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Chinchilla nutrition is what you need except food. Feeding chinchillas. What chinchillas eat in natural conditions

Today it has become very popular to keep such an animal as Not less important is the question of what the chinchilla eats, and how, in general, to feed this animal correctly. Indeed, in order for this pet to be healthy and feel great, it is necessary to take feeding it seriously.

Chinchilla diet

So, first of all, I would like to say that the main component of the chinchilla's diet is feed in granules, since it contains a large amount of useful trace elements and vitamins. Provided that this animal came to you from another owner, you need to learn more about what the chinchilla loves to eat, and adhere to approximately this very diet in order not to harm the stomach of the animal. Since the owner decides what his pet will eat, it is necessary to highlight in a separate list what chinchillas can and cannot eat. Of course, you can buy food at a pet store, but it's worth thinking about its contents, and most importantly, its usefulness. Of course, various delicacies such as bananas or some varieties of nuts are very tasty, and these products can be safely included in the list of what chinchilla eats. However, how much they are necessary for the body and whether they are useful is a completely different question.

There is no need to pamper your pet, because, wanting to please him, you gradually wean him from normal healthy food, thereby disrupting the work of his stomach. To the question: "How to feed the chinchilla?" - you can safely answer: "Everyone." The main thing is to be able to find a balance between feeds and monitor proportions. So, it is best to give preference to pelleted feed and do not forget about hay, which contains a lot of everything useful for the chinchilla.

Delicious and healthy food for chinchilla

It is worth remembering that chinchillas have their own characteristics, and therefore it is necessary to be extremely careful in feeding this animal. Despite the fact that practically everything, there are a number of foods that can harm her body. It is worth mentioning that it is poorly adapted to the digestion of food. It is often impossible to feed a chinchilla with sugary foods, since sugar, contained in large quantities in various sweets, can provoke something like an insulin shock. You shouldn't feed your chinchilla a lot of raisins or sugary fruits. Sometimes you can give small pieces of bread, preferably only rye, but in this case, you should also remember about certain features, namely, the content of yeast, which in a particular case can cause bloating.

The animal's diet can be varied with vegetables, but you should only give them dried - it is better not to use fresh vegetables. You can pamper your pet with apple or carrot slices, but they must also be dried. Enrich the animal's body will help As for the grass, it can also be used as feed. However, it must be remembered that the grass must also be well dried. In the list of what chinchilla eats, you can safely include dried leaves of clover, dandelion and nettle.

Food for Shushi 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 spits out half anyway.

2. Hay and fresh water must always be present in the cage. Shushik drinks about 100 gr. water in 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, 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 chinchillas, 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 - granulates 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 in general 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 is already present raw seeds sunflower, 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 given 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 a 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 food is a variety of 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 must also be taken when feeding grass. For greater 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 intestinal diseases... Rye is very poorly assimilated 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.

Excess fresh vegetables or fruits can also harm tender digestive system animal. You can't feed chinchillas with goodies alone, no matter how famously they demanded 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, 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 do, 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 how they wash it can cause uncomfortable questions from 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 couple of different sexes, 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. My friend could not part with the chinchillas for a very long time, 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.

All the snacks are dry, they are given not often and alternating, with constant feeding, large quantities of snacks, indigestion, diarrhea or constipation begins, in the worst case, bloating or prolapse of the rectum.

