Due to their opportunistic nature in the wild, most chinchillas will eat any leaves, seeds, fruits, and nonpoisonous insects that it can come across, and because they are endangered . Although fruits and nuts are something that can be fed to chinchillas, it is best to avoid them. Special emphasis on nutritional support. To be more specific, the diet should have 30% fiber, 16% protein, 35% carbohydrates, and the rest should be filled with fat, minerals, and sugar. Growing, breeding, and nursing chinchillas may be fed a larger amount of pellets to provide additional calories, protein, fat and calcium. You need to ensure your cat has a comfortable sitting area thats far from the chinchillas cage. There are some things that you should do to have a healthy chinchilla. Please talk to your vet for a detailed diet plan that suits the individual needs of your pet. Please do not leave them alone at any moment as our pets security is our topmost priority. (Benefits/Risks), Can Chinchillas Eat Timothy Hay? What To Feed a Pet Chinchilla | RSPCA Merrick dog food is a premium quality food, made with human grade meats and a selection of vegetables. Well, you should try to distribute the appropriate amount of food around their cage instead of handing them their feed in a bowl. However, in this list are food items that you should absolutely not feed your chinchilla and if you do, then going to a vet is the best course of action. Yes, chinchillas can eat C heerios, . Instead, chinchilla feeds should address the following: Fat: should be between 2% and 5%. On the other hand, the natural hamster diet is mainly . Can Chinchillas Eat Hamster Food? (What to Do in a Pinch) Hamsters vs. Gerbils: Whats the Difference. Find & Download the most popular Chinchilla Animal Vectors on Freepik Free for commercial use High Quality Images Made for Creative Projects. (Benefits/Risks), Can Chinchillas Eat Nuts? This can lead to blockages and other health issues. Hay should account for anywhere between 80-90% of your chinchillas food intake so from these numbers alone its clear to see that good quality hay is undoubtedly the most vital part of your chinchillas diet. Humans have food, and chinchillas have hay. Thats why they need to have toys and accessories in their houses. As it turns out, chinchillas have an absolutely wide diet that varies considerably in the texture, hardness, nutritional value, etc. An aggressive cat will attack the chinchilla but with patience, you can train the pets to coexist. 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;}. Those leaves, while not as pretty as daisies, are a healthy and natural food source for your chinchillas. This will ensure that they look for it, as they had to look for the food in the wild. Look for a pelleted, formulated diet specifically for chinchillas that is 16-20 percent protein, low in fat (2- 4 percent), and high in fiber (15-20 . Those products can be harmful to your digestive system in large quantities, so keep small portions in hand. Timothy hay should be offered in unlimited quantities so your chinchilla can graze and feed on it continually throughout the day, again, more on the exact amounts of food to offer your chin each day later in the post. link to How Often Should Chinchillas Have Dust Baths? Bottles water is safe for chinchillas to use but is an expensive way of providing your Chinchilla with water and some would consider this quite wasteful. The chinchilla should be given fresh hay every day. Chinchillas will eat plenty of native plants in the wild to give them a good balance of minerals and vitamins essential for optimum health. Plain Cheerios. What Do Chinchillas Eat? A Guide to Their Diet - AZ Animals They also need to have access to fresh water at all times. The short answer is yes, chinchillas can eat rabbit food. You can preset the desired amount of food amount for your cat to eat and keep it healthier. They are extremely high in fibre while offering low amounts of sugar. This is a general rule for most small animals such as hedgehogs and even the majority of reptiles. 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. Do you see that furry animal? Answer (1 of 2): It is not so much that they are 'fragile', but have different habitat requirements than we are used to. 2.3 Raisins. So, what type of hay do chinchillas eat? Overfeeding of fresh greens also can lead to soft stool or diarrhea. Cats with a chinchilla coat pattern have white undercoats and tipping on the back, tail, head, and flanks. and how to get rid of itContinue. kathson 35oz Hanging Automatic Food Water Dispenser Gravity Pet Auto Fat is another nutrient that chinchillas need in very small amounts to be considered healthy. As you know, chinchillas are very active, so they run around a lot. No, they can't as they're herbivorous, meaning they eat plenty of grasses or plants. Can Chinchillas Live With Cats? Tips for families who want to own both! Chinchillas are rodents and behave in pretty much the same way as a squirrel would. You can either purchase wood sticks from a store or collect your own. Good hays include alfalfa hay, timothy hay, orchard grass, and blue grass. (Later in this post, we will share the exact brand of timothy hay we recommend you purchase as well as the cheapest place to get it from). Cats are carnivores (meat-eaters) whereas chinchillas are herbivores (plant-eaters). Later in the post, we will show you how much hay, pellets, greens and fruit your chinchillas should ideally eat per day. Provide hay in your chinchilla's cage at all times so it has something to graze on. In the wild, chinchillas are omnivores, which means that they eat both plants and meat. Coprophagy helps to maintain the correct balance of intestinal flora within the gut, and also enables the chinchilla to absorb B Vitamins that are produced in the caecum (part of the gut). Chinchillas also require small amounts of fresh greens and can be fed occasional treats such as dried fruit from time to time. Chinchillas, for the most part, eat a really basic and simple diet that consists of very few foods. Fibre - 30-35%. These exotic animals need chinchilla food pellets every day, a well but in a much more controlled quantity. Food Options. Acidic foods can upset the pH balance of your chinchillas stomach and, as such, can cause stomach ulcers. Fresh drinking water should be offered daily in a water bowl or bottle. This is because fatty foods are very harmful to their digestive system. . Dry foods are made entirely from grains and other similar products. Distilled water isnt as easy to get hold of as water from the tap and it, unfortunately, does not contain any minerals which your Chinchilla needs. Chinchillas are so cute and such intelligent animals that make great pets. 