Chinchilla diet and UK online suppliers

Diet

Chinchillas can live to a great age, late teens is not uncommon and early 20's is not unknown but many die much younger and sometimes with pets we are to blame for feeding too many treats, unsuitable treats or the wrong pellets. Opinions vary and some people feed rabbit pellets to chinchillas BUT some rabbit pellets are totally unsuitable and can lead to Liver problems. Unless you KNOW what you are doing do stick to chinchilla pellets BUT please do some research, check out the ingredients and ensure they are fresh.

If you change your chinchilla's diet please do so gradually!

A very important part of our Chinchillas diet is hay this must be fresh, smell sweet and be free from dust. I now feed a mix of hays Timothy, Pure Dried Grass and Alfalfa, all of which my chins seem to enjoy. Information Links
Alfafa King Alfafa history, leading to nutritional breakdown and the Chinchilla Diet,
Petfoods Descriptions of different hay types
Chinvet - diet - hays

Sweets, chocolate, biscuits etc. are definite No No's the chinchilla digestive system cannot cope with so much sugar and you risk tooth decay which is extremely serious in any rodent.

For articles on feeding Chin Mania - Chin Diet. Etc-Etc diet.

For advice on changing your pet's diet visit California Chins - health - changing diet, while you are there do check out their food page.

U.K. SUPPLIERS

Petlife International Limited Oxbow Timothy Hay
Chin Rescue Alfafa, pellets, dried grass, many supplements and merchandise
Paul Spooner Duggin's pellets, chinchaff, cages, accessories and merchandise
Charnwood Pellets As well as their 'normal' chinchilla pellets they now do a new 'mature & Maintenance pellet, for adult chins who may benefit from a lower protein diet.
Chinchillas 2 Shop Food products, Timothy hay, healthy treats & toys, chin gifts
Bunnymail Treats, Toys and Chinchilla gifts
R & J Chinchilla Rescue Specialising in herbs.

FAQ My chinchilla eats its own droppings, is this normal?

Non ruminant herbivores have a large caecum where the cellulose that they have been unable to digest so far, is broken down by micro-organisms the faeces is then passed through the anus. Whilst some absorption takes place in the caecum there are a lot of nutrients and fluids about to go to waste. To prevent this the moister faeces (caecal pellets) that have only passed through the system once are re-eaten and pass through the digestive system again. So eating their faeces is not only normal it is essential for their well being.

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