Handling Chinchillas
It should be noted that chinchillas are not well known for their love of being picked up and held. The degree to which a chinchilla will allow itself to be handled depends a lot on their individual personality. Some will always dislike it and do whatever possible to avoid it, others will learn to tolerate it and a few will actively enjoy it. This is partially determined by positive socialisation at a young age and being handled regularly, however each chinchilla's unique personality has a big part to play in this as well.
When you go to view your potential new chinchilla, you'll get a good indication of which category the animal will fall into based on their reaction to being picked up then. (Please note younger chinchillas' personalities are often not apparent until they're older and kits are typically easier to hold).
A chinchilla who is desperately trying to escape the arms of the person holding them will inevitably take longer to tame than a chinchilla who's sitting relatively calmly whilst being held. However please be aware that some very nervous chinchillas will literally freeze with fear, which may be misunderstood for them being tame and calm, then once they become more relaxed at home they may become more confident at showing their dislike for being held!
When you go to view your potential new chinchilla, you'll get a good indication of which category the animal will fall into based on their reaction to being picked up then. (Please note younger chinchillas' personalities are often not apparent until they're older and kits are typically easier to hold).
A chinchilla who is desperately trying to escape the arms of the person holding them will inevitably take longer to tame than a chinchilla who's sitting relatively calmly whilst being held. However please be aware that some very nervous chinchillas will literally freeze with fear, which may be misunderstood for them being tame and calm, then once they become more relaxed at home they may become more confident at showing their dislike for being held!
Handling - The first steps:
The key is not to rush the process as you don't want to scare your chinchilla and them to fear you. Chinchillas have great memories and your initial eagerness to hold them when they're not ready may result in them becoming scared of you for a long time to come.
Getting your chinchilla to approach you
The best way to hold a chinchilla is for them to approach you. Being prey animals this may seem unlikely but chinchillas are very inquisitive and with plenty of patience, many will actively climb into their owner's arms.
To encourage this, sit next to your chinchilla's cage and offer your arm or hand. Try to do this in a way that would allow your chinchilla to easily climb onto you should they want to. Keep perfectly still and wait for their reaction. Please ensure this is done in a safe, secure environment where your chinchilla can't hurt themselves if they do jump off your lap - chinchillas can move very quickly! |
How does your chinchilla react?
A) If the chinchilla is very timid, they might run away and hide. Don't chase them with your hand, just remain there quietly, enforcing the fact there's nothing to fear. You can offer a safe treat if they’re over 6 months, or one of their regular pellets if not, to encourage a positive association with your presence. Particularly in this instance, ensure the room is silent or if you are talking to them, you are doing this very, very quietly. Even well meaning reassurance can seem loud and scary to a chinchilla's sensitive ears. You can also try placing a bit of the chinchilla's dusting powder in your hands to encourage them to approach you and roll in this. Be patient and keep repeating this step until your chinchilla begins to react by either point B or D listed below.
B) Sniffs or nibbles your hand allow the chinchilla to explore you as they wish, remain perfectly still and do not be tempted to pick them up which will startle them. Light nibbling and biting is your chinchilla's way of grooming you, so this is a good sign and nothing to be alarmed of.
Given time, your chinchilla should progress to point D where they feel confident enough to actually climb onto you. |
C) Ignores you this is the most difficult reaction to judge because you don't know if the chinchilla is scared or just not interested by your hand. Persevere to see if your chinchilla shows an interest over different occasions and try offering a safe treat to see if this helps bolster their interest. If after many attempts of trying you are still not getting any reaction from your chinchilla, you can see how they react to gentle petting, as detailed below. If this goes well then you can try picking them up from their cage following the instructions underneath.
D) Climbs onto you this is the most positive reaction and what you want to encourage your chinchilla to repeat going forwards. Therefore avoid the temptation to pick up your chinchilla when they climb onto you, instead allow them to explore you and return to their cage as they please. This is the chinchilla's way of checking if the situation is safe with the security net of returning to their cage when they want to.
Holding a chinchilla is often more them perching on you a bit like a bird would, rather than holding them closely as you might with other animals. Chinchillas don't typically like to be physically held as they panic when they feel restrained, plus they can overheat easily from body warmth.
