Solitary Chin lonely? Please help me brainstorm solution.

[LGarl]

Hello,
I have a 10-12 year old male chin that has lived alone all his life. He's had two owners prior to me, I've had him about 2 years now.

He has started calling out behavior when for nearly a year and a half I never heard hardly a peep out of him. He calls at night, while he's half asleep. During play time he sits on my window sill while my window is open and calls out into the night.

I try to give him a lot of attention and play time. His cage is in my bedroom and since I need to rest frequently I'm always talking to him or reading to him while he's awake.

I made a stuffed cuddle buddy and he won't use it. Whenever he runs across it in his cage he seems to get angry and throws it across the cage.

He has a large three level cage with ledges, chew toys, two houses, a hidey nest, hanging chew toys. He gets Oxbow pellets, timothy hay and others, organic whole rose hips and organic rolled oats for treats and about 8 chew sticks a day. His water is Poland Springs and his last check up 2 months ago shows he is healthy. His vet said not to worry about him being lonely for another chin, just make sure I spend time with him.

Also he started humping my arm or leg whenever he's out, this started a few months ago...about the same time he started getting more vocal.

Is he lonely? I really believe he won't tolerate another chin living with him. What can I do to help him?

Thanks for reading my post.

 

[Amethyst]

If the calling is happening mostly at night, my thoughts are he hears something. At most if you want another chin and you have the room you could have another chin in the room so they can chat. But I honestly think it has to do with hearing something outside, it's getting into spring time now and animals are returning and waking up from winter. Chins need at least an hour a day of attention, that includes playtime as well as talking to him, if you are providing at least that amount of time he's probably not lonely.

As for the aggressive behavior towards his cuddle buddy, do you wash it? If not he may have peed on it, or if so he may not like the smell, you can try lightly dusting it with used dust, sounds weird but makes it smell more chinchilla like. Also some chins just like using their cuddle buddies as punching bags, lol.

 

[LGarl]

Thanks Amethyst! Knowing it could have just been something he heard helps put my concerns to rest. I think I worry too much about him.

I should give his toy a good wash and give it back to him, or maybe make another. He's a bit aggressive at times so maybe he's one of those chins who likes to beat his toy up. lol

 

[IceMaiden]

If he calls at night when he's half asleep are you sure he's not just doing the equivalent of us making a noise in our sleep? If not, I'd agree with Amethyst, he can hear or sense something outside, a cat or something maybe. Also bear in mind it's springtime, animals naturally come awake more, my chin is already livelier than she has been through the winter months, so were all my previous pets. Everything comes alive in the spring).

 

[LGarl]

If he calls at night when he's half asleep are you sure he's not just doing the equivalent of us making a noise in our sleep? If not, I'd agree with Amethyst, he can hear or sense something outside, a cat or something maybe. Also bear in mind it's springtime, animals naturally come awake more, my chin is already livelier than she has been through the winter months, so were all my previous pets. Everything comes alive in the spring).

Good points, IceMaiden. He has been more lively lately. I love how he sits on a perch by the door to be let out and his tail is like a helicopter rotor. lol