Their diets should consist of 30 percent fiber, 14-16 percent protein, 35 percent carbohydrates, 3.5 percent fat/oil, 4 percent sugar, 6 percent minerals and 7 percent moisture/trace elements. We have created a list where we share our recommended timothy hay and orchard hay products to feed your chinchilla as well as the best place to purchase them from and you can access the list right here. Adult chinchillas are recommended to eat timothy hay as this provides all the nutrients your chinchilla needs and in the correct quantities. Chinchilla's natural environment is the Andes mountains. If you ask your chinchilla what their fave treats are, dried cranberries and raisins are at the top of their list. 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. For this reason, we have chosen to list the most common greens and veggies that owners often choose to feed their chinchillas and that we can validate are safe using veterinary sources such as the PDSA. 2.2 Nutritional requirements. . It is an animal that will get you smitten instantly, and its elegance will keep swirling, Read More Can Chinchillas Get Fleas? Following this diet routine is to make sure your chinchilla doesnt turn into a malnourished animal. 2.6 No Sudden Dietary Changes. Chinchillas have a rounded ears, plump furry bodies, short legs, and long tails. 2.4 Certain Breakfast Cereals. Wet foods are usually made up of milk and water. Orchardgrass. Yes, cats do attack chinchillas as their rodents, which they see as prey. If they are fed certain foods together frequently, they will become accustomed to them always being served together. 1. You can either purchase wood sticks from a store or collect your own. You can find out exactly which variety of Cheerios is safe to feed to your chinchilla right here, then check our easy to follow guide here. Fresh greens, such as dark green lettuces, should also be given to provide additional water and fiber. Belmore, NSW. List Of Safe Greens & Vegetables For Chinchillas: Fruits should only ever be offered as a treat to your chinchilla. Besides, Read More Are Chinchillas Cuddly? Pellets should be hay-based and fortified with additional vitamins. Hibiscus is known to be a healthy treat for chinchillas if offered in small quantities and is often used in commercial chinchilla treats. In addition to this, the chinchilla may choose to hide, seeking safety from the cat, thereby making it hard to locate. Chinchillas also need their diets to be supplemented with pellets to round off and balance their nutritional needs. 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;}. The answer to this question is no, Cat foods are not suitable for chinchillas and there are many reasons why you should avoid feeding it to them. Read More The Best Chinchilla Toys (Review) in 2023Continue, This post contains affiliate links and I will be compensated if you make a purchase after clicking on my links. Milk and other dairy products are animal products and not appropriate for herbivores. The chinchilla's pellets should be put in a food bowl, and they should be given fresh pellets every day. As wet cat food is so soft, itll have absolutely no effect on keeping your chinchillas teeth to a safe length. This means that chinchillas require a diet rich in protein but low in fat and carbohydrates. The auto cat feeder has a 1080HD camera with automatic night vision as well as wide-angle view and supports 10-second voice message recording. Raisins and dried cranberries. I blog about their care, where to buy them, breeders, and more. Because chinchillas teeth grow throughout their lives, when they are not offered enough hay (and consume mainly pellets), the surfaces of their top and bottom teeth collide inside their mouths with such force as they chew that the roots of their teeth become impacted, like a persons impacted wisdom teeth. The popular cereal Cheerios are also seen as a treat that chinchillas can eat due to their dried nature and high amounts of fibre. Lets now take a look at each of these and see why you need to only offer foods that are high in these nutrients sparingly. Strong expertise in both dogs and cats. Therefore, youll want to choose the hay wisely if you dont want, Read More Best Hay For Chinchillas 2023 Reviews and ComparisonContinue. Humans have food, and chinchillas have hay. To make sure that your pet eats food properly, you need to make the feeding time fun. However, its still possible for these two pets to get along, but this doesnt mean that youll find the chinchilla cuddling on the lap of your cat.if(typeof ez_ad_units != 'undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[300,600],'smallpetshq_com-narrow-sky-1','ezslot_14',179,'0','0'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-smallpetshq_com-narrow-sky-1-0'); Yes, cats and chinchillas can live in one house. Well, you should try to distribute the appropriate amount of food around their cage instead of handing them their feed in a bowl. You'll need to make sure you'll be sharing your home with an animal that suits your lifestyle, available space, and even your personality type. In the wild, chins consume very small amounts of fat in their diet so offering them a high-fat diet that their gastrointestinal tract isnt used to can lead to more digestive problems. 