If you decide to have a pet and the choice fell on a chinchilla, then in addition to the cage and other household items, it is important to pay attention to the food of the animal. It is forbidden to feed the animal with everything that you eat yourself..
It is important not to forget: the stomach of a furry creature is different from that of a human. It is designed to absorb nutrients from a meager variety of wildlife provisions. The health and life expectancy of a pet depends on proper nutrition.
In the wild, the animal is brought to eat what it finds. In his diet in wildlife includes plants of the legume family and cereals.
With pleasure, the animal uses shoots, shrubs, tree bark and cacti. Such a fluffy kid will not refuse to feast on herbs, nuts and fruits.
How to feed at home?
The main rule: do not forget that chinchilla is a small animal and eats very little... Therefore, in her food, it is important to maintain a balance of essential vitamins and substances. How many times a day should you give food? It is worth feeding such an animal no more than once a day, preferably during waking hours. This rodent is a nocturnal animal. This is important to consider when feeding. Between 6:00 pm and 8:00 pm, it doesn't hurt to fill your pet's bowl with food.
For an adult animal, 20-30 g of granulated food is enough. Observation will help to determine the amount of food: if the bowl is not empty before the next intake, it is worthwhile to subtract a couple of grams. Each pet is different and you will need a different amount of food to feel full. Remember to fill the separate feeder with hay. The animal eats the amount it needs, and uses the leftovers as bedding. It is important to refill the drinker with fresh water daily. You should not neglect treats and dressings.
What you can: list
The most suitable food for chinchillas is considered to be dry granular food. A 400-gram pack for an adult animal lasts for a month... After opening the package, it is worth pouring its contents into a container that is hermetically sealed. This way the provisions will better retain their properties. Such food is useful in that it is similar to the diet of a rodent in nature and contains cereals, herbs and vegetables. The positive side of this drug is its hardness. The animal uses it to grind its teeth, which grow continuously.
It is important to purchase food from one manufacturer. If the feed is regularly changed, then the animal is not immune from indigestion.
It is imperative to put hay in your pet's cage. For convenience, use a special sennitsa, which is easy to find in a pet store. The amount of dried herb should not exceed the gramme of the granulate. You can prepare such bait yourself, but it is better to use the services of a pet store. The fact is that most herbs are not suitable for chinchilla consumption. The animal is capable of poisoning and getting a digestive tract disorder.
Not a single rodent will refuse to feast on complementary foods, which are worth buying in a pet store in the form of granules. Additional food differs from the basic food in color and softness... Granular supplements are enriched with minerals, amino acids and vitamins.
Complementary foods help to strengthen the fluffy baby's immune system and heart, as well as improve blood circulation. However, additional food is not difficult to collect on your own. It will require cereals, roots, berries and leaves. It is important to add all components exclusively in dried form.
What they like to eat: Treats
Like a person, a chinchilla will be delighted with a treat. Do not think that goodies are harmful, because they can also be useful. It is easy to prepare a supplement favorable for the pet's body on your own.... Benefit will bring:
- corn. It is rich in magnesium, calcium and potassium. A few grains a day will have a positive effect on the well-being of the animal;
- viburnum. Two berries a week and the chinchilla's digestion will improve;
- calamus root. Helps prevent cramping. One centimeter of root per week will be beneficial;
- carrot. The condition of the fur and heart will improve one circle of the fetus. The treat should be given no more than three times a week;
- rose hip. It will contribute to the overall strengthening of the pet's body. Dosage - 4 pieces per month;
- plantain. The work of the digestive tract will be regulated, but it is only necessary to feed the chinchilla two leaves per decade.
The pet will also like lingonberry and cranberry, hawthorn and currant, apple, blueberry and chokeberry... It is worth feeding the rodent with herbal delicacies: alfalfa and parsley, sour and mint, chamomile and nettle, calendula and oregano. As for trees, it is better to use willow and apple, ash, mulberry and birch, aspen and elm for treats. Oak and pear are contraindicated. These plants have a strengthening property, and the animal does not go to the toilet quickly.
Vitamins and their benefits for your pet
Vitamin complexes are not only intended for young, sick, lactating, pregnant and weakened animals. The intake of vitamins in food will protect the pet from possible ailments. These supplements are available at pet stores and are liquid, powdery, or solid.
Pills and powders are extremely difficult to feed to pussies. That's why it is better to choose fortified complementary foods in a liquid state... So it is easy to mix it into water and the rodent's diet will be significantly enriched.
