How do I tell how old my chinchilla is?

Chinchilla noise?What is he trying to tell me?

• Recently my chinchilla, Larry, has moved into my room. I've had him for awhile and he seems to be a quiet one. Last night he was making this noise, it sounded like a weird squeaking noise and he did it continuously until i turned on the lights ( this was at 3 in the morning). I have never heard him do this before. What does it mean? He was sitting on top of his house so he obviously not stuck, people told me that it might be he wants attention, or he was scared, or he wanted out of his cage. Does anyone know the real reason they do this?

• Answer:

  Whenever a chin hears or sees something unusual and it doesn't know what it is, it responds through a sequence of short and loud warning calls (up to 15 at a time). This typical warning call sounds like barking. I think, in wild life this sound is used to alarm the entire group. A chinchilla thats been moved often makes use of that sound, because there's lots of strange noise in its new environment. However, during the time, when the chin gets used to its new home you will hear this sound rather rarely. Chinchillas have a very sensitive ears. For instance, if a car door shuts somewhere from a distance, we human don't realize that noise, because we got used to it too much. However, a chinchilla may go in fear of that noise because it sounds so strange. Occasionally, you can hear a chin barking while it is sleeping. Usually, it makes just a few croaky/hoarse shouts then. I am sure chins do dream! I think they sometimes even have nightmares.