Hay - the most important component of the diet of chinchillas. It should always be available to the animal.
It should be added in small portions so that pets do not scatter it around the cage and do not pollute it.
If the chinchilla starts scattering, throwing hay around the cage - you need to stop putting it on for a while.
Hay helps chinchillas move food through the intestines, thereby preventing it from stagnating and causing fermentation.
Also, herbal food is a source of vitamins, trace elements, fiber and protein for chinchillas. Withered or young green food (which can be fed to chinchillas in limited quantities) is rich in chlorophyll, which is close in chemical composition to blood hemoglobin.
Chewing hay helps chinchillas to grind their teeth evenly and in a timely manner, which prevents the development of dental hooks on the rear incisors.
Chinchillas eat well hay from sown grasses (alfalfa, clover, timothy) and soft meadow hay (timothy, hedgehog, meadow fescue, wheatgrass, bluegrass), mown during the flowering period of legumes.
Experimentally, about 100 species of herbaceous plants have been identified, which are most preferred by chinchillas. These species belong to 24 families.
Chinchillas eat legumes especially well (alfalfa, clover, vetch), then cereals (Sudan, wheatgrass, bluegrass, umbrella). They also like hay from the Rosaceae family (cuff, burnet, cinquefoil, rose) and Compositae (thistle, cornflower, wormwood, dandelion, chicory tartar, goatbeard).
They do not like plants of the family of sedges and horsetails.
The herb contains plants such as burnet, cuff, caraway, parsnip, parsnip, yarrow, cornflower, kulbaba, dandelion, plantain, cow parsnip, which improve the taste of hay and stimulate appetite.
Mountain hay.
Mountain hay is low in fiber, but high in protein. It has a high nutritional value and delicate aroma.
The composition of such hay is very diverse. It includes such cereals like: hedgehog, bent grass, timothy grass, fescue, ryegrass, mouse peas and other plants.
Legumes: vetch, clover. Herbs: cuff, bindweed, yarrow.
Alpine mountain hay is of a higher quality and nutritious composition and contains many umbrella and plantain hay.
Meadow hay.
Meadow hay consists mainly of herbs: vetch, clover, red and meadow fescue, bluegrass, bent grass, pike, sainfoin, astragalus, wheatgrass.
This hay is rich in cereal and moth grasses. The less coarse grasses such as sedge and horsetail in the hay, the better it is.
Meadow hay contains significantly less protein than mountain hay, but it surpasses it in the amount of fiber. Has a pleasant, fragrant smell.
Forest hay.
Forest hay is mowed in forest lands, on forest edges and clearings.
It is inferior in quality to meadow hay. Consists of cereals and legumes, as well as herbs. It usually contains woody leaves and pieces of moss.
This hay contains: vetch, clover, forest rank, sweet spikelet, shaker, pearl barley, forest fescue, bluegrass, pine forest.
Remember, any hay should smell good, be green and look appetizing. The hay should be free of foreign objects, debris, sticks, dust. Brown, moldy and musty-smelling hay should not be given to chinchillas. Also, hay is never used as bedding in animal cages.

BASIC DIET

The body of animals is adapted to dry plant food.
In the wild, the diet of chinchillas is poor. It consists of stems and leaves, seeds, roots and bulbs of drought-resistant herbaceous plants - lichens, cacti, moss, as well as fruits, leaves and bark of evergreen shrubs.
Chinchilla's thirst is quenched by succulent plants and dew.
When keeping chinchillas at home, the issue of nutrition should be approached very carefully.
The composition of the feed must be balanced and adapted to the digestive system of the animals.
Chinchillas are very demanding on the quality of food.
Perhaps this is due to the very small amount of food they consume, which is a consequence of their habitation in natural conditions, where chinchillas could only eat ephemeral (herbaceous plants with a short life cycle) and other alpine vegetation, which has a very short growing season and due to with this it preserves a large supply of nutrients.
In this regard, the chinchilla's diet should contain dry, balanced and nutritious food. Western and domestic chinchilla breeders prefer to feed their pets with granules, which are small oblong sticks of gray-green or brownish color.
Chinchilla pellets usually contain:
grass flour, wheat bran, crude fat, oats, barley, sunflower meal, wheat, molasses, limestone flour;
feed yeast, fish meal, salt, lysine, premix with a full range of vitamins and minerals.
For puppies and lactating females it is preferable to feed with a high protein content (up to 25%).
For adult chinchillas, granules are used, in which protein makes up 18-20% of the total mass.
Protein plays an important role in the development, growth and quality of chinchilla fur. With an insufficient amount of protein in the diet (especially in the diet of puppies), the growth of animals stops, the fur becomes dull, "wadded", dry and brittle.
Crude fiber is also an important part of the feed, which should be at least 10-15%.
The digestive system of chinchillas needs plant fibers to improve peristalsis.
Fiber pushes food through the intestines, making it work.
The fat percentage in the granulate should be 3-4%.
A balanced mineral and vitamin composition of the feed is of great importance.
The following mineral additives are present in the granules for chinchillas:
calcium, phosphorus, potassium, magnesium, sodium;
sulfur, iron, zinc, iodine, selenium, manganese;
vitamins: A, B, D, E, K, PP, biotin, carotene;
various organic acids (malic, folic, ascorbic).
The energy value of one kilogram of feed is 2900 kilocalories.
Chinchilla should eat about 20 grams of feed (1-2 tablespoons) daily.
Chinchillas are big finicky, and first of all they will choose the most delicious from the bowl. In order to receive adequate nutrition, the animal must eat all the food, not just the tidbits. The pet must eat everything that is offered to him.
Do not put a fresh serving in his bowl until he has eaten the previous one.
If your chinchilla begins to rake and scatter pellets from the feeder, then you are giving it too much food. Reduce the amount of food, remove sweets from the diet, break the daily ration of granules into several parts and add small portions.
The most harmful animals can be put on a diet: leave the feeder empty for several hours so that the animal gets hungry and natural instincts work - food is not always available, so you need to eat "in reserve".
It is better to underfeed the chinchilla a little than to overfeed it with sweets.
A healthy chinchilla will eat any food. Of course, if she has a choice, she will prefer something more appropriate to her tastes, but it is possible and extremely necessary to teach a pet to eat right.