Make sure that there are always salt and mineral stones in the chinchilla's cage. They will have a beneficial effect on the body of the animal and help him take care of the constantly growing teeth.
Dry yeast is capable of replenishing the protein supply. They will also contribute to the enrichment of the chinchilla's body with B vitamins. It is important to add them to the feed a little at a time.
Pregnant female menu
The diet of an animal waiting for cubs does not differ significantly from the diet of others. Veterinarians insist on increasing the protein content of food. If the female began to drink and eat much more, then this is normal. After all, another living creature is formed and develops inside it, which also needs to be fed. The main thing: it is forbidden to overfeed the expectant mother, otherwise obesity and health problems cannot be avoided. Also, the animal's menu should be supplemented:
- sprouted grain. Reproductive function will return to normal due to the content of vitamin E in complementary foods;
- feed of animal origin. You will have to go to the pet store for him;
- calcium. Once a day, a quarter of a tablet will help the expectant mother to replenish the supply of this trace element, since the baby "takes" it from the female;
- apple. Every day, 3 weeks before childbirth, it is worth introducing an eighth part of the fruit into the diet of a pregnant animal;
- pergoy. A couple of balls a day will have a beneficial effect on the health of both;
- alfalfa and strawberry leaves, flax seeds and rose hips, calendula flowers and oatmeal. They will bring the rodent lactation to the required state.
It is important to exclude mint, thyme and lemon balm from the diet of a pregnant female..
What is not allowed?
The fluffy rodent has a sensitive digestion. Therefore, it is forbidden to give the following products to him:
These foods will not benefit your pet in any way. They are high in fat and extremely high in calories. So the mentioned food will not favorably affect the development and growth of the pet, and even cause obesity... Even if the chinchilla liked such products, it is strictly forbidden to give them.
Sample diet
A person will not like to eat the same food every day. For example, not everyone can eat buckwheat for a week. So why give your pet the same torment? Chinchilla needs a complete and varied diet. The animal will be not only tasty, but also healthy. Do not forget that feeding the pet takes place once a day in the evening, when the animal is awake.
On the first day, it is worth giving the pet 15 g of granulate. 5 g of rose hips and the same amount of a mixture of corn and sunflower seeds will help to supplement the required daily amount of food.
The second day will be distinguished by 20 g of pelleted food and 10 g of dried apples.
The diet of the next day consists of 10 g of food in granules, 1/2 kernel walnut and 10 g of a mixture of oatmeal and flax seeds.
There are a lot of menu variations. Use approved ingredients and pleasantly surprise your pet every day.
Useful video
A balanced diet is the key to chinchilla health... It also depends on appearance fur, and the life span of the animal. Don't neglect this part of pet grooming.
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One of the laborious and IMPORTANT processes is FEEDING CHINCHILLAS. If fed improperly, the animals get sick. Chinchilla gets used to food from a very early age. From adults, cubs take on the skill of finding food, and this circumstance makes it possible to accustom the young to feeding with one or another food.
WHAT IS CHINCHILLA
Basic food for chinchillas: the basis of the chinchilla's entire diet is a feed mixture with various additives. Scientists believe that the diet of an adult chinchilla animal should include 10-16% protein, 4-6% fat, at least 20% fiber, 6-7% minerals, 10% water. However, there are other recommendations on the composition of the diet (% of dry matter): crude protein - 14-17, digestible protein - 11-13, crude fat - 5-6, crude fiber - 18-21, crude ash - 6-8.
If the food of chinchillas is monotonous, the animals will feel worse and will stop reproducing.
How to feed a chinchilla at home
1. The feed should be 70% granulate. Acceptable: Vitakraft (Pellets, Regular, Baby), you can order Berkel or Prestige granules to order.
2. Feed should be 30% cereals: large rolled oats, flax seed (a little), dried carrots, dried berries, hibiscus, as well as dried leaves and flowers.
What herbs and berries feed chinchilla:
- BARBARIS - give 2-3 dried berries a week.
- HAWTHORN (BRANCHES, LEAVES, FRUITS) - before giving branches, remove the leaves (can be dried) and thorns.
- Lingonberry (LEAVES, FRUIT) - 2 pcs. 2 r / week (purchased berries are processed with sweet vegetable oil DO NOT GIVE SUCH BERRIES!).
