hi, my chinchilla is let out for an hour- an hour and a half. After he goes into his cage- which is usually around 9 or 10- he goes onto a shelf and lays there like a big poof ball and you can't see his legs, and then after a couple minutes he gets up runs around alittle bit and seems pretty normal. this happens almost everynight. i dont know if hes tired or overheated but it seems as if hes ok after it. do your chins do this or is it something i should be worried about. another thing he does around this time which is not in the morning and im not waking him up, is when i try to pet him he nips at me really quickly and if you saw it you'd see that it at least looks pretty violent although i retreat my hand and he continues to sit there and go about his business. The strange thing is that he'll let my scratch him and touch him any other time except for at night. Its like hes some sort of wild animal that turns bad at midnight. it really makes me worried that he doesn't like me or he has some sort of bad behavior. i don't understand it?:hair:
Why does my chinchilla do this every night!
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Chibigirl
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Every night after playtime Beaker will lay on her shelf and take a nap. I'm pretty sure it's not over heating because she doesn't have red ears and they are not warm. Also sometimes during the day she will sleep sprawled out on her shelves or in her tubes. I would say you should be concerned if he does this and is lethargic or limp. As for the nipping I don't know. Mine will lightly bite my fingers all over but I'm pretty sure it's grooming. Has he ever gotten at you when trying to nip you? Was it a hard bite to break the skin?
i don't think hes trying to bite me its more of a GET AWAY kinda gesture.He's never bit me he's nibbled on my finger nails but has never bitten my skin or breaken the skin. he isnt this moody all the time either, hes usually a sweet little boy. Also i don't think hes lethargic because he gets up, obviously because i can hear him running around at night. i think he might be tired eccesspecially these last few days because all this christmas stuff is happening and hes let out longer. sometimes for around 3 hours, but hes also not running around the whole time he rests for maybe a few minutes and then gets back up and runs around.
Chibigirl
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I don't know as much as the other members on here since I'm a bit of a newbie myself. But I've been told with some chins that they don't know how to regulate their playtime if they are let free run for extended periods of time. So he may be wearing himself out and is tired when he goes into that ball formation you are talking about. My Chin likes scritches but is more patient with them during the day. If i scratch her during the day she almost always stays put and will not move or slap my hand away, think its because during the day they are drowsy and normally sleep during the day. At night she will still like scritches but she'll be more likely to move away from the cage bars so you can't reach her, or slap your finger away as if saying "don't touch me". I think your boy may be doing the same thing, just in a more aggressive manner maybe? At night they are fully awake and their personality is in full swing (or at least Beaker's is), so maybe he's just not a touchy-feely guy lol.
schweppes
Well-known member
If it's just nibbling on your fingers it's probably a test bite to see if that object near him is a treat or not.
1. Chins get tired after physical activity just like humans! While my chins don't sprawl out every night I do see it often enough. Here are some suggestions that I've used to make playtime and just after more comfortable for my chins:
-allow them to full access to their cage or another "safe/hidey spot" during playtime (some sort of box or house) this way they can regulate their own activity and they can feel safe taking a break if they want to. I personally like leaving the cage door open so they can go back for food/water/potty (they poop anywhere, but they always go back to the cage to pee!)
-Keep a chiller (cooling stone like granite) in their cage. My chins will sprawl out on any comfortable surface, I know their getting hot if they choose to lay on their chiller.
-ALWAYS monitor the temperature. I try to make it cooler during play time when I know their going to be more active (crack the windows, turn down the heat, turn up the a/c etc...) If you think they're getting too warm or they are constantly sprawling on their chiller turn a fan on for quicker cooling.
2. As far as the nipping goes. Chins definitely have a mind of their own. If he's only like this at certain times of day it's probably his way of saying he doesn't want to be bothered at the moment. I wouldn't consider it a behavioral problem, just a personal preference (Lily lets me scratch her anywhere at anytime, but if my boyfriend dares to touch her when she's in her tube then you'd think the world was coming to an end based on the fit she throws). Try coming to him on his terms even if it means not scratching him during those hours. stick your hand half way towards him, let him come the rest of the way to sniff you, then slowly move in for the scratch. Get to know his personality and preferences. Be very patient and try catering to his personality a little bit more. He will trust you more and your relationship will be better. Eventually he may even allow you to pet him at night.
-allow them to full access to their cage or another "safe/hidey spot" during playtime (some sort of box or house) this way they can regulate their own activity and they can feel safe taking a break if they want to. I personally like leaving the cage door open so they can go back for food/water/potty (they poop anywhere, but they always go back to the cage to pee!)
-Keep a chiller (cooling stone like granite) in their cage. My chins will sprawl out on any comfortable surface, I know their getting hot if they choose to lay on their chiller.
-ALWAYS monitor the temperature. I try to make it cooler during play time when I know their going to be more active (crack the windows, turn down the heat, turn up the a/c etc...) If you think they're getting too warm or they are constantly sprawling on their chiller turn a fan on for quicker cooling.
2. As far as the nipping goes. Chins definitely have a mind of their own. If he's only like this at certain times of day it's probably his way of saying he doesn't want to be bothered at the moment. I wouldn't consider it a behavioral problem, just a personal preference (Lily lets me scratch her anywhere at anytime, but if my boyfriend dares to touch her when she's in her tube then you'd think the world was coming to an end based on the fit she throws). Try coming to him on his terms even if it means not scratching him during those hours. stick your hand half way towards him, let him come the rest of the way to sniff you, then slowly move in for the scratch. Get to know his personality and preferences. Be very patient and try catering to his personality a little bit more. He will trust you more and your relationship will be better. Eventually he may even allow you to pet him at night.
jessica
Well-known member
Mine will run and play hard while he's out and then when he goes back to his cage he'll take a nap for awhile but he's up and active in no time. They are little animals so they run out of steam quick but even at night without a free run he has his active and rest periods. It's normal. As for the nipping maybe he just doesn't want to be touched. As long as he isn't rearing up or growling or kacking at you then I would just leave him alone when he's like that. I would try offering a healthy treat to him when you go to pet him maybe he'll associate treats with being pet. My chinnie doesn't bite unless you have a food odor on your hands and he enjoys being pet when he's sleepy during the day. He's more into coming out to play at night than being pet and will more likely nip if you block his way from the door but he's not being aggressive he's just saying "Will you please move I'd like to get by."lol Definitely learn to cater to his personality like what the above person posted. He'll trust you more.
