Why Is My Chinchilla Not Playing?

Why Is My Chinchilla Not Playing: Playing with your cute Chinchillas will always strengthen your bond with them. Chinchillas always enjoy playing with toys and as well as with owners sometimes, but if your Chinchilla is not playing all the way with the toys, that means there is something wrong with the chinchillas. We must investigate it about their problems. If your Chinchilla is not playing with toys, then a poor toy selection or rotation might be the primary cause.

Chinchillas are finicky, and they get bored quickly. Keeping a constant rotation of toys to keep them engaged is crucial. If your Chinchilla is in pain, they’ll not enjoy playing either. Your Chinchilla may lose interest in playing if they are in shortage with their toys. Chinchillas are very selective, and they also get bored very soon. So keeping that in mind, you must remember to change their toy supply regularly.

Can Chinchillas Get Depressed

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Why Is My Chinchilla Not Playing?

It would help if you also kept an eye on their health conditions. If they are ill, they will be interested in playing. As Chinchillas are prey animals, they are very good at hiding their pain. Naturally, your Chinchilla start becoming less energetic as they start growing older. With the downfall of the energy level, Chinchilla become less interested in performing any active activity. You should always consult a vet when you notice any changes in your Chinchillas behavior as it can also lead to some health issues.

Read: Chinchilla Popcorning Or Jumping

Why is my Chinchilla not playing anymore?

Chinchillas lose their interest in playing with their growing age. They will turn out to be less active as time moves on. But it is a gradual process and not an overnight thing. If you notice a sudden change in your Chinchillas behavior, there is something wrong with them, which you should investigate. It could be a mental or physical problem in chinchilla for their sudden change in behavior. If you find your Chinchilla not playing or not moving around, but is healthy, it is likely to be a physical illness. If the chinchilla is ignoring all types of contact, then it could be going through an emotional phase in his or her life.

Some common reasons for a Chinchilla not wanting to play include:

Chinchilla Gets Boredom: It may be possible that your Chinchillas get bored very soon with the toys in their cage. When they get bored with their toys, you should replace their toys with the new one.
Frightening To Humans: When two Chinchillas share a common cage, the dominant one will try to claim the toys, which will take away the enjoyment of the other.

Stress in Chinchilla: When your Chinchillas are not comfortable with their present surroundings, they might get stressed. And Chinchillas are not good at handling stress in themselves.
Physical Illness: With their growing age, your Chinchillas can become less energetic, and their muscles also deteriorate. Your Chinchilla can suffer through arthritis in the rear legs or any other health issues.
Other Reasons: If your Chinchilla is going through any other health issues, it affects every aspect of life. Depression could be a major problem as well.

A Chinchilla avoiding to play doesn’t conclude that they cannot come back to their natural behavior. Once you are successful in detecting the problem with your Chinchilla, you can help them return to their natural behavior

How do Chinchilla like to play?

Chinchillas are fond of playing, but they are particular as well. If you want them to enjoy certain games, you will need to act in the following manner:

You should not force your Chinchilla into their playtime against their wish. If they would need playtime, they will come and play with you. So instead of forcing them for your want, you should wait for their call.

Chinchillas always want to get social care, so we will advise you to be involved in their playtime whenever possible. It will also help in improving the experience of your Chinchillas.
As Chinchillas are prey animals, they are much more comfortable on the ground than being held up. So try to keep all their playing activities on the ground itself.
Chinchillas enjoy tearing things instead of creating, so if you can provide them something like cardboard, they can enjoy hours with that as they like to tear things apart with their paws and teeth.

From the word ‘noise,’ we don’t mean loud noises as they can get scared by loud, sudden sounds. But they like to enjoy noisy toys, especially with the ones they can play around.
Chinchillas become less energetic with their growing age, so they need proper exercise to maintain their health and avoid certain types of health issues.
Chinchillas are not intelligent than humans, but that does not mean that they are stupid. They always accept the chance to bend their cerebral muscles.

Do Chinchillas play with humans?

Yes, Chinchillas are very fond of social attention. They will enjoy playing with you if you have a healthy bond with them. But in case if you don’t have a good bond with your Chinchillas, they will be uncomfortable in your presence. Once you are successful in making a bond with your Chinchilla, they will start enjoying your presence, and you can also involve yourself in their playtime. We will advise you not to play with your Chinchilla until and unless you share a good bond with your Chinchilla. They must enjoy the time around you and should not be in constant stress.

Once you develop a good relation with your Chinchilla, they will start enjoying your company, and then you are free to play with them.

Can Chinchillas Stay Home Alone

How often should I play with my Chinchilla?

You can play every day with your Chinchilla if you share a good bond with them. But you must remember not to play against their will. If they are in no mood to have playtime, then kindly do not force them as it might upset them. Chinchillas always like to make their own decision as they do not want to be forced.

If you try to force them for playtime, then there are chances that they might be upset form you, which can also affect your bonding with your Chinchilla.

What games can you play with your Chinchilla?

You should know what your Chinchillas enjoy playing. Let us learn about some fun games you can play with your Chinchilla:

You can play this game by rolling a small ball to your Chinchilla. They will most probably pass it back to you.
Chinchillas always be on the lookout for rewards. They enjoy digging and searching for food. So you can hide fresh fruits and veggies in their hay. But you must surely remove all the uneaten food before it turns moldy.
If your Chinchilla can move freely, you can put barriers in their path, which will be an adventure for them to cross. They will enjoy figuring out how to pass them. For this activity, there is no need to purchase any expensive toys. Any safe household items can do well.

Chinchilla always soft and rhythmic human sounds. So if you are going through a book or newspapers, try to read it aloud so that your Chinchillas can understand that you are addressing them.
If your Chinchillas discover a noise, they will have the curiosity to find out the source of the sound. If the toy is small in size for them to toss around, they will try to interact with it.
You can purchase or make a tunnel for using safe household items for your Chinchillas as they will love running through it.

Some Chinchillas like being chased, but many Chinchillas who do not take it as a game as they get scared. Most of the Chinchillas even like chasing, though. Go a few steps back, and call your piggie. If they come running after you, that means they enjoy chasing. You can play this very often with your Chinchillas.
You can place yourself on the ground and permit your Chinchillas to use you as a jungle gym. You will be amazed to know how long this can entertain them.

There are many other games you can play with your Chinchillas to keep them fit and healthy. Just remember to follow all the rules for playing with your Chinchillas. Try not to wrestle, and do not handle them in a wrong manner.

How do I know if my Chinchilla want to play?

Chinchillas understand their own minds, and they will let you know when they want to play. Some actions they do when they want to play are as follows:

If you find your Chinchillas running around your feet, it means that they are glad to see you and want to play with you. You can then get involved in their playtime.
This is very similar to the child who wants you to pay attention to them. Chinchillas, by doing this, indicate you to play with them.

You can believe that this is your Chinchilla misbehavior, but on the truth is that they do it when they are very excited and want to gain your attention.
If your Chinchillas are playing with their toys, that means they are in a happy mood. At that time, they are more likely to enjoy playtime with you. That can also be an excellent time for strengthening your bond with your Chinchillas.
If your Chinchillas find nothing to play with during their floortime, they will find any other household items and start playing with that to keep themselves busy. At this time you can offer them playtime with you.

You must know that Chinchillas are more active in the morning and during the dusk. As at these times, they wake up in an active mode and are most likely to play.

Chinchilla Playtime Based on Age

Keep in mind that playtime is not required for chinchillas with below 6 months of age. Chinchilla with above 6 months not required much time to be in the play ground.