1 Calamus - root

2 Astragalus

3 Birch - bark, branches, leaves, catkins

5 Hawthorn - fruits, bark, flowers, leaves

6 Lingonberry - berries, bark, leaves

7 Cornflower - flowers

8 Willow - bark, buds, leaves

9 Vika (mouse peas)

10 Grapes - Leaves

12 Hercules

13 Ginkgo Biloba - bark, leaves

14 Bird Highlander

15 Buckwheat - grain, flowers

16 Pear - bark, leaves, fruits, flowers

17 Oak - bark

18 Oregano motherboard

19 Hedgehog

20 Blackberries - berries, stem (without thorn)

21 Jasmine - flowers

22 Ginseng - root

23 Green oats

24 Green tea

25 Strawberries - strawberries - fruits, leaves

26 Cereal rice

27 Willow - bark, leaves

28 Ivan tea

29 Irga - fruits, bark, leaves

30 Calendula - flowers

31 Viburnum - bark, fruits, leaves

32 Hibiscus - Hibiscus

33 Chestnut - leaves, bark, (fruits ???)

34 Kislitsa

35 Clover

36 Cranberries - fruits, leaves

37 Goat's rue

38 Sweet spikelet

39 Rump

40 Nettle - leaves, root

41 Corn

42 Linen

43 Hazel - hazel - bark, leaves

44 Linden - bark, leaves, flowers

45 Lucerne

46 Raspberry - berries, leaves, branches (without thorns)

47 Mallow

48 Ordinary cuff

49 Mother and stepmother

50 Melisa

51 Juniper

52 Carrot

53 Mousepot

54 Mint

55 Meadow bluegrass

56 Sea buckthorn - fruits, leaves, bark (without thorn)

57 Oats - preferably peeled

58 Red fescue

59 Meadow fescue

60 Dandelion - leaf, flower, root

61 Aspen - leaf, bark

62 Bulgarian pepper

63 Parsley - root

64 Plantain

65 Sunflower - flower

66 Polevitsa

67 Millet

68 Wheat

69 Wheatgrass

70 Ryegrass

71 Milk thistle

72 Rye

73 Rose - bud, petals

74 Chamomile

75 Rowan red - leaves, bark, berries

76 Rowan black-fruited - leaves, bark, berries

77 Birch earrings

78 Currant - leaves, branches, berries

79 Sneak

80 Pine - bark (no resin)

81 Soybeans and soybean meal

82 Sudanese

83 Jerusalem artichoke

84 Timothy meadow

85 Poplar - bark, leaves

86 Shaker

87 Yarrow

88 Chicory - root, flowers, stem

89 Thyme

90 Sequence

91 Blueberries, berries, leaves, branches

92 Lentils

93 Chyna

94 Mulberry - bark, leaves

95 Rosehip, berries, flowers

96 Alder cones

97 Hop cones

98 Pike

99 Eleutherococcus

100 Sainfoin

101 Echinacea

102 Apple tree - bark, leaves, fruits

103 Barley

Chinchillas should not be fed with the following foods:

Any sour milk products

Meat;

Any baked goods, pasta, noodles, pancakes, bread, cookies, etc .;

Potatoes, cabbage, salad;

Eggs;

confectionery, ice cream, candy, chocolate, sugar;

Mushrooms;

Popcorn, chips and other fast food;

Any roasted grains (seeds, nuts, cereals).

In the daily diet of chinchillas, it is necessary to include branches, twigs, driftwood, pieces of wood of various types of trees and shrubs. This is done not only in order to diversify the diet of animals and supplement it with natural vitamins and microelements, but also in connection with the peculiarity of the structure of the chinchilla's dental system.
The pieces of wood also serve as toys that positively influence animal behavior and prevent bad habits (such as gnawing on fur).
Dried branches in their properties (nutritional value) are close to medium-quality meadow hay.
From woody foods, chinchillas prefer to eat shoots, leaves and bark:

hazel, apple, acacia, willow.

raspberries, lindens, rose hips, hibiscus, willow.

You can also include branches and leaves in the diet of animals:

rowan, pear, birch, black currant, sea buckthorn.

hawthorn, chestnut, hazel, alder.