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. Our main focus is helping owners to better understand and care for their pets with both straight forward and actionable advice. This is especially vital in the first days when youll be able to closely supervise your cats behavior around the chinchillas cage.if(typeof ez_ad_units != 'undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[250,250],'smallpetshq_com-large-mobile-banner-1','ezslot_0',186,'0','0'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-smallpetshq_com-large-mobile-banner-1-0'); Here are some steps you need to take when introducing these two pets. Or, you could hand out small amounts of peanut butter or cheese. This only happens opportunistically, though. Most customers said their chinchillas can't get enough of these treats. Get practical pet health tips, articles, and insights from our veterinary community delivered weekly to your inbox. No, they cant as theyre herbivorous, meaning they eat plenty of grasses or plants. Always keep an eye on your cat even after your chinchilla and cat have started getting along. Average Chinchilla Lifespan: How Long Do They Live? Take a look at this guide that shares the types of water your chinchilla can drink, If you want to know everything you need to know about chinchilla water bottles in less than 3 minutes then check our easy to follow guide here. Are Raisins Safe for Chinchillas? | Infolific Safe Treats for Chinchillas: What is Good, and What to Avoid Hay which is sweeter and has more nutrients, should be mostly given to young chinchillas and only occasionally to adult chinchillas. Studying the plants that chinchillas eat on a regular basis was particularly interesting for those scientists. Can Chinchillas Eat Hamster Food? What You Need to Know! Besides, Read More Are Chinchillas Cuddly? An overweight chinchilla is susceptible to many illnesses like diabetes, diarrhea, and liver damage. Can chinchillas eat cat food safely without any issue? To make sure that your pet eats food properly, you need to make the feeding time fun. You also need to make sure your cat has a mellow personality to lower the likelihood of it attacking your chinchilla. They will consume stalks, stems, leaves, shoots, fruits, seeds and roots . What Do Chinchillas Eat? | PetMD They won't go hunting for insects, but if they see one, they will eat it. The most common flowers you can feed your chinchilla include rosebuds, rose petals, calendula flowers and cactus flowers. To be more precise, these furry animals are mainly folivores, preferring a diet made up of vegetation.Some of the food items that make up most of their diet are seeds, grass, grains, nuts, and leaves. Finally, chinchillas need foods that help to keep their teeth grounded over time. What Treats Are Safe For Chinchillas? - Pet Assure Protein: should be between 16% and 20%. Shoot me an emailif you have a question! Cat-for-sale in Leicester, Leicestershire - Gumtree What Can Chinchillas Not Eat? - Cheerful Chinchilla Additionally, chinchillas can be fed a small amount (1-2 tbsp/day) of a commercial pelleted diet formulated for chinchillas. Some other healthy treats include rosehips and mountain ash berries. The average pet chinchilla lifespan is 15-20 years They can easily get an upset stomach and have a limited capacity for digestion. [4] You can buy hay at most pet stores or online. Chinchillas also need their diets to be supplemented with pellets to round off and balance their nutritional needs. (Benefits/Risks), Can Chinchillas Eat Pecans? 1 The deluxe chinchilla food is made from high-fiber alfalfa meal to promote gastrointestinal health, with added fiber, protein, and fat derived from soybeans. This is because cats have an innate hunting instinct. Adult chinchillas are recommended to eat timothy hay as this provides all the nutrients your chinchilla needs and in the correct quantities. as it helps them to put on weight quickly but this is usually only offered until the age of around 9 months old. Learning Center - Dog | Pet Supplies Plus If you have to leave your chin alone for up to 24 hours, ensure you leave out plenty of food and water to cover the time span. In conclusion, make sure to feed your chinchilla with care and monitor their diets properly. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. If you decide to collect your own wood then you need to make sure you do a few things before handing it over to your chinchilla. Package Include: PStarDMoon pet automatic feeder set contains 1 food feeder and 1 water feeder and 1 hay feeder bag, a complete set with large capacity, which can satisfy pets' drinking and eating at the same ; Size: The food feeder can hold 1400ml of food and the water feeder can hold 500ml of water, which can meet the supply of food . No fruits, seeds, nuts or vegetables. Dont discourage your pet from eating its own dropping, as it is natural for them to do so. To be more specific, the diet should have 30% fiber, 16% protein, 35% carbohydrates, and the rest should be filled with fat, minerals, and sugar. 