- BLACKBERRY (LEAVES, STALKS) - before giving the stems, remove the leaves (can be dried) and thorns.
- HERRY (WITH BLUE BERRIES) - 2-3 pcs. 1 p / week ..
- STRAWBERRY, STRAWBERRY (LEAVES, FRUIT) - 1 pc. 2-3 p / week ..
- IRGA (BARK, LEAVES, FRUIT) - 1-2 pcs. 2 p / week ..
- KALINA (BRANCHES, LEAVES, FRUIT) - 1 pc. 2 p / week ..
- CRANBERRY (BRANCHES, LEAVES, FRUIT) - 2 pcs. 2 p / week ..
- Gooseberry (BRANCHES, LEAVES, FRUITS - branches (peeled from thorns): 3 pieces / week, leaves: 2-3 pieces 2-3 times / week, fruits: 3 pieces 3 times / week.
- RASPBERRY (BRANCHES, LEAVES, FRUITS) - before giving branches, remove the leaves (can be dried) and thorns, branches no more than 1 time in 1-2 weeks, give 2-3 leaves a week.
- JUNIPER REGULAR (BERRIES) - 1 pc. 1 r / week (other types of juniper are POISONOUS! Therefore, if you are not sure what type of juniper is in front of you, bypass it!).
- SEA BUCKTHORN (BRANCHES, LEAVES, FRUITS) - before giving branches, remove the leaves (can be dried) and thorns.
- ROWAN (BRANCHES, LEAVES, FRUIT) - branches: 1 pc. 1 p / week, leaves: 2 pcs. 2 p / week, fruits: 2-3 pcs. 2 p / week ..
- ROWAN BLACK FRUIT (BARK, LEAVES, FRUIT) - has a fixing effect.
1 PC. 2-3 p / week .. - CURRANT (BRANCHES, LEAVES, FRUIT) - branches: 3 pcs / week, leaves: 1 pc. 2-3 r / week, fruits: 3 pcs. 3 times / week ..
- TOLOKNYANKA (BRANCHES, LEAVES, FRUITS) - berries 2-3 shuki per week, branches 1-2 pieces per week, leaves 1 teaspoon per week.
- BLUEBERRY (LEAVES, FRUITS, STALKS) - leaves: 1/2 teaspoon 2 r / week, fruits: 1 pc. 2-3 r / week, stems: 1 pc. 2 p / week ..
- SILK (BRANCHES, LEAVES) - branches: 1 pc. 1 p / week, leaves: 1 pc. 1 p / week ..
- ROSE (FRUIT, FLOWERS) - 1 pc. 2-3 p / week ..
- AIR (ROOT) - 1 cm of root 1 r / week ..
- GINSENG (ROOT) - 1 cm 1 r / week ..
- BURDOCK (ROOT) - 1 cm of root 1 r / week ..
- CARROT (ROOT) - 3 r / week. NO MORE THAN 1/2 teaspoon at a time / 1-2 slices.
- SWEET PEPPER (FRUIT) - 1/2 teaspoon / week, strengthens the gums, dental roots, prevents the appearance of hooks, a powerful immune stimulant.
- PETRUSHKA (GREENS, ROOT) - greens: 1/3 teaspoon 2 r / week, root: 1 cm 1 r / week ..
- TOPINAMBUR (ROOT, STALKS) - 1-2 pieces, NOT more often 2 r / week ..
- ELEUTEROCOCCUS (ROOT) - 1 cm of root 1 r / week. (if the root is thick, cut it in half).
- VIKA - can be given DRIED.
- OXLITS - 1-2 pcs. 2 p / week ..
- CLOVER (STALKS) - WELL DRIED, 1-2 pcs / week. (NO MORE) there may be bloating.
- NETTLE - 2 tablespoons / week (useful for anemia, bleeding (as it increases blood clotting). Increases lactation in lactating females, also prevents convulsions, removes water from the body, possesses).
- LUCERNE - 1/2 teaspoon 2 r / week. (a lot of protein and calcium).
- MALVA (LEAVES) - 1 pc. 2 p / week ..
- ORDINARY CUFF (LEAVES, STALKS) - 1 pc. 1 p / week ..
- GOATHEAL (LEAVES, STALKS, FLOWERS) - 1/2 teaspoon / week ..
- MOTHER-AND-STEPMOM (LEAVES) - 1/2 teaspoon 1 r / week ..
- MELISSA - Can be given DRIED, used as directed, has a sedative effect, it is worth giving 1-2 dried leaves under stress.
