Some good treats for your chinchilla:
- Pears
- Green apples
- Apricots
- Raisins (no more than 3 or 4 a week)
- Blueberries
- Grapes
- Cheerios
- Plain Shredded Wheat
What foods are safe for chinchillas?
“The only human foods that can be given to chinchillas are plain cereals like Cheerios and shredded wheat, or basic rolled oats,” says Bunk-Hatch. “They should never have fresh fruits, vegetables, or other human snacks." Why Trust The Spruce Pets?
What is the best food for chinchillas?
- 75% hay
- 20% feed (pellets) and mixtures of food
- 5% fruit and vegetables
What vegetables can a chinchilla eat?
What fruits and vegetables can chinchillas eat?
- Apple
- Carrots
- Sweet potato
- Kale
- Parsley
- Strawberries
- Pears
- Dandelion greens
- Celery
- Blueberries
Are chinchillas easy pets?
These cuddly creatures are frequently ignored as excellent pet options as some people might have misconceptions regarding how easy or difficult it is to keep them as pets. Chinchillas are easy to maintain as pets, and are suitable for beginners because they are low maintenance, easy to clean, and don’t require much space.
What do you feed a newborn chinchilla?
Start providing hay and pellet food as early as 2 to 3 weeks. If pellet food and hay are available to your baby chinchillas they will pick at them and start eating them gradually. Start offering these solid foods in addition to their milk diet once they are 2 to 3 weeks old.
Do baby chinchillas need Alfalfa hay?
For baby chinchillas Alfalfa hay has those extra nutrients young chinchillas need to grow, which makes it the perfect hay for chinchillas under a year.
How long do baby chinchillas stay with their mother?
8 to 12 weeks oldKits typically are left with their mother until they are 8 to 12 weeks old. They depend upon her for care and protection. They also learn behaviors and some socialization skills from her. Males should always be separated when they reach 8 weeks old and moved to a separate cage.
What should a chinchilla eat daily?
Your chinchilla should always have hay available. Pellets should be plain, hay-based pellets, with no seeds, nuts, or dried fruit. Pellets should be measured, and most adult chinchillas should get about 1-2 tablespoons per chinchilla per day.
Is orchard hay good for chinchillas?
Chinchillas require a high fiber diet and should be offered grass hay (such as Timothy hay or other low calcium hays such as orchard grass, oat hay, or meadow hay) free choice (available 24 hours a day).
What is the best bedding for chinchillas?
Comfortable Bedding Options for Pet ChinchillasCell-Sorb Plus, Sun Seed Fresh World, and Yesterday's News. These kinds of bedding are other types of recycled paper beddings available to pet owners. ... Kaytee Total Comfort. ... Kaytee Soft Sorbent. ... Lifemate Hemp Bedding. ... Fabric. ... Corn Cob Bedding. ... Pine Shavings.
Do chinchillas get attached to their owners?
They tend to be affectionate, curious and social animals that can bond closely with their owners and generally like to be held close and cuddled.
What human food can a chinchilla eat?
Chinchillas need around a tea spoon a day of fresh greens. Fruits are only to be given as treats as they are high in sugars. Chinchillas can eat small amounts of fruit such as: Apples....The following vegetables can up make the majority of a chinchillas' core diet:Carrot.Kale.Alfalfa.Celery.Potato.Sweet potatoes.Squash.
At what age can you sell a chinchilla?
Never take a chinchilla away from his mother until he's completely weaned. By the time a chinchilla is somewhere between 12 and 14 weeks old, he should be ready to say goodbye to mom and leave for his new life in a new home.
Can chinchillas have pea flakes?
Exotic Nutrition Pea Flakes are a healthy all natural treat for small animals such as Chinchillas, Prairie Dogs, Guinea pigs, Sugar Gliders, Degus, Skunks, Backyard Chickens, Rabbits and other pets.
Should I free feed my chinchilla?
When feeding hay, it should be free fed. It can be placed in a hay rack, in a bowl, on the shelf, or in some sort of container. One good rule of thumb is to give the chinchilla a large handful of hay every day. If the chinchilla eats all of the hay, more hay is needed.
Can chinchillas eat only hay?
Your chinchilla is a herbivore, which means he eats only plant material. Grass hay should be the high-fiber cornerstone of every chinchilla's diet. The fiber in hay helps meet the important digestive health and dental needs of herbivores such as chinchillas.
Is Alfalfa or timothy hay better for chinchillas?
Chinchillas enjoy a variety of different types of hay, though some are more nutritious than others. Timothy hay is the best type of hay for chinchillas, though alfalfa hay is usually sweeter and richer in certain nutrients.
Which timothy hay is best for chinchillas?
Kaytee Natural Timothy Hay is our pick for the best overall hay for chinchillas. This brand features high-quality, single-ingredient timothy hay.
What can chinchillas have for treats?
What treats do chinchillas like? Small amounts of dried fruit and root vegetables, such as raisins, sultanas and carrots. Some sources recommend nuts and seeds as treats but you must bear in mind the high fat content in those.
Do chinchillas bite?
