Dec
07
2009
Do Chinchilla’s Need To Be Fed Hay? Is There Anything Else I Can Give Them Instead?
Posted by: Alan in Hay Fever, tags: Anything, Chinchilla's, Else, Give, Instead, Need, Them, There
I have bad hay fever, I’ve heard you can feed them on readigrass and pellets instead, is this alright? What else can you feed them on?
You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.
Entries (RSS)
December 8th, 2009 at 2:23 am
Instead of loose hay use hay cubes. I’m allergic to hay and this keeps my allergies down pretty well ((along with a generic allergy pill when I have to pick it up and put it in the cage)).
But sorry, it is important that they have hay. They won’t like the cubes as much as the loose hay, but they will still eat it. They need a pellet that balances with the hay. So, if they get an alfalfa based pellet, they need timothy hay.
The hay is also good because besides giving them a balanced diet, it trims their teeth nicely.
I highly suggest joining this forum below and asking any questions you have on that. You’ll have multiple answers from miltiple people within 3 hours. All of whom have chinchilla experience. Feel free to e-mail me if you have questions, I’ve had and currently have chins.
P.S.: Do NOT listen to the first person. Sorry, but chins should not have dried out fruits, this includes raisins, as treats! They have lots of natural sugar in them and throw the diet off balance! Good treats include: apple wood twigs, rosehips and cheerios. Among other things. Lot’s of people don’t even give treats, but I am not one of them! I spoil my chins. Giving fresh vegetable to chins is sort of a big controversy in the community. Some people do it with great results while others do it with awful results, I personally don’t take the risk.
December 8th, 2009 at 7:57 am
Feeding: Chinchillas require a lot of roughage, and the diet should mainly be made up of a good quality grass hay along with pellets made for chinchillas. Treats should be given in moderation (one teaspoon per day in total) and can include fruits (eg fresh or dried apples, grapes, raisins), vegetables (carrots, celery), sunflower seeds, and rolled oats. The digestive system of chinchillas is fairly sensitive so any diet changes should be gradual.
December 8th, 2009 at 10:44 am
If you are thinking about getting a chin, and have hay fever, select a different pet.
If you already have a chin, and have come down with it….
Try those pelleted hay./grass you mentioned, as long as it is all natural… I also have given my chins compressed hay cubes, made from real hay…
You can feed a complete pellet, like Mazuri, and there is not need to feed hay, but they love it SO much!