- MINT - Can be given DRIED, used as directed, has a sedative effect, it is worth giving 1-2 dried leaves under stress.
- Dandelion (ROOT, LEAVES) - 1 teaspoon 1-2 r / week. or 0.8-1 cm of root 2 times a week. (stimulates appetite, normalizes bowel function, also increases lactation in lactating females).
- ALDER (BRANCHES, LEAVES) - 1 pc. / Week (cones CANNOT be used as a treat, they have a fixing effect! helps with diarrhea. and if given to a healthy animal, it can be constipated).
- PLANTAIN - 1 medium-sized leaf 2-3 r / week. (regulates the work of the digestive tract. Add to hay / feed or as a delicacy).
- PLAID ROSE / TEA (BUD) - 1 pc. 2 p / week ..
- CHAMOMILE - 1 teaspoon 1 r / week ..
- DREAM (LEAVES, FLOWERS, STALKS) - 1 pc. 1 p / week ..
- Hops (BONES) - 1 pc 2 r / week ..
- CHICORIUM (ROOT, STALKS, FLOWERS) - root: 1/2 teaspoon / week. Stems and flowers: 1 p / week ..
- THYME (STALKS) - 3 pcs / week ..
- CHERADA (STALKS) - 1 pc. 1 p / week ..
- ECHINACEA (LEAVES) - A piece of leaf the size of a teaspoon 1 r / week ..
- ACACIA (BRANCHES) - before giving branches, remove leaves and thorns.
- BIRCH (BRANCHES, LEAVES) - branches 1 p. / Week, leaves 1-2 p. / Week ..
- Verba (branches, leaves, buds) - branches: 1 pc. 2 p / week, leaves and buds: 2 pcs. 1 r / week (DO NOT GIVE A LOT, IN THE VERBUS (IT IS WHITE) THERE ARE TANNING SUBSTANCES THAT CAN CAUSE CONSTRUCTION).
- ELM (BRANCHES, LEAVES) - branches: 2 pcs / week, leaves: 1 pc. 2 p / week ..
- GINGKO BILOBA (BARK, LEAVES) - 1/2 leaf 2 r / week ..
- PEAR (BRANCHES, LEAVES) - branches: 1-2 pcs. 2-3 r / week, leaves: 1 pc. 2-3 r / week. (ATTENTION: if you dry the fruits, then only sour varieties of pears !!! Sweet ones are not allowed!).
- Willow (BRANCHES, LEAVES) - branches: 1-2 pcs. 2-3 r / week, leaves: 1 pc. 2 p / week ..
- LINDEN (BRANCHES, LEAVES, FLOWERS) - branches: can be in the cage all the time., Leaves and flowers: 1 teaspoon 2 r / week ..
- HAZEL / HAZEL (BRANCHES, LEAVES) - branches: 1 pc. 2 r / week, leaves: 1/2 leaf 2 r / week.
- ASPEN - branches: 1-2 pcs. 2-3 r / week, leaves: 1 pc. 2-3 r / week.
- POPLAR (BRANCHES, LEAVES) - branches: 1-2 pcs. 2-3 r / week, leaves: 1 pc. 2-3 p / week ..
- APPLE (BRANCHES, LEAVES, FRUITS, FLOWERS) - give dried apples 1 slice 2 p / week, inflorescences - 2-3 pcs / week ..
- JAVOR / WHITE MAPLE (BRANCHES) - branches: 1-2 pcs. 2-3 p / week ..
- ASH (BRANCHES, LEAVES, SEEDS) - sheet: 1 pc. 2p. / Week ..
- HERCULES (FLAKES) - flakes without sugar and additives, UNBOILED, 1 teaspoon per feeding.
- Buckwheat (GRAIN, FLOWERS) - you can give green buckwheat 2-4 things a day.
- CORN (GRAINS) - you can give 3-5 grains a day (do not hang corn on the cob).
- PUMPKIN SEEDS - give 1 pc 1 time in 2 weeks, it is considered folk remedy from worms (in the case of chinchillas, helminths are rather rare).
- LENTIL - 1 tablespoon / week (you can add 1/2 teaspoon to feed every other day. Rich in zinc, this trace element heals the fur and outer cover of chinchillas, regulates appetite).
- HEDGEHOG (SPIKES, STALKS).
