People often mistakenly believe that because rabbits and chinchillas are both small, furry animals, they will have a similar diet. Why Can Chinchillas Not Eat Lettuce? Their diet consisted of sparse, dry grass. This means that chinchillas can eat carrots, but only in very small amounts once a week at the most. However, a chinchilla must have smaller quantities. You should avoid the following toxic vegetables in particular: asparagus, broccoli, cabbage, lettuce, peas, rhubarb, and spinach. Carrots can be a healthy part of a chinchillas diet when given in moderation. Chinchillas can eat carrots, raisins, and sultanas as treats but only in very small amounts! You can also give them assorted dried herbs and plantain. As with all pets, a proper diet is key to health and long life in chinchillas. Chinchilla owners need to be wary of overfeeding their pets because obesity can contribute to a wide range of health problems. Chinchillas eat fresh hay, fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds, grains, and dried herbs. Vegetables – although vegetables seem like they would be healthy for a herbivore, they can cause your chinchilla to bloat. Chinchillas eat hay. Chinchillas require a diet that mainly consists of timothy hay with the addition of supplementary chinchilla pellets. Fruit choices include strawberries, pears, bananas and apples. You don’t really need to give too many treats to your chinchilla and doing it too often can make them ill. So what can chinchillas eat? Can Chinchillas Eat Carrots? in addition they choose timothy hay as quickly as daily and alfalfa as quickly as weekly. He … Fruits and Vegetables. Anonymous. Can Chinchillas Eat Carrots? So, what exactly do chinchillas eat? Both chinchillas and rabbits can eat certain fruits and vegetables, such as: Kale; Carrots; Celery; Squash; Alfalfa; Sweet potatoes; Apples; Grapes; Blueberries; Raisins; You should be careful about not giving your chinchilla too much fruit, as it tends to contain a lot of sugar. You can offer treats like dried fruits, herbs, root vegetables, and others about 1 – 3 times per week but don’t offer too much. Taking too much water can cause your pet chinchilla to suffer from bloating and diarrhea. ... From the variety of vegetables dogs can eat, most French bulldogs love the crunchy texture of raw green beans, carrots, celery, pumpkin, spinach, squash, and Brussels sprouts. Do not give ANY treats to a chinchilla younger than 6 months. Chinchillas in captivity can live up to 15 to 20 years, according to Animal Diversity Web. There are two reasons why you should not feed your chinchilla lettuce. Chinchillas will leave the bits containing fibre and only eat the sugary bits. Water Odd thing to put on a list for food, but we easily forget how important water is to living organisms. Fruits and veggies may alter this pH which may lead to diarrhea or may even bloat. But they should only eat these in moderation. When it comes to fruits and vegetables, it is important to be very cautious about introducing these as many chinchillas can’t tolerate them. But the right fruit or vegetable can make a tasty treat for a chinchilla. This causes painful, dental disease and can lead to obesity. Things can get even more confusing when feeding your chin fruits and vegetables. Not only does it have too much sugar and fat, it also harms their nervous and digestive systems. The amount of food chinchillas consume depends on their age, lifestyle, and healthy. Chinchillas can be very delicate pets when it comes to their diet. What fruits and vegetables can chinchillas eat? Even raw, hard broccoli doesn’t pose your chinchilla’s teeth a problem. read more Top Tip: Avoid muesli-type food mixes. Chinchillas come from a place where fresh foods and vegetables are scarce, they evolved eating dry leafs and plants, so their digestive system has adapted to high-fiber foods. When they aren't eating their pellet feed, another good treat to give them is raisin. Like many other animals, chinchillas can’t eat chocolate. Chinchillas can physically eat both frozen and cooked broccoli without a problem. When fruits and vegetables are fed excessively it can lead to digestion problems. Learn more about their diets here. Avoid nuts and seeds as these are high in fat. While chins can eat a variety of vegetables, many chin owners have to make sure they aren’t adopting an unhealthy diet. Hay is low in calories and high in fiber, so even if your chinchilla eats lots of it, it will not gain weight. However, chinchillas only eat certain foods, and some should be avoided as they cause bad reactions. Can they eat Carrots? But as we’ll see later on, broccoli’s nutritional content isn’t optimal for chinchillas, and can cause digestive problems. 