Greenery is rich in vitamins, contains proteins (8-15%), fats (5-8%), fiber, nitrogen-free extractive substances, microelements. IN industrial scale vitamin flour is obtained from woody greens.
Branches of trees and shrubs should not be cut in cities, parks, along roads and highways. They should be harvested during the growing season, in ecologically favorable areas.
The branches should be free of mold, lichens, traces of fungal infection, pests. The branches should be washed under hot water and dry well. Do not free the bark from the trunk. It is the bark that is the main source nutritional value wood feed.

Wood species harmful or poisonous to chinchillas:

conifers, citrus;

plum, cherry, apricot and others with resinous wood;

wild rosemary, wolf bast, buckthorn, lilac, elderberry, bird cherry, maple.

Mixture is an additional complementary food that can be used in the chinchilla's diet as a natural source of vitamins and minerals, as well as to diversify the pet's diet. It is mixed with the main pelleted feed or given separately.
This mixture includes various grains, fruits, vegetables, fruits and nuts.
It should be remembered that all these products are not the main food for the chinchilla, but only an additional component to the daily food.
IMPORTANT: product norms for chinchillas are approximate.
The list of feed additives is optional. Do not include all foods in the diet of chinchillas at the same time.
Remember that chinchillas' stomach and liver can be damaged due to the high content of fat, carbohydrates and other elements that make up some foods.
________________________________________
Essential Ingredients in Chinchilla Formula
the following products can be distinguished:

Dried carrots - an excellent delicacy that is safe for the chinchilla's digestive system. Carrots belong to the umbrella family. Contains a large amount of carotene (65%), vitamins A, B, C, E, potassium, calcium, iron, magnesium. It is useful for the fur of chinchillas, strengthens the heart muscle, stimulates the appetite. Phytoncides contained in carrots are a natural antimicrobial agent and help the chinchilla cleanse the mouth and teeth from the pathogenic environment.
Also, carrots help with anemia and dysbiosis in animals.
The daily rate of carrots is no more than half a teaspoon.
For 100 g of the product, there are: proteins - 1.3, fats - 0.1, carbohydrates - 8.9 grams.

Dried apples - with a low calorie content, they contain a lot of fiber, which helps chinchillas to move food through the intestines. Also apples are rich in pectin - a natural enterosorbent agent that removes toxic substances from the body of animals. Improves the texture of the fur, strengthens the hair follicle. Apples normalize the body's metabolic processes and strengthen the cardiovascular system.
Daily allowance: on the day of the chinchilla, you can give half a slice of dried apple.
For 100 g of the product, there are: proteins - 2.2, fats - 0.1, carbohydrates - 59 grams.

Hawthorn - rich in vitamin C. Strengthens the heart muscle, helps with diarrhea. Has a calming, anti-stress effect on the nervous system of chinchillas.
Daily allowance: 1-2 berries.

Dandelion leaves and roots - contain calcium, iron, phosphorus, potassium, vitamins of group A, B, C, E, a large amount of protein. Stimulate appetite, normalize bowel function. Increase lactation in lactating females.
Weekly rate: a teaspoon once or twice.

Flax seeds
- rich in alpha-linolenic acid, omega-3 fatty acid (a vital biological supplement for animals), protein, fiber. Contains a large amount of vitamins E, A and F. Improves appearance chinchilla fur, making it shiny, lively and elastic. Strengthen the immunity of animals, are a natural anti-allergen. They increase potency in males and improve the course of pregnancy and childbirth in females. They have a calming effect, have a mild laxative effect.

For 100 g of the product, there are: proteins - 40, fats - 40, carbohydrates - 22 grams.

Buckwheat
- contains 18 essential amino acids and is equal in composition to plants of the legume family. It is also rich in iron, folic acid, flavonoids, which activate the protective functions of the body of chinchillas. Useful for pregnant females. Stimulates hematopoiesis, increases endurance, helps chinchillas fight diseases.

For 100 g of the product there are: proteins - 11.3, fats - 2.7, carbohydrates - 58.3 grams.

Chicory root
- contains a large amount of inulin (a substance that improves the body's metabolic processes and normalizes the digestive system), vitamins B and C. Enhances the appetite of chinchillas (especially useful for a weakened, exhausted body, during or after an animal's illness), normalizes blood flow, is an astringent , anti-inflammatory and antihelminthic agent.
Weekly rate: 1 teaspoon.
Per 100 g of the product, there are: proteins - 4.0, fats - 0.2, carbohydrates - 81.7 grams.

