Diet

Pellets
What is Ash?
Hay
Hay Cakes
Water
Healthy Treats
Chinchilla Organic Herb & Grain Fusion
Fresh & Dried Fruit
Fresh Greens & Vegetables
Nuts & Seeds
Vitamins
Calcium Supplements
Salt & Mineral Spools

By ethical conduct toward all creatures, we enter into a spiritual relationship with the universe.
Albert Schweitzer

chins eating hay

There is no way for us to mimic a chinchilla's diet that they would have in their natural habitat. We try to give them the nutrients and roughage we believe they require. We do know that they have a sensitive digestive tract, and feeding a simple basic diet seems to work best for them. They need high fiber to keep their intestinal tract moving and help keep their teeth worn down to a healthy length. If you switch your chin's diet often or give them too many treats, it can cause intestinal upset. The basic diet you will feed is chinchilla pellets, hay, limited healthy treats and fresh water.

Pellets

A high quality pellet is very important to your chin's good health. Do not skimp on the quality of pellets you feed your chin. It will make a difference in his overall health and vitality. The pellets you feed should be just that, pellets only. Do not feed your chin pellets that have anything added to them such as seeds, nuts, biscuit pieces or corn. These added items are junk and unhealthy for your chin and can lead to obesity, intestinal blockage, bloat, fatty liver disease and a picky eater. Since chins can very easily become sugar addicts and addicted to junk in their food, they will pick out these items and push the pellets to the side, but who could blame them considering the pellets in these types of mixes are very low quality and have no taste or aroma for your chin to want to eat them.

I believe the best chinchilla pellets are Oxbow Essentials Chinchilla Food and that is what I feed our chins.

Oxbow eseentials All new rescues that we switch over to Oxbow chinchilla food show improved energy, brighter eyes and improved overall health. These pellets are also very high in fiber, up to 23% which is very important for your chin's intestinal health. Protein average is 16% with ash only about 7%.

American Pet Diner (APD) is another decent brand even though I have never used it. It is also the only brand that gives you the option of getting it alfalfa-based or timothy-based. Timothy-based is best if you have a chin that is prone to bladder stones. It has high fiber and low protein. Since it is also made for guinea pigs, it has added vitamin C and has 12% ash.

Another popular brand of chin pellets is Mazuri. I don't particularly care for this brand nor do I recommend it, but many people use it. It is way too high in protein, over 20% and too low in fiber, only 15% with ash at 9%. A few chins do well with it and many others have intestinal upset and get diarrhea. The protein level being so high may have something to do with it. When we rescue a chin that has been on Mazuri and we mix in Oxbow to transition them over, they will eat the Oxbow and leave the Mazuri in the bowl.

The worst brand of pellets you can feed your chin is Charlie Chinchilla. Following close behind is Sunseed, LM, Vitakraft, Ultra-Blend Select, Kaytee Fiesta, Kaytee Forti-Diet, Nutriphase and Zupreem.

You can see from the photo below the huge difference in pellets from the worst brands to the high quality pellets.

Chin Pellets

I realize it may seem convenient for you to just go to your local pet store and buy these brands, but I want to strongly encourage you to find places where you can buy the much higher quality pellets. It will be more than worth it for your chinchilla's overall health as well as his taste buds!

What is Ash?

Sometimes you will see the ash percentage listed on some brands of pellets. In the US, it is not required for companies to list the percentage of ash in its pellets. Ash is what is left of the mineral content of the pellets after the heating process. If it does have ash listed, it should be a fairly low percentage.

Should you decide to shop around for a brand of chinchilla pellets here are a few guide lines you will want to keep in mind.

~ You want a pellet that is very high in fiber, 18% as a minimum with over 20% being the best.
~ Protein should be in the 15% - 16% range and fat only 2% - 4%.
~ Pellets should be Timothy or Alfalfa hay-based as the first ingredient.
~ You want a fairly low percent of ash as this has been linked to urinary tract infections in bunnies. Since bunnies and chins have very similar digestive tracts, I believe chins may be vulnerable to the urinary infection also.
~ No 'by-products' of any kind.
~ No source of animal ingredients of any kind including fat, proteins or by-products. Chinchillas are strict vegetarians.
~ There should be no corn in any form in anything you feed your chinchilla. It is very difficult to digest and corn is easily prone to mold/fungus. Very often corn meal is used as a binding agent in cheaper pellets. A good pellet will not use it.
~ No BHA or BHT which are a chemical preservative.
~There should be NO nuts or seeds of any kind in your chin's pellets.
~There should be NO dried fruit of any kind in your chin's pellets.
~You do not want colored biscuit-type pieces mixed in with the pellets.
~ALWAYS check the date on the bag of pellets. If there is no date printed on the bag; don't buy the food!
~The pellets should look and smell fresh. If you open the bag and it smells sour/rancid or moldy in any way, don't feed it to your chin. Return it to the store or call the manufacturer.

