Chinchillas are a type of rodent that live wild in South America. Closely related to squirrels. Chinchillas have small beady eyes, large ears, and long fur that ranges from black to gray to white on their backs and bellies.
They also make adorable pets that don’t need a lot of space. However, if you choose a chinchilla as a pet, you need to know how to feed it.
If you’re considering getting a chinchilla, it’s helpful to know what foods your chinchilla can eat and which foods can be harmful. Chinchillas are rodents and can eat the same foods as squirrels, including nuts and seeds. However, chinchillas have very specific dietary needs and should not be fed old snack foods.
What do chinchillas eat?
Chinchillas eat hay, pellets, and fresh fruits and vegetables. The main part of their diet is hay. They need a constant supply of it to stay healthy. Because pellets are made from chinchilla food, they contain some of the nutrients chinchillas need, but not enough variety for a balanced diet. Fruits and vegetables provide additional vitamins and minerals that complement the hay in your pet chinchilla’s diet.
Are sweet potatoes edible?
But what about sweet potatoes? Will they become part of a chinchilla’s diet? Despite the nutrient density and benefits of sweet potatoes, care should be taken when feeding chinchillas sweet potatoes.
First, don’t feed your chinchilla raw white potatoes. They contain large amounts of solanine, an alkaloid that is toxic to humans and animals. Potatoes with green parts are high in solanine, which is especially dangerous for chinchillas and other animals. They can be toxic to humans. That’s why humans don’t eat raw potatoes.
Fortunately, raw sweet potatoes are also free of solanine, and cooking sweet potatoes reduces some of the ingredients in sweet potatoes that are unhealthy for chinchillas when consumed in large quantities.
So it’s best to cook sweet potatoes before feeding them to your chinchillas, but how many chinchillas prefer soft sweet potatoes? That’s why sweet potatoes are not the best option for chinchillas. If you do feed raw sweet potatoes, use them sparingly and occasionally.
Sweet potatoes contain important nutrients
So can chinchillas eat sweet potatoes? Yes, but only in small quantities. Sweet potatoes are an excellent source of fiber and vitamins for chinchillas. Despite its high nutritional value, it also contains a lot of sugar.
It contains dietary fiber that reduces the harmful effects of sugar in sweet potatoes, but the dietary fiber is mainly found in the sweet potato skin.
Chinchillas need hay too
As PetMD.com points out, most of your chinchilla’s diet should be replaced with other foods such as pellets and leafy greens to increase fiber. Hay is important for your chinchilla’s overall health and dentition.
Including hay in your diet can help keep your teeth in shape as they continue to grow for life. It also eats wild twigs to shave its teeth.
Without hairs and twigs, your teeth will stretch out, which can lead to pain and dental problems. Giving your chinchilla too much sugary food, such as sugar, can cause your chinchilla to have dental problems.
Therefore, you should make an appointment for a veterinarian checkup for your chinchilla once or twice a year. The veterinarian will examine the teeth and make sure there are no problems with them.
Chinchillas may also be given vegetables and dried fruits as treats. However, “snacks” should never be the mainstay of your chinchilla’s diet. Basic hay and pellets are also needed, and chewing on tube locks to keep the teeth from overstretching will also help.
final thoughts
Giving your chinchilla a healthy diet can help extend its lifespan, which can be extended up to 20 years with proper care and attention. Chinchillas will eat anything they can get their feet on! The best way to maintain a healthy diet for your chinchilla is to feed it a variety of foods that contain essential nutrients for optimal health, as well as hay or pellets.
References:
- “What to Feed Your Pet Chinchilla | RSPCA” https://www.rspca.org.uk/adviceandwelfare/pets/rodents/chinchilla/diet.
- “What Do Chinchillas Eat? | PetMD” June 13, 2016 https://www.petmd.com/exotic/nutrition/what-do-chinchillas-eat.
- “Chinchilla Overstretched and Painful Teeth | PetMD,” September 8, 2017, https://www.petmd.com/exotic/conditions/mouth/overgrown-teeth-and-dental-issues-chinchillas.
This article is accurate and true to the best of the author’s knowledge. It is not a substitute for diagnosis, prognosis, treatment, prescription or formal, individualized advice from a veterinarian. Animals showing signs or symptoms of distress should be seen by a veterinarian immediately.