How To

How to Feed Chinchillas

Contributor
By eHow Contributing Writer
(17 Ratings)

Most people don't realize that chinchillas eat with their hands and may even throw their food from time to time. (This is only cute when you are tiny and furry.) Keep your chin happy and healthy with the right diet.

Difficulty: Moderate
Instructions

Things You'll Need:

  • Hay
  • Rabbit Pellets
  • Dried Fruits
  • Alfalfa
  • Chinchilla Water Feeders
  1. Step 1

    Feed your chinchilla commercially prepared rabbit pellets as its main diet; these are made using a more newly researched formula than chin pellets. Mix the pellets with grass hay and alfalfa.

  2. Step 2

    Provide 2 tbsp. of food a day.

  3. Step 3

    Give dried fruits as treats, but in moderation. These supplements should be only 10 percent of your chinchilla's entire food intake.

  4. Step 4

    Supply a drinking valve and change the water daily.

Tips & Warnings
  • Hay and alfalfa provide nutrition and psychological stimulation for chinchillas.

Comments  

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chinmommy said

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on 2/27/2009 Chinchilla should never eat foods for other animals/rodents, only food especially designed for chinchillas. Even so, chinchilla food with colourful treats in them are very unhealthy (eg. Charlie Chinchilla). They should only be fed standard pellets (with treats kept separate

aduguay said

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on 12/26/2006 I am rescuing a chin today, but there are no stores to open to buy food till tomorrow. Can it eat rabbit food for a night?

aduguay said

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on 12/26/2006 Would rabbit food hurt a chin for a day? We are rescueing a chin but is is a holiday and there are no stores open on a holiday to buy food tonight.

nerdomatic said

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on 11/29/2006 Someone should amend this article. Consult any chinchilla book, speak with any exotic vet or chinchilla breeder and they will tell you it is clearly false. Chinchilla's should never be fed rabit food. Manzuri and Oxbow are both very good chinchilla food brands.

Anonymous

Anonymous said

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on 8/25/2006 There are many different brands of food specifically for chinchillas. Food with treats and "junk food" in it is not good for them - they will eat the treats and nothing else. They should only be given one treat a day, never half a cup of raisins. There are also many chinchilla websites with proper care suggestions (as opposed to some of what is written here), as well as many breeders who are always happy to help.

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