Chin in sleep box....a lot

[lydz]

One of my chins always runs and hides in his box. Even when he goes to eat he extends out of the box to the food bowl without leaving the box. He rarely comes out of there for long to play like the other one does. He's fine if we take him out and he runs and plays. Is this some sort of attachment or feeling safe thing? I kind of wish we hadn't built a closed box for them to sleep in.

Of course I don't know what they do after we go to sleep.

 

[Ash]

How long have you had the chin? What sort of area is it that he's caged in? High-traffic area of the house?

Also, never regret giving chins a place to hide. They're prey animals, they need a place to go and feel secure.

 

[iayla]

Its probably just his "safe place" and thats why he does it. Have you tried setting cardboard or fleece across the top of his cage, to make it feel more enclosed? Or putting his cage in a corner of the room... which again, would make it feel more enclosed for him.

I've done that for a few chins here and you could really see a difference in their attitudes afterwards
~Barb~

 

[Parkerspetchins]

Chances are they both run around like maniacs when you are asleep LOL. How long have you had him? What type of housing was he in before you adopted him? I ask because if he is used to a small cage and is now in a large one that could play a role in why he needs the comfort of his hide house. Are they both males? Do they have chew toys and things to do in their cage? Chins need a lot of stimulation.

 

[Jenn]

Tink loves her house and if something spooks her, that is the first place she runs to. If I'm sitting in her pen with her, she loves to sit under my propped up legs. They just love to hide in a nice, small place.

 

[Laurie]

My Wesley just loves his house too! He runs and hides in there from me whenever I open the cage door, but as I just stand in front of the open door then he ventures out to see me. I think it's just a save haven for them. Sometimes Mick and Wesley smoosh in there together--it's pretty stinking cute!

 

[MyFuzzies]

My newest boy, Remi, was like that when I first brought him home. I got him from a breeder, so he was used to a smaller cage. I actually had to keep him in the travel cage for a couple of days because he would spaz out everytime I put him in his BIG cage. I made sure he had a few hiding places and covered the top of his cage with a fleece blanket. As time went on he ventured out more and more.

Now when he sees me coming he immediately runs for his tube. For whatever reason this has become a routine...he's been withe me for a few months so he KNOWS who I am (the food lady LOL). It's kind of like he's OCD and just HAS to go through the tube BEFORE he jumps on my hands LOL. Seriously, if he jumps on my hands and did not go through his tube, he will jump off, go through the tube, then jump back on my hands and look at me like I'm the crazy one...too funny.

You have to keep in mind that regardless of how long you've had your chin or chins, they will always be prey animals and their natural reaction is to run and hide. I'm sure he will come out of his shell as time passes. Good luck!

 

[lydz]

I kind of figured that but thought I'd check. They are only two months and the breeder had them in breeder's cages. Our cage is huge. My husband built it. He does run in there usually first and then come out. He's just different then the other one who runs around like crazy and uses wheel. Different personalities of course. And the breeder mentioned that one of the two might take a sort of dominant role.

He's fine when we take him out and he plays. He sits in our hands much more than the other one who's a maniac.
And we've only had them for a week but there are doing so well that I just wanted to check that it is nothing serious and I am not going to kill my babies.

First pets, first chinchillas for me. You know.

Thanks tho.