Chinpathy?

[Lulilac]

So I couldn't sleep last night becuase I was feeling, well, sad about world events etc. I went down to my chinchilla cages in search of some much needed fuzz therapy. This is what happened.

Me: I am sad, please comfort me.
Chinchilla: Why aren't you feeding me a treat?
Me: Here is a treat. Now, can I at least scritch you a little bit?
Chinchilla: KACK KACK KACK KACK!
Me: You are My Pet. Your job title is pretty clear here. Please let me pet you a little so I can find a little comfort in your furriness.
Chinchilla: You are My Human Slave. Your job title is very clear here. Fetch me another goji berry or I will pee on you.

::SIGH::

Does anyone have any stories about a time when their chinchilla seemed to sense their distress and provided sympathy in some small way? I know cats and dogs do this all the time. My monsters clearly feel above all that.

Lu

 

[Marie5656]

About a year and a half ago I took a bad fall at work...litterally landed flat on my face. Had the swelling, brusing and black eye to prove it. That evening when I took Trixie out to play, she hopped up on my chest, put her little paws on my chin and peered at my face very intently. Put her nose right up to my swollen black eye and looked intently at it. Then pulled back and inquired "can you still find my hay bin with one eye closed like that?"

:tease:

 

[Pikaia]

Hahaha..I could probably be laying dead on the floor and my chins would run up to me and say, "Where is my treat?! Get up I say!" LOL

 

[3CsMommy]

I had a crying fit during playtime one night when Crash was about a year old (long story that ends w/ me and Crash moving to NY and my Ex and Cervantes staying in PA). Well, apparently he didn't know what to make of me springing a leak, so as I sat with my chin on the shelf under the cage door, he came over and cuddled against the side of my head. Then he groomed my eyebrow on that side. Inn't that sweet...

Little did I know he actually shaved about a 1/4" patch out of it, until I looked in the mirror the next morning and hit the roof.

Chinchilla sympathy: sometimes, it's not all its cracked up to be.

 

[Lynn & The Chins]

When Mr. Whiskers' cagemate, Baby died suddenly and unexpectedly, we were both so sad and depressed that we grieved together.

He would just lie in the cuddle cup that he had shared with Baby, with his little paws over the side with his head on top of them, miserable, while I sat there petting him and crying with him. I told him what had happened, and that Baby wouldn't be coming back. I know that he understood me. I think that it helped both of us to deal with our loss.

Animals are very intelligent and I believe that they have the ability to empathize, both with humans and other animals.

 

[Sesame]

I recently went through a pretty rough time and was quite upset. So upset, that I guess Sesame was quite alarmed and started barking like crazy. Afterwards, I tried to pet her to comfort her and myself, but she clearly just wanted a treat or a stick after being subjected to such water works. lol My chin knows what she wants, when she wants it.

 

[Airyn]

Nixi puts her hand on my cheek when I'm upset and cocks her head to the side. That's the only time she ever goes for the cheek. On the rare occasions that I've cried, she licked the tears. Boji puts his hands under my eye until I laugh, staring at me intently. Then I get an eyebrow nibble and he hops away. Maia isn't huge on being touched, so she'll test out every "I'm cute" pose she can think of until I laugh. Buddha doesn't like to be touched either, so he'll sit on my hand and just watch me. When I smile, he hops off. One time he jumped on my shoulder and nibbled my ear. That was beyond adorable.

Like Lynn, I think all animals have the ability to empathize and have no doubt that mine sense everything I feel. I even warn my friends about it when they come over so they know to be aware of their own emotions. I have one friend who isn't at all an animal person. He refers to my chins as "it". "What's it doing?" Drives me CRAZY, but they sense it and won't approach him at all. All four of them stay hidden in tubes and boxes unless they hear their name. THAT drives my friend crazy.