2.2 Dried Fruits And Herbs. We recommend that you stick to simple and researched greens and vegetables rather than experimenting with all sorts of different options that really arent needed, remember, a chinchilla only needs a simple diet to be both happy and healthy. Filtered water is ideal for use in Chinchilla bottles. Fresh Apple. Raisins and dried cranberries. Chinchillas in captivity often require a balanced diet of low fat, low moisture, low carbohydrates, and high fiber. The most obvious reason why you shouldnt feed cat food to a chinchilla is because chinchillas are not cats! 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. As we mentioned earlier, hay is the most important part of a chinchillas diet. They are high in sugar, however, so give sparingly. Like most animals in the world, chinchillas require a variety of nutrients to be considered healthy and for their organs to work correctly. Second, not all rabbit foods are created equal. 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. Because of the sensitive nature of a chinchillas digestive tract, sugar can be extremely harmful even if its fed in moderate quantities. However, there are a few things to keep in mind. If you're looking for a reasonably priced cage that comes with a variety of accessories, try the Habitrail Cristal Hamster Cage with Wheel. You should thus monitor it at all times to make sure it doesnt hunt down your chinchilla. Reasons Why Theyre Smart. As rodents, their standard diet tends to follow a more opportunistic model, with chinchillas eating plants, seeds, fruits, and insects that it can get its paws on. However, if you are allergic to hay, this is a great option as it greatly reduces the hay dust in your house, which reduces the allergic reaction that you might have to the hay. You will only find the best in customer service and pet care at The Wishbone Pet Company . Wild chinchillas are omnivores and feed on grasses, seeds, fruits, small plants, plant leaves, small insects, and bird eggs when they get a chance. 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. 10 Possible Reasons Your Dog Is Throwing up Yellow Liquid 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) As for what kind of water chinchillas solid drink, you cant just give them any old water from the tap. They are very sensitive animals but can be great friends if you know how to take care of them. (Benefits/Risks), Can Chinchillas Eat Rabbit Food? Foods to Avoid (Benefits/Risks), Can Chinchillas Eat Romaine Lettuce? Raisins. Of course, there are some other food items that chinchillas cant eat as well, so it is best to ask a vet if you are unsure about the food item that you could feed your pet. Furthermore, chinchillas might suffer from stress caused by your cat, which might trigger a sickness, thereby leading to its untimely demise. What Owners Must Know! Pellets should be hay-based and fortified with additional vitamins. Orchardgrass. Avoid feeding dried fruits. Hamster food is made largely of things that would be harmful for a chinchilla to eat. As you can see from everything weve discussed above, you should never feed cat food to a chinchilla. Like. Two such posts that we have recently published are. Here is a breakdown of the nutrients your chinchilla needs in their diet and in what percentages. Naturally aloof people might not want to be constantly hounded for canine kisses, just as cuddly types might be affronted by some cat breeds . Image Credit: Natalis.ph, Shutterstock. if(typeof ez_ad_units != 'undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[300,250],'smallpetshq_com-box-4','ezslot_2',194,'0','0'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-smallpetshq_com-box-4-0');You should thus not be surprised if a cat and chinchilla bond as companions or friends. Its important to understand that this is a guide only. Cats are feline predators that are known for hunting rodent prey like chinchillas. Its quite possible that if you put cat food down on the floor, your chinchilla will try to eat it. Chinchillas are quite possibly at their happiest when using a dust bath and it is important we provide them with this little delight regularly to keep them content and in good health. Pet Supplies : PStarDMoon Bunny Automatic Food Feeder& Water Dispenser Chinchilla/Hedgehog; Ferrets; Guinea Pigs; Gerbils/Hamsters; Mice/Rats; Rabbits; Featured Shops. The food has to be given in a timely fashion and should have wholesome nutrition that can fulfill your pet chinchillas required dietary requirements. Buy Merrick Dog Food online in Canada from Canadian Pet Connection. Chinchillas love treats just like any other animal, but the treats can be deadly for them if you dont know the proper way or amount to feed them. Health and welfare issues - other. And of course too many raisins can cause diarrhea. Hamster food contains ingredients that are high in fats, including seeds and nuts, which could even be toxic to a chinchilla's system. Chinchillas in the wild typically eat most of their food in . Chinchillas can easily get their head trapped in these toys and suffocate. Semi-dry foods consist of dried milk and grain. Chinchillas are very friendly animals. 3 Spot-clean soiled bedding daily, and do a full bedding change weekly when you wash everything in the enclosure with mild soap and water. cute cat; Cat cartoon; cat eat; 1. amongst other things so only a handful are really considered safe enough to eat even in small quantities. Pics + 7 Signs Theyre Overweight, How Much Is A Chinchilla [Cost & Price Stats]. 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. 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. 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. Dried dandelions. ; The long-tailed chinchillas will feed on insects, such as moths and grasshoppers, and bird eggs if the opportunity presents itself. After all, it wont cost much and it might even taste good.