With no escape route available, the chinchilla may bite the threat (often the owner's fingers). This type of biting is most common if the pet owner tries to reach in suddenly to grab the chinchilla. Chinchillas have long and extremely sharp front teeth. A bite can be severe, deep and painful.
What are some good treats for chinchillas?
Common healthy treats for Chinchillas are Rose hips, non-frosted Shredded Wheaties, Old fashion rolled oats, Alfalfa hay, and an array of chinchilla safe herbs.
What do chinchillas chew on?
As a Chinchilla chews on their hay they grind their back molars together keeping them short and trimmed.
Why do chinchillas bloat?
Excess moisture in their food will lead to bloating. Bloating is a hazard because chinchillas can not relieve themselves of any gasses, meaning without intervention they can pass from buildup. Nuts + Seeds are high in fat. When a chinchilla is fed a diet high in fat they become prone to ailments like fatty liver disease.
Can you feed a rabbit pellet to a chinchilla?
If you can get these 3 things together, you'll have a healthy well-nourished chinchilla. A quality pellet can be made specifically for Chinchillas or you can choose to feed a high quality rabbit pellet. A lot of the pellet selections sold at the pet store are not "quality pellets". In fact, they're junk food riddled with fruit, nuts, fillers, ...
Can you use compressed hay for chinchillas?
Or you can purchase compressed hay cookies for your chinchilla. Choosing any of these will greatly reduce the amount of hay-dust in your home that may be affecting your allergies. Treats. While it can be nice to treat our pets, something important to understand is that it's mostly for us.
Do chinchillas need sugar?
Fruits + Vegetables contain a lot of natural sugar in their natural and dried forms. Pet chinchillas do not need this excess sugar. This excess sugar can resort in your Chinchilla becoming ill. Diabetes, hyperglycemia, and hypoglycemia are all risks when feeding a sugary diet.
What is Critical Care Food for Chinchillas?
Critical Care Food for chinchillas is a nutritionally complete, high fiber Timothy hay-based recovery food in powder form. In addition to Timothy hay, it is supplemented with oat groats, soy beans, wheat germ, electrolytes and stabilized vitamin C.
When to Feed Critical Care to your Chinchilla
Chinchillas who aren’t able or willing to eat their normal food should receive Critical Care Food.
How much Critical Care Food you Should Feed your Chinchilla
The amount of Critical Care given to chinchillas is based upon a variety of factors including weight, age, condition, if they’re eating other foods, how often you are feeding them, and what your veterinarian suggests.
How To Mix Critical Care Food
Follow the directions on the package to determine the amount of water required to mix the Critical Care Food powder.
How To Administer Critical Care Food to your Chinchilla
Depending on why your chinchilla needs Critical Care Food and how receptive she is to it, there are a few different ways to administer this life-saving superfood:
How Long Does Oxbow Critical Care last?
Depending on the size of your animal, how much you are giving her and the size of the package, one pouch of Critical Care Food will last anywhere between three and eleven days of continuous use.
What Type of Pellets is Suitable for My Chinchilla?
Chinchillas live on a simple diet comprising of the best chinchilla hay and a small amount of 1-2 tablespoons of high-quality grass-based pellets.
What Treats Can I Feed My Chinchilla?
Chinchillas can eat carrots, raisins, and sultanas as treats but only in very small amounts!
Can Chinchillas Eat Grapes?
Grapes should be avoided as they contain too much water and can give your chinchilla diarrhea.
Can Chinchillas Eat Carrots?
Chinchillas can eat carrots but make sure they are chopped up into smaller pieces.
Can Chinchillas Eat Rabbit Food?
Chinchillas cannot consume food meant for rabbits, as the two animals have different dietary requirements. It is better not to give rabbit food pellets to your chinchillas.
Can Chinchillas Eat Guinea Pig Food
So, can a chinchilla eat guinea pig food too? Chinchillas cannot consume food meant for guinea pigs, as the two animals have different dietary requirements. It is better not to give rabbit food pellets to your chinchillas.
What Do Chinchillas Eat in the Wild?
WARNING: Do not feed your chinchilla foods that wild chinchillas might eat. Chinchillas’ diet is quite different and can result in making your pet seriously ill.
What do chinchillas eat?
What do pet chinchillas eat? Chinchillas require a high fiber diet and should be offered grass hay (such as Timothy hay or other low calcium hays such as orchard grass, oat hay, or meadow hay) free choice (available 24 hours a day). Hay should be the main component of their diet.
Can chinchillas eat treats?
Can I offer my chinchilla treats? As a rule, chinchillas don't require treats, although an occasional offering of various fresh, low calcium green vegetables or an occasional piece of high fiber fruit (such as a slice or apple). Do not offer any people food without checking with your veterinarian first.
Chinchilla food options
So, for a chinchilla to have healthy digestion and be free of illnesses like dental disease and digestion troubles, you need to choose the best chinchilla food that is healthy and appetizing. Some common options for food items that every pet chinchilla owner needs to keep their chinchilla safe and healthy are listed below.
Feeding amounts
Along with the quality of good that you feed your pet chinchilla, the quantity is just as important. The pets need chinchilla vitamins and nutrients like Omega-3 fatty acids, folic acid, nicotinic acid, vitamin C, natural vitamin E, and many more through adequate nutritional content.
