I don't think she likes me very well.. xD

[JessePolicy]

Alright, so I got my first chin about a week ago. She's generally sweet, kinda quiet and I assume shy and nervous around me still. If I ever open her cage when she's not in her house, as soon as I do she'll bound up there fast as lightning. Also, if I try and pet her while she's in there, she'll either nip me or like push me away with her little hands. I've been trying to approach her slowly and allow her to get to know me but she just seems to run from me at every turn. [All though, occasionally she'll let me scratch her chin or hold her.] Any advice on getting her to actually enjoy me presence? Thanks.

 

[Tagna]

Time and patience. Sometimes it can take a while before they decide we aren't so bad. Just keep doing what you are doing and it will pay off. You can give oats (old fashioned, not cooked) in your hand. Talk to her and just give it time.

Good luck!

 

[Kansas City Chinchillas]

It takes time to win a chin's trust. Spend as much time as you can around her cage. Talk to her and put your arm in the cage so she can get used to your scent. She needs to feel confident in her new environment.

 

[mistywaterwoman]

Aaaah, I remember those days well. When I got my first girl Sally, she'd been traumatized by kids in the pet store. She was reasonably friendly while out playing but she didn't want me to touch her or pet her or anything like that.
Time really does help, you'll eventually wear down her defences. Just remember their incredibly long lifespan and keep it in perspective. I think it took Sally something like 2 years to let me pet or scritch her.
What helped me the most was just deciding that even if she didn't love me yet, I loved her enough for the both of us, and I just went on my merry way, adoring her to bits.

I promise, she will eventually start to come around, and you'll cherish each tiny victory that much more for having worked hard to earn it, lol.

 

[Marie5656]

So, have you gotten cak=ed at yet? That is funny. I still get a nip if I try to rub her ears or chin and she does not want the attention.

 

[ticklechin]

I have had Spice since 2003, this video was made in Nov 2006 after working with taming for all that time,

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5CbVi3i1k_o

This video was made in May of 2009, she has come even farther since then in taming. Sometimes it seems to take forever, but even a tough nut like this can be cracked! Don't give up!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PNceD7Prv5w

 

[mistywaterwoman]

There you go, it took poor Spice six years to decide Dawn was okay! LOL!! She's a special case though, she'd been really abused previously.

 

[jarp]

There you go, it took poor Spice six years to decide Dawn was okay! LOL!! She's a special case though, she'd been really abused previously.

Awww what happened to her in her previous home?

 

[ticklechin]

She and her sister originally belonged to a teenager who, among other tortured things, thought it was fun to toss them in the air and have them drop on the bed-her sister got tossed too high and got whacked by a ceiling fan-she suffered a head injury and Spice suffered emotional damage-they were dumped at a rat rescue in L.A. right after that incident, railroaded up north to a local rescue, adopted out and returned 4 times to the rescue until they ended up with me.

 

[Bostongirl'sChin75]

She and her sister originally belonged to a teenager who, among other tortured things, thought it was fun to toss them in the air and have them drop on the bed-her sister got tossed too high and got whacked by a ceiling fan-she suffered a head injury and Spice suffered emotional damage-they were dumped at a rat rescue in L.A. right after that incident, railroaded up north to a local rescue, adopted out and returned 4 times to the rescue until they ended up with me.

We shall be hearing about him in a few years, after he has killed a dozen people and other things.. It is a good thing she ended up with you and now has a great life!

 

[Carol~Anne]

Yep, time, patience, persistence and routine have worked well for me trying to tame chins. My bad boy Buster has bitten me so many times I've lost track and did use leather gloves to handle him. I've had him for about four months or so now and he has come such a long way. I was just saying last night that I was going to write about him being an angel and then he nipped my forehead when I put my head real close to his cage while I was talking to him. I'm not writing that angel story just yet.

 

[Essentia]

She reminds me a lot of the way Sora has acted since her and her male counterpart, Ansem, were seperated. I believe a lot of it has to do with me not interacting with her as much as I would like though in case she pregnant. She has one more week to be on watch before she gets to upgrade to a larger, non baby safe cage, and a wheel. I can also reach her through the bars of the new cage, which will be a huge plus. The baby safe cage I can't fit my fingers in, so every time I open the door to do anything she runs away.

Like others have said, time and patience are key. Let her come around on her own terms.

 

[tinkerbell2002]

I would definitely say sit for at least 20 minutes everyday by your chins cage and put your arm in her cage so she can get used to your scent and give your chin little treats too. Don't go to her let her come to you. but sorta put it in her face to let her smell it. Like half a bite size mini wheat. with NO FROSTING just PLAIN half a mini wheats or plain wheat cherrios should suffice!