Chinchillas are very friendly animals. Like most rodents, chinchillas love to chew things. 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. 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. This means that chinchillas require a diet rich in protein but low in fat and carbohydrates. head over to our post that shares all you need to know. Do take your chinchilla to the vet if it is vomiting or showing any unexplainable symptoms. Not only that, chinchillas are similar to other animals, such as cats or dogs. Answer (1 of 2): It is not so much that they are 'fragile', but have different habitat requirements than we are used to. Chinchillas can't eat blueberries for a variety of reasons. The PDSA also recommends that you bake any wood you offer to your chinchilla for an hour and also give it a thorough wash to ensure its safe and clean. (Benefits/Risks), Can Chinchillas Eat Timothy Hay? Also note: the initial interaction shall be concise, lasting only a few minutes. Chinchillas also need their diets to be supplemented with pellets to round off and balance their nutritional needs. So, if you decide to make a purchase through one of the links on this site, I receive a commission for it. Limit fruits and sugary vegetables (e.g., carrots) to <1 teaspoon/day. 2.1 Fresh Vegetables. This doesnt cost you anything additional. So, what type of hay do chinchillas eat? A . Yes, cats do attack chinchillas as their rodents, which they see as prey. Wet foods are usually made up of milk and water. [What Owners Will Want To Know]Continue, This post contains affiliate links and I will be compensated if you make a purchase after clicking on my links. I blog about their care, where to buy them, breeders, and more. Two such posts that we have recently published are. Foods You Can Feed to Your Chinchilla as Treats Include: Rope Hips are considered one of the healthiest treats you can offer your chinchilla. The popular cereal Cheerios are also seen as a treat that chinchillas can eat due to their dried nature and high amounts of fibre. Good hays include alfalfa hay, timothy hay, orchard grass, and blue grass. You can barely overlook the significance of animal intelligence. So, what exactly do chinchillas eat? If you feed them the correct diet, chinchillas generally keep themselves at the right weight. The diet that you choose to feed your chinchilla should mostly contain hay. Chinchillas also dont like eating cat food. Plain Shredded Wheat. Second, not all rabbit foods are created equal. While chinchillas and hamsters may seem similar, their diets couldn't be more different, and that means you . Furthermore, chinchillas might suffer from stress caused by your cat, which might trigger a sickness, thereby leading to its untimely demise. You can repeat the process for a few days, gradually increasing the time frame. If you give the chinchilla time to first get used to you and its surrounding before meeting your cat.if(typeof ez_ad_units != 'undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[300,600],'smallpetshq_com-mobile-leaderboard-1','ezslot_10',191,'0','0'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-smallpetshq_com-mobile-leaderboard-1-0'); This gives your chinchilla enough time to be comfortable with the surroundings, with this especially crucial as theyre very social creatures. For a healthy domestic animal, you need proper food and a diet plan. The most obvious reason why you shouldn't feed cat food to a chinchilla is because chinchillas are not cats! First off, you should always feed your chinchilla a healthy, balanced diet. . If a chinchilla is not active, it can in fact be bad for their health and cause an array of chinchilla health problems. Read on for everything that you'll need to know. hay, fresh vegetables, and pellets should still make up the majority of their diet. On top of this, wet cat food has a tendency to stick around in the digestive tract for long periods of time. Overfeeding of fresh greens also can lead to soft stool or diarrhea. [4] You can buy hay at most pet stores or online. You can either purchase wood sticks from a store or collect your own. Chinchillas need hay between 14% and 16% plant protein. What is the reason why Chinchillas are not allowed to consume blueberries? Hamster food is made largely of things that would be harmful for a chinchilla to eat. If you want to bring a chinchilla into your home, you could be worried about their diet and general health. If you want to get a pet chinchilla, you should take into consideration some important things before buying them. Even though greens are considered healthy or even vital for the majority of the animal kingdom, they are actually less important to the health of a chinchilla so they should only be offered in smaller quantities. Fresh vegetables and fruits can occasionally be fed to your chinchillas, but only some of the fruit and vegetables your chinchillas digestive system can bear. An overweight chinchilla is susceptible to many illnesses like diabetes, diarrhea, and liver damage. 