Holding chinchillas...?

[cherie18]

Hey guys, I know it's premature to be holding little Cherie because i've only had her 4 & 1/2 days- but shes really been warming up to me & I was wondering how you guys went about getting your chinchilla to let you hold them? I know most chinchillas don't like to be help. but Cherie is acting like she will let me someday. I've looked everywhere on tips on how to tame & hold a chinchilla but there is really not much out there:thinking2:?

So anyways ANY tips will be appreciated...

 

[dragsil]

Patience works best, I think. I let mine out to play and let them jump all over me without trying to hold them so they got used to the closeness without being afraid they will always get grabbed at. Of my three one is very easy to hold and handle despite the fact he is the grumpiest of them, lol.

I am still working on my youngest chin, he is full of beans and while he is not scared he squirms a lot but we´ve been able to hold him by giving him a stick to chew on as a distraction while holding him under the belly to get him used to the feeling and he is getting much better.

 

[ChinnyMom]

both my boys let me hold them often. Guss will jump into my hands and sit tucked under my neck for a long time without even squirming. he lets me flip him over onto his back and lay him in the crook of my arm like a baby ) he'll also lay on his back in my lap and let me stroke his belly. Guss is the cuddler for sure!

Rhino is another story, lol. he will let me hold him, but ensures that i know he is not happy about it, and he doesn't come into my hands willingly, so i have to catch him if i want to hold him. he's the squirmer of my two boys. usually the best way to keep him still is to put his back up against my chest and create a platform for his back legs with one hand while i hold his shoulder area/front legs gently with my other hand. he's a rather 'independent' boy, lol, but he does put up with mommy's pestering pretty well.

 

[chinchillasrox]

I have found that scooping them up from their belly/feet and making a cup with your hands works best for me. All of my chinnies are very tame and comfortable around me though. You can also hold/catch them by holding the base of their tail, by their butt.

 

[LoveBug]

my girl doesn't really like to be held. but she will sit on my arm and let me pet her.
she does know that if she's being held that means she's going to playtime.
and if she's being held after playtime she'll let you hold her so she can go back in her cage.

 

[cherie18]

Ok thanks guys!!

 

[vsaporito]

Holding chins

I have had my two chins for a month now. I still have not tried to hold them yet. I lean up to their cage with the door open and they crawl up my arm and sit on my shoulder. They seem comfortable. I have also used a small carrier to bring them in the bathroom for playtime. This seems to be the best place for them to play and not have to worry about wires and such. I don't know if they will ever want to be held, but they like to hang out and I am okay with that. I swear they think they are birds. They let me pet them. They don't seem to like their belly tickled as I have seen in many videos.

Vickie
mother of twin boys, age 10
two maltipoos dogs
two female chinchillas (can't wait until I can figure out how to show you all pictures)