The full moon is waning, thank God! We definitely see a difference in behaviors with the full moon, not only in the chins, but in people as well. Either that or sheer volume of inquiries dictates that we receive calls and emails that are sometimes rather... interesting.

Chinnie behavior during a full moon brings out high energy and sometimes subtle aggression. Just like siblings who occasionally have tiffs, chins have their differences too. One way we manage squabbles is with a-- no kidding-- timeout cage. The chaser is placed into a small carrier within the regular cage. This keeps everyone safe, but still in communion. We find that a night in time out is enough to regain the previous harmony. 

For this reason, it is also important that groups, especially males, have a place they can retreat to. Those silly little ceramic "dusters" with the ears is a perfect solution to allow a respite. 

As for human behavior, I'm going to bring this post to a screeching halt to add my latest pet peeve: We are a home-based rescue and as such are open by appointment. We are NOT a pet store.  We do not "sell" chinchillas. Our job is to ensure that each chin(s)  goes to a home that is fully equipped to offer them a better environment than the one we currently do. 

With that being said, we have, and will deny adoption to those who do not read our adoption contract and are not completely prepared to receive them. Non emergency phone calls before 9am or after 8:00 pm will NOT be warmly received as I question the competence of anyone who will make this kind of judgement error. 

If you don't already have a suitable habitat, we offer complete cage setups available for purchase that are much, much cheaper (not to mention chin-ready) than anything available in a pet store. 

Catharsis. I'm better now. Thanks. :)

Baby chinchillas are adorable. 

But there are several reasons why we don't advocate seeking specifically to adopt baby chins. First, the nature/nurture debate is most obviously on the side of genetics when it comes to chins. We've seen way too many examples of chins who simply grow up mean, no matter how much loving kindness they receive. Like people, some chinchillas are just plain jerks. 

With adult chinchillas, the personality characteristics are already developed and apparent. An adult chin who is naturally friendly and inquisitive can only get better with attention and proper handling. Chinchillas with behavior problems are more likely to turn their owners off rather than endear them...which can lead to neglect.

Our goal, therefore, is to help introduce chins with compatible new owners. We encourage folks to visit and interact with the available singles and groups and not be romanticized by the idea of owning a special color or cute little baby. Only by interacting can one truly get a feel for another living creature. Who knows? You just may be the person some of our "problem chins" have been waiting for.