An overweight chinchilla is susceptible to many illnesses like diabetes, diarrhea, and liver damage. The answer to this question is no, Cat foods are not suitable for chinchillas and there are many reasons why you should avoid feeding it to them. . Second, not all rabbit foods are created equal. But here is a pretty extensive list of what is safe for chins and most can be found in the bulk section of a health food store for cheap. Fibre - 30-35%. Reasons Why Theyre SmartContinue, This post contains affiliate links and I will be compensated if you make a purchase after clicking on my links. Fat - 2-5%. So here is a list of fruits and vegetables that you can feed your chinchillas. link to Are Chinchillas Territorial? Rhubarb. djvstock. You can give them raisins, carrots, sultanas, and basically all the things that were mentioned above in the list. However, they eat mostly vegetation and seeds. Foods You Can Feed to Your Chinchilla as Treats Include: Rope Hips are considered one of the healthiest treats you can offer your chinchilla. An aggressive cat will attack the chinchilla but with patience, you can train the pets to coexist. This means that chinchillas require a diet rich in protein but low in fat and carbohydrates. It's not safe for rabbits to eat chinchilla food. This doesnt cost you anything additional. All of our pet experts are here to help you and . 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. Hard objects, such as branches from non-toxic fruit trees (like apple, pear, and peach trees), can be given to promote chewing and teeth wear, but toxic trees (like cherry, cedar, plum and redwood) should be avoided. So, what exactly do chinchillas eat? Two such posts that we have recently published are. 1. All four have unique and beautiful personalities & are ready for forever homes. Line the cage with a few inches of dye-free paper bedding. Once you do this, you can be sure that your cat wont be able to swipe your chinchilla or its cage as they get used to each others company.if(typeof ez_ad_units != 'undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[300,600],'smallpetshq_com-sky-3','ezslot_21',190,'0','0'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-smallpetshq_com-sky-3-0'); While you might be excoriated to introduce your chinchilla to your entire family, and this includes your cat, its vital first to make sure it first gets used to you. Just 1 Persian chinchilla left male ( boy ) so playful and friendly and smart, eating dry and wet full trained ,indoor cats living with they parents free all over the house born on new year D.O.B : 01//01/2023 looking for for ever lovely house will b Age Age: 7 weeks; Ready to leave Ready to leave: in 1 week Thank you for supporting us on our journey as we continue to publish content with the aim of helping owners care for their pets in the best way possible! Their access to water and hay or grass should be maintained in a way that they never run out. 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. 2.4 Certain Breakfast Cereals. Laurel. Oxbow hay (low dust/hypoallergenic) The short answer is no. Best Hay For Chinchillas 2023 Reviews and Comparison. In addition to this, a lot of fruit can actually be harmful to chinchillas and they certainly cant just eat any and all fruits. Poison Ivy. Treats such as dried fruit, grains, nuts and seeds should not be offered, as they are not easily digested and may lead to tooth damage. 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. Fresh greens, such as dark green lettuces, should also be given to provide additional water and fiber. As such, it can cause kidney damage and other health problems. Instead, you should only feed them a healthy, balanced diet that includes lots of fresh green leaves and grass. 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. As you can see from everything weve discussed above, you should never feed cat food to a chinchilla. The diet for chinchillas should be monitored to make sure they follow it daily. Do take your chinchilla to the vet if it is vomiting or showing any unexplainable symptoms. This means it should comprise 35% carbohydrates, 30% fiber, 15% protein, 4% protein, and less than 3.5% fat. Plain Cheerios. You can find out exactly which variety of Cheerios is safe to feed to your chinchilla right here(We researched all popular varieties and only recommend feeding your chinchilla these 2 varieties). This might not sound that bad at first, however, the fact that a chinchillas digestional tract isnt adapted to processing large amounts of sugar means that it can be left to ferment and cause gas. You shouldn't have a chinchilla in the same house or at least keep your chinchilla in a separate room. You should never feed a chinchilla hamster food, as it is one of the worst blends of ingredients for chinchillas to consume. For example, if you have horses then you know they're prone to overeating. Fresh drinking water should be offered daily in a water bowl or bottle. Most tap water is clean, however, dirty water can contain giardia and would not be suitable for use in your Chinchilla Water Bottle. Oxbow Essentials Deluxe Chinchilla Food. You should also try to avoid giving your chinchilla anything acidic, such as citrus fruits. By Laurie Hess, DVM, Dipl ABVP (Avian Practice). The body of an average chinchilla grows to about 10 inches long, but it can range from 8 inches to 12 inches, and its tail will typically be about 5 inches in length. How to feed the chinchilla. You may be tempted to buy cheap cat food from the supermarket. 