Chinchilla owners usually feed their animals a mixed food or chinchilla pellets. There are problems when feeding chinchillas the mixed food. The majority of mixed foods contain treats. Another problem is that chinchillas are picky eaters and will pick out only the pieces of food they want and leave the rest. Treats are okay in moderation, but diets heavy in treats are not good for the little animal. However, mixed foods can be nutritious if all the foods contained in the mix are eaten. Therefore, it is okay to give your chinchilla fruit and nut small animal treats on occasion.
Pellets and hay are necessary foods for chinchillas, but fruit and nut small treats can be given as well. Give small portions of treats that include fruits like bananas, raisins, dried cranberries, a piece of apple or pear, grapes and kiwi. Treat should also include vegetables like carrots, parsley, dandelion leaves and romaine lettuce. Dried herbs are also treats and include mint, comfrey and oregano. Chinchillas enjoy nuts and seeds like almonds, flax, pumpkin and sunflower seeds. The key is to make sure the foods are in balance and not allow the animal to eat one food more than another to ensure proper nutrition.
When changing a chinchilla’s food, it needs to be done slowly. This will reduce the risk of digestive problems. Begin the change by adding a small amount of the introductory food with the food they are already used to eating. Gradually increase the new food as you reduce the amount of old food. It will take up to two weeks to make the change. When introducing new treats into the diet, like fruit and nut small animal treats, give the chinchilla one small piece of fruit or vegetable at a time. Taking it slow allows you determine what the chinchilla likes to eat and what agrees with the digestive system.
Feeding a balanced diet to your chinchilla means making sure the animal gets adequate amounts of fats, sugar and fiber content. The fruit and nut small animal treats contain a mixture of all the essentials of the chinchilla’s diet. Not all chinchillas like the same foods. However, some things are essential to their diet such as fresh water and hay. Timothy hay and alfalfa needs to be available to the animal at all times. Hay wears down the teeth and keeps them trim. Giving them cuttlefish bone is a great way for the chinchilla to get calcium, which is also good for their teeth.
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