| Communicating |
| If your chinchilla: Pulls it's ears back and crouches down He/she is afraid or nervous. Twitches its whiskers forward, ears errect on the top of its head, possibly on hind legs He/she is very curious about something. Jumps up, gripping the side of the cage with its paws for a short while then drops down Your chinchilla wants attention and has discovered a new game. Stands half-errect He/she is expecting something to happen. Sniffs you, makes a frustrated sound, then bites you Your chinchilla is frustrated about something you did and will probably hold a grudge until the next rasin! Bites another chinchilla in an angry way and begins to fight Your chinchilla may be bored or angry. Distract the chinchillas and get more things for them to play with. If the fighting continues seperate the two chinchillas. Eats Calmly and happily Your chinchilla is at ease in its new home. Eats nervously, covers the food bowl intentionally while eating and won't let you take the bowl for cleaning Other chinchillas are probably stealing this chinchilla's food. Buy seperate food bowls and put them on seperate shelves to solve this problem. Squeeks sharply while you are petting him/her Your chinchilla feels threatened by your hand when it is coming from above, as a chinchilla's natural preadators are mostly birds. Scratch your chinchilla under the chin and behind the ears instead. Jumps all over the cage without stopping at a lightning speed Your chinchilla wants to be let out!!! Grinds its teeth at you It is annoyed by you; it wants to tell you something. |