- GREEN OATS (RUNS) - rich in vitamins A, C, E, PP, contains magnesium, phosphorus, chromium, zinc, nickel, calcium and potassium. Oat grains contain a lot of vitamins B6 and B12. It is considered a dietary product. Biotin relieves drowsiness and lethargy and has a good effect on the chinchilla's digestive system. Weekly rate: one teaspoon. For 100 g of the product, there are: proteins - 3.2, fats - 4, carbohydrates - 14.2 grams.
- Meadow oatmeal (SPIKES, STALKS) - can be dried and given as an integral part of hay, or as an additive to hay.
- PROSO - you can give dried ears, it is not recommended to give cereals.
- WHEATHEAD (SPIKES, STALKS) - dry and give as hay.
- RAIGRAS (SPIKES, STALKS) - can be dried and given as an integral part of hay, or as an additive to hay.
- TRYASUNKA (SPIKES, STALKS) - can be dried and given as an integral part of hay, or as an additive to hay.
- GRAPES (LEAVES, VINE) - the vine is perfect as a gnaw (WARNING! DO NOT give fruits! They have a high sugar content).
- GREEN TEA (LEAVES) - you can give DRIED green tea leaves in a SMALL amount. (IN NO EVENT IS THE DRINK ITSELF).
BIRD Knotweed (LEAVES, STALKS) - 1-2 pcs. 2 p / week ..
SOUL (LEAVES, FLOWERS, STALKS).
JASMINE (FLOWERS) - 1-2 pieces per week.
IVAN-TEA (LEAVES, STALKS, FLOWERS) - 2 pcs. 2 r / week
CALENDULA (FLOWERS) - 1 teaspoon / week (has a beneficial effect on the body of a pregnant female, reduces the threat of miscarriage. Calendula flowers have pronounced antiviral and antimicrobial properties, supports the liver).
CARCADE (hibiscus, Chinese rose) - 1 tablespoon / week (an excellent vitamin supplement to the diet of chinchillas, as it improves metabolism, tones and strengthens the body's defenses, increases resistance to infectious diseases).
CEREAL RICE (ESCAPES) - you can give panicles as well as hay, hull rice grains, chinchillas are not given them (and they can be fixed), only shoots.
SOUL SPIKE (SPIKES, STALKS) - can be dried and added to hay or given as a delicacy.
RUMP (SPIKES, STALKS) -can be dried and given as component part hay, or an additive to hay.
MEADOW COAT (SPIKES, STALKS) - can be dried and given as an integral part of hay, or as an additive to hay.
RED OATMAN (SPIKES, STALKS) - can be dried and given as an integral part of hay, or as an additive to hay.
3. The chinchilla should have boiled / bottled water every day, do not give tap water, as well as unpressed hay or hay of dubious quality. Good quality hay is the key to good digestion.
CHINCHILLA - BASIC "DO NOT"
The animal cannot be bathed in water, in quartz sand (ordinary river sand, which has sharp edges that cut and spoil chinchilla fur). If you are allergic, then keep in mind that the sand for bathing chinchillas is dusty.
Especially if she is forcibly picked up.
Stress provokes many diseases in chinchillas.
Your chinchilla on a walk can: fall into a container of water (saucepan, basin, toilet), gnaw a wire and get an electric shock and burn mucous membranes, eat objects that will lead to intestinal blockage, poisoning, mechanical damage to the oral cavity, hang between two surfaces and strangle yourself, climb into places inaccessible to you (under the refrigerator, bath, hole in the floor, etc.), get injured when closing the door or moving any objects around the apartment, break limbs, jaw, neck when falling from a height.
Chinchillas are allowed to walk under close supervision or in a specially thought out and prepared room. If there is no such room, the best solution - large cage and a sufficient number of devices for the vigorous activity of the animal.
Food for rabbits, ferrets, mice, degus, rats is not balanced for the individual characteristics of the chinchilla's organism.
Food from our table is also not a product that follows give chinchillas.
Leashes, harnesses and other devices are contraindicated for chinchillas due to the very fine texture of the hairline. The street is the source of a huge number of infections.
The consequences of such walks can be disastrous.
and early pregnancy are almost always negative.
Their diet is very different, the animals can seriously injure each other, the mode of activity in different rodents does not coincide.
Poisoning is very difficult to cure and your chinchilla may die because of this.
Someone can get badly hurt and not always the chinchilla will be the injured party.
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Today, chinchillas are becoming more and more popular with rodent lovers. They are purchased not only by Hollywood stars or famous people of our country, but also by ordinary people.
