calcium supplements necessary? [questions about our lil chin]

we just got a little chinchilla [6 months old] and we were wondering if it's necessary to feed her calcium supplements.. and if we have to, where can we get such supplements?

also, our little girl is on the timid side and she's especially fond of hiding in her little mushroom hideaway when we open the cage door to play with her. she's only been with us for three days so i think she could still be adjusting to her surroundings.. but we're kinda worried because she sometimes seems to undergo moodswings. we tried stroking her while she was in her shroom and she suddenly shivered, the poor little baby. but when she did exit her shroom, she got rather active and even used our hands as platforms to hop up and down on. after this bit of progress though, the same thing happened the next night. she seems a little more tolerant of us. she'll stay still while we stroke her and sometimes she'll even doze off! is she just shy? or should we be worried?

thanks from our darling and us in advance!

Generally speaking supplements of any sort are not necessary. I've had chins for seven or eight years now (can't remember seems so long ago) and my chins have always lived on a very basic diet of hay and pellets. They get a raisin or dried cranberry as a treat once a month or so. That is pretty much their entire diet.

If I read your post correctly, your chin is new to its home. I would suggest that you give her time to adjust before trying to handle her. When you play with her let her dictate terms of contact. Put your hands in the cage and let her come to your hands. Chins are generally very curious creatures she will come to investigate. Give her time to build trust before you try stroking her. Remember that chins are prey animals and their predators are geneally birds so things coming from above and behind them make them very nervous.

Feel free to drop me a pm if you have more specific questions.