Proper nutrition is the basis of a chinchilla's health and long life. We have gathered the components that must be part of the daily menu, the recommended supplements and the foods to keep away from it.
Fresh Hay and Water: The Most Important Parts of the Diet of Every Chinchilla
Like rabbits, chinchillas love eating hay, and it is actually the most important part of their diet. Chinchilla food can be varied, as we will explain below, but hay should make up at least 80% of the diet to maintain good health.
What makes hay special? First, if it is high-quality and fresh, a chinchilla benefits from the dietary fiber it contains, which supports digestion. This cute animal has a very delicate digestive system, so fiber is critical to comfortable, smooth digestion, allowing the chinchilla to eat calmly without pain from the digestive process.
Second, fresh, crisp hay helps control a chinchilla's tooth growth and wears the teeth down in a way that is healthy for the developing jaw, preventing inflammation in the mouth and "pricks" from overgrown teeth.
Make sure the hay is green and looks fresh. Old hay with a dull brown color, especially if it has developed mold, will not do the same job and does not contain all the components important for a chinchilla's health.
Quality Pellets as a Nutritional Supplement
Dry food in pellet form is an important nutritional supplement for a chinchilla, and is particularly popular with this relatively greedy animal.
Buying pellets containing protein, essential minerals and vitamins allows a chinchilla to round out its menu and receive complete food rich in everything its body needs. Make sure you choose the specific type of pellets intended for chinchillas, without ingredients they must not eat and that could harm their bodies.
If your chinchilla is accustomed to one food and you want to buy a new type of pellet, make the transition to the new chinchilla food as gradually as possible, mixing the old pellets with those from the new package for several days. This way, the chinchilla gets used to the new flavors and will happily eat the new food without problems.
What Should You Never Feed a Chinchilla?
Sugar is a dangerous dietary ingredient, and food containing sugar is certainly not recommended for any chinchilla. For this reason, processed foods are off limits, as are dried fruits, along with various nuts and seeds, which may not be high in sugar but contain plenty of unhealthy fat.
The fact that sugar is forbidden does not mean you cannot give a chinchilla treats and snacks occasionally. On the contrary, you certainly can, but choose healthy treats with nutritional value, usually a leaf or a seed from a plant they are allowed to eat.
Beyond the treat itself, the aim of giving snacks is to enrich the chinchilla's daily diet and create interaction with household members. Providing fresh drinking water is also important to keep this delicate animal healthy and strong.
Image credit: freepik.com, EyeEm