And this is not surprising, because chinchillas are very good-natured, lively and very cute creatures. Their unique silvery-gray, thick and fluffy fur, very delicate to the touch, will not leave anyone indifferent.
Chinchillas are very fond of all children, because these animals very quickly get used to people and become tame. Caring for chinchillas does not require a lot of time and effort. The main thing is to comply with indoor conditions suitable for chinchillas, change water and feed daily. As feed, you can use regular rabbit feed, adding good hay. For keeping at home, you need to purchase a cage that can be placed in any cool and slightly darkened place in your apartment.
Moreover, the more spacious the cage, the better. These funny animals love to swim in the sand very much. The sand cleanses their beautiful fur and also relieves stress, if any. It is enough to put a sand bath in the cage once a day - and your pet will be fine.
When purchasing a chinchilla, make sure that the breeder supplies you with the feed to which he has already accustomed the animal, because the chinchilla may not survive a sharp and drastic change in the diet.
It must be remembered that there is no absolute delicacy for a chinchilla. What one animal really likes can easily leave another indifferent.
Whatever food, herbs, plants you use to feed your pet, be sure to make sure that the food is clean and free of impurities or pests. If you have dried fruits for her, then they must be rinsed and dried thoroughly!
The basic rule when choosing food for a chinchilla: if you have at least some suspicion of the declared quality of food for the animal, in no case buy it.
Do not switch the animal from kicking with hay to feeding on grass abruptly, otherwise it will most likely have an upset stomach.
You should always have on hand a stock of grain mixture, the diet should contain: cellulose, vegetable fiber, dietary fiber. Concentrated feed should not be overlooked either, many of them can form the main diet of the animal. And be sure to get some oilseeds!
What to feed Chinchillas
Feeding chinchillas is a very difficult but important matter. If you feed the animal incorrectly, then there is a very high probability that the animals will start to hurt and, as a result, there will be death on the face.
If the reason for the death is precisely improper feeding, then this most often happens precisely with novice breeders, with people who do not yet understand that this animal, like any living creature, very much depends on the means and methods of keeping it, regularity in feeding and properly selected diet.
But in fact, it is quite difficult to call a chinchilla a fussy. By their nature, chinchillas are herbivores and they eat all parts of plants. In captivity, from the very first day, they get used to feeding on specific foods.
As a plant food for a chinchilla grown at home, "local" greens that grow in a vegetable garden or in a summer cottage are also suitable.
The best grains for chinchillas include oats and corn. Oats can be given to animals, both whole and crushed. Oats will certainly not harm the animal, but, on the contrary, will improve its digestion. Corn will be rougher than oats. It must be given in mixtures. Before feeding the grain, you need to either grind or soak in water.
How to feed chinchillas properly?
A healthy adult chinchilla should receive no more than 25-30 g of combined feed and plenty of hay per day. But since this is the average value and the norm for each animal is different, it is possible that it is your chinchilla that will gorge itself on a smaller volume.
You yourself will determine this as a result of monitoring nutrition, when, calculating the volumes of the consumed nutrient mixture, you will see that your animal eats exactly as much as it needs, but not less than 12 g per day.
Ideally, you will only fill the bowl once a day, but with the same amount of food that one chinchilla eats in exactly one day. This little trick will ensure that an empty feeder will be waiting for you the next time you feed.
If, at the next feeding from the previous intake, any food still remains, then it is better not to reuse it, but simply pour in a smaller amount of new food the next time.
"Kitchen" dishes for chinchillas
I would like to say a few words in passing about the "kitchen" utensils for chinchillas. Feeders designed for these animals are divided into two types - floor and hanging.
It is better to put the floor ones at the bottom of the cage, since the chinchilla will simply throw it off the shelf. Moreover, the heavier the floor feeder, the better.
The animal will not be able to use its "dinner plate" as a toy, driving it like a hockey player a puck from corner to corner Floor feeders are easy to wash and change food in them, and this is their big plus. But their disadvantages include the fact that a lot of debris flies into them from the floor of the cage. Floor bowls are made of ceramics, glass, metal, plastic.
Honestly, such a miracle would live in my house, I would give him my cup, spoon and plate :) I want to devote a whole issue of articles to this animal, so I will try not to miss any details. I would be glad if you become my regular reader.
