Hello all! My name is Sandra and I am a first time chinchilla owner! I got Hermes from a breeder here in California. He was 12 weeks when I got him, and I have had him for about a month. He is amazingly social and warmed up to my boyfriend and I within a day or two. I know there is a lot of trust to build, but I feel really positive about the bond we have so far.
My main question is about playtime. I wasn't going to let him have playtime right away, but when I would open the cage to clean it or interact with him he would immediately climb into my hand, up my arm, etc or jump right out into my lap. So, we began doing short spurts of playtime outside around his cage. The area is chin-safe. He was curious at first, just exploring with cute little hops of joy here and there. Now, he has begun running laps around the room and doing amazing wall bounces. He can now make jumps of about 1.5 feet, so he is becoming quite athletic. I just worry if he is too young for so much exercise? Usually around 6pm I take him out for about 15-20 minutes of running and jumping cuteness.. Then he has taken to falling asleep under his cage in the back against the wall. While he naps, I clean his cage, refill food and water, etc. Then he wakes up for another 15-20 minute session before jumping back into his cage for a snack.. Then konking out again. This has become our nightly routine. Is this okay for a chin so young? He typically sleeps until I go to bed, but clearly wakes up sometime in the night because by morning his cage and toys are all in disarray again.
I guess the reason I am asking, is my boyfriend feels that the only time our little chin is happy is when he is out of the cage playing with us. To him, he is always in the cage sleeping or just sitting and staring (unless we come over to talk while perks him right up). I just wonder if the inactivity in the cage is due to him number 1 being a baby who is still growing and needs lots of rest, or number 2 him getting tuckered out from the playtime outside the cage.
Please advise. Thanks!
My main question is about playtime. I wasn't going to let him have playtime right away, but when I would open the cage to clean it or interact with him he would immediately climb into my hand, up my arm, etc or jump right out into my lap. So, we began doing short spurts of playtime outside around his cage. The area is chin-safe. He was curious at first, just exploring with cute little hops of joy here and there. Now, he has begun running laps around the room and doing amazing wall bounces. He can now make jumps of about 1.5 feet, so he is becoming quite athletic. I just worry if he is too young for so much exercise? Usually around 6pm I take him out for about 15-20 minutes of running and jumping cuteness.. Then he has taken to falling asleep under his cage in the back against the wall. While he naps, I clean his cage, refill food and water, etc. Then he wakes up for another 15-20 minute session before jumping back into his cage for a snack.. Then konking out again. This has become our nightly routine. Is this okay for a chin so young? He typically sleeps until I go to bed, but clearly wakes up sometime in the night because by morning his cage and toys are all in disarray again.
I guess the reason I am asking, is my boyfriend feels that the only time our little chin is happy is when he is out of the cage playing with us. To him, he is always in the cage sleeping or just sitting and staring (unless we come over to talk while perks him right up). I just wonder if the inactivity in the cage is due to him number 1 being a baby who is still growing and needs lots of rest, or number 2 him getting tuckered out from the playtime outside the cage.
Please advise. Thanks!
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