Does your chinchilla bite you when you try to grab it?
Are the bites more like gentle nibbling?
Does the bites come from a very young chinchilla?
Does your chinchilla bite after spending some time in your arms?
In the wild, chinchillas are hunted and killed by predators. The chinchilla’s first response to danger is to run away or try to escape. Chinchillas generally live in rocky areas, so they will retreat to a safe burrow in the rocks if possible. This behavior changes when a chinchilla is in a cage. The confinement of a cage may make the chinchilla believe there is no place to escape. With no escape route available, the chinchilla may bite the threat (often the owner’s fingers). This type of biting is most common if the pet owner tries to reach in suddenly to grab the chinchilla.
Sometimes chinchillas will gently nibble on your hand, arm or fingers. This is a type of grooming behavior chinchillas normally do to each other. Usually, one chinchilla grooms the other for a few minutes and then they trade back and forth. Your chinchilla may gently nibble for a bit and then stop. He is waiting for you to reciprocate. Often you can give some gentle scratches under the chin, between the front paws, around the neck, down the back, or even around the face.
Chinchilla kits are excitable and playful. They’re also keen to explore the world around them, meaning more nibbling and more biting. Many young chinchillas grow out of their bitey phase eventually. All you have to do is avoid reacting and wait.
Occasionally if a chinchilla does not want to be held any longer or has to urinate, he might gently nip your hand a couple of times and may even give a squeak or two. If you ignore these tips, your chinchilla may nip more strongly to get the point across or may have an “accident” in your lap.
If a chinchilla smells an appetizing scent on your fingers, he may take a gentle nibble to “taste” or may bite harder believing your finger to be a delicious treat. This type of bite is not done in fear or anger. To prevent this, always wash your hands before handling your chinchillas.
https://petcentral.chewy.com/an-answer-to-why-chinchillas-bite/
https://lovemychinchilla.com/how-to-stop-a-chinchilla-being-aggressive/
Sreten null
Hi! I’m Sreten Filipović. I graduated from the Faculty of Agriculture at the University of Belgrade, with a master's degree in Environmental Protection in Agricultural Systems. I’ve worked as a researcher at Finland's Natural Resources Institute (LUKE) on a project aimed at adapting south-western Finland to drought episodes. I founded a consulting agency in the field of environment and agriculture to help farmers who want to implement the principles of sustainability on their farms. I’m also a founding member of the nonprofit organization Ecogenesis from Belgrade whose main goal is non-formal education on the environment and ecology. In my spare time, I like to write blog posts about sustainability, the environment, animal farming, horticulture, and plant protection. I’ve also published several science-fiction short stories.
You can find me on LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/in/sreten-filipovi%C4%87-515aa5158/
