Chinnchilla
Chinchillas Staying Healthy With Pellets and Hay
The chinchilla’s process of consuming food is quite different than other
animals. They should have a lot of roughage and fewer nutrients. One of
the things that they must have enough of is pellets.
Chinchilla pellets can be purchased from a breeder or a pet store. Not all
brands contain the same ingredients. When your purchase them, be sure that
the basic ingredients are in the mix. This would include alfalfa meal,
wheat germ, molasses, oats, soybean oil meal, corn, and added vitamins and
minerals. The chinchilla pellets are long because the animals eat with
their hands and they must be able to grasp them.
The chinchillas consume the pellets until they feel full. When they get to
that point, they will stop and refrain from overeating. You can either
feed them once or twice a day. You’ll want to figure out which feeding
regimen is best for them. Stick with whatever works best and be
consistent. If you’re not, the chinchilla will know and the inconsistency
will cause them to be stressed. A chinchilla’s livelihood is based on
routines. You can feed the pellets to them either from a hopper feeder or
a ceramic bowl. The hopper feeder is good to use because you don’t have to
concern yourself about it falling over. Ceramic bowls are good because
they are heavy and the chinchilla can’t chew it, like they would a plastic
bowl.
Chinchilla pellets are one of the best things they can eat; but if for some
reason you can’t locate them, you can substitute rabbit or guinea pig
pellets for them. These are fine to consume as long as they contain plenty
of fiber and are low in fat. If for some reason you do have to switch
their pellets, do it gradually. Once they get used to a system, it’s
difficult for them to change suddenly. They will adapt, but they get
stressed if it happens all at once.
Hay is good for them because it also provides fiber for their system. You
can choose from two kinds: alfalfa or timothy. They can be purchased in
loose or small compressed blocks with a measurement of 1” X 1” X 2”. The
animals will eat both kinds and it must be chemical and mold free. Because
of their sensitive digestive system, chinchillas can only consume fresh
hay. To remain fresh, it must be stored in a dry place.
Fifty-pound bags may be too much for a chinchilla owner, so cubes can be
purchased in smaller amounts. It’s better if the cubes are broken into
smaller pieces. This way, they can handle them easier as opposed to being
one cumbersome piece. One pressed cube or a handful of hay is all an adult
chinchilla usually eats.
An alternative to hay would be Bermuda grass. If your house has a lawn
with Bermuda grass, you can feed that to your chinchilla. However, the
grass must be chemical and fertilizer free. Just wash it off and give your
chinchilla a few. Bermuda grass helps to remedy any digestive issues.