Naughty chinchillas

Sometimes, it's sad to see my chinchillas in the cage. Being nocturnal, they are active (hyperactive, really) during the night. I had tried letting them out for a run at around 1, 2 am, oh man, there's not a moment when I could just leave my eyes off them! They just couldn't stop chewing anything that will harm them, the corners of walls mostly and cables! When I shooed them away, they would just dart to another part of the room to chew sometime else.

I had tried to put them in a exercise ball, (the clear plastic type where the chins is being enclosed inside so they can roll about in the room), but I think that they felt trapped and got nervous and start to poo a lot, and worst of all, they didn't move more than a few inches, which defeats the whole purpose. Another thing about the exercise ball is given their luxurious coat of fur and the weather(oh, I live in Singapore, and the fan is on for them almost 24 hours a day), that they may feel hot inside, and get heat stroke. Maybe I will get them a exercise wheel sometime, or maybe not, after all they are not hamsters.

And recently, they have taken to chewing the metal cover of the fan, I thought. But on a closer look, they are actually licking off their fur that got stuck on the grilles(time to wash the fan again) Argh, and I think they actually eat the fur, eeeeh, anyone knows why they do that? I know that they sometimes 'recycle their poo'. I had a shock when I first saw them doing that and thought it was some really bad habits but a friend later explain to me it's normal as there maybe still nutrients and her pet rabbit does that too. Guess its some survival instinct thingy that they'll always have, which it is not a bad thing after all.

Do your chinchilla do this??

yes, I have been trying to catch Duffy at this for several weeks now. It had been months since I saw him 'resting' in such a pattern. This used to be his favourite place(under the TV console)and pose when he got tired?/ moody? during playtime. He would just lie there, sometimes for long period of time, until I can't stand it anymore and 'have to' disturb him. I thought chinchillas don't do that! Pictures of chinchillas always show them in hyperactive, engaging mode. Oreo, my other furry rascal never do that(lay on the side) out of the cage. The only times I saw him lying on the side, with his hind legs cross, looking as dejected as possible, was when playtime was up and he had not have enough fun. Even then, he will not do that for more than a few minutes. They really have very different personalities even though they are brothers(Duffy's the elder one)

When chinchillas 'wag' their tails..

it means they are irritated!

I have always wondered why my chins 'wag' their tails sometimes.(Unlike dogs, their tails moved in horizontal motion, like sweeping the floor). After observing them for a period of time, I can conclude that they 'wag' their tails when they feel irritated(cats do that too).
Once, during playtime, for whatever reason, Oreo wagged his tail and started to chase Duffy allover the room,non-stop, ready to fight. Poor Duffy, he got tired and had to hide. They also wag their tails when I touch them too much(in their opinion) or when they hear some noises that they are sensitive to.