For Shushi, food is the main pleasure in life. For food, he is ready for anything. In general, feeding a chinchilla is easier than feeding a husband, since the diet of the animal (I mean Shusha) is standardized and very diverse. However, if the husband's stomach is able to digest everything, then the chinchilla cannot be fed to everyone.
Shushik is a fastidious comrade, but we were able to find the key to his stomach and we hope that he is pleased with us, although he is silent. Looking at how much energy he has in the evenings, when I personally barely move my legs and hang on every thought, you involuntarily begin to think about trying food for chinchillas.
Features of feeding chinchillas
Before telling what chinchillas can and cannot, I would like to focus on the nutritional features of chinchillas.
1. In their bowl, there should always be concentrates in the form of a grain mixture or ready-made feed for chinchillas in an amount of about two to three tablespoons per day for adult animals. Well, to be completely honest, I put in two grains, because Shusha still spits out half.
2. Hay and fresh water must always be present in the cage. Shushik drinks about 100 gr. water for a week and eats several bundles of hay. I noticed that he loves Belarusian hay most of all, apparently he feels his native meadows. He also loves to steal hay while I clean his cage. Shusha quietly sneaks up behind him, pulls out a straw from the bag, hides under the sofa and sharpens it. It tastes better this way.
3. Complementary foods and snacks are offered in extremely small quantities. In general, I noticed that Shushik has a well-developed sense of satiety. For example, he smells very well when I eat a banana, runs up, quickly bites off a couple of pieces and winds up, well-fed and contented. Never overeats.
4. When feeding, the nocturnal lifestyle of the animals should be taken into account. Therefore, we give our chinchilla food before driving it into the cage. This makes our life enormously easier, because as soon as Shusha sees that the bowl of food is already in the cage, he gladly runs there himself in anticipation of the meal. Thus, we do not have to go to additional tricks to lure him there.
5. To see that a chinchilla greedily pounces on food is rare. Most often: he eats a grain, jumps, looks, eats a seed, jumps around the cage and again runs to the plate.
6. For the well-being of the chinchilla, dietary stability is also important. You should not change the food to which the chinchilla is accustomed too often, and it is better to transfer to the new food within one to two weeks.
7. A mineral and salt stone always hangs in the Shusha cage, which is gnawed as needed.
How to feed a chinchilla: Ready food - granules and grain mixtures
We buy ready-made feed of Polish production in Shusha. He is not particularly praised on the forums, but Shushik eats it with pleasure. He tasted the more expensive German and Belgian counterparts and refused to eat. Our food for chinchillas includes grains, legumes, seeds, cereals, dried fruits, bone and grass meal, corn flakes, and granular additives. Many components of this feed Shushik nervously throws out of the bowl, but on the whole he eats the mixture willingly.
And you should always look at the food when buying for the presence of any ugliness and mold.
The following grains are suitable for chinchillas: oats, barley, corn, millet, wheat. Germinated grains, which contain a lot of vitamin E, can be successful. You can also give raw cereals: rice, buckwheat and barley.
Food for chinchillas: Legumes, seeds, nuts, dry berries and fruits
All of the following foods can be given to chinchillas in a very limited amount.
Seeds. The feed we buy already contains raw sunflower seeds, but too much. Therefore, I choose them and throw them away. Despite the fact that seeds contain a lot of fatty acids that have a good effect on the condition of the coat, they are extremely harmful to the liver. Too much of them should not be given due to their high fat content. About once a week, Shusha receives an additional pumpkin or sunflower seed. He, like a big one, with an important look, peels it from the husk, and only then eats. In the watermelon season, he also eats watermelon children with pleasure.
Legumes. Chinchillas can be fed peas, lentils, soy, and beans.
Nuts. Information about nuts is contradictory. Someone does not advise giving them at all, someone writes that you can give almost all types of nuts. But knowing the delicate structure of chinchilla digestion, I give Shushik a quarter of hazelnut once every two weeks. A nut for Shushi is like valerian for a cat. After eating a nut, he jumps after me for a long time and loyally looks into my eyes, hoping for an addition. The main thing here is to show fortitude and, in joy, not to feed the beast with everything that is.
Dry berries and fruits. Shusha is very fond of dried rosehips and hawthorns, dried apples, bananas and he is crazy about raisins, dried apricots, and prunes.
What to feed a chinchilla: hay, twigs, bark
Do you love dead wood as Shushik loves it? Chinchillas need to be given roughage. This is hay, branch fodder, tree bark.
