How do you bond with a chinchilla?

When the chinchilla first arrives, do not rush to bond; prepare a comfortable nest and feed on time. After a while it slowly adapts and learns you are not a threat. Once adapted, hand-feed its favorite foods to familiarize your scent, then stroke its neck and behind the ears.

When it no longer avoids you, open the cage. If it willingly rests on your palm, it is very close; continued contact deepens the bond.