Most people start loving their new pet before they even bring them home. Through preparations and expectations, you already love that fur ball, and you’re ready to pour your love all over them. But bonding with your chinchilla needs to be done with a lot of patience.
More of a slow pouring of love.
Wild chinchillas survive by staying away from large creatures. Most chinchillas instinctively don’t trust humans. Rewriting that script takes time. And some strategy!
You can show your chinchilla that you love them by letting them take the lead.
Settling In As Housemates
When you first bring your chinchilla home, they’ll have a lot to take in: a new enclosure with new objects and new smells, a new house with new sounds and gasp! new humans!
In these early stages, the most important thing for you to do is just take a step back. Let them get familiar with their new surroundings.
Just looking at you is new (and exciting!). You don’t need to touch them. Just let them get used to seeing you as well as hearing you. If you’re tempted to pick them up, tell your chinchilla a story instead. Bonding with your chinchilla happens in many ways!
You can learn a lot about your chinchilla by just observing them. And they can learn a lot about you by just observing as well.
Win Them Over With a Treat
After you have let your chinchilla settle in, you can start trying to win your chin over. Consider a week to be a good amount of time for them to feel comfortable with their surroundings.
The best way to win a chinchilla over (or anyone for that matter!) is through their stomach. If your chinchilla is eating their hay well and feeling comfortable with that, then you can hand them a Hay Cube or a Goji Berry through the bars of their enclosure.
This is a great way for them to come over close to you while still feeling secure in their space.
It tells them, “Hey, I’m a friend who wants to take care of you!”
After you’ve done this a few times you can try to get them to come over to you to grab the treat with the doors of their enclosure open. But remember, it’s best to let them come to you. Don’t chase them around their enclosure with a treat.
How To Hold A Chinchilla
When you think your chinchilla is warming up to you, then you can try to pick up your chinchilla. Look for these signs to know that your chinchilla may be comfortable with you picking them up:
Your chinchilla comes over to you on their own and smells your hand.
With your hand laying flat, palm up, your chinchilla will climb on top of it.
Your chinchilla will come and take a treat from you while looking relaxed.
If you think you and your chin are ready for the next step of bonding with your chinchilla, here are some tips for holding a chinchilla:
Place one hand under or around their chest in front.
Support their back legs with your other hand as you lift your chinchilla.
Move your chin close to your body so they don’t feel like they will fall.
Always keep your chinchilla upright so you don’t hurt their spine.
Never run around holding your chinchilla. Your time holding your chinchilla should be calm and peaceful. The goal is to teach your chinchilla that you’re a safe place that they can trust.
Bonding With Your Chinchilla Outside of Their Enclosure
Important note: A chinchilla shouldn’t be spending time outside of their enclosure until they are at least 6 months old.
It’s important that you don’t move on to this step until your chinchilla is truly comfortable with you. If they still think you might hurt them then moving to a less familiar place can trigger some very vulnerable feelings.
Which means they’re likely going to run and hide. When your chin is in their enclosure, they have a safe place to run and hide if they need some security (give your chin a hideaway!). But outside their cage, this can get tricky.
Try luring a scared chinchilla out from under the couch. It’s a stressful time for both of you!
So, when you do decide to bring your chinchilla to an area outside of their cage, make sure it's a place with few places to hide and nothing that could hurt your chinchilla.
And put away any wires because your chinchilla may chew them!
Bonding With Your Chinchilla Through Play
A stressed out chinchilla isn’t interested in playing. But if they’re feeling secure, exploring new things helps them grow and become more comfortable with their life with you.
If you alone aren’t sparking their curiosity, then holding out a toy for them might get them interested in coming over near you.
Especially if that toy is made with natural materials and they can grab a taste of something new!
Keep Stress Levels Low
If your chinchilla is happy and comfortable with their environment then their stress levels will be low enough to make a friend. So focus on getting them everything they need before creating that bond.
Your chinchilla needs a cage large enough for them to get a lot of their energy out. With ledges to climb and jump on. They need toys to explore and live out their instincts to forage. They need a proper diet so they feel their best.
A happy chinchilla is a social chinchilla! Bonding with your chinchilla starts with taking care of your chinchilla. After that things will fall into place with a little bit of patience.
Chinchilla research is continuously growing! If you have any doubts or concerns contact your exotic vet.
We are not veterinarians, and none of our information should be construed as veterinary advice.