Make feeding fun
To make sure that your pet eats food properly, you need to make the feeding time fun. You can do this by understanding how a chinchilla behaves and using that to your advantage.
Treats
Now, let’s talk more about the healthy treats that you should feed these exotic animals. As you know, chinchillas are very sensitive animals, so you need to be very careful with what you feed them. They can easily get an upset stomach and have a limited capacity for digestion.
Hay supplementation
The diet that you choose to feed your chinchilla should mostly contain hay. Thankfully, nowadays, there is a variety of hay available so that you can choose the hay type that your chinchilla loves the most.
What fruits and vegetables can chinchillas eat?
Fresh vegetables and fruits can occasionally be fed to your chinchillas, but only some of the fruit and vegetables your chinchillas’ digestive system can bear. So here is a list of fruits and vegetables that you can feed your chinchillas.
What treats do chinchillas like
Keeping in mind that chinchillas can’t eat fatty food, there are some treats that they like that contain fat, but chinchillas love them.
What are the most important things a chinchilla needs to thrive in captivity?
One of the most important aspects is chinchilla food and diet. Without proper nutrition, chinchillas can develop serious health problems and even die. 1. Diet: wild vs domestic.
Why do chinchillas eat caecotrophy?
Chinchillas partake in caecotrophy to absorb the maximum amount of nutrients from their food. The caecotrophs are nutrient dense which is why the chinchillas eat them. If you see your chinchillas performing this process, don’t be alarmed as it is perfectly natural for them to do.
How big do chinchilla teeth grow?
This means that their teeth never stop growing. In fact, chinchilla teeth can grow upwards of 12 inches or 30 centimeters in a single year.
What is chin pellet?
Chinchilla pellets are typically alfalfa or timothy based with added vitamins and minerals. When buying food for your chin, it’s important to steer clear of pellet mixes. These mixes often have additives such as seeds, corn and dried fruits.
What is the best pellet for chinchillas?
Remember you should buy plain pellets, regardless of what the brands or pet store employees to try to tell you. Oxbow is a great choice because it is high in fiber and low in fat, two crucial parts of a balanced chinchilla diet. It is alfalfa based.
What to do if your chinchilla is indigestion?
A treat in controlled amount will ensure that your chinchilla remains happy and healthy. If you ever notice your chin having indigestion or diarrhea problem, do not hesitate to bring the pet to a vet. 6.
When do chinchillas sleep?
These rodents are crepuscular and nocturnal. This means they are most active at dawn and dusk, and sleep during the day. Dawn and dusk are also their primary active hours where you can let them out of their chinchilla cages. This will be the best time to hand feed your pet, or reward them with their favorite chinchilla dust bath .
Proper feeding of chinchilla pets
In terms of diet, let’s begin by saying these animals are herbivores and thus, don’t require any meat supplements in their diet. Just as with other exotic animals such as iguanas or parrots, people often make mistakes in the diet of their chinchilla pets and it can lead to health problems.
Feeding hay to chinchilla pets
As we mentioned above, the diet of this animal must be based mainly on hay given their digestive physiology. This is because they require a large percentage of fiber in order to maintain adequate intestinal motility.
Commercial feed
We must point out that many pet guardians mistakenly feed their animals commercial feeds only. Indeed, these are necessary to their diet, although in lower amounts. No more than a fifth of their total diet, which is about an ounce daily.
Candy, vegetables, and chinchillas pets
Chinchilla pets require a limited supplement of fruits and vegetables, so about 5% of their total should be enough. Professionals recommend adding fiber by incorporating leafy greens such as chard, spinach, arugula, and also fruit like apples.
How to support chinchillas?
If your chinchilla will not keep their head still, you can support their jaw by placing your fingers either side, or by gently holding both ears back together with one hand, whilst ensuring both the neck and body are supported .
What to do if your chinchilla is not eating?
If your chinchilla is unwell, not eating properly or losing weight (which is a definite sign of illness) then you will need to hand feed critical care, as well as administer any medicines prescribed by the vet.
How to get a chinchilla out of a cage?
Lift your chinchilla from the cage. If your chinchilla is not used to being handled, you may need to gently guide them to an area of their cage where it’s easy to scoop them up and they can’t run off.#N#You do not want to be chasing your chinchilla around with your hands as this will scare them further. You can try putting their sandbath in, covering the hole once they are inside and lifting them out in this to make it easier to catch them.#N#If your chinchilla is very wriggly you can hold the very base of their tail (not the tip) to secure them. Never squeeze your chinchilla around the middle, they are very delicate and ribs can easily break.
How to keep chinchillas from hurting themselves?
Place a large towel or blanket out flat on the floor. Ensure this is done in a secure, safe, area so that if your chinchilla does manage to escape they will not hurt themselves. You can do this within their playpen if you don’t have a chinchilla proof room.
Can you hold a chinchilla burrito in your arms?
Once you have your very own chinchilla burrito, you should now be able to hold them in your arms without wriggling, ready to administer any medicine or critical care following the guides below.