Hibiscus (Chinese rose) - in its composition: fruit acids, trace elements, many vitamins, bioflavonoids. Hibiscus is an excellent vitamin supplement to the diet of chinchillas. Improves metabolism, tones and strengthens the body's defenses, increases resistance to infectious diseases.

Calendula (flowers)
- contains organic acids, vitamin C, potassium, magnesium, calcium. Has a beneficial effect on the body of pregnant females, prevents the threat of miscarriage. Has a pronounced antiviral and antimicrobial properties, supports the liver.
Weekly rate: 1 teaspoon.

Nettle
- contains chlorophyll (a substance with which chinchillas produce blood), vitamin C, K, iron, sulfur, potassium, calcium. Useful for anemia, bleeding (increases blood clotting). Increases lactation in lactating females, prevents seizures, removes water from the body and has a pronounced restorative effect.
Weekly rate: 2 tablespoons.
For 100 g of the product there are: protein - 24, fat - 2.5, carbohydrates - 5 grams.

Corn
- rich in iron, phosphorus, potassium, zinc, contains ascorbic and folic acid, vitamins B, D, K. Improves the peristalsis of the stomach and intestines in chinchillas. It removes "garbage" from the body and is used for constipation.
Weekly rate: 1 teaspoon.

Wheat - contains vitamins of groups B, E, potassium, calcium, magnesium, phosphorus, rich in carbohydrates and proteins. Improves the structure of chinchilla fur, evens out the color. Normalizes the intestinal microflora of animals, is a source of energy and vitamins.
Weekly rate: 1 tablespoon.
Per 100 g of the product, there are: protein - 13.8, fat - 1.8, carbohydrates - 66.6 grams.

Raspberries - a source of organic acids - such as citric, malic, formic, salicylic. Contains iron, magnesium, potassium and copper salts. Supports the body of chinchillas, helps with bleeding and prolonged diarrhea in animals.
Weekly rate: 2-3 berries.
For 100 g of the product, there are: proteins - 0.8, fats - 0.3, carbohydrates - 14 grams.

Lentils
- seeds contain B vitamins, a lot of iron, folic acid which improves metabolism. Lentils are also rich in zinc, this trace element heals the fur and outer cover of chinchillas, regulates appetite.
Weekly rate: 1 tablespoon.
For 100 g of the product, there are: proteins - 9, fats - 0.6, carbohydrates - 22.1 grams.

Chokeberry - contain a huge amount of vitamin P, a lot of all kinds of micro- and macroelements, acids.
Stimulates the appetite of chinchillas, speeds up the digestive processes, normalizes the balance of trace elements and vitamins in the body of animals.
Weekly rate: 1 teaspoon.
For 100 g of the product, there are: proteins - 1.5, fats - 0.1, carbohydrates - 13.6 grams.

Raisin - contains B vitamins, fiber, iron, magnesium, as well as up to 86% sugar, which is harmful to the body of chinchillas and provokes dental problems. Used for anemia, general weakness in chinchilla. Raisins soothes the nervous system, optimizes the functioning of the heart and lungs.
Weekly or even monthly rate: 1-2 berries.
For 100 g of the product, there are: proteins - 2.9, fats - 0.6, carbohydrates - 6.6 grams.

Bell pepper
- a source of antioxidants, as it contains vitamins A, C, E. A large amount of vitamin C (up to 350 mg) makes pepper valuable food product for chinchilla. Strengthens the gums, dental roots, prevents the appearance of hooks, is a powerful immune stimulant.
Daily allowance: half a teaspoon.
For 100 g of the product, there are: proteins - 1.3, fats - 0, carbohydrates - 7.2 grams.

Sunflower seeds
- are a source of calcium, the content of which is superior to dairy products. There is five times more magnesium in seeds than in grains. They affect fat metabolism, support the heart muscle.

For 100 g of the product, there are: proteins - 21, fats - 35, carbohydrates - 4 grams.

Oats
- rich in vitamins A, C, E, PP, contains magnesium, phosphorus, chromium, zinc, nickel, calcium, potassium. Oat grains contain a lot of vitamins B6 and B12. Counts dietary product... Biotin relieves drowsiness and lethargy. It 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.

Linden flowers
- contain bioflavonoids, ascorbic acid, carotene, a complex of biologically active compounds. It has a calming effect on the nervous system of chinchillas, improves digestive processes, has an anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial effect.
Weekly rate: 1 tablespoon.

Green tea - rich in vitamins B1, B2, C, PP, K, copper, potassium, iodine. Contains fluoride, which strengthens the teeth of chinchillas, supports the liver. A powerful antioxidant, optimizes and strengthens the nervous system, removes toxins from the body.
Weekly rate: half a teaspoon.
Per 100 g of the product, there are: proteins: 0, fats: 0, carbohydrates: 0 grams.

