Chinchillas make a variety of sounds. The most common is a "barking" sound that they make to indicate that they're scared and to warn other chinchillas of danger. On occasion, our chinchillas will bark if there's a particularly loud car going by the house or if there's an unusual noise outside.
Other sounds include a soft cooing that might indicate playfulness and comfort. A very quiet chirping can be heard while the chinchilla is exploring a new place. Some sounds will originate from the grinding of teeth, which they will sometimes do after eating. They also sometimes sneeze audibly, sometimes from the fine dust in their bath.
For a better understanding of the sounds that chinchillas make, check out Michael's collection of chinchilla recordings.
Contact and Communication Sounds
Mating Sounds
Baby Sounds
Protest and Defence Sounds
Rage and Anger
Warning and Alarm Calls (barking chins)
Chewing and Gnawing
Sources:
Wikipedia, the Free Encyclopedia
Entries (RSS)
Our chinchilla "Lessie" made a sound we have never herd before tonight. I think we may have frightened her when we came home. Her cage is in our living room where the front door is and we were kinda loud coming in and within seconds she was making this noise, I instantly thought something was wrong so i scooped her up and held her to comfort her, she seemed strangely calm then when i put her back in her cage she made the sound again. Is there something she is trying to tell me?
Actually, Chins aren't nocturnal. Their habits are based around time of day, so be sure to keep them somewhere, where they can tell the change of day, they're most active around times like twilight and dusk/dawn. So don't let someone tell you that they are nocturnal, because they are not.
ummm...i have a question on noise...are they sposed to make noise??? cause my chin is about five months old and he never makes a sound...and i dont think anything is wrong withhim...but is that bad he doesnt talk???
HI LAUREN.
YOU'RE OKAY. IT'S A PERSONALITY-THING NOT JUST A CHINCHILLA-THING. BESIDES, YOUR KIT IS LIKELY TO ONLY MAKE VERY LOW OR SOFT NOISES WHEN SLEEPING OR DURING AFFECTION UNLESS PROVOKED OR ANNOYED.
GOOD LUCK.
NIKKI
Ijust got my chin her name is marry Jane ( she's not green although that would be sortvod awesome) it's my first chin and I hope ican form a nice relationship with it like her just hangin out with me watching some tv I'm wondering if I could train it to come out of it cage if I call it and it will come to me, iknow it's a dog, but ithink it's possible they learn fairly quickly iv been told.
HI ANTHONY.
MY CHIN, ROXY, WILL COME WHEN I CALL HER. IF I GET OUT THE LADDER AND STAND BY THE CAGE CALLING HER, SHE KNOWS THAT IT'S TIME TO GO INTO "HER ROOM" (THE CAGE). IT ALSO WORKS THE OTHER WAY AROUND. I HAVE A GREEN STORAGE CONTAINER UNDER THE CAGE-WHEN SHE GETS ON THE CONTAINDER AND SITS STILL THAT IS MY QUE TO OPEN THE CAGE DOOR FOR HER.
GOOD LUCK. I KNOW THAT THE OLDER ROXY GETS, THE EASIER IT IS FOR HER TO FOLLOW MY QUES.
HI JAIC.
THEY ARE NOCTURNAL SO WHILE YOUR ASLEEP THEY WILL BE RUNNING ON THE WHEEL, CHEWING ON TOYS, OR LITERALLY JUMPING ALL AROUND THE CAGE.
BUT TO SPECIFICALLY ANSWER YOUR Q ""... "make alot of noise durig the night when we are asleep" THE ANSWER IS YES. SOME CHINS MAKE NOISE (DURING THE DAY) WHEN THEY SLEEP.
SIDE NOTE: CHINS ARE HIGHLY SOCIAL ANIMALS. I HAVE 4. I KEEP THEM IN OUR LIVINGROOM AND HAVE MY TV ON A TIMER FOR WHEN THEY WAKE-UP (3:30) AND THEY EACH GET INTO THEIR TV POSITIONS TO WATCH ANIMAL PLANET AND THEN EAT OR DRINK DURING THE COMMERCIALS. ALSO, THEY REQUIRE PERSONAL CONTACT. ALTHOUGH SOME PREFER TO NOT BE RUBBED I HAVE TRIPLETS THAT WILL REMAIN MOTIONLESS WHILE I RUB THEN BY STARTING UNDER THE CHIN OF THE CHIN (LOL).
THEY ARE GREAT AND I MEAN GREAT PETS BUT THEY HAVE NEARLY A 20 YR LIFE SPAN SO YOU MIGHT REQUIRE HOMEWORK, RESEARCH, OR OTHER DECISIONS BEFORE YOU GET ONE OR TWO OR MORE BUT PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE DO NOT BUY FROM A PET STORE. PLEASE TRY TO RESCUE A CHIN OR KIT IN NEED OF A GOOD HOME FIRST.
THANK YOU FOR HEARING WHAT I HAD TO SAY.
NIKKI
As we're on the topic of noise, I was just wondering if they make alot of noise durig the night when we are asleep. Because I'm considering getting one, however, because i will be leaving it in the living room which has a bed room on the other side of the wall, I really need an response to this matter. Thank you =)
haha yea. i got with Nikki. by the way, i love how ur chinchillas watch animal planet lol. but yea, Jaic, u might want to consider another animal if you dont mind some noise during the night. but, u never no, my chinchilla is somewhat quiet, she likes to juump off the walls of her cage, but every chinchilla is different.
i go* with nikki, haha typo
HI JESSICA.
OH AND IF YOU THINK ANIMAL PLANET IS FUNNY, WHEN MY KIDS COME HOME FROM SCHOOL THEY TURN ON NICK, SO THEY LOVE SPONGEBOB, TOO. IT'S CRAZY.
I DO AGREE THAT EACH CHIN IS DIFFERENT. I HAVE 4 AND NONE OF THEM ARE THE SAME OR HAVE THE SAME TEMPERMENT. ONE OF THE TRIPLETS IS SCARED TO JUMP WHILE THE OTHER 3 ARE DARE DEVILS WITH CRAZY VERTICAL SKILLS AND LEAPING ABILITIES. I CALL THEM BY NAME AND TALK TO THEM AS I PET THEM OR FEED THEM TREATS. I CALL THE CAGE THEIR "ROOM" SO WHEN I CALL THEM TO GO IN THEIR ROOM THEY ARE GOOD-FOR THE MOST PART; SOMETIMES CHASING IS NECESSARY.
THANKS JESSICA.