2.6 No Sudden Dietary Changes. Chinchillas also require small amounts of fresh greens and can be fed occasional treats such as dried fruit from time to time. Their mum is a chinchilla Persian Semi-long haired silky & soft coat and their Dad is a red . Pelleted diets are better than a mixture of loose items. Milk and other dairy products are animal products and not appropriate for herbivores. They can also be found in mixed dried dandelion mixtures, which can include dandelion leaves, flower petals, and even roots. Instead, chinchilla feeds should address the following: Fat: should be between 2% and 5%. This includes plenty of fresh green leaves and hay. The good thing is that even though chinchillas dont eat a vast selection and variety of foods, they get most if not all of the nutrition they need from this basic diet. Its important to offer your chinchillas an unlimited amount of fresh hay in their cage daily so they can continually consume the large amounts of fibre they need. For this reason, we have chosen to list the most common greens and veggies that owners often choose to feed their chinchillas and that we can validate are safe using veterinary sources such as the. This means it should comprise 35% carbohydrates, 30% fiber, 15% protein, 4% protein, and less than 3.5% fat. Dont make sudden changes in their diets as it can upset their stomach. You should do this by giving your cat ample time to become used to the new smell while making sure your chinchilla remains in the cage. Avoid pine and cedar shavings, as they can irritate a chinchilla's respiratory tract. Fresh drinking water should be offered daily in a water bowl or bottle. The short answer is yes, chinchillas can eat rabbit food. You may also spot tipping on the legs. In addition to this, the chinchilla may choose to hide, seeking safety from the cat, thereby making it hard to locate. Chinchilla Pet Animals and Pets. Get practical pet health tips, articles, and insights from our veterinary community delivered weekly to your inbox. The diet of chinchillas should ideally be high in protein and fiber while containing low moisture and fat content. This will ensure that they look for it, as they had to look for the food in the wild. Just because a green on the list below is labelled safe doesnt mean that you can feed your chinchilla unlimited amounts of that green or vegetable. They are very sensitive animals but can be great friends if you know how to take care of them. Besides, Read More Are Chinchillas Cuddly? After all, it wont cost much and it might even taste good. A tablespoon or two each day is appropriate for most chinchillas. You should thus monitor it at all times to make sure it doesnt hunt down your chinchilla. One of the Pocket Pets Forever is a website for lovers of pocket pets. Rhubarb. You can add a small amount of commercially available pelleted chinchilla food to your chinchilla's diet. Another important thing that they eat is pellets. Because of this, its a good idea to keep their diet simple and stick to their base diet as much as possible and only add the foods that are needed to keep your chinchilla healthy. 2.4 Certain Breakfast Cereals. This is usually the case for cats and chinchillas, which can be stressful for you as a pet owner. Botanical hay. Give your cat and chinchilla enough time to get used to each other. These tend to be expensive but, over time, theyre worth the investment. They can be offered much variety of good quality and clean hay like timothy hay, orchard grass, alfalfa hay, oat hay, or meadow hay. Bread and Dairy Products. Calcium and phosphorus play an important role in your chinchillas diet, albeit a complicated one. Its quite possible that if you put cat food down on the floor, your chinchilla will try to eat it. Raisins. The treats that these exotic animals eat are dried rose hips, dandelion, and hibiscus leaves, basically dried fruits, and root vegetables should be given to them. Chinchillas are herbivorous and do not eat animal-based products. Laurel. This is because rabbits require higher amounts of protein than chinchillas, which is reflected in the content of their food. Acidic foods can upset the pH balance of your chinchillas stomach and, as such, can cause stomach ulcers. Please talk to your vet for a detailed diet plan that suits the individual needs of your pet. 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. Chinchillas have a rounded ears, plump furry bodies, short legs, and long tails. Semi-dry foods consist of dried milk and grain. Loose mixes may be nutritionally balanced while in the bag but only if your chinchilla eats all of the parts of the mix. Feeding greens and vegetables in large quantities can upset the nutritional balance of the hay and pellets you are providing to your chinchilla. It is also better to distribute the food all over the cage to make it fun and much healthier for the domestic animal. Hi, my namesElena Coolidge, and this is my site. Hay which is sweeter and has more nutrients, should be mostly given to young chinchillas and only occasionally to adult chinchillas. We are compensated for referring traffic and business to Amazon and other companies linked to on this site. This will be possible if your cat has a mellow and calm personality and isnt so much interested in hunting, meaning itll most likely ignore the chinchilla. Additionally, chinchillas can be fed a small amount (1-2 tbsp/day) of a commercial pelleted diet formulated for chinchillas. As you know, chinchillas are very active, so they run around a lot. The most obvious reason why you shouldnt feed cat food to a chinchilla is because chinchillas are not cats! What Nutrients Are Unhealthy If Overfed to Your Chinchilla? This is important because these two pets have brains that are programmed to act differently. Orchardgrass. You shouldn't have a chinchilla in the same house or at least keep your chinchilla in a separate room. Feeding adult chinchillas too much alfalfa hay can cause obesity and even calcium stones as the level of calcium and other nutrients is too high and out of balance. Avoid using wooden toy balls. The brand that we would recommend using is Oxbow as their pellets are of a high quality and are fortified with vitamins such as vitamin D3. Buy Merrick Dog Food online in Canada from Canadian Pet Connection. Learn more about their diets, below. If your cat does this, theres a high likelihood of it ignoring the chinchilla, which in turn doesnt get so stressed by the cats presence.if(typeof ez_ad_units != 'undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[320,50],'smallpetshq_com-large-mobile-banner-2','ezslot_3',181,'0','0'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-smallpetshq_com-large-mobile-banner-2-0'); However, if you have an overly active cat, it might not be a good idea to have these two pets live in the same house. 