The most suitable hay for a chinchilla is legume-cereal, containing a lot of clover, alfalfa and other legumes. Hay should be good quality, clean and dust-free. Chinchillas rarely eat large amounts of hay, but they should always be in the cage. Dry nettle brooms are very useful and contain many vitamins.
It is useful to hang branches of apple, pear, linden, aspen in a cage for grinding teeth. Oak and willow branches are helpful for mild diarrhea. Shushik chews the twigs well, but he prefers cage twigs to grind his teeth, probably thinking of a big shoot.
Chinchilla food - Juicy food
Juicy forages are various vegetables, fruits and herbs. I watched for a long time what Shushik liked best.
Chinchillas can be given cucumbers, tomatoes, zucchini, pumpkin, carrots, Jerusalem artichoke, kohlrabi, lettuce. From fruits - apples, pears, figs, bananas, grapes. Plus some berries - rose hips, hawthorns. Large fruits should be divided into several portions. Our fluffy eats wheatgrass, clover, dandelion, nettle, alfalfa, carrot tops, turnips, Jerusalem artichoke, peas, twigs of fruit trees with leaves with pleasure.
Care should also be taken when feeding grass. For more safety and better storage, it is advisable to slightly wither it.
When the summer season comes, we harvest fresh herbs and twigs for Shushik, we pick dandelions. And Shusha is good, and we are ridding the garden of weeds. At the end of the summer cottage season, we dry apples and pears, rose hips and hawthorns, sometimes we save some hay.
What should not be given to chinchillas
Chinchillas should not be given anything baked. Twice Shushik made his way onto the kitchen table and stole first a liver the size of his butt, and then a candy, and not just a simple one, but a chocolate from Aeroflot. Fortunately, we spotted and prevented the sabotage in time.
Chinchillas should not be given white, red, cauliflower, red beets, persimmons, peppers. These foods can cause gastrointestinal diseases... Rye is very poorly absorbed by all animals.
Poisonous herbs: bindweed, buttercup, spurge, raven eye, horsetail, sweet clover, lily of the valley, henbane, cicuta, etc.
Unsuitable trees: almond, apricot, acacia, any conifers, cedar, cherry, plum, chestnut, citrus, cypress, elderberry, eucalyptus, myrtle, nectarine, peach tree, plum, walnut wood. Branches of stone fruit trees should not be allowed to chinchillas under any circumstances.
An excess of fresh vegetables or fruits can also harm the animal's delicate digestive system. You can't feed chinchillas with treats alone, no matter how smartly they demand them.
Make sure your pussies don't eat houseplants - most of them are poisonous to chinchillas. Our Shushik loves window sills very much. Therefore, the first thing that suffered was our orchids. And once, while still at the former place of residence, Shusha ate all my mother's seedlings, which she carefully kept on the window for transplanting into the greenhouse. It's even scary to remember what happened. No, well, everything was fine with the animal, but my mother could not come to her senses for a long time.
In general, be careful, and if you are in doubt about what and how much to give, and what you can and cannot, take another look at the Internet.
Choosing a chinchilla: a boy or a girl?
If you decide to have one chinchilla, then it should be borne in mind that girls and boys are slightly different in character. Females are big bosses with a temper. They are more self-willed and can even release a stream of urine at the enemy, that is, in you, if they do not like something. So, they are actively rebuilding their boundaries. Chinchillas have matriarchy, so the girl will quickly take the place of the mistress and dictate her terms.
Boys are more peaceful and inquisitive. Not a single novelty will pass by our Shushik and not a single room will remain unvisited. As soon as he sees the opening door, he flies towards it and bursts into the room, no matter how hard you try to hold him. If you decide to have a male, remember that they have one feature - a hygienic procedure for washing the main chinchilla organ, which is hidden most of the time, but if necessary reaches what length. And the way they wash it can cause uncomfortable questions in children and untrained persons.
If you decide to have a couple, be prepared for the fact that they will not communicate with you as actively as bachelors. They will focus on playing with each other, and you will be given the role of an observer. If you have a heterosexual couple, it will entail additional hassle. The cage should be larger, with the possibility of dividing into two halves in case the female is expecting offspring or whelps. It is also worth considering how you will deal with the offspring. For a very long time, my friend could not part with the chinchillas, not because there were no volunteers, but because she was afraid to give them into the wrong hands.
In general, much in the character of chinchillas depends on parents and heredity, and they are all very funny.
