Training/Handling

[Morselchip87]

Hi,

I've had Gizmo for roughly 2 months now (he's 4+ years old) and think I started off wrong when I first got him. I'm wondering if a one month no-play period would help with handling.

I started with playtime the day I received him (which I now know was a bad idea). It took a while for him to get comfortable with me, I would sit on the floor and allow him to explore me. And he was fairly comfortable with me - would jump on my legs, smell me etc. I would use the dustbath bin to transport him back into the cage at the end of playtime.

Just last week my boyfriend brought his dog over for a couple of days. We tried to introduce them (Gizmo in the cage, Midy (the dog) sniffing/looking) and it didn't go very well. Gizmo hid under his wheel and then started making noises at him, so we took Midy out of the room and I tried to comfort Gizmo. While I was trying to calm Gizmo down, he escaped the cage and ran under my dresser. I spent the next 45 minutes trying to coax him back into the cage.

I'm wondering if we went backwards a few steps, gave him no playtime, and I tried to train him to come to me, get him better at being handled for a month or two, if it would help in the future if he escaped. I'm not sure if it would do more harm than good keeping him in the cage when he is use to playtime now.

Sorry the post is so long... Thoughts?

Thanks,
Michelle

 

[Mystic]

Well in my opinion you were doing everything right up until you tried to introduce him to the dog. I understand that you would want them to get to know each other, but many people are strictly against other animals (such as cats and dogs) being around their chinchillas, even if the chinchilla is in the cage. Personally, my dog is afraid of my chinchillas so I have no worry there. I think what you should do is to sit by the cage with your arm outstretched in the cage and let Gizmo come to you. He will sniff you and probably try and nibble on your fingernails. Let him crawl on your hand and even up your arm a bit. This will build back up the bond you had before the dog incident. After he seems comfortable and safe with you sitting by the cage, talking to him, and letting him roam on your hand I would then try playtime again. The dustbath bin is a good idea to transport him to and from the cage so I would stick with that method until you have bonded with him enough that he will let you scoop him up without being afraid.

 

[jess32247]

I've only had my chin a year, but I can tell you she hates being handled, in any way. She'll happily jump on my lap, shoulders, head, ect, but when it comes to handling, she wants nothing of it. I honestly don't see how having no playtime would help with handling, but it's worth a shot if your willing to try. Theres been a few times when my girl escaped, I either coax her back with her dust bath or grab her tail then craddle her aganist me.

 

[Huffnpoof]

I think a month is too much time and may actually be counterproductive. Maybe give her a day or two to settle down. Just take things slowly. I agree with Mystic's steps to getting her used to you. Good luck

 

[Morselchip87]

I've been trying to get him to come out onto my arms from his cage by bribing him with an oat or some treat. It doesn't usually work and I just give in and give him the treat anyways.

I figured we would try the introduction just to know how things would go. It was reaffirming that Gizmo would need his own room if/when we move in together.

I've attempted to grab him by his tail before but I'm too nervous that I'm going to hurt him. I've watched quite a few youtube videos of people handling their chins this way, but I'm still nervous. I'll go back to giving him playtime tonight and we will keep Midy away for a while. Hopefully he'll get better at being handled by me slowly. The previous owner said that he didn't mind being held (but who knows if that was true or not).

Thanks for all the advice!
Michelle