PROPER NUTRITION

Dietary guidelines:

1. Feed your pet a quality commercial Chinchilla food or Rabbit food.

2. Make sure fresh grass hay is available at all times.

3. Limit the amout of treats daily.

4. Do not feed any foods that are not suitable for chiinchillas: foods rich in sugar or fats, sticky foods, and candies--all can cause health problems.

5. Never be fed any feed that has been contaminated by vermin, pesticide, spray, or molds. 

Basic Nutrition

PELLETs: a special food for chinchillas, are small, green rods that are pressed from ground grains and hay.

Feeding Chinchilla

FEEDING TIMES: It is generally known that pets and domestic animals have a very well-defined sense of time, especially as far as feeding times are concerned. I have observed the same in chinchillas. Therefore, it is very important they always are fed and watered at the same time.

THE RIGHT AMOUNT OF FOOD: Young chins up to the age of three months get a half-teaspoonful of pellets morning and evening. Up to the age of six months, gradually increase the quantity of pellets to the portion suited to adult animals.

Young chins get as much hay as they want.

The Importance of hay

HAY: Should be will seasoned and dry. it's especially imperative that it be dry. Rabbit hay that you buy at the pet store is good.

Green Food

Vegetable: For a balanced and varied diet, offer your pet some fresh foods. Again, only in small amounts so as not to precipitated any digestive upset. Always wash, and if necessary, chop them up so that they will fit easily into a food dish.

Treats

 Possible treats included:   

  • Raisins - Just plain old, grocery store raisins are just fine
  • Shredded Wheat - Plain shredded wheat cereal (no sugary sweet side!)
  • Other Treats - There are a great deal of different treats out there for chinchillas.

    Other Healthy Items

CIDER VINEGAR: This is sometimes added to the drinking water of chinchillas who are breeding and do not want to eat, or females who are very weak after they have given birth. The pure cider vinegar helps to create an appetite and so increases the animal's weight. Half a teaspoonful of vinegar should be added to 250ml of water per animal, per day, until the chinchillla recovers.

CHEWING:

  • A small piece of apple or carrot, single raisins, or half a hazelnut or peanut per day.
  • Dried and cut-up rose hips (available in health food stores)
  • Forest plants that are available at the pet shop as a wild plant mix designed for chinchillas.
  • Oats and sunflower seeds are considered a treat as well. 

VITAMINS AND MINERALS: Vitamin C - We always give a weekly vitamin C supplements to help maintain good oral and overall health of our chinnies.  Just feed one tablet a week, the orange (or other fruit flavor) makes the chinnies think that it is a treat!

    Water

    WATER: Drinking water must be provided fresh every day.

    Bad Eating

    There are a number of unsuitable foods for chinchillas, particularly anything sugary. Sweets of all types are hazardous, particularly chocolate, which contains theobromine and has potentially deadly effects on the respiratory systerm. any meat-based products also should never be offered to these rodents, along with fried foods of any kind. Never offer any salted or flavored nuts of any kind, any only offer half a hazelnut or part of a peanut on occasion.