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Post by lisa on Mar 10, 2009 23:56:32 GMT -5
I'm at a loss when it comes to Digit. I am spending time with him, just sitting outside his cage and that seems to be ok. However, he barely tolerates being scritched. Another issue is his teeth and paws. He's got a dentist appointment on the 19th to get his molars filed and it was suggested to me that he might not be chewing because his teeth hurt. Balsa was recommended in the meantime and he has gone to town on that, but he doesn't seem to want to chew any wood harder than that. He is missing length off of each of his front toes, which makes me wonder if it's difficult for him to grip things. He'll hold his own pellets and treats, but I'm wondering if maybe he doesn't know how to hold the sticks because he's never had them before or can't hold them because of his toes? It's frustrating because he can be gentle and will eat out of my hand, but doesn't seem to want anything to do with me otherwise.  I guess these are my questions/concerns: -Aside from sitting outside his cage and talking to him, is there anything else I can do to bond with him? He's not a fan of getting touched, but will tolerate some of it. I don't want to overdo it on treats either. I know that patience is key for this. -How can I rig wood in his cage to stay still so he can chew? He's chewed on a lava ledge which is stationary, but won't hold a pumice stone to gnaw on it. I think that if I can gerry-rig something, he might chew more. -When it comes to play time, is it better to let him come to me to or should I just take him out? He was so eager to come out during quarantine but was very skittish during playtime to the point where I quit taking him out because he seemed so nervous/scared. I took him out last night and there was some serious objection nipping. Once I got him out, he didn't really want to go back in. This little dude has me all bamboozled. He's just a myriad of contradictions all in a fuzzy little package. Sorry for the novel; I don't know how NOT to be long-winded! |
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Post by dawn on Mar 11, 2009 8:03:03 GMT -5
For Dante my tripod who is missing a front paw and can't hold sticks I use large wood coins, he can hold the coin down with one paw and chews the edges then I flip his coin over for him and he does the other side. For a sketchy chin I would let the chin come out of his cage on his own and surround the cage with a playpen. Put a box near the door so the chin only has to travel a foot or so to get into the box-box with three entrance holes made and put the dust bath in the playpen also and when the chin is used to coming out without fear then I would get into the playpen with them.
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Post by tinam on Mar 11, 2009 9:06:55 GMT -5
They are all different. My Carby shakes like crazy when I hold him, no matter how much I cuddle and sweet talk him and I've had him for over a year. And yet, he'll stand on me during playtime and let me give him skritches through the cage. It's frustrating to say the least.
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Post by puddlesandchubbs on Mar 11, 2009 10:55:17 GMT -5
Puddles wants nothing to do with being held and will tolerate scritches sometimes but then pushes my hand away. I just let her hop out at playtime on her own terms, I never reach in and take her out, I don't know if I could do that. She's really fast!  |
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Post by ♥Pam AB Chins♥ on Mar 11, 2009 12:04:28 GMT -5
Lots of time and patience is the key. he will come around on his own time.
Dawns suggestions are great! Once the boy calms down I find just quietly sitting in the playpen with him will do wonders getting him to trust you.
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Post by mistywaterwoman on Mar 11, 2009 12:08:06 GMT -5
Patience IS key, Lisa - Sally took 2 years to decided to trust me even the teensiest bit. I just let her do it on her own terms. She is still not a huge fan of cuddling or scritches, but she is miles away from where she was when I first got her. My solution was just to love her to bits anyway, but on her own terms. I took whatever affection I could get and prized whatever she gave me, day by day.
Look at Spice, Dawn has had her for what, six or seven years and the poor girl is just now deciding to trust the humans again. You never know what Digit went through before you got him, it could take a long while.
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Post by partygirlha on Mar 11, 2009 12:28:24 GMT -5
I sit in the play pen during play time - I let me boys climb on me so they get used to me. mouse now lets me hold him (but he does put up a fight being picked up). The baby twins still don't want to be picked up. give it time.
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Post by ♥Pam AB Chins♥ on Mar 11, 2009 12:59:49 GMT -5
I don't know if this will help but I am a great believer that chins can read your energy and body language. You need to be really calm and loving around them and use slow relaxed movements. They can tell if you are upset or disappointed in them. Just learning to relax around them and talking calmly to them puts them at ease.
