This post contains affiliate links and I will be compensated if you make a purchase after clicking on my links. Dont make sudden changes in their diets as it can upset their stomach. Long-tailed chinchillas are primarily herbivorous. This is usually the case for cats and chinchillas, which can be stressful for you as a pet owner. As you know, chinchillas are very sensitive animals, so you need to be very careful with what you feed them. Instead, they prefer to nibble at their hay or grass. Monitoring your chinchillas' diet. Chinchillas can eat a wide variety of natural food like hay, vegetables, dried fruits, nuts, berries, dried plants, and herbs. Eggshells are rich in calcium and, as such, theyre an excellent source of nutrition for your chinchilla! Made in USA; On Sale; Up to 25% Off: Select . Answer (1 of 2): It is not so much that they are 'fragile', but have different habitat requirements than we are used to. Chinchillas in the wild tend to consume most of their food early in the morning and late at night. The Chinchillas are often described as adorable, but they're also Is your chinchilla looking a little too plump? It should be bright green and smell fresh, or else it can be harmful to your chinchilla. These exotic animals need chinchilla food pellets every day, a well but in a much more controlled quantity. You can just grab little bits of a few things and make a little sampler jar! Chinchillas can consume a wide variety of human foods, most notably vegetables, fruits, seeds, nuts, and grains. It is also better to distribute the food all over the cage to make it fun and much healthier for the domestic animal. You shouldn't have a chinchilla in the same house or at least keep your chinchilla in a separate room. 2.6 No Sudden Dietary Changes. However, if you are allergic to hay, this is a great option as it greatly reduces the hay dust in your house, which reduces the allergic reaction that you might have to the hay. Indigestible bedding, such as wood shavings, also can cause obstructions. Chinchillas have an extremely sensitive digestive system as we have already mentioned in this article. So the treats that you choose to feed them should be given only occasionally. The diet that you choose to feed your chinchilla should mostly contain hay. Similarly, pet chinchillas should be offered food twice a day but may consume food throughout the day, as they tend to eat more slowly than other small animals such as rabbits and guinea pigs. The chinchilla's pellets should be put in a food bowl, and they should be given fresh pellets every day. A few hamster owners were concerned that their buddies would have trouble eating it because of its size and shape . On top of this, wet cat food has a tendency to stick around in the digestive tract for long periods of time. Cats are carnivores (meat-eaters) whereas chinchillas are herbivores (plant-eaters). If you want to give your chinchilla some treats, then these should be carefully selected. Its important to know how much food you need to offer your chinchilla each day in order for them to be considered healthy. Answer (1 of 2): Why would you want to do that? Specific Substrate Needs. One of the Pocket Pets Forever is a website for lovers of pocket pets. One of the questions we were asked recently was whether Chinchillas were territorial and we felt compelled to delve into this subject a bit deeper and provide you with some more useful information How Often Should Chinchillas Have Dust Baths? So here is a list of fruits and vegetables that you can feed your chinchillas. On the flip side to this, if your chinchillas have more phosphorus than calcium in their diet then this can also, cause health problems with muscle development, bones health and growth. Please talk to your vet for a detailed diet plan that suits the individual needs of your pet. Two such posts that we have recently published are. When cared for and fed properly, chinchillas can make great pets. Timothy hay should be offered in unlimited quantities so your chinchilla can graze and feed on it continually throughout the day, again, more on the exact amounts of food to offer your chin each day later in the post. Feeding adult chinchillas too much alfalfa hay can cause obesity and even calcium stones as the level of calcium and other nutrients is too high and out of balance. Foods You Can Feed to Your Chinchilla as Treats Include: Rope Hips are considered one of the healthiest treats you can offer your chinchilla. No, Apples should not be given on regular basis to Chinchillas but Chinchillas can eat Apples but only in moderation. Can Chinchillas Eat Hamster Food? Also, as with people, some chinchillas may not react well to all foods so give new items in small amounts. This is because rabbits require higher amounts of protein than chinchillas, which is reflected in the content of their food. Yes, cats do attack chinchillas as their rodents, which they see as prey. Dried Herbs. Hay which is sweeter and has more nutrients, should be mostly given to young chinchillas and only occasionally to adult chinchillas. Find & Download the most popular Chinchilla Animal Vectors