1 What Foods Are Poisonous To Chinchillas? However, in many cases, this is easier said than done. our recommended food products for your chinchilla and the best place to purchase them from. In this article, we'll answer the above questions by taking an in-depth look at what kind of diet is best for your beloved pet chinchilla. Their mum is a chinchilla Persian Semi-long haired silky & soft coat and their Dad is a red . You can repeat the process for a few days, gradually increasing the time frame. Or, you could hand out small amounts of peanut butter or cheese. As you know, chinchillas are very active, so they run around a lot. This is important because these two pets have brains that are programmed to act differently. Just because a green on the list below is labelled safe doesnt mean that you can feed your chinchilla unlimited amounts of that green or vegetable. Unlike cat food or dog food, this will contain many of the nutrients that a chinchilla needs to stay fit and healthy. Greens especially leafy greens are a food group that you can and should offer to your chinchilla on a regular basis. The most important thing is to provide chinchillas with additional water, especially in summer, and monitor their daily water intake. Are Chinchillas Cuddly? Image Credit: Natalis.ph, Shutterstock. This is all too situational and it depends on the character of the pet. For a healthy domestic animal, you need proper food and a diet plan. Thank you for supporting us on our journey as we continue to publish content with the aim of helping owners care for their pets in the best way possible! Fresh vegetables and fruits can occasionally be fed to your chinchillas, but only some of the fruit and vegetables your chinchillas digestive system can bear. Finally, since chinchillas cannot vomit, small or hard foods such as dried fruit, nuts, seeds, or raisins can get stuck in the back of the mouth or esophagus leading to salivation, gagging, lack of appetite and possible problems breathing. This site is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com. This means it should comprise 35% carbohydrates, 30% fiber, 15% protein, 4% protein, and less than 3.5% fat. Dried fruit (apple, banana, and papaya). The brand that we would recommend using is Oxbow as their pellets are of a high quality and are fortified with vitamins such as vitamin D3. The bottom line is, chinchillas dont need treats, but if you feel bad or want your chinchilla to be happy, then you can give them treats occasionally. The main takeaway here is that you should never give cat food to your pet chinchilla. The small animals love their leafy snack so much that they can live off it alone. The best way to safeguard your chinchilla from your cat is by placing its cage far from the reach of your cat. It is not a suitable food for them to have, even in small amounts. amongst other things so only a handful are really considered safe enough to eat even in small quantities. So what can chinchillas eat? While it depends on your cat's personality, many will seek out to hunt chinchillas. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. You can do this by understanding how a chinchilla behaves and using that to your advantage. Our main focus is helping owners to better understand and care for their pets with both straight forward and actionable advice. The diet of chinchillas should ideally be high in protein and fiber while containing low moisture and fat content. We are compensated for referring traffic and business to Amazon and other companies linked to on this site. How to feed the chinchilla. They can easily get an upset stomach and have a limited capacity for digestion. But guinea pigs are actually really good at eating slowly and reading their body. Food items that need to be provided to them continuously are hay and clean drinking water. There are several reasons why you shouldnt feed your chinchillas cat food and, below, well explore each of these in more detail. Furthermore, chinchillas might suffer from stress caused by your cat, which might trigger a sickness, thereby leading to its untimely demise. (Benefits/Risks), Norwegian Lundehund: What You Need To Know. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Pelleted diets are better than a mixture of loose items. The most common flowers you can feed your chinchilla include rosebuds, rose petals, calendula flowers and cactus flowers. Specific Substrate Needs. As mentioned earlier, chinchillas' dietary requirements are different from other animals, and therefore, they should not eat guinea pig food or gerbil food.