The healthy and long life of a pet depends on what it eats. And when a fluffy rodent appears in the house, first of all you need to find out what chinchillas eat at home and how to provide adequate nutrition for a new family member.

When composing a menu for a pet, one should take into account the physiological characteristics of chinchillas. All herbivores have a sensitive digestive system. They have a long intestine, and their stomach takes a long time to digest plant fiber, which is necessary for normal life.

Vegetables, fruits and greens for chinchilla nutrition should be fresh, without rotten and moldy parts. The grass must be collected in areas remote from highways. All fruits, berries, vegetables, herbs must be thoroughly rinsed and dried. They are not given often. Young individuals who have not yet tried green food are introduced into the diet gradually, observing the reaction from the gastrointestinal tract. Feeding takes place at approximately the same time. Before each meal, the food bowl is cleaned of food debris, washed and wiped dry.

What do chinchillas prefer from food?

Healthy animals have a shiny coat and playful. Chinchillas are herbivores, their diet is diverse, but also requires knowledge of some features.

The rodent's menu is represented by plant food and includes tree bark, cereals, herbs, small fruits, moss, and plant shoots in the wild. At home, the owner compiles the menu for his pet. Here is a list of what the chinchilla eats at home, but much of this can be done in very limited quantities:

• alfalfa;
• Clover;
• cinquefoil goose ("crow's feet");
• dandelion leaves;
• a tomato;
• zucchini;
• cucumber;
• pumpkin;
• Apple;
• banana;
• Garnet;
• pear;
• dried apricots;
• prunes;
• meadow bluegrass;
• corn;
• wheat, etc.

This list can be continued and supplemented. But already from this list it is clear that chinchillas love fruits, herbs, vegetables, berries, herbs, cereals.

Diet of domestic chinchilla and feeding time

Chinchillas, like most other rodents, are animals that are awake at night. Caring for them is not very different from caring for other domestic rodents. Therefore, it is better to feed them in the late afternoon. If the bowl is already empty by morning, then additional feeding is possible.

Chinchillas drink ordinary water, better not boiled, but filtered or from a spring. The water must be changed every day. Boiled water contains nothing useful. A hanging type of drinker will allow you to avoid dampness in the cage.

Juicy feed

A balanced daily menu includes juicy foods (fruits, berries, vegetables, herbs, tree bark) and rough foods (dry grass, cereals).

The rodent's favorite treats - large fruits - are cut into small pieces. Chinchilla will be happy with both dried fruits and berries (raisins, prunes, dried apricots, rose hips, cranberries, viburnum, lingonberries, currants). Healthy fats should also be included in the chinchilla's diet: nuts (walnuts, hazelnuts, almonds).

Treats can be given up to 5 times a week, with a couple of times giving preference to any berry, and other times offering fruit or dried fruit.

Do not abuse herbs, fresh grass and vegetables, they can cause disorders in the intestines of the animal. Enough 2 servings of vegetables along with the main food.

Be sure to offer the animal to gnaw a twig of a tree or bush. Branches of fruit trees, as well as willow, birch, are suitable, except for branches of coniferous trees, maple, lilacs due to the content of substances hazardous to the rodent in them.

Hay is the most important component in the chinchilla's diet.

The main share in the diet of a chinchilla should be hay, dried herbs. First, due to the use of hay, food does not stagnate in the intestines and fermentation is prevented. Secondly, dry food grinds the rodent's incisors well.

Carefully monitor the quality of the hay offered: it must be clean, fresh, dry, free of debris in the form of branches, etc. If you decide to make your own hay, collect herbs away from highways, harmful industries. Hay from different types herbs are most suitable for chinchilla. But if you are not versed in herbs, then it is better to purchase a ready-made collection at a pet store. It is fatal for a chinchilla to eat

• black nightshade;
• horsetail;
• fern;
• cornflower;
• dope;
• sitnik;
• milkweed;
• raven eye;
• lupine;
• hellebore white;
• celandine.

Combined mixtures in the chinchilla menu

Combined (granular) mixtures with a balanced content of vitamins and microelements are sold in pet stores. They usually contain grains of oats, corn (in limited quantities), barley and wheat. But rye is better to exclude.

Chinchillas also eat oatmeal, beans, lentils, bran, pearl barley and buckwheat, flax seeds, barley sprouts, which also have nutritional value. Porridge is usually boiled in water for the young without adding salt.

A daily serving of the formula listed above is about one teaspoon.