on Freepik Free for commercial use High Quality Images Made for Creative Projects. and always check to see if the fruit is recommended for chinchillas and what quantities it should be offered in. Do you see that furry animal? Hamsters vs. Gerbils: Whats the Difference. Here is a breakdown of the nutrients your chinchilla needs in their diet and in what percentages. Chinchillas require a diet high in fiber and low in fat. Chinchillas are South American rodents that have continuously growing, open-rooted teeth to compensate for the wear that occurs from chewing on very abrasive, high-fiber grass and hay. The bottom line is, chinchillas dont need treats, but if you feel bad or want your chinchilla to be happy, then you can give them treats occasionally. Much like many other rodents, a chinchillas teeth continue to grow throughout their life, so they need food that will help to stop them from overgrowing. They need to have variety in the boring food they eat while also getting all the nutritional requirements met. Limit fruits and sugary vegetables (e.g., carrots) to <1 teaspoon/day. . First, rabbit food is not a complete diet for a chinchilla. Dried fruit is often preferred to regular fruit, this is down to the fact that dried fruit offers much less water (which is considered bad for chinchillas) as well as increased levels of other nutrients such as fibre. We ship to everywhere in Canada, and can deliver your package right to your door! Unlike cat food or dog food, this will contain many of the nutrients that a chinchilla needs to stay fit and healthy. Chinchillas with these signs should be examined immediately by a veterinarian to have the lodged material extracted. What is more, this intelligence defines how much they will learn about their, Read More Are chinchillas Smart? Humans have food, and chinchillas have hay. For this reason, we have chosen to list the most common greens and veggies that owners often choose to feed their chinchillas and that we can validate are safe using veterinary sources such as the. You also need to make sure your cat has a mellow personality to lower the likelihood of it attacking your chinchilla. Those leaves, while not as pretty as daisies, are a healthy and natural food source for your chinchillas. This is because chins can get ill if they are exposed to large amounts of water on their fur. nuts and sunflower seeds need to be avoided. They can also be found in mixed dried dandelion mixtures, which can include dandelion leaves, flower petals, and even roots. But if you want to own both of these pets, the question running in your mind right now is, do chinchillas get along with cats? With this being said, as an owner, there is one nutrient that you will notice your chinchilla seems to need more than anything elseand thats fibre. However, in this list are food items that you should absolutely not feed your chinchilla and if you do, then going to a vet is the best course of action. Semi-dry foods consist of dried milk and grain. So, excessive feeding can lead to diarrhea and urinary problems. Why You Shouldnt Feed Cat Food To A Chinchilla, The Risks Of Feeding Wet Cat Food To A Chinchilla, Can Chinchillas Eat Pretzels? As such, its best to look for a reputable brand of dry food made specifically for chinchillas. Learn more about their diets, below. Following this diet routine is to make sure your chinchilla doesnt turn into a malnourished animal. You can also feed them a mixture of all these hays. You have to be very careful with what you feed these animals, so here are some food items that you should never feed your chinchilla. Because of this, its a good idea to keep their diet simple and stick to their base diet as much as possible and only add the foods that are needed to keep your chinchilla healthy. You should also provide them with a dry food that has been specifically designed with chinchillas in mind. By Laurie Hess, DVM, Dipl ABVP (Avian Practice). For these two pets to live in harmony with each other, patience and constant supervision is necessary. Just like all other animals, chinchillas need good quality food to survive. This cage features a plastic and wire mesh construction with a built-in wheel and hideout. Chinchillas have a rounded ears, plump furry bodies, short legs, and long tails. Loose mixes may be nutritionally balanced while in the bag but only if your chinchilla eats all of the parts of the mix. For instance, chinchillas were observed eating " Puya berteroniana ", a type of succulent plants . However, its still possible for these two pets to get along, but this doesnt mean that youll find the chinchilla cuddling on the lap of your cat.if(typeof ez_ad_units != 'undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[300,600],'smallpetshq_com-narrow-sky-1','ezslot_14',179,'0','0'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-smallpetshq_com-narrow-sky-1-0'); Yes, cats and chinchillas can live in one house. In this post, we will share the foods your chinchilla should be eating on a daily basis, how much they should be eating as well as what foods they need to stay away from. [4] You can buy hay at most pet stores or online. By doing so, youll be giving your cat and chinchilla ample time to get used to each other behaviors and smells. I'm the main author of Pocket Pets Forever. They eat all sorts of different plants . If you dont have at least a basic understanding of chinchillas dietary needs, then there is the potential they could become seriously ill as they have extremely strict dietary requirements. 