Bratty chin?

[aprinceton]

Hi, I'm Sarah. I've had 2 chinchillas from a previous owner since June of last year. The older one, Belle, is around 4 or 5. She's getting very comfortable with me and will sit on me and sleep, accept scratches most of the time (occasionally she'll squirm away), and doesn't mind being held-- AFTER I manage to pick her up. (She hates that part!)
The other one, Auroroa, is 2ish. She's kind of a brat and I'm just wondering what the best way to handle her is? I don't pick either of them up much, because when I try they run away scared. Auroroa is practically impossible to catch. She also tends to bite (pretty gently, but definitely not just a nibble) if I try to pet her, or sometimes she'll run up to my hand and bite my fingers for no reason. I always tap her lightly on the nose and say no after she bites, which I've read you're supposed to do, but this seems to make her even more scared of me. She still runs whenever I move around and doesn't let me pet her and squirms if I manage to somehow catch her to pick her up. How do I get her to stop being terrified of me?
(She will hop over me and sit on my lap so long as I sit mostly still and don't try to touch her. )

 

[Pepperpot]

Please don't tap your chinchilla on the nose. You will end up with one head shy little fur ball. If she nips, simply withdraw your hand from her and wait till she settles before resuming your activity.

 

[Kokorobosoi]

Tapping usually makes things worse imo. If mine bites while I'm trying to pick them up, that's my fault and I can't really complain. If mine bit for no reason the most I would ever do would be to blow a little puff of air at them. It works just as well. But I find that if I leave my hand there even with a bite, they learn real fast that it doesn't help.

 

[LGarl]

I have a chinchilla that tries to hump me when he's out of his cage running around. I've tried various ways to make him stop but nothing has worked other than one thing. I 'kack' at him when he does something inappropriate to me. It's a language he understands and he stops.

I don't 'kack' at him over everything I don't like, because I believe overuse will render it useless over time.

Try 'kacking' for when he runs up to you and randomly bites, it may work.

 

[aprinceton]

Thanks everyone! I didn't realize tapping on the nose would scare her. I've read in a few places to do that (They were really gentle taps, I wasn't smacking her or anything!)
I'll try the blowing and the not reacting, hopefully she'll stop biting me and eventually stop being scared of me.

 

[Kokorobosoi]

Oh...um just be aware some females will spray urine. So if your bratty girl has a meltdown if you put your face right there.....

Oh dear.

 

[KodigorII]

Lol Kokorobosoi! When I got my first chin (little over a month ago) she peed on my hands! I jokingly said that she claimed me, not me claiming her.


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