Letting a chinchilla sit on you rather than wrapping your hands around them may be a different type of handling, but there are many benefits to this. It's rewarding to know your chinchilla is approaching you because they enjoy sitting on your arm, hand or lap, rather than having to try and catch them. When a chinchilla gets into a good routine, you may never have to actually pick them up from their cage as they will always just approach you. This is far more enjoyable and less stressful for both you and your chinchilla.
Holding a chinchilla is often more them perching on you a bit like a bird would, rather than holding them closely as you might with other animals. Chinchillas don't typically like to be physically held as they panic when they feel restrained, plus they can overheat easily from body warmth.
Letting a chinchilla sit on you rather than wrapping your hands around them may be a different type of handling, but there are many benefits to this. It's rewarding to know your chinchilla is approaching you because they enjoy sitting on your arm, hand or lap, rather than having to try and catch them. When a chinchilla gets into a good routine, you may never have to actually pick them up from their cage as they will always just approach you. This is far more enjoyable and less stressful for both you and your chinchilla.
Stroking your chinchilla
After you have persevered with offering your chinchilla your hand, arm or lap to climb onto and are seeing positive results, then you can try to stroke them gently. Offer your hand first so your chinchilla can see you're there, then slowly move your hand to the top of the chinchilla's head and stroke gently. Please remember that chinchilla's are very fragile and you must stroke with minimal force, far less than you would with a cat or dog. Be careful not to catch the chinchilla's whiskers or ears as this may make them jump and be too sensitive for them.
Some chinchillas enjoy a light scratch under the chin, so if your original petting has gone well, you may want to progress to this. Not all chinchillas like to be stroked, some are too timid, wild or ticklish, so don't be disheartened if yours doesn't. There are plenty of others ways you can interact with your pet, such as sitting in their playtime and encouraging them to climb onto you, as detailed above. |
Picking up your chinchilla
Please do not be tempted to jump to this stage if you have not taken the steps above in getting your chinchilla to approach you first. This really is the best way to gain your chinchilla's trust and with a little patience and perseverance has a great success rate.
However if you have exhausted the above over the course of many weeks with no avail, then you might like to try picking your chinchilla up directly. However before attempting to pick your up chinchilla, please be aware of how delicate and fragile they are. You must never handle them roughly or accidentally squeeze them. A recent incident of a chinchilla who was killed when a young child accidentally cuddled them too tightly is a stark reminder of the importance of this. |
How to pick up a chinchilla
The best way to catch a chinchilla is to carefully scoop them up from underneath and bring them to your chest. Wait until the chinchilla is in a position in their cage where you can scoop them up quickly without them being able to run away. As soon as your chinchilla has escaped your attempt to catch them once they will become fearful and increasingly difficult to catch. You want to avoid chasing your chinchilla around at all costs, this will cause them to be very stressed and really fear being picked up in future.
Holding a wriggly chinchilla
- Ensure they can't fall With a wriggly chinchilla it's important you don't hold them from a height, ensure you are seated or have a table beneath them so they don't injure themselves should they escape your arms.
- Away from the sight of their cage You may find holding a wriggly chinchilla away from the sight of their cage means they are more likely to stay still. If the chinchilla can see the security of their cage within sight they may keep trying to jump back into this.
- Hold them when they're less active Being crepuscular, you may find your chinchilla is more wriggly from dusk until dawn. If you try holding them during the day, you may find they're more inclined to stay still as they're naturally less active then.
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- Biting Some chinchillas may display their dislike to being picked up by biting. Ensure that you are holding your chinchilla correctly and not hurting them, then continue to work with your chinchilla to gain their trust. As chinchilla bites can be hard and painful, wearing thick gloves can help to protect your fingers and be able to handle your chinchilla without fear of feeling the bite. Once your chinchilla learns there is nothing to fear and that biting does not get the desired reaction then they should stop this behaviour. You can read more about chinchilla biting and behaviour here.
Picking a chinchilla up by their tail
This method is typically used by ranchers and breeders and can be useful if a chinchilla is particularly difficult to hold or consistently tries to bite. To pick your chinchilla up in this way, hold them firmly at the base of their tail and scoop them up supporting their body with the other hand. You must never lift a chinchilla by the end of their tail as it can break. When done correctly, this method is not cruel or dangerous however due to its nature, it doesn't really encourage a bond between chinchilla and owner and must be carried out correctly to avoid serious injuries. Therefore it is recommended that this is only used when the methods above don't work.