Possessive chinnie?

[dabou]

I got my little 3 years old Kahlua since he was a couple months old. The little one has always been with people (had family around for a 2 years) but last year I went to an apartment alone with him and Camaro (hamster). He started the oh-so-wonderful habit of...erhm....what I guess is humping my arm, close to my wrist, when I'd put hay in his cage...so weird o.o

He has no furry friend but he has a plushie I made for him (out of fleece, no eyes or anything) and yeah, the "humping" has started only last year I think... I was wondering if it could have anything to do with him not having a female chinnie around...hormones and all.....and maybe it would've made him possessive of me?

I really don't know, I just know that he has been attacking my friend and grinding his teeth at them, attacking the bars when they only TALK to him and doing a weird short khack sound... And when I moved in with my sister, he's been doing the same thing to her...and her pug when it was only peacefully smelling his cage. But he hasn't done it with my sister's boyfriend....o_o

So, questions are :

- if possessivity's the problem, why has he become so possessive of me?
- is there a way to get him to calm down? Humping-like...o_o
- and also is there a way to get him to become more friendly, thus easier to handle? Right now he's friendly with me but doesn't like handling much...I'd like to have him sitting on my laps once in a while while I pet him, or not need to run after him to be able to get him out of his cage when it's cage-cleaning time, or when I want to let him loose in another room...​

 

[EveningChin]

I can only guess at your first two questions. Its doesn't so much sound that he is being posessive of you but that he is very found of you and trusts you. Maybe its just me but if he were being posessive of you he would try more to defend you from your friends and sister not just when they are focusing on him. He may just not trust them and is being defencive. As for the humping, no clue. My female chinchilla Petra will hump her fleece cuddle buddy regularly but that is just for dominance (she is a very dominant chinchilla)

As for the last part, most chinchillas don't like being held or to sit still on a lap to be pet. The handling part you can try to get him used to by doing it regularly. Take him out and simply hold him for a number of minutes then put him back, do it everyday. He may or may not get used to it. As for not having to chase him about the cage to get him out, I simply wait for mine to come to the open door of the cage and scoop them up. Some days it take alot of patience.

 

[dabou]

alright, patience shall be exercised ^_^
I hope he will be getting more calm as he gets used to my sister at least...she couldn't even give him food cause he would attack her hand...on the other hand, his cage is his territory....hm...

 

[dabou]

I hope it won't bother anyone if I reply again on this post, but I would really like to have all this sorted out better...I will try to go through the process of trying to make Kahlua more accustomed to me and try to get him to be more friendly. (browsing through the site will probably help me)

I read a bunch of stuff on the forum, and I guess that maybe the fact that I moved out of my Sudbury apartment to come to Quebec city, a good 11 hours drive and am now at my sister's place, is not helping...after all, he is in a new place, the air here is more humid than in Sudbury (I'm searching for a good dehumidifier, any suggestions? sellers will try to sell me the most expensive ones, I want one that will work and that won't kill me too much. I don't mind paying, but sometimes paying too much doesn't mean that it'll be good quality), my sister has a dog (though the dog, a pug, doesn't go see Kahlua and my chinnie's cage is lifted up so it's fine) that Kahlua may consider as a predator.

Also, tiny side question. I've noticed his middle toe seems....kinda off. Would it be broken? I touched it and he did not seem to care...What's weird is that it's kinda obvious...I don't know why the vet didnt notice it last time I went there...Anyways I'll have to find a new one in Quebec city...*go vet hunting tomorrow!* As a precision, the middle toe of his foot seems to be a bit bent towards the side. He jumps and runs no problem though!

 

[Ash]

I doubt it's lonely. Most chins hump for a) dominance or b) just plain out being sexually frustrated. Does he have a 'cuddle buddy'? If not, try giving him one and see if that relieves the tension any.

 

[alli713]

i dont know about the humping but my guess is that he is lonely. i have heard stories of peoples chins doing this yet i have never figured out why they did it try playing with him more and maybe he will stop humping your hand. (thats atleast what i would try) for them not liking your sister I have no idea. As i do not have a chin yet. (i should be getting one in early october)

Male chins hump because they're males. Not because they're lonely but because it's about dominance and a mating instinct. They also enjoy pleasuring themselves at times. It's just what they do. Sometimes it may get worse around puberty.
If you don't have a chin why are you giving advice?
And this thread is just about 3 months old along with all the other ones you're bumping up.

 

[saphire]

I'll have to find a new one in Quebec city...*go vet hunting tomorrow!* As a precision, the middle toe of his foot seems to be a bit bent towards the side. He jumps and runs no problem though!

There is an exotic vet on de L'ormière at 819-840-0444 her name is Marie-Pierre Rainville. I take 1 1/4hr drive to go see her for my chins, she is one of the best if not the best for exotic in Québec city.

Hope that helps