Chinchillas are herbivorous and so they need to eat the same types of food as their other mammal counterparts.
If you’re reading this article, it means you too have a chinchilla at home. Well, congrats! They are very adorable pets that are friendly with everyone.
However, it is important to know that not all chinchilla food is the same.
You can’t just feed them with any chinchilla pellets or hay that your pet shop sells.
This is because not all chinchillas will be able to digest said pellets or hay properly. For this reason, we will discuss some of the best chinchilla foods in this article so that you can get your pet the right nutrition they need.
What is the healthiest chinchilla food?
Chinchillas are herbivores and so they need to eat a certain type of food.
They need to eat hay, fresh vegetables, and fruits as well as hay pellets or hay cubes.
However, it is important to note that not all pellets or hay are the same.
Some of them can make your chinchilla sick, while others will be perfect for them.
The best kind of foods for chinchillas are hay cubes because they contain high levels of nutrients such as vitamin C and calcium which help with bone growth.
Furthermore, these hay cubes also contain less sugar than other types of chinchilla food like pellets or any other type of grain.
The sugars in these foods can lead to digestive problems in your pet.
Hay cubes have only 2 percent sugar content on average whereas most pellets contain 18-20 percent sugar on average.
If you want to feed your chinchillas some sweet treats then try feeding them with dried banana chips or dried apples that they can enjoy without any side effects whatsoever.
What should I not feed my chinchilla?
Grain-based diet It is important that you don’t feed your chinchillas a grain-based diet, as this will cause digestive problems.
If you have a male chinchilla, he should not be fed with corn or oats at all, as they could develop testosterone issues.
And if you have a female chinchilla, she should not be fed with wheat or rye at all.
Excess levels of these grains are known to develop problematic uterine tumors in females.
Dairy-based diet The dairy industry has been marketing milk as the perfect food for our pets. However, this is not true for chinchillas.
Female chinchillas are lactose intolerant and so shouldn’t be given milk to drink or eat on their own.
Male chinchillas are still able to digest milk but it is best for them to only be fed low-fat milk by themselves.
Raw food diets are another option that people prefer for their pets over processed food. But raw food can lead to nutritional deficiencies and more health issues than processed food does.
So unless you know what your animal needs exactly and follow the recommended guidelines for raw food diets, then it is best to keep them away from these types of foods too.
How often should a chinchilla be fed?
Chinchillas need to be fed a diet consisting of hay and fresh water every day.
This is because they can’t digest cellulose or plant materials as herbivores do. You can also give your chinchilla some regular pellets if you want, but it should be no more than 20% of their diet.
What human food can I feed my chinchilla?
Chinchillas can eat a wide variety of human food and you have to be careful not to feed them any harmful foods.
You should never give your chinchilla any dog food, cat food, or other animal food.
You can also feed them certain fruits like apples or bananas.
However, it is better to stick with a single fruit for their diet instead of many different ones as this will cause your pet to become picky about what they eat.
Some human foods that are safe for your chinchilla include; oats, asparagus, kale, spinach, and broccoli. You can also give your chinchilla some honey because they love the taste of sugar.
The best way to ensure your chinchilla gets proper nutrition is by feeding them a high-quality pellet diet so that they get the right amount of nutrients in their diet.
A good pellet diet will have all the necessary vitamins and minerals that your chinchilla needs to stay healthy.
Conclusion
Chinchillas are generally easy to care for, however, there are a few things you need to keep in mind when it comes to their diet.
Make sure you feed them hay every day, as well as fresh water. You can also give them some pellets, but no more than 20% of their diet should consist of pellets.
And finally, be careful with what human food you feed them. Some human foods are safe for chinchillas to eat, but others can be harmful. Stick to a single fruit for their diet and make sure they have a high-quality pellet diet so that they get all the nutrients they need.