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Thanks, I do leave his cage open and usually he will go in there to take a quick rest. Jessica i dont know what you mean by the sounds you described, but when hes a little ticked he will make a sound, kind of high pitched and he'll sort of lunge at me, then after maybe a couple seconds of staring at me he sits back down and looks totally fine. but never try to bite me. I won't touch him from now on at night and i do leave the window open even though, 1. its usually 65 in the house and 2. its winter. I really wanted to try one of those chin chillers but every new thing i get him he just ignores it and eats his hay lol.
jessica
Well-known member
Chinnies make all kinds of weird sounds the growling and kacking are the ones they do the most when they are annoyed. The growling sounds more like a low pitched grunt actually and if its come to that then you need to back off because a chin doing that is really mad and is pretty likely to bite to hurt. The kacking sound is sort of sharp and quick and even a little high pitched. I get startled when my chin does this to me. It's a warning sound to let you know that he's not liking what you are doing. Mine does it when I comb him or when I check for hair rings.
ok so i hope this works on this other thread it didnt work but i hope this one does.
Ok so this one is what it looks like when he lays down sometimes its worse sometimes its better, it varies but this was yesterday.
And here he is on by xbox lol
Ok so this one is what it looks like when he lays down sometimes its worse sometimes its better, it varies but this was yesterday.
And here he is on by xbox lol
Michellemazz
Well-known member
my Chinzilla is the same way!
I am a new shinglier owner and My little dude is the same way!
I take him out and he runs zoomies up and down the length of his area. He will bound off the wall, and popcorns like a bucking pony.
When he is out I bring his little hide hut and his beanie buddy (chinchic stuffed animal...really cute if you haven't seen them) so he feels like he isn't alone and has a familiar safe place to hide. He hardly ever notices either, but it makes me feel better.
When he has had enough, he will usually run to me and climb in my lap squeaking and almost tugging at me with his bitty paws. I always carry him in a little fleece square, so that is also a signal when he is done. He will go get on the square. They are really bright little fellows.
When he goes back to his house, he will sometimes get water, then he crashes.
It almost had me worried cause he will lay on his shelves in what seems like super uncomfortable positions. He has a chiller and I know he is aware it is in his other hut, but he doesn't really get on it.
I just let him recharge for about 10 minutes and he is back on his wheel or doing his circus routines from ledge to ledge.
:dance3:
I am a new shinglier owner and My little dude is the same way!
I take him out and he runs zoomies up and down the length of his area. He will bound off the wall, and popcorns like a bucking pony.
When he is out I bring his little hide hut and his beanie buddy (chinchic stuffed animal...really cute if you haven't seen them) so he feels like he isn't alone and has a familiar safe place to hide. He hardly ever notices either, but it makes me feel better.
When he has had enough, he will usually run to me and climb in my lap squeaking and almost tugging at me with his bitty paws. I always carry him in a little fleece square, so that is also a signal when he is done. He will go get on the square. They are really bright little fellows.
When he goes back to his house, he will sometimes get water, then he crashes.
It almost had me worried cause he will lay on his shelves in what seems like super uncomfortable positions. He has a chiller and I know he is aware it is in his other hut, but he doesn't really get on it.
I just let him recharge for about 10 minutes and he is back on his wheel or doing his circus routines from ledge to ledge.
:dance3:
Michellemazz
Well-known member
My guy does the same thing.
He gets super excited to be out - wall surfs, zoomies, burrowing, chewing, escaping...you name it.
I always carry him in a scarf or a basket. When he wants to go back he will chase me and peep or go ruffle the scarf / basket up.
When he goes back he usually passes out. I have a chiller as well as 4 little 6x6 marble tiles in his "cave" , his rainbow hut, his TV watching spot, and by his water bottle and feeder.
He knows they're there, but he usually crashes like this on a ledge.
In a bit, he'll be up on his wheel or bouncing around doing circus ledge jumps.
I'm sure your baby is fine. They just have to recharge. :bump1:
He gets super excited to be out - wall surfs, zoomies, burrowing, chewing, escaping...you name it.
I always carry him in a scarf or a basket. When he wants to go back he will chase me and peep or go ruffle the scarf / basket up.
When he goes back he usually passes out. I have a chiller as well as 4 little 6x6 marble tiles in his "cave" , his rainbow hut, his TV watching spot, and by his water bottle and feeder.
He knows they're there, but he usually crashes like this on a ledge.
In a bit, he'll be up on his wheel or bouncing around doing circus ledge jumps.
I'm sure your baby is fine. They just have to recharge. :bump1:
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Michellemazz
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Shenanigans
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It sounds like he wore himself out to me. And I wouldn't like being touched after a big workout either. Maybe try 35 minutes out, a enforced 20 min cage break and then another 35 min out or something, instead of the whole hour and a half out?
kraucci
Well-known member
I think it's just a nap situation. Most of Sam's naps are super short in general. He sort of just lingers in a puffy ball like you described in between running laps up and around his cage 100 miles per hour.
