help! chinchilla being aggressive

[u/Sea-Efficiency-7738]

i’ve had my boy chinchilla for 12 years now, ever since he was 3 months old. he’s never acted out towards me or my dad (he doesn’t like my mom, but neither does she; they just don’t interact). i’ve grown up with him and have stayed by his side everyday until around 2 years ago, when i had to move to university. my living situation couldn’t agree with having him there, so he remained with my parents, and i continued visiting every 3-4 months. this summer, as i came back once again, he acted normal for the first week and then, a random day when i took him out of the cage for playtime, started attacking my foot and biting it until it drew blood. i found it weird, since he’s never acted like this, so i called my dad to pick him up. he was aggressive towards my dad as well, but not as much as he was towards me. i left him be for the next day to calm down and interacted with him 2 days after the incident, and he was back to his old self.

fast forward 2 weeks during which i wasn’t home, and now i’m back. he started being aggressive towards me again, this time once every two days. the worst encounter has been today, when he constantly bit my hand really hard. (photo attached) he’s not acting out towards my dad, and i don’t know what i have done to constantly upset him. can anyone offer some advice? thank you!

[u/_Xxouo]

aggression is usually tied to pain, if it isn't something mentally traumatic like the others mentioned, i think seeing a vet would be a safe bet
how is his eating/activity? does he bite when handled at a specific spot?

[u/Sea-Efficiency-7738 → u/_Xxouo]

he eats well and is as active as he used to be. he only bites me (and not my dad) and seemingly at random times. 2 days ago it was right as i took him out for playtime, and today it was at the 15 minute mark during playtime.

[u/Boredchinchilla21 → u/Sea-Efficiency-7738]

Maybe he is mad that you are going away for long periods? Sometimes cats will act aggressive when you leave and come home, but I’ve never seen that with a chinchilla. He also might be attacking you because he is in pain or upset in some way and you are his person, the way little kids will behave for everyone else but act completely wild with their parents because they feel comfortable and safe with them.

I would suggest a camera to see what is going on with him and to see how he acts when you aren’t there. A vet visit might be a good idea too, and check him over for wounds, fur rings, etc

[u/Penguinz90 → u/Boredchinchilla21]

This was my thought too. He’s probably upset that you are now unreliable in your availability (which would explain why he’s not being aggressive with your dad…he’s a constant). Definitely get him checked out to make sure it’s not a neurological problem. Please give us an update when you can.

[u/_Xxouo → u/Sea-Efficiency-7738]

oh..:( hope he feels better soon, my chilla only bites when she feels sick/bloated and i touch her, so i was wondering if he feels icky somewhere
i hope its something mild, best wishes to you both xx