2.3 Raisins. Raisins and dried cranberries. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Some owners are allergic to hay, so what should they do? This includes plenty of fresh green leaves and hay. hay, fresh vegetables, and pellets should still make up the majority of their diet. They eat Royal Canin special Persian cat food and the kittens are eating kitten food. Chinchillas also need their diets to be supplemented with pellets to round off and balance their nutritional needs. However, this isnt something they enjoy doing. Naturally aloof people might not want to be constantly hounded for canine kisses, just as cuddly types might be affronted by some cat breeds . To make sure that your pet eats food properly, you need to make the feeding time fun. Reasons Why Theyre SmartContinue, This post contains affiliate links and I will be compensated if you make a purchase after clicking on my links. Furthermore, chinchillas might suffer from stress caused by your cat, which might trigger a sickness, thereby leading to its untimely demise. All you need to hope for is that your cat ignores the chinchilla. As well as knowing what foods chinchillas can eat, its also important to understand what common foods your chinchilla should be staying away from too. Cats are carnivores (meat-eaters) whereas chinchillas are herbivores (plant-eaters). This is because cats instinctive desire is to hunt down rodents while chinchillas tend to be more reserved and usually love hiding.if(typeof ez_ad_units != 'undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[300,250],'smallpetshq_com-mobile-leaderboard-2','ezslot_13',177,'0','0'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-smallpetshq_com-mobile-leaderboard-2-0'); Therefore, before you can even test whether your cat and chinchilla can get along, the first thing to do is establish each of these species personality traits. Yucca. You can either purchase wood sticks from a store or collect your own, Wash The wood Thoroughly (remove all visible dirt), Ensure Sticks Are Totally Dry (should easily snap under pressure), Timothy or Orchard Grass Hay Always Available. so from these numbers alone its clear to see that good quality hay is undoubtedly the most vital part of your chinchillas diet. Can Chinchillas Eat Cat Food? Food items that need to be provided to them continuously are hay and clean drinking water. All Things Dog. [What Owners Will Want To Know], Can Chinchillas Get Fleas? Cavies Know Their Body and Can Regulate Their Guinea Pig Food Intake. Alfalfa hay is usually recommended for young, growing chinchillas. Water should be provided in the form of a water bottle rather than a bowl as this is much more hygienic for your chinchilla. Poison Ivy. You may also be able to give your chinchilla treats like rose petals, rolled oats, or even non-frosted shredded wheat. Provide hay in your chinchilla's cage at all times so it has something to graze on. Additionally, chinchillas can be fed a small amount (1-2 tbsp/day) of a commercial pelleted diet formulated for chinchillas. Read More The Best Chinchilla Toys (Review) in 2023Continue, This post contains affiliate links and I will be compensated if you make a purchase after clicking on my links. In the wild, chinchillas live in cold mountains, crevices of rocks, moving from rock to rock to escape from predators and to find food. They are very sensitive animals but can be great friends if you know how to take care of them. There are several reasons why you shouldnt feed your chinchillas cat food and, below, well explore each of these in more detail. List Of Safe Greens & Vegetables For Chinchillas: Fruits should only ever be offered as a treat to your chinchilla. As rodents, their standard diet tends to follow a more opportunistic model, with chinchillas eating plants, seeds, fruits, and insects that it can get its paws on. If this is a problem you were undergoing, reading this insightful article has enlightened you to understand better if cats and chinchillas can get along. Avoid pine and cedar shavings, as they can irritate a chinchilla's respiratory tract. There is very little difference in the nutrition provided between timothy hay and orchard grass hay. No fruits, seeds, nuts or vegetables. In conclusion, make sure to feed your chinchilla with care and monitor their diets properly. Rhubarb. Every formula uses industry-leading volume of protein, glucosamine, and chondroitin. The chinchilla's digestive system is incompatible with these foods due to their high water content, high acidity, high vitamin C content, high fructose content, and low fiber content, as well as their . If they are fed certain foods together frequently, they will become accustomed to them always being