2.5 Dried Cranberry And Apple. Filtered water is ideal for use in Chinchilla bottles. Greens especially leafy greens are a food group that you can and should offer to your chinchilla on a regular basis. While it depends on your cat's personality, many will seek out to hunt chinchillas. Again, you can head over to our dedicated page herewhere we share all of our recommended food products for your chinchilla and the best place to purchase them from. 2.2 Nutritional requirements. Chinchillas will eat plenty of native plants in the wild to give them a good balance of minerals and vitamins essential for optimum health. The kittens get lots of attention and handling, so grooming and cleaning the eyes will be easy in the future. 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. So here is a list of fruits and vegetables that you can feed your chinchillas. 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. As such, it can cause kidney damage and other health problems. Both Chinchillas and Hamsters Are Small Rodents. Later in the post, we will show you how much hay, pellets, greens and fruit your chinchillas should ideally eat per day. What is more, this intelligence defines how much they will learn about their, Read More Are chinchillas Smart? If you want to know what age baby chinchillas are weaned then head over to our post that shares all you need to know. They eat Royal Canin special Persian cat food and the kittens are eating kitten food. Protein - 16-20%. Yes, they can, as harmful bacteria can be crossed from your cat to your chinchilla, causing it a severe illness. However, this does not impact our reviews and comparisons. You should also consider designing hiding spots where your chinchilla can sleep or hide whenever its feeling tensed due to the cats presence.if(typeof ez_ad_units != 'undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[320,50],'smallpetshq_com-leader-3','ezslot_6',187,'0','0'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-smallpetshq_com-leader-3-0');if(typeof ez_ad_units != 'undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[320,50],'smallpetshq_com-leader-3','ezslot_7',187,'0','1'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-smallpetshq_com-leader-3-0_1'); .leader-3-multi-187{border:none !important;display:block !important;float:none !important;line-height:0px;margin-bottom:7px !important;margin-left:auto !important;margin-right:auto !important;margin-top:7px !important;max-width:100% !important;min-height:50px;padding:0;text-align:center !important;}. Please talk to your vet for a detailed diet plan that suits the individual needs of your pet. Chinchillas require a diet that mainly consists of timothy hay with the addition of supplementary chinchilla pellets. Homeopathic and herbal remedies. kathson 35oz Hanging Automatic Food Water Dispenser Gravity Pet Auto Feeder Waterer Set for Rabbit Cat Dog Chinchilla Guinea Pig Hedgehog Ferret Rating Required Select Rating 1 star (worst) 2 stars 3 stars (average) 4 stars 5 stars (best) Here is a breakdown of the nutrients your chinchilla needs in their diet and in what percentages. Pets are adorable, but having different species in your home might bring about some issues with some of them incompatible. Dont give food that is meant for guinea pigs as they have different digestive systems. Oxbow Essentials Deluxe Chinchilla Food. Why You Shouldnt Feed Cat Food To A Chinchilla, The Risks Of Feeding Wet Cat Food To A Chinchilla, Can Chinchillas Eat Pretzels? Like. This leads to severe pain as they chew, in addition to drooling and possible eye discharge from upper tooth root pressure on tear ducts. Plain Cheerios. 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. The problem is that the majority of fruits are high enough in sugar to cause your chinchilla digestive problems amongst other things so only a handful are really considered safe enough to eat even in small quantities. Indigestible bedding, such as wood shavings, also can cause obstructions. These are usually made up of timothy or alfalfa hay, so you will have limited options to choose from. Once this condition occurs, there is nothing that can be done other than to provide pain medication and soft foods. 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! (Benefits/Risks), Norwegian Lundehund: What You Need To Know. Cats with a chinchilla coat pattern have white undercoats and tipping on the back, tail, head, and flanks. If you do this, your chins diet should easily fall into this low calcium and even lower phosphorus model providing you stick to safe and recommended greens and veggies. As long as your chinchillas are eating plenty of their regular food so that they are receiving the right nutrition, there shouldn't be a problem. 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 nuts and sunflower seeds need to be avoided. . This cage features a plastic and wire mesh construction with a built-in wheel and hideout. But can rabbits eat chinchilla food safely?
