| Food for Chinchillas | | | | teeth. |
| The proper health care of chinchillas would always | | | | You can feed your chinchillas with as much hay as |
| involve a good diet. Regularly monitoring the food | | | | you want or as your pet wants. You just have to |
| intake of the chinchilla is a crucial responsibility of a | | | | ensure the freshness of the hay you are feeding |
| chinchilla owner due to the sensitivity of the digestive | | | | your chinchilla with. Make sure that the hay has not |
| system of the pet. A diet of seeds and plants would | | | | been soiled. So the hay will remain fresh after being |
| be perfect for the vegetarian eating habit of | | | | stocked, regular cleaning and washing should be done. |
| chinchillas. Their digestive system may get irritated if | | | | You can feed your pet with loose strands or pressed |
| you feed them with other foods rich in fats. | | | | cubes of hay. |
| The food of the chinchillas are available in pellets or in | | | | Your chinchillas would also love being fed with raisins |
| loose cubes. It is recommended to supplement pellets | | | | and dried fruits. However, excessive feeding of |
| with a loose mix to provide more essential nutrients | | | | treats is also not advisable. The maximum for a |
| and to make your chinchilla healthier. When it comes | | | | week should be 5 raisins. You can also use rose hips, |
| to mixes, chinchillas are naturally picky. | | | | twigs and branches as alternative treats. You should |
| Make sure that you feed your chinchillas with the | | | | also place the food in a food hopper or ceramic dish |
| appropriate pellets designed for chinchillas. Chinchillas | | | | to maintain the freshness. The food should not get |
| gain approximately 16 to 20 percent protein, 2 to 5 | | | | dumped nor soiled. If you have any questions or |
| percent fats, and 15 to 35 percent fiber from their | | | | problems in feeding your chinchilla, consulting your |
| pellets. It is highly advisable to feed chinchillas with | | | | veterinarian is the best solution. |
| one to two tablespoons of pellets daily. In the | | | | Changes in the diet on the chinchilla should be |
| morning, you may feed your chinchilla with one | | | | introduced gradually. You can train your chinchilla to |
| tablespoon to be followed with another tablespoon at | | | | be familiar with a variety of food but do not do this |
| nighttime. Feel free to make adjustments on the | | | | food training abruptly. Their digestive system would |
| interval as long as you consider the changes | | | | eventually get irritated to other diets that are rich in |
| necessary. Nevertheless, consistency should also be | | | | fats. |
| given importance. | | | | To train your chinchilla to get used to a different kind |
| The pelleted diet can also be supplemented with hay. | | | | of food, you can mix the new one with the old one |
| Chinchillas would greatly benefit from the roughage | | | | the chinchilla is already used to. The amount of the |
| that can be found in hay. This roughage from hay | | | | new food you put in the mixture can be gradually |
| contributes to the better functioning of the digestive | | | | increased as the training progresses and as the |
| system and to the enhancement of the chinchillas' | | | | chinchilla shows positive response. |