Fav spot under bookshelf

Sleeping Cheerio ...

Snooze corner

Snooze box

Fav out-of-cage snooze spot

As today is a very cool day, she is at this very moment snoozing on a mat just next to me, as above. She's getting used to me now as I'm getting used to her. She likes her little pats and scratches on her head, ears, below her chin. Her ears are ragged off at the edges from previous lesions. The roughness is being smoothen out by the ear cream, and new fur is growing out around the ears. She let me snipped off some matted balls of fur around her head and upper back. Will get the rest done at groomer.

Matted fur

Last night when I carried her into her cage before we went out, she threw a tantrum. Hopping mad about the cage for a few minutes, pushing her hay holder about, gnawing on the metal bars. Certain moments, she was on the hammock, head hanging off slightly and teeth clamped over the metal bar ... looking quite a sad sight. "Let me out.....", she showed very clearly.

So when we got back, we let her out for her much-loved freedom. The cage door is now open for her to go in when she likes. For food and water. But her fav spot is still under the bookshelf.

Freedom. As all animals love. The free will to come and go as you please. To eat when you like. What you like. How you like it. To live with whom you choose. In a habitat you are born for. To vocalise and be understood. To live fully and to leave only when it's your time.

It has been good learning about Chinchillas. The immense variety of creation always amazes me. Reading is beneficial. But nothing beats a real live animal teaching you all you wish to know about their kind. I'll treasure this time with Cheerio. For now, I will give her the freedom she enjoys. And I will expect that from her new owners too.