Do Chinchillas Like People?

[JoshB.]

I know all chins are different, but in general, do chinchillas enjoy human company? I can't tell if my chins do, or if they just like climbing on me.
It seems most rodents don't particularly like humans, but are chinchillas different, or just braver and more inquisitive?

 

[Brittany]

I definitely think they do. As soon as I get home mine are waiting at their doors wanting scritches. When I let Lily out to play she'll popcorn around my feet for a minute, but she won't do that when my boyfriend lets her out. Also, if I put my nose to her cage she'll groom it and make happy squeaks at me. When my boyfriend is sitting in his recliner Donna will climb up to his shoulder and start grooming him and making chin greeting noises (I tease him that she's got a crush, cause she never does it to me). All of these are examples of repeated behavior, and because the girls show preference to one human over the other I don't think it's just bravery or inquisitiveness. I've owned a wide menagerie of pets throughout my childhood, and I'd say that chins are a very intelligent species compared to some. Lily is actually trained to respond to a few voice commands, and I know many people on the forum have their chins potty trained. With this kind of intelligence I think they are also capable of showing preference or affection to humans as well as other chins.

 

[moon]

I concur. Some are definitely more receptive to one person over another, and I think that speaks to their affinity for us. Since they are a prey animal, if they were "anti-human" they would simply cower and hide from us any time we took them out I think. Of course it could be they just don't care!

 

[Ash]

Chinchillas definitely have preferences in humans. Two of my girls hate my boyfriend, and will bark and spray him. It's funny(in my opinion haha). Not all chins like humans, but most will tolerate. If they didn't like you, they'd let you know.

 

[Essentia]

With a few of my chins I question if they like me or just put up with me. With Chula though, he loooooooooooooooves me. He doesn't like to be held, but he will let me sit at his cage and stroke his fur, give him scritchens, and just overall love on him until my heart's content. I have sat there for over an hour just rubbing his chest and he just sat there with his smile that I love so much.

 

[moon]

I have one like that too. He's just a sweetie.

 

[Gizmo24]

gizzie loves me to death. If im standing in the playpen and move over an inch..he will run right over and sit on my foot...each and every time. He's attached to my hip and I LOVE it!

 

[Mookie]

I think they do, my little girly lovesss people she always runs up to the cage when i come home, she closes her eyes when i give her a "tum tum rub" she enjoys the company of humans and other chinchillas.

 

[Jazicat]

We've only had Edgar for two weeks but in that time I think he is growing to really like us. When he arrived he was unsure but now he always comes out of his cage for us. During play time he checks in and when we hold him he will let us touch him all over. For a few seconds he even stops to enjoy a few pets. Nothing is forced in our house and we use positive reinforcement for training.

Interestingly Edgar favors me but I can see him testing my husband and bonding. We both feel that with him Edgar is pushing his boundries and repeatedly trying to do what he shouldn't. We will see if it's him learning to trust or if he just likes the vocal response he gets from my husband. I am calmer and usually just reroute the little guy.

 

[Brittany]

We both feel that with him Edgar is pushing his boundries and repeatedly trying to do what he shouldn't.

I'm embarrassed to say this but ours learned real fast that Daddy means business and Mommy's a push over for a cute face. It takes me an extra 10 minutes to leave the apartment, because if they're awake the cuteness draws me in and I can't leave until everyone gets some scritches.:hug2:

 

[Carol~Anne]

Yes, I believe all five of my chins do enjoy my company and I of course theirs. I spent a couple of hours each evening with them and they get so excited when I walk in the chin room and when they're out they're all over me. Some of them come right up to my face and give me constant whisker kisses and let me play with their front feet and others tend to be a bit more shy and prefer to sit on my legs or feet but I do know they enjoy human interaction for sure.

 

[sight]

My little girl definitely likes human attention. She is out in our tv/casual living room. If people are in there and not paying attention to her she will sit there and stair at you then if time passes she will call to you. But as soon as you go over give her a little attention, get her out and let her chill with you she is as happy as a tart.

 

[Ippo456]

My grey chinchilla only likes me & my bf, he hates strangers. Whenever a stranger comes by his cage, he'd bark at them. He even barks at the vet.
As for my white chinchilla, he's the happy-go-lucky one, he doesn't mind being held by anybody.

 

[Rebecca]

Edmund hates everyone, and as I learned today, especially the vet. He will begrudgingly let me hold him for a few minutes a day. Jack is much calmer, and much nicer. He will often run around on my desk and windowsill (the window is closed) while I write papers or stories. He makes for great company.

 

[Isabella Whateva]

It also depends on how much a chin was handled when they were young. If you get a petstore chin and don't spend a lot of time with it when it's young, it will be less receptive to handling when it's older. Like any animal, they're all different and it depends on how you choose to treat them.