Chinchilla refuses healthy food

[Anjali]

Hello ! My boyfriend owns a 3 year old chinchilla which is awfully picky with food. He has been feeding him pellet mixes, usually the kind designed for rodents (rabbits, guinea pigs and chinchillas). The one he has now is for rabbits and guinea pigs. He has also given him raisins as treats. Now, the chinchilla typically leaves much of his food uneaten and only goes for the tastier parts, which causes a lot of wasted food. I want to make him eat healthier things, I'm considering buying him some chinchilla specific pellets, like Mazuri (although I've never seen chinchilla food in pet shops here) and also some hay, but he leaves most pellets uneaten anyway, so I don't know how to make him switch to healthier stuff.

I also bought dried rose hips to use as treats instead of sugary raisins, but he doesn't even touch them. The only treat he has enjoyed instead of raisins is oats.

I really have no idea what to do with him, he's awfully picky and any attempt at feeding him less tasty/healthier food ends up with the food remaining uneaten.

 

[Stackie]

You need to give him a pellet only diet without any treats mixed in. They're just like kids- if you give a kid a plate with broccoli and chocolate, the kid is obviously going to eat the chocolate and leave the healthy broccoli.

He will probably protest the pellet only diet for awhile but he will not starve himself. Give him time to realize that he isn't going to get the unhealthy treat filled food anymore and he will eat. Mazuri is a good brand to try. They also need timothy or some other grass type hay daily.

 

[Essentia]

Give him the better food and take away the other completely. He will eat it when he gets hungry enough.

 

[RichInGB]

I would definitely only feed chinchilla specific pellets, with no treats mixed in.

As for treats, I've always just given a half a cube of unsweetened shredded wheat. Also, if he's feeding Timothy hay, which I do, maybe get some alfalfa blocks too. Just to offer something different now and then.

 

[Basket_of_Chinchillas]

Feeding those foods can be really bad and dangerous to the chins health. The switch you are suggesting (moving to Mazuri or Oxbow or something of similar quality) is a really great idea

 

[Stakie]

And if you want to try other alternatives for treats, I suggest getting apple twigs and grapevine and such. My boy goes nuts.

 

[Zoaea]

Cutting out the junk cold turkey is the only way, or he will only focus on the junk. Not all chins will like rose hips but try zero treats for a week or more then introduce the healthier one. right now he is expecting the super sweet raisin. If he likes oats you can just use that as his treat. But id still give him time on the plain diet till he starts eating right.

Make sure the hay you buy has a long exp date and smells good, chins dont like stale hay muchie

 

[Anjali]

Thank you for the advice ! I am thinking of bringing him some apple and pear twigs from our garden, would that be a good idea ? The trees are organically grown, no chemicals or pesticides.

I also have a question about hay: my boyfriend uses it on the floor of the cage, to cover the plastic, but never actually feeds it to the chinchilla. He never seems to eat it either, although it's laying abundantly in his cage. Should I change this, and begin serving hay as food, instead of using it for the cage ? I'm not sure how to tempt him into eating it.

 

[Basket_of_Chinchillas]

Hay should be served as food, it is not bedding. Loose Timothy Hay is the one to go with, if your chin doesn't like that you can try Orchard Grass (Very similar in terms of nutritional breakdown). If you are giving your chin twigs from your garden, be sure to prepare them first. If you do a serve on the forum there are a couple threads on preparing wood. It normally involves scrubbing, boiling, and baking

 

[seachin]

I guess I am very chinchilla-like in this regard. If given a bunch of treats like donuts or candy, I will eat those first....then not have room for food I should be eating! As others have said, chins will wait for treats and not eat their healthy food unless you don't give them treats often, which is why many on here do not do so. Your chin will eat out of hunger once she realizes there are no treats coming soon.

 

[Anjali]

Hay should be served as food, it is not bedding. Loose Timothy Hay is the one to go with, if your chin doesn't like that you can try Orchard Grass (Very similar in terms of nutritional breakdown). If you are giving your chin twigs from your garden, be sure to prepare them first. If you do a serve on the forum there are a couple threads on preparing wood. It normally involves scrubbing, boiling, and baking

But why is the wood supposed to be baked and boiled ? It's not like chinchillas eat baked wood in nature. As long as it's clean and natural, what's the point ?*o*

 

[RichInGB]

Thank you for the advice ! I am thinking of bringing him some apple and pear twigs from our garden, would that be a good idea ? The trees are organically grown, no chemicals or pesticides.

I also have a question about hay: my boyfriend uses it on the floor of the cage, to cover the plastic, but never actually feeds it to the chinchilla. He never seems to eat it either, although it's laying abundantly in his cage. Should I change this, and begin serving hay as food, instead of using it for the cage ? I'm not sure how to tempt him into eating it.

I think the he/she is probably eating some of the hay, even though you haven't witnessed it. It's there, and he/she probably tried it and hopefully likes it. As for bedding, use kiln dried pine. Timothy hay, chinchilla pellets, and water should be available all the time.

 

[Zoaea]

But why is the wood supposed to be baked and boiled ? It's not like chinchillas eat baked wood in nature. As long as it's clean and natural, what's the point ?*o*

Nature also isnt kind and has a high death rate for animals. =P

Boiling/scrubing is to remove germs and parasites that could potentially infect your chin, things that would be carried by bugs, wild rodents, and birds. Baking is to cure the green wood, unless you want to dry it naturally for a whole year. this drys the water from boiling, the sap, and i imagine makes the wood harder (A good thing to chinnies).