I'll admit my anti pellet opinion is not a common one, but fresh hay is REQUIRED for optimum health, nutritional, intestinal and dental. I have had a situation with my male where he was prescribed force feed food. Be it pellets and hay/pellets, forage and hay or forage and hay only. I feed vegetation based treats along with vitamin C & calcium treats. Thank goodness his constipation wasn't anything serious and cleared up, literally, the day of his vet visit. Alix, don't feed your chin lettuce! Well I have a fairly new chinchilla .,, I named her Makilla she is so full of life. I also picked up some screw in bolts with wingnuts, similar to what they use for "leaping ledges" This way i could customize the shelf size to fit the entire width of their cage. Don't give your chinchillas nuts, sweetened treats, fruits or vegetables. However, there are a few things to keep in mind when feeding pistachios to your chinchilla. You can give them occasionally unsweetened shredded wheat or unsweetened cheerios. It turns out, like broccoli, kale produces sulforaphane which produces hydrogen sulfide in the gut. For some reason salt helps the body retain water, or something. You claim that your chinchilla has chewed on electrical cord, plastic and other stuff that is not safe, but he's okay. Watch feces, most will be hard and black, soft or brown is time to adjust diet to mostly Timothy hay. You are doing great by providing pumice as they need to keep their teeth trimmed and thus us s great way if doing so. Some animals just don't like being picked up. I just believe that it is not difficult to provide PROPER care for pets of all kinds, including a safe environment and healthy diet. Her poor chinchilla probably hates it's life! If everyone does this the companies will be forced to manufacture in countries with higher standards. Just my opinion Im not a chinchilla expert but I think some chinchillas are different from each other and mabie one likes one food but the other will not. My chins love them! If feeding the above listed flowers or their leaves, make sure you're not feeding flowers picked from fields or areas that are routinely sprayed with any pesticides or other chemicals. I am not saying no, because I have not done much research, but I would start by looking up sulforaphane and its effect on the digestive system of chinchillas. I also have a water bottle on the s De of his cage. A better option would be raisins, apple slices, cranberries, or other small pieces of fruit. (Ligustrum genus) For example, the banana chips re probably coated in sunflower oil, the pineapple, papaya and dates probably coated in some sort of nasty sugar (Simply because of how they are dehydrated) Freeze dried is best. You could do that but probably the best food for chinchillas is oxbow chinchilla food. Fresh greens like spinach, basil, arugula and red lettuce are good if your chin eats them (most love basil), and fresh blueberries are a good treat every several days. Their diets does adapt quite abit but the most important thing they need is hay, well and of course chunks of wood to chew. He's in a rather small cage, but I let him out often for excersize. We have also spent a lot of time either side of his surgery having to hand feed him 4-5 times a day. # Banana. to keep your chin safe, take all plastic out and replace with kd pine ledges. ALWAYS look at sugar, carb and oil content. If you want to go off pellets entirely, you need to research feeding and start up on forage, either fresh or dried. Is that alright? But if it makes ya feel better, yes rats will eat pretty much anything, as will several other rodents (including the killer rabbit for Monty Pythons Holy Grail). But, make sure you provide your chin with timothy hay everyday. Kim. My wife and daughter call them Nibbles and Static, however I nick named them Thing 1 and Thing 2! Chinchilla's are not pets for the faint of heart. Very sad. We are so set on providing our loved pets with all the nutrition they need in a convenient pellet form. A chinchillas liver can filter out high sugar or fat content which can lead to liver damage over time. If they start to loose weight. Constant tooth checks are also a good idea. any advice I know broccoli is a no no, so one would assume kale is the same. Is it just Apple that has been dried? That will make a happy chin! They also don't contain enough fiber or carbohydrate for your chinchilla's gut . You don't give them stuff humans snack on. depending on which type is being left in your chinchilla's food dish you will want to use your own judgement and what you feel is safest for your pet. Also with treats, are they a little young? No oatmeal cookies or anything sweet! Bryan, I wouldn't suggest giving your chin citrus fruits such as oranges or lemons. :). I need to look that up, but I know a salt and sugar mix is used in humans. I know he travels alot, but I am lucky in that he is local to Vancouver. Fizzysweete Just make sure there is plenty of hay for your chin at all times. (Benefits/Risks), Can Chinchillas Eat Nuts? Most nuts and seeds are safe to offer as a treat but could be avoided altogether due to their high fat content. What are you saying is Apples not good for them I had run out of feed and gave them an Apple and Ban.and carrots until I can find a store around here that has food for them, Please come t to my reply,I have never run out of feed and they are not no stores around here that has any not even Walmart I try to buy a month supply I have had them about 1year they don't seem to be eating oats or ban.or carrots what should I do, get them timothy hay, they can survive off mostly that, that is the main thing they eat, Timmothy hay should be their main food source, the list said bananas are ok but theyre not, bananas should be avoided at all costs. how many times should i feed it a treat? But is lemon juice safe for chinchillas to eat? I hope this helps you with your chinchilla! I agree with Katherine. I would also suggest not giving a chinchilla Iceburg