Vitamins and trace elements in the diet of domestic chinchilla

Especially pregnant and lactating females, young individuals, sick animals need vitamins. In pet stores, vitamin supplements are sold in solid, liquid and powder form. Liquid vitamins usually added to water. Fortified dry food contains vegetable mixtures (carrots and pumpkin), berries (mountain ash and rose hips), dry nettle leaves. You can add a little dry yeast to the feed, they contain protein and B vitamins.

A salt or mineral stone suspended in the cage will enable the rodent to sharpen its teeth and replenish the reserves of trace elements.

What is forbidden to feed a chinchilla at home?

In addition to poisonous herbs, which are fatal to a pet, there is also a list of harmful products for chinchilla.

Proper nutrition of a chinchilla at home is the absence in the diet of:

• salinity, spices, smoked meats;
• rich pastries;
• meat;
• potatoes, beets, cabbage;
• persimmons;
• sweets;
• fried nuts and seeds;
• mushrooms;
• fermented milk products;
• garlic, onions;
• branches of stone fruit trees and shrubs, the leaves and wood of which contain essential oils (cherries, plums, bird cherry, juniper, myrtle).

Eating exotic fruits such as mangoes and citrus fruits can cause an allergic reaction. You need to closely monitor the consumption of fresh vegetables. If the animal eats greens or tomatoes, cucumbers, as well as dates, prunes and other fruits and vegetables, then fermentation will begin in its stomach. Fermentation leads to bloating, and things can end very tragically.

Fatty foods will lead to animal obesity and other health problems.

The correct diet for chinchilla

A proper balanced diet of a domestic rodent in percentage is as follows: the main share is carbohydrates (more than 50%), about 20% are proteins, the share of fiber - 13-14%, fats - about 5-6%.

Translated into grams of nutritious feed (cereals, legumes, bran) is given up to 25 grams of daily ration. A chinchilla should eat about 5-6 g of fruits or berries per day, the same amount of greens and additional feed (for example, tree branches) are used. The chinchilla can not be limited in the amount of hay, but still you should not put a lot, because the animal can scatter too much around the cage.

If you buy specialty granulated food at a pet store, always give preference to only one trusted manufacturer.

Compliance with these simple principles of proper and nutritious nutrition will allow you to enjoy the company of a fluffy animal for a long time.

A small, fluffy animal is able to conquer the heart of every person. Moreover, the sellers persuade the future owner, telling how unpretentious, omnivorous, affectionate the chinchilla is. What is, it cannot be taken away. This is a charming creature, sweet and gentle. However, you need to think about what to feed the chinchilla long before you bring the fluffy home.

Food for this animal is the most important pleasure in life. For food, he is ready to give anything. But you can't feed him to everyone. However, looking at how much energy this creature has, the owner himself is ready to switch to food for chinchillas.

Some features of the diet

Speaking about what to feed the chinchilla, it must be remembered that there are a number of rules that must be followed. First of all, there should always be a grain mixture or ready-made food for these rodents in the amount of 2-3 tablespoons in a bowl. If your pet scatters food, selects only individual seeds, then you should reduce the portions. Remember to keep fresh water in the bowl at all times, as well as soft hay.

An ordinary chinchilla eats 100 g of hay and drinks 100 g of water per week. This is a large and mobile animal, whose needs are appropriate. If you are wondering what to feed your chinchilla, immediately make it your responsibility to harvest a sufficient amount of fragrant hay. The chinchilla loves to steal it. Prepare some twigs near the cage and start cleaning. Surely the animal will not resist the temptation to take a twig out of the common pile and, having run off to the side, sit down to gnaw it.

Treats for your pet

Speaking about what you can feed a chinchilla besides food, you must definitely say about various tasty additives to the diet. As always, a little bit of cute. But these animals have a surprisingly well-developed sense of proportion. They themselves will not eat more than they should. Ripe bananas are very fond of chinchillas; it is also useful to treat pets with corn and flax seeds. In summer, you can bring your pet plantain, nettle and dandelion leaves every day.

Dried fruits are very good for dessert. It can be an apple, carrot or pear (pre-dried). Once or twice a week, you can give one raisin berry. Chinchilla is a vegetarian, keep this in mind when picking up a treat. The entire diet consists of only natural products.

Daily routine and feeding regimen

Speaking about what to feed the chinchilla, it is necessary to remember the periods of its maximum activity. This is a nocturnal animal, so you can put a bowl of food in the cage at nightfall. This will solve two problems at once: as soon as the animal sees that the bowl is already in the cage, it will run to the place itself, and no additional effort is required. However, to see that the chinchilla eagerly pounced on the food is rare. Usually she will eat one grain and run to jump around the cage, then return to the cup and again in a circle.

