuddle and I can put my hands under her and get her used to my hands without picking her up. I am now working with getting her more comfortable in my arms. The more time you can spend with your chin will hasten the process. I worked with Tink without offering treats and we have come so far. Patience is the key.

 

[Jyss]

I agree with the above post. I think you just need to be patient. If they aren't going to want to be with you, giving them treats wont make them want to be held anymore, they'll just take it and run away. I think you should try play time with them. That's how I bonded with all of mine.

 

[Sandi]

I got my 2 boys in December and the older one just jumps out of the cage and onto me, but the younger one was just a little over 2 months when I got him and he would never come by me, even with treats. I had to grab him from the cage and I took both to the bathroom for playtime. I would just sit on the floor with some apple sticks or a little hay and both would just stay on me and enjoy their treats/hay. Finally after about 2 weeks of this the little one stopped being so jumpy around me and now I can hold him and he isn't so skittish when I come around.

 

[Diva Chins]

My chins all have odd personalities.
Aiko and Rini are bonded sisters and love being with each other, but they still love to get attention from me and whenever I open the cage door, they always crawl on my hands and up my arms towards my face and attempt to hide in my hair.
Bubbles, on the other hand, is extremely not fond of human attention. She'll take treats, but doesn't want to be bothered otherwise. As long as she has food, water, hay, toys, and fleece stuff, she's good to go.
That may just be how they're going to be, some chins are more focused on same species attention, some chins are loners, some chins love their humans. Something that helped me is to get in their playtime area with them and stay completely still. Let them explore me on their own terms. It worked with 5 out of 6 so I guess it's doing something right =P

 

[cherylslittleangels]

It take time and trust. I should happen sooner or later. I have some that have been with me since birth and they would rather have each others company, and other just look forward to seeing me. Don't try and force them

 

[MyFuzzies]

I agree with what has already been said. I have 6 boys with 6 different personalities. Two of them don't mind being held, three of them will hop all over me and surf off of me LOL, and one runs for the hills every time I move! I haven't been around alot of white or black mutation chins but my two are totally nuts!! Gideon, my white chin, has a few "minds" of his own...he's the funniest little guy, but I think he's got a few different personalities going on. Then there's Remi, my black velvet...he's very high strung, very fast and is ALWAYS running and bouncing off of something (mostly me...especially when I don't see it coming). There's nothing like sitting on the floor watching TV whille they're out to play and all of a sudden here comes this little black blob bouncing off the side of your head LOL. My point being, chins have very different personalities just like us humans do. I don't know how long you've had your chins, but I've noticed that the longer I have mine and the more I work with them *on their terms* the more comfortable they become with me.

 

[Chin_r_great]

I have almost everything I need for playtime so that wont be a problem. I think that your right it probably will take time for my chinchillas to bond with me. I will do more of the treat method with them.
Thanks,
Al