Handling Your Chinchilla

Now that you know what home you should provide your chinchilla, now comes the fun part, how to hold or handle them.

Holding a chinchilla

Chinchillas are more stand-offish pets, like cats for example; so do not go treating your chinchilla like it is a teddy bear when you want to hold him/her.  If you are not doing the hold correctly, the chinchilla will constantly squirm around and in worse cases start making undesirable vocal noises. There are multiple ways to hold them and I will cover them in the most popular to least popular forms. Knowing how to hold a chinchilla is IMPORTANT, as you do not want them jumping free as you risk them getting injured or ending up with dental injuries such as malocclusion, so do hold them carefully and firmly. The best piece of advice is to not be afraid to hold a chinchilla, as they will try to escape if they even notice a weakness in your grasp. So, hold them carefully, calmly, and firmly. 

1) The harness (the best hold)

The proper hold (harness)

The proper way to hold them is what I nicknamed "the harness", but that's not what it is really called. Basically to properly hold your chinchilla, you must: keeping your chinchilla's back close up to your chest, have one hand across the chinchilla's torso like its a seat-belt, then have your other hand under the chinchilla's legs to prevent them from dangling. Dangling feet will cause the chinchilla to be extremely uncomfortable and not having your hand across their torso will allow them to jump free. Also keep their back constantly up against your chest, not crushing them, but just enough to where they won't try to slip out of your grasp. This is the best hold because to them it is the most comfortable and it allows for handy treatments to the chinchilla in the hold such as easily administering medicine. You can also do this hold with the chinchilla's torso up against your chest and have your hand across their back, as if they are hugging you. 

2) The scoop

The Scoop Hold

Almost identical to the harness, the scoop can be used if the chinchilla is starting to feel more comfortable with you holding them. This one is not as effective as the harness but it is easier to do. Basically have the chinchilla on all fours standing on the palm of your hand, then have the chinchilla's side against your chest and have your other hand cupping their other side to prevent them from jumping down. 

3) The tail grab

The infamous tail grab

If the chinchilla is really not having it and you need to hold them quickly, then this can be used. Just do not do this too often and it is not comfortable for the chinchilla, but it is good for making a quick grab. Basically grab the chinchilla by the base of the tail, if it is further down the tail then the tail can fracture/fall off. From this point you can let the chinchilla dangle freely upside down or have your other hand around him/her to secure his/her in place. Again, it is not highly suggested you do this one above the others. 

Chinchillas on your shoulder?

Yes, you can have your chinchilla perch on your shoulder like a parrot. This requires more training than to hold them, but it is totally worth it as it is much easier to transport your chinchilla and look more awesome while doing it too. You can train your chinchilla to do this by at first holding them by the base of the tail and setting them on your shoulder, still holding their tail to make sure they do not jump off. Once they are on your shoulder, give them a treat (dried papaya is an effective one) then set them down. Do this more and more until they sit on your shoulder without holding their tail. Continue giving them treats until they just jump onto your shoulder when you walk near them. Then giver them treats for doing that until they eventually get used to it. Some chinchillas catch onto this quicker than others, so be patient if yours is a daredevil jumper. Some chinchillas do not know that they need to stay on your shoulder and will just jump off anyway, so watch out for this every time you do it. 

How to pick up a chinchilla

This is relatively easy, if the chinchilla is holding still, just cup them up with both of your hands like you are trying to scoop up 2 handfuls of candy with your hands. If the chinchilla is moving, place one hand in front of where they are trying to go then with your hand scoop them up from behind in one swift motion. When you first have your chinchilla this will not be easy, but they'll get used to it soon, just keep doing it over and over until they get the idea.

Overall, it is easy later on to hold and or pick up your chinchilla, you just got to practice and keep doing it until you and them get used to it. 

Sources:

Poli, Miranda. "Holding Your Chinchilla." TIP OF THE MONTH! Chinchilla Chronicles, 2008. Web. 13 Apr. 2016. http://www.chinchillachronicles.com/holding_a_chinchilla.html

EHow Pets Editor. "How to Shoulder Train a Pet Chinchilla." EHow. Demand Media, 2012. Web. 13 Apr. 2016.
http://www.ehow.com/how_2093187_shoulder-train-pet-chinchilla.html