I might sound like a bit of a quack but prey animals are all the same in that respect. Heightened energy will effect them. They need calm and to feel that you aren't a threat. They don't like to be cornered or forced into anything. It needs to be on their own time.
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Post by mistywaterwoman on Mar 11, 2009 13:05:39 GMT -5
That is a very good observation, Pam! Makes a heck of a lot of sense, if you ask me. |
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Post by Jen and her hooligan on Mar 11, 2009 13:26:26 GMT -5
I believe you are right too Pam. I remember when I was so new to chins and facing handfeeding, being soo stressed thinking OMG I am terrible at this and am gonna lose him!!  Then I just said to myself, OK I am doing my best, I am going to just relax, and accept that I am doing the best I can and be hopefull. Only then did things go better. |
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Post by ♥Pam AB Chins♥ on Mar 11, 2009 14:00:46 GMT -5
I've learned a lot working at the Wildlife Rehab center. We have two wonderful ladies there that practise holistic medicine with the wild animals and they have really taught me a lot about how your energy, attitude and body language effect the animals we are working with.
It really only confirmed what I felt about chinchillas and all animals in general all along.
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Post by dawn on Mar 11, 2009 14:58:10 GMT -5
I sent Gino the you eat or you die vibes when he was going through a pissy period of not wanting to eat, vibe sending works too!
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Post by mistywaterwoman on Mar 11, 2009 15:51:16 GMT -5
I think a lot of it is mental, when adjusting to a new animal. If you have problems with them, you just have to make up your mind that you love them regardless, and carry on, and eventually they respond to that.
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Post by Lauren on Mar 11, 2009 16:19:37 GMT -5
I think a lot of it is mental, when adjusting to a new animal. If you have problems with them, you just have to make up your mind that you love them regardless, and carry on, and eventually they respond to that. That's what I've had to do with Berry, Kara. It really works. He has been a total pita for the last 4 years. When I first got him he would kick the ever luvvin' crud out of me. It was so bad my co-workers were concerned that I had begun cutting myself. (LOL) He was wild thru and thru. I just decided that he was going to bond with me and I would love him no matter what. 4 years later, he has calmed down a little and I can hold him without him kicking too much. I still get scratched sometimes but I deal with it. |
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Post by Inked Up Tara on Mar 11, 2009 17:23:07 GMT -5
Slippers has never gotten used to the scritches yet. We can hold him, talk to him, eats out of my hand, but pet him NO NO NO....he makes an awful fuss.
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Post by lisa on Mar 11, 2009 21:50:47 GMT -5
Thanks for all the replies. I have ordered some wood coins from Pet Products By Nature. Thanks for the idea Dawn. I'm chomping at the bit for Digit's dentist appointment on the 19th. I'd really like to know if there is an issue with his teeth. Kara, you're right - I don't know what happened with Digit, which makes me feel so bad for him. He should've be treated like a little prince, not a throw away. He's spoiled rotten now! I'm going to continue sitting with him in the evening for 30 minutes to an hour, just talking to him and simply be there. Chad and I think he may be a bit lonely. We figure if he was housed with 101 other chins, he probably had a buddy (Wish I knew who. I'd bring him home in a heartbeat!). As a result, he'll be moved into the same room as Baz this weekend even though they gave each other death stares that would rival the terminator's. I think I may also have to hit Jen (?) up for a cuddle buddy. It's actually a bit nice not to have to do two play times right now. |
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Post by cloudchaser on Mar 12, 2009 11:01:22 GMT -5
Lisa he sounds like Iago and Esmeralda. I'm still working with them and I have had them since Nov. What I do and has seemed to work great is I just stand there with my hands in the cage let them come to me. Esmeralda would sit on my arm and leap of it but have nothing else to do with me. Now she comes up to my chest gives me whisker kisses (what I call it when she brings her face right up to me but only lets her whiskers touch me.) I still can't pick her up but she is at least sitting in my arms now without biting me. I'm going to start play time again with her and see if it will be a lot better now.
Iago now he is another story he still bites me then runs around comes back bites me runs around. So he is taking a lot longer for me to gain his trust. My husband says its because he is ticked I took away his woman so now he is biting to me get back at me.
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