Chinchilla is a great alternative to cat and dog. You don't need to walk with a chinchilla, and most of the time it spends in a cage. At the same time, it is a very funny and intelligent animal that can even learn some commands.
Chinchilla Intelligence
Despite the fact that most rodents are not very smart, the chinchilla is quite an intelligent animal. In terms of intelligence, she can compare with a domestic cat. Chinchillas can see well, they are able to distinguish some colors. They also have keen hearing and sense of smell. This opens up wide possibilities of knowledge for the animals. Experienced chinchilla breeders will confirm that the animals know their name, recognize the owners and are even able to get bored if they are not taken care of for a long time. If you let chinchillas go for walks around the apartment, she easily learns to open wardrobes, use doorknobs and get to the most inaccessible places.
Usually, a chinchilla remembers its nickname for no longer than 2 months.
What commands can you teach a chinchilla
The first thing to do after purchasing the animal is to give it a nickname. Until the chinchilla learns its name, it is better not to let it out of the cage. Pronouncing the nickname draws attention to the owner and makes further communication possible. It is better to choose a nickname that contains hissing and whistling sounds - "S", "Sh", "Ch", "Sh".
If you plan to let the animal go for a walk around the apartment, first of all, you need to teach him the command "home" or "into the cage." After the walk, say the command and take the animal to the cage. There should be something tasty waiting for him. If necessary, according to the same principle, you can teach the chinchilla the "walk" command.
The next important command is “to me”. It is pronounced in combination with a nickname. For training, call your pet affectionately and lure him with a treat, repeating the command.
When the animal settles in the apartment, you need to teach him the command "no" - chinchillas are very fond of spoiling the wallpaper and digging in flower pots. The command must be pronounced quite strictly, you can slightly physically influence - for example, quietly push the animal away, pick it up or drag it away from the crime scene. You can combine this command with the command "to me" so that the chinchilla turns its attention to the owner. Ideally, the animal should not only stop the prohibited action, but also run away from this place.
When training, give your chinchilla not regular food, but special treats - dried apple slices, seeds, sugar-free bread and special additives from the pet store.
How to train a chinchilla
Chinchillas are quite capricious and cunning creatures. They are like small children, they need to be brought up from the very appearance in the house, otherwise they will not react to your inhibitions. The principles of training chinchillas are affectionate treatment and constant encouragement. At the beginning of training, you need to give a treat for each correctly performed action, later - for every fifth, and at the end - replace the treat with verbal encouragement. Chinchillas are very good at distinguishing the tone of voice, so praise will also be a reward for them.