served together. This can lead to blockages and other health issues. The good thing is that even though chinchillas dont eat a vast selection and variety of foods, they get most if not all of the nutrition they need from this basic diet. The most common flowers you can feed your chinchilla include rosebuds, rose petals, calendula flowers and cactus flowers. Package Include: PStarDMoon pet automatic feeder set contains 1 food feeder and 1 water feeder and 1 hay feeder bag, a complete set with large capacity, which can satisfy pets' drinking and eating at the same ; Size: The food feeder can hold 1400ml of food and the water feeder can hold 500ml of water, which can meet the supply of food . Growing, breeding, and nursing chinchillas may be fed a larger amount of pellets to provide additional calories, protein, fat and calcium. As we mentioned earlier, hay is the most important part of a chinchillas diet. Thankfully, nowadays, there is a variety of hay available so that you can choose the hay type that your chinchilla loves the most. Chinchillas are so cute and such intelligent animals that make great pets. So what can chinchillas eat? Collect. In this article, we'll answer the above questions by taking an in-depth look at what kind of diet is best for your beloved pet chinchilla. Dried Cranberries. So, what should you feed a chinchilla? You can repeat the process for a few days, gradually increasing the time frame. Although cats and chinchillas might not coexist peacefully at first, there are ways of promoting this to happen. Hay and specially . Providing your chinchilla with safe wood for them to chew on is the best and most convenient option. This is important because your cat might terrorize your chinchilla even when its in the cage by either hissing at it or staying very close to the cage. You can find out exactly which variety of Cheerios is safe to feed to your chinchilla right here, then check our easy to follow guide here. The foods below are considered unsafe or too unhealthy to feed to your chinchilla and therefore should be avoided. Later in the post, we will show you how much hay, pellets, greens and fruit your chinchillas should ideally eat per day. Do make sure to feed them every day and check if their droppings are dry and normal. If you ask your chinchilla what their fave treats are, dried cranberries and raisins are at the top of their list. This means that feeding too many greens can cause an unbalanced amount of nutrients such as elevated levels of calcium and in turn, cause health issues. What Do Chinchillas Eat: Diet & Food Guide. Good hays include alfalfa hay, timothy hay, orchard grass, and blue grass. Many also contain preservatives and additives which arent suitable for your chinchilla. As such, it can cause kidney damage and other health problems. For a healthy domestic animal, you need proper food and a diet plan. They should be given very small amounts of chinchilla vegetables like carrots and leafy greens as healthy treats. Either way, you need to be careful when offering your chin both fruit and dried fruit and always check to see if the fruit is recommended for chinchillas and what quantities it should be offered in. , they get most if not all of the nutrition they need from this basic diet. Both Chinchillas and Hamsters Are Small Rodents. Specialties: The Wishbone Pet Company has the largest selection of raw diets in Santa Cruz, CA with a strong emphasis on holistic natural care. Most customers said their chinchillas can't get enough of these treats. You may be tempted to buy cheap cat food from the supermarket. Although it is made from flour, bread has very few nutrients for chinchillas. We have two females & two males. Chinchillas only need to consume around 3-5% fat in their diet which is easily attainable from their base diet so foods such as nuts and sunflower seeds need to be avoided. The average pet chinchilla lifespan is 15-20 years Cats are feline predators that are known for hunting rodent prey like chinchillas. Chinchilla Diapers: What You Need To Know + Pics, 16+ Different Chinchilla Colors: Pictures + Pricing, How Fast Can Chinchillas Run? Changing the brand of pellets . The most obvious reason why you shouldn't feed cat food to a chinchilla is because chinchillas are not cats! You can either purchase wood sticks from a store or collect your own. Pelleted diets are better than a mixture of loose items. Due to their opportunistic nature in the wild, most chinchillas will eat any leaves, seeds, fruits, and nonpoisonous insects that it can come across, and because they are endangered . All this time, as you do this, never make the mistake of leaving these two pets unattended because your cat might start startling or hunting the chinchilla.if(typeof ez_ad_units != 'undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[300,250],'smallpetshq_com-leader-2','ezslot_4',183,'0','0'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-smallpetshq_com-leader-2-0');if(typeof ez_ad_units != 'undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[300,250],'smallpetshq_com-leader-2','ezslot_5',183,'0','1'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-smallpetshq_com-leader-2-0_1'); .leader-2-multi-183{border:none !important;display:block !important;float:none !important;line-height:0px;margin-bottom:7px !important;margin-left:auto !important;margin-right:auto !important;margin-top:7px !important;max-width:100% !important;min-height:250px;padding:0;text-align:center !important;}. Grapes and raisins have shown to be toxic to dogs, ferrets and cats. What Greens & Vegetables Can Chinchillas Eat? Whether you're looking for tips, tools, activities or advice, you've arrived at the consummate guide for everything related to caring for dogs. This post contains affiliate links and I will be compensated if you make a purchase after clicking on my links. "Hay should be offered free choice 24 hours a day and should be the main component of your chinchilla's diet." Hay should be replaced daily with fresh hay to prevent bacteria and mold growth. Dry foods are made entirely from grains and other similar products. The hay should be dry and fresh-smelling with no trace of mold. For example, if you have horses then you know they're prone to overeating. Cat with can food. So, what exactly do chinchillas eat? Do have constant clean drinking water; if tap water is not clean, then have bottled water for your pet. Yes, the chinchilla that you have been eyeing for quite some time now. Please do not leave them alone at any moment as our pets security is our topmost priority. . Basic nutrients such as sugar, fat and even calcium can all cause health problems to chinchillas if they are overfed. Fiber: should be at least 15%, preferably up to 35%. Do have hay constantly as well; keep a rack with hay and replace it routinely before it gets moldy. C hoosing a pet is not a decision to be taken lightly. After all, it wont cost much and it might even taste good. (Benefits/Risks), Can Chinchillas Eat Timothy Hay? You should never feed a chinchilla hamster food, as it is one of the worst blends of ingredients for chinchillas to consume. Even though your chinchilla and cat might get along just fine, its advisable never to leave these two pets unsupervised or unattended when interacting with each other.if(typeof ez_ad_units != 'undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[300,250],'smallpetshq_com-portrait-2','ezslot_20',176,'0','0'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-smallpetshq_com-portrait-2-0'); With that said, for your cat and your chinchilla to get along are two different things you must consider before getting these two pets living in the same house. The brand that we would recommend using is Oxbow as their pellets are of a high quality and are fortified with vitamins such as vitamin D3. Chinchillas cant eat cat food. Again, although this is the common amount of food that your pet needs, you need to contact the pet veterinarian to be sure of ample amounts of food that your chinchilla needs. Their mum is a chinchilla Persian Semi-long haired silky & soft coat and their Dad is a red . Milk and other dairy products are animal products and not appropriate for herbivores. Are Chinchillas Territorial? Hi, My name is Adam. To be more precise, these furry animals are mainly folivores, preferring a diet made up of vegetation.Some of the food items that make up most of their diet are seeds, grass, grains, nuts, and leaves. Chewing is good for your chinchillas teeth as they continually grow throughout their lives and chewing safe objects will help to keep their teeth short and healthy. Fat - 2-5%. What Nutrients Are Unhealthy If Overfed to Your Chinchilla? 2.1 Fresh Vegetables. Similarly, pet chinchillas should be offered food twice a day but may consume food throughout the day, as they tend to eat more slowly than other small animals such as rabbits and guinea pigs. They will consume stalks, stems, leaves, shoots, fruits, seeds and roots . From their increased curiosity and affection to their unmatched affordability, chinchillas will always be amazing pets. Those products can be harmful to your digestive system in large quantities, so keep small portions in hand. Instead, chinchilla feeds should address the following: Fat: should be between 2% and 5%. our recommended food products for your chinchilla and the best place to purchase them from. Along with the quality of good that you feed your pet chinchilla, the quantity is just as important. While hay should be offered in unlimited quantities, feeding large amounts of high-calcium alfalfa hay to non-breeding, adult chinchillas has been associated with the development calcium-based bladder stones. Raisins. Food Options. Persians (the Chinchilla is in the Persian or Longhair cat family) can carry a gene that leads to kidney failure (called autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease) through the development of cysts in the kidney. From allergies to zoomies, we have dogs covered like fur on a sofa. (Benefits/Risks), Can Chinchillas Eat Nuts? Therefore, if you own these two pets, its crucial to have them slowly introduced to each other or else risk your cat attacking the chinchilla.

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