1 0. ... Chinchillas should be fed nuts, seeds, fruits and vegetables. Some people will give a raisin, rosehip, or plain cheerio a few times a week, but do not overdo it. Chinchillas have fairly delicate stomachs that need to be a particular pH to properly digest their foods. So when it comes to what vegetables chinchillas can eat, it is easier to list the ones that they can eat rather than what they cant as there are just too many of them. Watery fruits like watermelon can give a chinchilla diarrhea, while some vegetables like corn can give them bloat. Some suitable veggie options for chinchillas are carrots, kale, parsley, dandelion greens, lettuce, collard greens and turnip greens. Why is Feeding Rabbit Food to Your Chinchilla Not a Good Idea? They require a very high fiber diet with plenty of roughage. How Much Do Chinchillas Eat? The vets told me that Chinchillas can eat vegetables and i was wondering what vegetables they can eat..? They're more into fruits than veggies, but carrots are one veggie that they do enjoy. They need a high fiber intake each day. • Chinchillas require a dust bath made from volcanic ash, which can be purchased at pet stores. Apple chew sticks are a great treat for your chinchilla as it helps trim your chinchilla’s teeth. Chinchillas also require small amounts of fresh greens and can be fed occasional treats such as dried fruit from time to time. Chinchillas eat very little at a time, but when they do eat, it is usually special chinchilla pellets. as with every animal, chinchillas choose sparkling nutrition and water daily. It’s important to know what goes in your pet’s food and what the best type of food you can feed them is, so I thought I’d take some time to break down what a Chinchilla should eat. Chinchillas can eat apples and they are healthy for them. Can Chinchillas eat apples? ANSWER: Some suitable veggie options for chinchillas are carrots, kale, parsley, dandelion greens, lettuce, collard greens and turnip greens. Feed them right, and you’ll have a happy, cuddly pet for many years. Chinchillas are naturally active. Chinchillas can eat fruits as they are good for their health, but there are some fruits which contain a great amount of water and have high sugar levels that can be harmful to the health of chinchillas. A high-quality concentrate or mix will contain natural ingredients that chinchillas like to eat, without the addition of sugary syrups which can result in digestive upset or dental disease. Only give your chinchillas small amounts of dried fruit and root vegetables as treats. Chinchillas are herbivores and as such, only eat plant-based foods like vegetables, fruits, hay, grass, and leaves. Can Chinchillas Eat Lettuce? Fruit and vegetables that chinchillas can eat include: Carrot; Celery; Potato; Pumpkin; Squash; Sweet potato; Strawberries, Pears, Bananas; Apples; Blueberries; Grapes; Raisins; Sultanas. It can also make them gain weight and give them other health problems. With the love that chinchillas have for root vegetables, carrots will be a perfect delicacy for them. Yes, chinchillas can eat carrots. Also, to the safe list: I feed Ling dried out apples leaves and twigs I get from my two trees. It is best to avoid giving your chinchilla fruits and vegetables as they are high in natural sugars. Their digestive systems can’t handle high acidity. ... Chinchillas can not get fleas; their fur is too dense. Consider giving treats between two and four times weekly, for example. Can chinchillas eat acorns? They can both also eat many fruit and vegetables. I have an tree in my yard that is losing hundreds of them and the squirrels are having a feast. Chinchillas are exotic pets, not starter pets. Their diet can also include hay, pellets, and treats (fruits, nuts, and vegetables) but that should be given in moderate amount. Feeding you chinchilla a proper diet can be hard to do with exotic mammals like chinchillas. 1 decade ago. Always chop vegetables and fruits up into very small bites. As such, their owners are typically older and better at caring for pets than average owners. If chinchillas eat too many fruits and vegetables, they might develop diarrhea or other stomach problems. There are also commercially prepared foods especially for chinchillas such as chinchilla crackers. The best kind of diet for your chinchillas is one that’s as natural as possible, packed with plenty of fresh veg and hay. Chinchillas naturally eat for long periods of time, mainly during the night. When cared for and fed properly, chinchillas can make great pets. How much do chinchillas eat? Fresh food for chinchillas – feed just a handful of leafy green vegetables every day or fresh herbs or dandelions. Chinchillas should not be allowed to eat after midnight. Wild chinchillas eat everything from wild grass and twigs to root vegetables. And yes, these carrots have proven to be nutritious and healthy for the growth of chinchillas. There were no fruits, nuts, vegetables, and very few seeds. What do chinchillas eat in the wild? Chinchillas evolved in a cold, dry desert. Veterinary Care I was wondering if they were safe for Ling. Over-use of the dust bath can lead to eye and upper respiratory problems for your chinchilla, so we recommend only allowing access to the dust bath for 15-20 minutes once or twice a week. Source(s): chinchilla 39 eat carrots: https://tr.im/QUTK2. In moderation, fresh vegetables and fruits can be healthful and occasional chinchilla treats -- though no more than 10 percent of his diet. As if that is not enough, these carrots are relatively good for their teeth too. If chinchillas consume too many high-moisture foods, they might experience an uncomfortable buildup of gas. Read On to Learn… The sensitive digestive system of chinchilla Chinchillas have a delicate and sensitive digestive system that requires a lot of fiber, compacted chinchilla pellets, fresh, clean water and a moderate amount of treat. In my adventure, chinchillas are low maintenance, yet their recurring takes some getting used to. Apples can give your chinchilla a needed boost in vitamins and should […] Lettuce is food that you should never give to your chinchilla. Treats are non-compulsory, yet oftentimes frowned upon. These are not good for their small digestive systems or their little teeth. 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