Lettuce! my friends mother gave their chinch a whole one, and latter that night found the cinch dead. You should never ever feed your chinchilla any fruits or vegetables raw or dried, no nuts., and thing like wheat germ & cereal should only be given when constipation occurs. I have a chinchilla and he loves dry/fresh fruits and vegetables which you can get at the grocery store in small or large sized bags for cheap. Kim. Also a solid steel wheel is great for exercise. Most nuts contain large amounts of fats and oils, which are harmful to chinchillas [3]. I finally told her to stop it and took over. Im worried about my little guy. I personally have seen chinchillas who have lived to be 20+ years old, they were never feed junk, just quality hay and pellets. I will let them have unsweetened cheerios and unsweetened shredded wheat. Raisins have a moderately high sugar content. Ingredients Note that I said INCLUDED, not sole source. Perhaps look into bottled spring water. Stacy, I wouldn't allow my chin to eat peanut butter sandwichs. The fiber content is also good for chinchillas, as it helps to keep their digestive system healthy. They are great!!!! I believe grape is ok, but I would double check on that one. Leaving pellets and hay cubes available at all times is fine. He went about exploring but stopped by my garbage can and seemed VERY interestsed in my popcorn bag (no i didn't let him have it, and have since my garbage to a desk behind me) :), Kupcak, some people gives their chins air popped, popcorn with no salt and butter. They have floating teeth so if they cannot grow into their mouth, they will grow outwards. Chaos and Copper came from a home with a dozen chinchillas, so they eat like little pigs :) they have more of a hay diet as the rest, because I am still trying to get the girls away from the junk, but doing this too fast results in them not eating. Chin's livers cant filter out high sugar and fat contents. When they're out running, always leave home open as they're safe house. January 20, 2022 by John Eppler. Thanks in advance =). I have been reading that sweet fruits can be harmful to a chins digestive tract. Sound like you took them from an awful situation. My ledges simply go the entire width of the cage. The girls like to climb on us, play "king of the hill" on our head, and occasionally run up a blue-jean pants leg. I used to feed mine slivered almonds, then I saw some people saying they were bad for them. The most common vegetables that chinchillas can eat are lettuce and tomatoes. i do whatever it takes to take care of them if you r really desperate i will take him!!! i love when i get up at 4 am for work she is looking at me so sweet waiting for her morning treats,funny thing is after her treats she gets on her wheel and runs for a min or so lol. I am located in Vancouver, Canada, and I really need a 'great' home for him. If a chinchilla eats too many pistachios that contain aflatoxin, they could become sick or even die. Replies to my comments One of the best treats for a chinchilla and can be offered daily. This is very important. Also, I will occasionally give a raisin but any food that is considered to be "wet" I will not give as they are very prone to diarrhea witch can kill them. It can cause liver damage in the long run. All he needs is timothy hay, chin pellets, and wood toys to chew on. associated with feeding pistachios to chinchillas, they can still be a part of their diet. Sadly, humans and especially chinchillas, are not safe from the deadly effects of round-up (tm), I just received an unexpected gift from God! The wild ones doens't live of off pellets and hay, and guess what, the domesticated chinchilla is still a chinchilla. It tells you how many mg. of fat and sugar is in the cereal. Danielle, your chin will be fine. you guys are way to sensitive about your chinchillas! You can buy wooden sticks or lava blocks at petsmart for your chins to chew on safely to prevent this. But you need to keep an eye on your chinchilla when it eats large amounts of food it's not used to. One person said wood does not help their teeth and only hay does, obviously the "expert" with a TV show doesn't know what he is talking about because a tree branch is very similar to hay in its' structure. Plain Shredded Wheat: safe, just make sure it is unfrosted, and give in moderation. However, pistachios are high in calories and should be given in moderation. He also loves the carrot, corn, & alfalfa slims. It's just a question of reading up on it. I feed my chinchilla Timothy pellets and Timothy hay once a day. They need to use dust bath to clean their fur as their fur gets oily at times. Avoid anything with sap in it. She is not sick or anything, my chinchilla well she is very odd. KALE CAUSES GAS AND BLOATING On occasion the girls will pick dandelion leaves as well. Their teeth are constantly growing and they have to keep those teeth filed down to eat. is. He literally LOVES green apples!! I have heard of people feeding kale to Rabbits, but as anyone who knows anything about Chinchillas will tell you, Rabbits and chinchillas have different digestive systems and rabbit food will cause serious digestive issues with Chinchilla's. Water and dark leafy greens may also be a part of their regular diet depending on what you choose. She holds it close to her chest. What fruits can chinchillas eat? Sometimes critters chew on food items but don't actually Eat them, that could be a reason it's sold as a treat? Chinchillas CAN eat the following, however only the top two can be given in unlimited quantities! After being flamed by many for my anti pellet stance on facelessbook, I started a page called Chinchilla Health. Don't give your chins lots of sweets or raisins. I am not complaining about the cost, just pointing it out. Try to stay with chinchilla pellets, alfalfa hay and maybe once in a while some dried banana chips. Fun Feeding Facts Explained What Do Chinchillas Eat | Kidadl 1/2 each just once a month. A chinchilla liver cant digest fat.