6 Signs of a Happy Chinchilla
Chinchillas are adorable little animals, who far more intelligent than most people believe. As long as you are being observant and using regular daily routines, you will be able to learn all the different cues your chinchilla will use to communicate with you. Each chinchilla is different and has its quirks and personalities, but most chinchillas share common behaviors to let their owner know what’s going on in their cute little mind.
If you are a chinchilla owner, you might be wondering if your chinchilla is happy with the life you are providing them. Lucky for you we made a list of the following behaviors that are commonly associated with a chinchilla who is content and happy. It’s important to remember that all of these happy behaviors won’t be exhibited at all times. Your chinchilla has to rest and go about its daily lives too, so don’t be too discouraged if you are not seeing your chinchilla jump for joy every time you peek in on them.
Believe it or not, your chinchilla can wink at you! And no, your chinchilla is not trying to make a pass at you. Chinchillas rarely blink, which gave them an advantage in the wild when keeping an eye out for predators. So, it is completely normal for your pet chinchilla to only blink two or three times every ten minutes. This adaptation makes the winking behavior in chinchillas all the more interesting. Many experienced owners believe that winking is a sign of a content chinchilla or they are acknowledging you. Think of a chinchilla wink as a form of greeting or a smile. It means they are calm and everything is going well in their little world.
Wall surfing is exactly what it sounds like. Your chinchilla is running up the walls because they are excited. This is the behavior known as zoomies for several other animals and it is pretty easy to interpret. If your chinchilla is running around their cage fast and bouncing off the walls, it’s pretty safe to assume they are happy and playing around.
This wall surfing behavior is more likely to be exhibited at night since chinchillas are nocturnal and tend to sleep during the day. Therefore, don’t be surprised if you are woken up in the middle of the night by an excited and happy chinchilla.
Chinchillas are popcorning when they either jump straight up on all four legs from a standing position or when they run quickly back and forth kicking out with both their front and back legs. Most of the time this behavior looks like they are the kernel of popcorn popping in a pan, hence the name popcorning. Just like wall surfing this behavior is pretty easily interpreted as a happy one. Chinchillas may also make soft repeated squeaking sounds as they popcorn about.
Popcorning is more commonly seen in younger chinchillas but can be displayed by a very happy adult chinchilla, as well. This happy behavior is also more likely to be observed at night when your chinchilla has the most energy.
The tail wagging behavior is mostly displayed by male chinchillas when they see or catch the scent of a female who is in season. This behavior can also show up when your male chinchilla gets excited to see you or even a stuffed animal in their cage. A male chinchilla will swish its tail from side to side while curling and uncurling it. Tail wagging can be quite adorable and is often thought to be the mating dance of chinchillas.
Smiling is not a behavior and more of a look that some chinchillas get when they are getting scratched or interacting with their owners. Chinchillas can look like they are smiling and extremely happy when you are scratching under their chin or giving them a few pets. A smiling chinchilla will squint their eyes and bring the corner of their mouths up making the face we humans associate with happiness and contentment. This endearing behavior is pretty easy to understand and means that the chinchilla is happy and likes whatever is going on at that moment.
Nibbling
Chinchillas nibbles can be interpreted in several ways but one of them is affection. If your chinchilla does a series of light little nibbles, this is them communicating affection and love. Chinchillas also nibble when they want to be left alone to go about their business. These nibbles are a little harder but not considered a bite because they are just trying to tell you to let them down because they are done being handled and have other things to do.