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. Its important to know how much food you need to offer your chinchilla each day in order for them to be considered healthy. Pics + 7 Signs Theyre Overweight, How Much Is A Chinchilla [Cost & Price Stats]. Always keep an eye on your cat even after your chinchilla and cat have started getting along. Raisins and dried cranberries. This means it should comprise 35% carbohydrates, 30% fiber, 15% protein, 4% protein, and less than 3.5% fat. You can either purchase wood sticks from a store or collect your own. Nonetheless, this can be achieved by only slowly introducing these two pets to each other. Chinchillas are herbivores and their diet consists mostly of hay, vegetables, and a small amount of fruit. 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. However, this isnt something they enjoy doing. As wet cat food is so soft, itll have absolutely no effect on keeping your chinchillas teeth to a safe length. Nonetheless, its still recommended never to leave these two pets alone as you never know when your cats natural hunting instincts might kick in and attack your chinchilla. 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. Doing this is vital because your cats natural hunting instinct might kick in at any moment. Do you see that furry animal? You dont need to panic about the role that calcium and phosphorus play in the health of your chinchilla, instead, simply stick to a basic and recommended diet of fresh hay, supplemented with pellets and a small number of fresh greens or vegetables. So the treats that you choose to feed them should be given only occasionally. Food items that need to be provided to them continuously are hay and clean drinking water. Locust pods. Apart from the fruits that we mentioned above, that can be offered in really small quantities, there are a handful of foods that are considered healthy enough to feed to your chinchilla as treats. Chinchillas can eat leaves and twigs in captivity, yet these types of food are more difficult to find when not in the wild. A good quality pellet usually contains vitamins such as vitamins A, B12, D3 & E. In contrast to hay, where you should provide it in large quantities, pellets should be offered in smaller amounts and make up more of the remaining 10% of your chinchillas diet. While long term overfeeding of sugary foods can cause problems such as tooth decay and obesity, even overfeeding sugary food just once and cause diarrhoea and gas. A . 2 Human Food Chinchillas Can Eat. 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. This only happens opportunistically, though. Get practical pet health tips, articles, and insights from our veterinary community delivered weekly to your inbox. They can easily get an upset stomach and have a limited capacity for digestion. One thing thats worth pointing out is that orchard grass hay is slightly more coarse than standard timothy hay and will do a better job of keeping your chinchillas teeth short if they are starting to look overgrown. Once this condition occurs, there is nothing that can be done other than to provide pain medication and soft foods. Offering too much or too little of one food group can cause your chin to have digestive and even health issues. Feeding your chinchilla excessive amounts of pellets does not supply enough fiber for their gastrointestinal tracts (which require high fiber for fermentation of food) and doesnt provide the roughage to wear down their continuously growing teeth. Or, you could hand out small amounts of peanut butter or cheese. It is also coarse enough to keep their teeth short and stop them from overgrowing. Take a look at the guide below that details what foods your chinchilla should eat and in what quantities. 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. 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. When it comes to pellets for chinchillas, its important that you purchase pellets that are specifically designed for chinchillas. Feeding greens and vegetables in large quantities can upset the nutritional balance of the hay and pellets you are providing to your chinchilla. The stomach, chest, and chin are pure white. (Benefits/Risks), Can Chinchillas Eat Pumpkin? Well, you should try to distribute the appropriate amount of food around their cage instead of handing them their feed in a bowl. Caring for a Chinchilla: What You Need to Know, Overgrown Teeth and Dental Issues in Chinchillas. Foods to Avoid 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. Like most rodents, chinchillas love to chew things. They won't go hunting for insects, but if they see one, they will eat it. These exotic animals need chinchilla food pellets every day, a well but in a much more controlled quantity. There are animals who have a harder time controlling their eating (we're not alone humans!). Like most animals in the world, chinchillas require a variety of nutrients to be considered healthy and for their organs to work correctly. This is a general rule for most small animals such as hedgehogs and even the majority of reptiles. In addition, wet cat food is often too salty for chinchillas. Commercial pelleted food is also available for chinchillas but should be offered in limited quantities of no more than one-to-two tablespoons per day for an adult chinchilla. With all things considered, the best 2 hay choices for your chinchilla are.

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