My chinchilla isn't friendly. How can I bond and stop biting?

Question

I got Dikta about 3 months and I am somewhat wondering how to get her to like and interact with me? The only time she really approaches me is if I have a small treat or my hands smell nice. I cannot pet her without her trying to pee on me or bite me (I've already been bitten once). I really want to get her friendly. I've been trying to slowly get her used to me but it's not working. What can I do? Pet's info: Small Animal | Chinchilla | Female

Miranda Sadar, DVM, DACZM · Accepted Answer

I am sorry to hear that things are not going ideally with Dikta. Chinchillas can be a bit standoffish, and some of them are not very cuddly. However, let’s see what we can do so you don’t get bitten it peed on as much (if at all). If she likes treats, you may just need to keep making all of your interactions positive through the use if them use caution with treats, however, as many of them have dairy, fruit, or sugar in them and are not healthy for chinchillas. To avoid getting bitten, you can also feed her with feeding tongs, and this will put you further from her which may make it less intimidating. As far as training with her, keep it positive. She sounds like she may be nervous around you, and intimidated, so just keep giving her pieces of food (can even be her pellets if she likes those) whenever you are near her. Don’t try to touch her yet, just the treats until she is coming up to you anytime that you go by. Then begin to approach her by small amounts, and if she doesn’t move away, give her a piece. Then you can continue moving closer and closer over time. Remember to be patient, as this can take a while. I hope that gives you a place to start, and thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach!

My chinchilla isn't friendly. How can I bond and stop biting?

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