Hay

Timothy is the primary hay you will feed your chinchilla. Hay should be available to your chinchilla at all times. Sweet Meadow, Orchard Grass and Brome hays are also choices that can be given to your chin to add occasional variety.

Alfalfa is a sweeter hay and chins love it, but it should be given only as a treat past the age of one year old. It can cause soft poops for some adult chins if fed in excess. Also, Alfalfa hay is higher in calcium than Timothy hay and it has been linked to possibly causing excessive calcium in the diet and therefore contributing to bladder stones. The extra calcium is why Alfalfa is often given to pregnant chins who risk having their calcium depleted during pregnancy and when nursing newborns. Alfalfa is also good if you have a chin that is ill or weak and will not eat. Often the sweeter and leafy Alfalfa hay will encourage them to eat again on their own. Once he feels better, you can go back to feeding only the Timothy hay.

Hay should smell fresh and appetizing. Do not ever give your chin hay that smells dusty, wet or moldy in any way! There should be no sticks or weeds in the hay. Quality will matter whether your chin will even eat the hay or not. Once again we believe Oxbow Timothy Hay to be the best you can give your chin. Store your hay in a cool dry area.

Hay Cakes

These should be given to your chin as a treat or chew toy and NOT their primary source of hay. A hay cake is not the same as giving your chin loose hay. Hay cakes are much drier and made of chopped small pieces, whereas loose hay has 'moisture' and long strands that really work your chin's molars. Hay cakes are great to help wear down your chin's teeth to a healthy length and are a stimulating chew toy that chins love to carry around the cage with them. You can find hay cakes made with timothy, alfalfa and sometimes a mix of timothy and alfalfa hays.

Water

There can be so many chemicals and minerals added to some drinking water that an animal's immune system and small body can not handle them. If at all possible, I recommend bottled water for chins. Water should be changed daily and the bottles scrubbed with a bottle brush and hot soapy water at least once a week.

Healthy Treats

In all honesty, your chin does not have to be given treats, but let's face it, everyone likes a little treat from time to time. The key to giving treats is that you give only healthy treats and in very limited quantity. Even too much of a good thing is sometimes not good. If you limit the healthy treats you give your chin in addition to a really healthy diet, then he should have no trouble with intestinal upset. Giving junkie, sugary and fatty treats to your chin will cause him to develop fatty liver disease and make him susceptible to obesity and bloat. I am extremely strict with giving treats and only give them once every couple of weeks. The only reason I have cranberries on the list is because I sell those that are organic and dehydrated with no added sugar, and they are good for the urinary tract. I suggest giving only 1-2 cranberries once or twice a month. They should not be given on a weekly basis.

If you really want to give your chin a treat, you need to limit them to 2 - 3 times a week at the most. Only give one treat at a time on a given day. Some people will have a treat day. Say Monday and Friday are your chin's treat day. Pick one type of treat, maybe one shredded wheat biscuit and that would be it for your Monday treat. It doesn't sound like much to us, but remember how small a chin's stomach is. And yes, he will look to you for another one. Don't fall for that adorable face and the begging that will follow. He does not need more, and you need to use tough love when it comes to treats.

Do not give any treats to chins that are under six months old.

Healthy treats you can give your chin are:

Shredded Wheat (spoon size, no sugar)
Whole Dried Oats (organic if possible, a pinch)
Rose Hips (very high in natural vitamin C)
Oxbow Timothy Treats
Oxbow Barley Biscuits
Hay Cakes
Organic Dehydrated Cranberries (Not Craisins, no added sugar)

Chinchilla Organic Herb & Grain Fusion (see Our Store)

I decided to create my own natural herb and grain product because there were so many 'supplements' available at the time and none of them had the quality I wanted to give our chins. They contained some herbs that were not safe to give pregnant chins or grains that were healthy, but needed to be refrigerated. Plus, none of them were organic. Many were also sold in clear packaging which is not the best way to store herbs. Herbs should be kept in a dark sealed container away from heat and humidity to retain their freshness and nutritional value.