Keep in mind that dietary stability is important to your chinchilla's well-being. If you want to introduce new feed into it, then this process should take at least a week. A mineral and salt stone must always be kept in the cage. The animal will gnaw them as needed. Now we will take a closer look at how to feed a chinchilla at home.

Food is rough and juicy

It is the main source of trace elements and vitamins. TO juicy feed include fresh herbs and tree twigs, vegetables and fruits. Organics important for your pet's growth and development are a great addition. In the autumn period, the chinchilla will gladly gobble up root vegetables, it can be carrots, celery, parsley. From fruits, apples are very useful for these rodents, and from dried fruits - prunes, apples, rose hips, barberry. It is very good if you have the opportunity to collect meadow herbs, it can be alfalfa, garden lettuce, spinach, chicory and raspberry leaves. It is better not to give other plants, since the reaction is very difficult to foresee. Cabbage should not be given any, any varieties of it cause bloating.

In order for fluffy animals to grind their teeth and at the same time feast on goodies, it is better to use branches of apple and pear, willow and acacia, birch and oak. It is these feeds that help provide the body with tannins and biologically active compounds that improve metabolism.

Food is dry and rough

Speaking about what to feed a chinchilla at home, it should be noted that she will need hay in any case, no matter how balanced the diet looks. It is best if you take care of its preparation yourself. To do this, you will have to spend quite a bit of time getting out into nature, walking through meadows and cutting off tender grass. Upon returning home, it should be laid out in the shade and dried well. Good quality hay has a green color and a pleasant aroma. Brown, damp, moldy hay should not even be used for bedding. An animal can taste it.

If there is no way to collect hay, then you can order it in the village or buy it at a pet store. Your pet will be very happy with this addition to its diet.

Nutrient mixtures

They are sold in every pet store. Speaking about what you can feed your chinchilla, these foods can be put to the fore. It is in store packages that a balanced mixture is contained, which is necessary for the full functioning and development of the animal's body. At the same time, pay attention to the composition - the richer and more diverse it is, the better. But it is not recommended to use any one type of grain.

The mixture should contain 20% protein and 5% fat. Feed must be enriched with vitamins and microelements. Therefore, it is very convenient to buy mixtures that are made in production - it is much easier to take into account all the features of your pet's body than to feed the chinchilla at home with various products and hope that the result will be balanced diet... The granulated grain mixture is very convenient for serving - the animal will not choose one of the varieties of seeds that he liked the most, but will eat everything whole.

If formula is not available at the pet store

This may happen, but don't panic - your pet won't go hungry. Now we will look at what you can feed a chinchilla at home. You will need to make a mixture yourself, which will contain 20% oats, 20% wheat, 10% buckwheat, 10% barley, 7% peas, 55% crushed corn, 8% flax seed, wheat bran - 10%, dried nettle or alfalfa. In addition, the mixture must be enriched with special vitamin preparations. It can be Poltamix L or Poltamix F. Additionally, the mixture is enriched with ground calcium and methonine. The result is an excellent nutritional mix.

However, there is one difficulty: unlike nutrient granules, in which all the components are thoroughly mixed, here each grain is separated from the other. Your pet does not know that his food should be balanced, which means he will choose only what he likes. As a result, the chinchilla will quickly shake out the grains it loves from the feeder and beg for food again. This upsets the necessary balance.

What should not be given to fluffy animals

Not everything that you have in your kitchen will suit your animal. Let's talk in more detail about what you can and cannot feed a chinchilla with. First of all, you need to exclude all baked goods. Please note that the animals are very fast, they can sneak into the kitchen and take away cookies or candy. Chinchillas should not be given white cabbage, cauliflower, red beets, persimmons, peppers. These foods cause intestinal diseases and disorders. There are poisonous herbs that shouldn't get into your pet's cage. These are bindweed and buttercup, spurge and raven eye, sweet clover, lily of the valley, henbane and much more. Do not forget that an excess of fresh vegetables and fruits can harm the delicate digestive system of a chinchilla. It is better to give dried fruits in small quantities.

Let's sum up

Chinchilla is a funny and cute animal with its own character and predilections. However, its nutrition must be carefully monitored, this is the only way your pet can live a long and happy life... Don't give your pussies anything from your table, especially spicy, salty, baked and sweet things. This is a pure vegetarian, and therefore you need to feed him exclusively with natural products. If suddenly your pet is poisoned, sick and began to refuse food - immediately contact your veterinarian.