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11 Aug 2016

Are Fruit & Veggies Safe For Chinchillas?

Posted By : Guest

Filed Under : Nutrition | Chinchillas

Recent scientific studies in 2013 revealed that chinchillas can live happily on just high quality hay and water for a balanced diet. If you feel you must feed some commercial food, then it must be rationed. Only a heaped tablespoon of high fibre pellets/nuggets must be fed daily to an adult chinchilla which will provide the essential digestible fibre. The rest of the day, the chinchilla will spend eating a long fibre hay which will provide the essential indigestible fibre to keep their digestive system moving and to maintain the right balance of intestinal bacteria. So is it necessary to feed them some fruit and vegetables as well?

According to RSPCA and PDSA (People's Dispensary For Sick Animals), fresh food should only take up less than 10% of a chinchilla’s diet, so don’t offer too much because if they eat too much of any fruit and vegetable, they are likely to get a upset stomach. But the right kind of fruit or vegetable can make a tasty treat for a chinchilla.

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 can’t as there are just too many of them. One or two pieces occasionally per week will be more than sufficient.

Safe fruit and vegetables include: apple, blueberry, carrot, celery, grape, orange, pumpkin, squash

Beware of vegetables sold in a supermarket as they are often sprayed with pesticides. It is better to buy them organic. A good place to purchase organic veggies is at a local farmers market if you have one nearby, although some stores have organic sections where you can purchase organic veggies from. They are slightly more expensive but are more than worth it in the long term.

You could also try and grow the vegetables for them so that you are absolutely sure that they are fresh and fit for your chinchilla’s consumption. If you have a backyard you could set up a vegetable patch or of course, you could always grow certain herbs such as parsley.

It is not essential for chinchillas to be given fruit and vegetables, but if you want to feed them vegetables, then provide them in small amounts and increase the amount gradually over time. The vegetables must always be fresh because this will ensure that they receive the maximum nutrient and vitamin benefit from them and that they are not at risk of anything that would endanger their health.

Too Much Fruit or Vegetables Can Be Dangerous!

It is important to remember it can be dangerous to feed chinchillas more than very small amounts of safe fruit and vegetables, as their bodies are not designed to digest these kinds of food very well. They are fibrevores and feeding excess simple carbohydrates such as the sugars in fruit and some vegetables can upset the caecal microflora balance, causing bad bacteria to flourish, potentially leading to gut stasis or diarrhoea.

The foods on the ‘bad’ list are mainly toxic to chinchillas, rather than the ‘good’ list which are safe to feed in very small amounts. The ‘good’ fresh foods are on the feeding plan because they add variety to the diet and opportunities for mental stimulation. They are invaluable for establishing and maintaining a bond with the owner and can even be given in very small amounts for positive reinforcement training.

As long as these foods are never introduced suddenly and are only given in very small, occasional quantities, and as long as 85 – 90% of the diet is good quality feeding hay, then the chinchilla should tolerate this as part of their diet without it being problematic.

Chinchillas that are being fed on dry food mixtures (muesli diets) will not be able to tolerate any fruit or vegetables because their digestive system is already compromised because of a lack of fibre in their diet. As mentioned previously, there are many vegetables to avoid and there are many that are often thought to be good for chinchillas but aren’t actually healthy for them.

These include lettuce, asparagus, avocado, cabbage, corn, peas, broccoli, peas, rhubarb, rhubarb leaves, spinach, potato tops, tomato leaves, locust pods and beans.

They are just too gassy for them and can cause a lot of gas production in their intestinal tract so it is better to steer clear of them.

There are also many pet owners and chinchilla breeders who feel the risk is just too high, to take the chance and feed your chinchilla a small piece of fruit or vegetable.

You can also try Burgess Excel Nature Snacks which are delicious, natural and healthy snacks for chinchillas as they promote emotional health, by preventing boredom. These snacks can be fed daily, because they're packed with 'Beneficial Fibre' and made with natural ingredients. These snacks work really well because they a delicious mixture of aromatic herbs, flowers, 100% natural air dried rustic vegetables and timothy hay. Some are specifically designed to be fed by hand which helps chinchillas to get comfortable with human attention.

If you are in doubt as to whether a small piece of fruit or vegetable is fine for a chinchilla to eat then always yearn on the side of caution and don’t give it to them. Always be certain before you feed anything to them and don’t take chances, so your chinchilla has every chance of staying fit and healthy.