I put very high quality herbs into my Fusion, and it is safe to give to adult and young chins, as well as pregnant chins. I do have organic dehydrated carrots in my Fusion. I decided to put these in the Fusion because they are so high in antioxidants and vitamin A. I also wanted to add a variety of texture for the chins, and it has been a huge hit with them. It gives them great energy and is excellent for their overall health. I consider my Fusion to be a dietary enhancement and not a supplement. It makes a chin's diet even better!

Fresh & Dried Fruit

There would be no reason to give fresh fruit to your chin. When fruit has the moisture removed, it then of course becomes dried fruit. This process makes the sugar content very concentrated. Chins do not digest sugar well so giving your chin foods that are high in sugar can cause upset with his intestinal tract and can cause bloat and diarrhea. Some fruit does have higher sugar content than others. The only exceptions to the fruit rule for me are organic dehydrated cranberries to keep the urinary tract healthy and fresh pineapple juice for intestinal blockages which is discussed under Physical Health. Raisins are not healthy for your chin and should not be given as a treat. Raisins are 60% sugar and should be avoided. The only time it is acceptable to give one raisin to your chin is if he starts to show signs of hypoglycemic shock (low blood sugar). Also Goji berries have become popular, but these are a fruit and are high in sugar content. Goji berries are known to thin the blood, which would be a concern if your chin needed surgery or had an open wound.

Fresh Greens & Vegetables

Feeding fresh greens & vegetables versus dried herbs are two totally different things. Any fresh greens and vegetables can cause bloat and diarrhea for your chin. Bloat is very serious for chins and can be deadly if not caught early. You should not feed these foods to your chin.

Nuts & Seeds

You want to avoid these because they are loaded with fat and can cause fatty liver disease. Some say feeding sunflower seeds to your chin will give their coat a nice luster, but feeding a great diet and regular dust baths will do the same and is a much better way to keep your chin healthy. Fatty liver disease is a hidden killer in chins. It is something that you don't discover until after your chin has passed away if a necropsy (animal autopsy) is done. There will be fat deposits throughout the liver and since the liver is a filter for the body, obviously having it clogged with fat will prevent all the other organs from functioning in a healthy manner.

Vitamins

I do not recommend giving your chin a vitamin or mineral supplement in their water. These products sold at pet stores can cause problems since adding them to water can cause bacteria to form very quickly. Your chin should get their vitamins from food sources such as their pellets, hay or natural supplements/treats. Rosehips for example are one of the highest forms of natural Vitamin C you can find and chins love them. Many herbs and grains have vitamins in them that are safe and healthy to give your chin as a dietary enhancer.

Calcium Supplements

Giving extra calcium to your chin should not be necessary except in the following cases; pregnancy/nursing moms, pale or white teeth, malocclusion or hunchback. If your chin has any of these conditions, calcium deficiency plays a part. The most common ways to give a chin extra calcium is alfalfa hay, cuttlebone or Tums original (see Physical Health). Giving extra calcium if your chin does not need it can risk him getting bladder stones. I believe some chins are more susceptible than others when it comes to this. Bladder stones are very serious and painful. A chin can not pass a stone through urination like a person can. The stone has to be surgically removed. Like any surgery, this is risky and a long recovery for the chin. This issue has, at times, been a hot topic among chin parents. Some don't believe giving calcium supplements will cause bladder stones, yet there have been many chins that have suffered from them. I myself have had two chins get them. My advice is not to give extra calcium unless your chin has one of the conditions mentioned above. Please see Physical Health for more details on calcium deficiencies.

Salt & Mineral Spools

Do not give either of these to your chin. Again, you risk a very high chance of causing bladder stones. Many years ago before I started the rescue, on the advice of a chinchilla breeder I had a mineral wheel in my chin's cage, and he developed a bladder stone. He had to have surgery to have it removed and thankfully made a full recovery. I immediately took the mineral wheel out of his cage, and he has had no problems since. Feeding your chin a healthy diet makes it unnecessary to give them a block of salt/minerals.