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I got a pet chinchilla this weekend! This thread will be my lessons learned, etc.
He is a beige, male chinchilla born 1/3/2020. He hails from B & B Chinchillas of Dodgeville, WI.
At the farm Brenda had them well cared for and socialized. I’d met with her to see them and he was friendly, curious and comfortable enough to fall asleep in my hand.
At the farm Brenda had them well cared for and socialized. I’d met with her to see them and he was friendly, curious and comfortable enough to fall asleep in my hand.
It took some time to mull it over, collect supplies, etc and now he’s home with me. He’s not sure about it. He was used to being in a room with many more chinchillas and now he’s in a larger enclosure, but alone. He hides and barks if he deems me too close
I was told this would probably happen but of course I believed we’d truly bonded when I held him for 20 minutes. “Lol all these other chinchilla owners have their chins struggle with transitions. Sorry sweaty I’m different”
I am not different.
I am not different.
This was taken when he first got in. I’ve since been giving him more distance. Over the last 24 hours he’s been barking less and I’ve been able to catch him starting to explore. I even caught him finally testing the dust bowl I’d left for him on his top floor
The boy is out and about. I repeat, we have visual confirmation of a boy
This morning, he still doesn’t want me to interact too much but he didn’t yell at me while I did his daily cage cleaning which is progress. He didn’t really hide either which is also good
He fell asleep watching me eat lunch today. Also he’s so fluffy no man made bars can contain the floof
Okay so update: I made him mad the other night when I moved his hut and he couldn’t find it. I’d also put new fleece slip cases on the ramp in his cage which caused him to feel unsafe on it. He let me know his displeasure by scolding me
But!! Today on my lunch break he was so friendly! He came over to sniff me when I refilled his foots and even stepped into my palm for the fleetingest of moments
!!!!!
My favorite part is when he leaves a tiny dusty paw print on the lip of the bowl
Okay, so I have yet to name him because I& #39;ve been waiting for him to warm up and show his personality a little more. Right now I& #39;m between a few options:
It& #39;s settled, his name is Theodore! AKA Theo. AKA Ted. AKA Teddy. Aka Lil& #39; Teddison, AKA Small Tedford. AKA Ted Dan& #39;s Son. AKA Theeby-weeby. AKA Theo THEE Chinchilla
It’s goofy-o-clock. He’s up to get some food and water and to run around for a bit but then it’s back to bed for him. He’s crepuscular so he’s most active at dawn and dusk, but he has moments throughout the day when he’ll do stuff
Aaaand back to sleep
He just woke up from a nap and....
Sound on for some baby squeaks this Saturday morning
Sometimes I let him go up onto the top of his cage and he gets to look at the apartment like he’s in a rooftop garden in a big city
Other times he’s wily and escapes to his favorite place beneath his cage. I call it his basement and down here he goes wild like he’s some sort of lowly pizza rat
He cronch
He comes up to ask for snoot boops now
I was late giving him his morning pellets today (I gave them at 9 instead of 8) so he was up past his bedtime but he fought it out and ate half-asleep anyway
I’ve been letting him out to play on a daily basis and he’s acutely aware of what he should and shouldn’t do. And he always chooses the more mischievous option
