Chinchillas have a ton of personality.
And they show it in some pretty funny, and often bizarre, ways.
They’ll let you know when they’re happy, when they’re angry, and even when they’re depressed.
That’s right, chinchillas can get depressed.
But what about jealousy? Do chinchillas get jealous, too?
Keep reading to learn if chinchillas get jealous, what makes them jealous, and what you need to do when jealousy rears its ugly head.
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Do Chinchillas Get Jealous?
Yes, chinchillas can get jealous. Introducing another chinchilla or changing its environment rapidly may cause jealousy.
You might witness your chinchilla displaying odd behaviors when jealous, such as fur pulling and acting much more anti-social than usual.
Don’t worry.
I do have some recommendations for dealing with this, along with some additional information you’re going to want to know.
That’s what the rest of this post will encompass. We’ll cover chinchilla jealousy, how to recognize it, and how to handle it.
Being able to recognize specific attitude changes and behaviors will ultimately make you an expert at proving the best care possible for your chinchilla.
Understanding Chinchilla Jealousy
Chinchillas can certainly get jealous, much like any other family pet, including cats and dogs. In fact, they may even get jealous of those two pets, if you have one or both in addition to your rodent.
The truth is, chinchillas and cats can be problematic in a number of ways.
So why do these little creatures get jealous?
Chinchillas are social pets, and they form strong bonds with their owners. Over the course of time, they adapt to routines and adjust to their environments.
When you create a major shift in this routine or in the amount of affection you offer your chinchilla (or another pet), it’s 100% possible that your chinchilla could get jealous.
The behaviors your chinchilla might display can vary, but here’s a quick snapshot of some of the humorous and/or frustrating behaviors your chinchilla may exhibit when it becomes jealous.
Typical Behaviors Of A Jealous Chinchilla
Jealous chinchillas might exhibit one, or both, of the following behaviors. Of course, it could very well be that your particular chin does something completely different when it gets jealous.
Fur Biting
Fur biting occurs for several reasons with chinchillas. A major one is stress.
However, after running a quick poll with other chin owners on online communities, and witnessing this behavior myself, I think it’s safe to say that jealousy can certainly spark this behavior as well.
Poop Throwing
Yes, unfortunately, jealousy or frustration from a chinchilla can result in it grabbing those hard-little poop pellets and tossing them around.
Unfortunately, if your chinchilla is jealous, this behavior could last for quite some time, considering they poop over 250 times per day.
I don’t think your pet will be running out of pellets to throw anytime soon. In other words, get out the shop vacuum!
And don’t worry about it bothering your pet. Chinchillas like vacuum cleaners just fine, if they hear them regularly.
Try To Keep A Jealous Chinchilla Happy
I’ll be honest, the type of behavior you see from a jealous chinchilla is something that concerns me, mainly because this is a different attitude to witness and can indicate several things.
I don’t like being in situations where I don’t know exactly what’s going on with my chin.
In these situations, where you believe your chinchilla is frustrated or jealous of a second chinchilla, be sure to interact with it to keep it happy and socialized.
Not doing so could result in the situation getting worse or in you dealing with a potentially depressed chinchilla.
Nobody wants that.
If the behavior persists, don’t hesitate to speak to a vet to ensure something more serious isn’t taking place.
Time Will Pass And The Jealousy Will Fade
Naturally, running a blog based on chinchillas allows me to interact with chinchilla owners daily.
My own experience with chinchillas, in addition to wise individuals who have taught me plenty, has allowed me to afford you one piece of advice on this topic.
The jealousy will pass, if that’s, in fact, what’s going on.
Chinchillas can have quite the attitude at times or can even be more “mean” when they experience change or something they weren’t quite prepared for.
In most situations, jealousy will only occur after introducing a new chin.
Proper bonding and compatibility can often take weeks to accomplish.
Even once you have established the bond and can now successfully place both chinchillas together, it does not mean that the first chinchilla won’t exhibit some jealous behavior when out for playtime.
The behavior could be the cold shoulder or even some light nipping on your clothing out of anger.
Don’t worry about it, and don’t let it bother you.
Simply ensure you keep providing good care and keep showing love and affection towards your chin or chins, and you will be just fine.
Remember These Few Tips
Chinchillas are unique in the way they decide to behave sometimes.
One of the big keys is to never to assume you understand what’s going on, if you have made a change in your chin’s life.
It’s easy to jump to a conclusion a write something off as jealousy, anger, or playful behaviors, but make sure you keep an eye on the behavior and the situation for at least a few days from when you begin noticing it.
I haven’t personally run into a plethora of concerns with my chinchilla over the first few years.
At first, I thought I knew what was going on with everything and that I knew it all.
It wasn’t until turning to others with more experience that I truly began to understand what was taking place with my chinchilla.
In plain English…
Trust other chinchilla owners, trust friends who own chins, and trust resources and communities online to help guide you if you notice significant shifts in your chinchillas attitude or behavior.
Chinchillas Getting Jealous: Final Thoughts
Overall, chinchillas are one of the easiest pets to own and care for. Not to mention, they are also one of the cheapest pets you can own (not to brag).
However, you always need to remember that chinchillas are extremely intelligent. They can definitely give you a run for your money with their attitudes and behaviors from time to time.
If you believe your chinchilla is acting jealous, treat it like you would treat a 2-year-old child.
Give it what it wants.
There is no point in disciplining a chinchilla. It won’t understand anyway. They want to interact with you, and they love it when you show affection.
Give them that and watch the jealousy disappear.
Your turn to add value to the Planet Chinchilla community.
Listen, while I’m one of few that take the time to share my journey with all of you, I’m certainly not the only person knowledgeable on this topic.
In fact, many chinchilla owners often teach me valuable lessons on specific topics.
Don’t let this be any different.
What’s your experience with a jealous chinchilla?
What caused the jealousy, and how did you handle it?
How long did it take for the jealousy to go away?
Be sure to share your thoughts, stories, and concerns by dropping a comment below.
As always, Chili and I appreciate you stopping by and reading. Thanks again, and we will see you next time.
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