Got my chinchilla a new cage and his behavior changed!

[Radrachel]

My chinchilla used to live in a one level cage, with pellet bedding, a cardboard box, cooling granite and cardboard ledges. I recently moved into a new building with a larger room and decided to get a new cage for Chinchi. It's a similar LxW to the old cage but it was a two level cage with wooden ramps and ledges, but with recycled newspaper bedding. Ever since I moved Chinchi to his new cage, he has become more difficult to handle and to remove from his cage. every time I stick my hand in the cage he runs away from it and grumbles at me. If I try to grab him he will bark and click at me and squirm to get away. When he was living in his smaller cage, I NEVER had those problems. Also, when I can actually get him out of the cage, he doesn't like being held anymore! He wiggles, tries to get away and gets very worked up! I'm not sure what to do or why he is behaving that way, I just want him to be the happy, easy to handle chinchilla he used to be.

(I also purchased him a running ball, which he seems to love, so he can get more exercise around my apartment, which I always keep at a very chilly, 63 degrees.)

 

[rs117]

I also purchased him a running ball, which he seems to love, so he can get more exercise around my apartment

I am a relative Newbie to Chins and not much to offer except to have read the ball is a death trap to Chins, they will over heat and die. Please research for more info about the ball on here

 

[Radrachel]

Thank you so much for warning me! I asked the people at the pet store and they said it would be fine! Guess they were just trying to make a sale!

 

[jessica.medina]

I recently moved into a new building with a larger room and decided to get a new cage for Chinchi.

He could be a little stressed from the move to a new building and the new environment. How long has he had to adjust now?

And i second the issue or the exercise ball they are definitely not great for your chin!

 

[Amethyst]

OK several things in your post are red flags to me...
First is the newspaper litter, that stuff is designed to expand when wet to absorb the pee, it can expand the same way inside the chin's guts and cause a serious problem if he eats it.
Second as already said the run around balls are commonly referred to as death balls, a chin can quickly over heat in them, they are poorly ventilated and also would you really like running around in your own poop and pee? If you want him to get more exercise and don't have a chin safe room get him a metal 15" or more diameter wheel.
Now as to why the behavior change, any change in environment be it new house, new room, or in your case new cage can be stressful to a chin. It's best if you move stuff from the old cage over if you still have it, but for the most part just give him time to adjust to his new cage, he should come back around. Chins are territorial and you have just placed him in a cage that doesn't smell like him yet. Also chins don't need ramps, they are hoppers they like to jump (another reason those run around balls are bad).