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Old 12-28-2016, 12:27 AM  
cypher
Dwarf whisperer
 
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Join Date: May 2014
Location: Wales UK
Posts: 24,789
Default Re: Zylvan, another new man in my life!

Thanks guys but I'm not to sure about progress now as we've had a bit of a set back.
While he was quite happy mooching about in his cage, sitting in his sand bath or running in his wheel the first few evenings & if I spot him coming out for food in the morning he'll take his treats through the mesh the last few nights he's not been coming out until I turn the lights out except on Christmas day when he came out for his chicken then went back into his house fairly quickly.
So evening before last I opened up his house & coaxed him up through the mass of tissue (it's filled to the top & almost completely buried in typical Chinesey fashion!) to take a treat then left him alone.
Yesterday I did the same thing for a little bit longer & this morning he was still running in his wheel when I got up so I put my hand in the tank & he was really, really nervous, poor little guy.
Before that when I put my hand in the bin he was nervous but would stop to grab a treat before running back to his house or at least sniff my hand but this morning he just froze then sat in his sand bath for ages before very slowly making his way back to his house.
So now I have a bit of a dilemma, either I leave him be in the evenings & hope he starts to come out earlier again which I suspect is doubtful & I can't get into his house for spot cleaning or to get him out for taming without really upsetting him or the other option is to take his house out & maybe put a big bendy bridge in it's place so he can still have a nice nest but I can get to him easier & possibly coax him out more easily.
This is very similar to what happened with Zeki, he was out and about early & happy to come to me the first few evenings then started getting up later & later, I pretty much left him to it & the taming process took much longer than it should have done so I'm inclined to think the bendy bridge idea might be best even if it stresses him short term it may help long term but still a bit undecided….
Any thoughts?

ETA I'm really not sure if this a more of a male chinese type behaviour tbh, he's only my second male & I seem to do fine with the girls so it's possible I guess.
I've been doing the tissue trick since he came home & he's used to me sitting by the cage talking to him so he should be used to both my scent & voice by now.
I've got a taming/play bin ready for him & I think if I can get him out without upsetting him totally he might do better.

Evidently all is not lost, he just got up for breakfast about an hour later than usual but did take a few treats through the mesh as normal before legging it!
I was a bit devious & got half a dog biscuit, rubbed it all over with a crock complete & left it by the mesh.
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Slave to Zak.
Always loved, never forgotten, forever in my heart
T'ycor, Ziggy, Zephyr, Flynt, Mickle, Little Whisp, Zen, Zeki, Tinwë, Zylvan, Míriel, Calyanwë, Gusto & Meri
❤️

Last edited by cypher; 12-28-2016 at 02:16 AM.
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