Is kale good for chinchillas?

[Mookie]

My vet said that kale is good for chinchillas. How much should I feed them it and how often? Is raisins good for them? dried papaya? Dried rosehips? how often and how many should I be giving my chins these things?

 

[addictedtochins]

Absolutely no kale, raisins, or fruit. Rosehips...maybe 2 a week

 

[Cuddlebug]

Good treats are plain Cherrios, unfrosted, mini shredded wheats, That does NOT mean one or two each a week. Example: one pinch of oats and one Cheerio a week.

 

[Randy-Chin]

Was curious about the kale and did a internet search. Found the site with information about the issue feeding kale. It is from Scottsdale Veterinary Clinic.

I do not know the experience and how many years they have dealing with chins and were they came up with all the information they state in the article.

http://www.scottsdaleveterinaryclinic.com/pdf/info_pages/Chinchilla/Nutrition.pdf

 

[AZChins]

Pellets are not a necessity and the chins should eat romaine lettuce. I don't think that they know too much about chinchilla nutrition. I've had to deal with a few vets up in the Phoenix (Scottsdale) area that give out really bad info about nutrition.

Chins often end up with bloat and other issues when given kale and other greens. One customer of mine had a sick chin and went to the vet only to be told that the chin MUST have greens. That chinchilla died the next day because of a lack of care.

I wouldn't cite that PDF nutrition sheet as a source. It also states that chins get fur balls of some sort and the high fiber diet will someone eliminate or lessen their occurrence.

 

[Cuddlebug]

I am not so sure that these people have ever seen a chin. Their directions state to give 1/2 cup for every 4 pounds of chin. I would really like to see a 4 pound chin. My Bambi is over 1000 grams and that's only a pound and a half.

 

[AZChins]

Maybe they took bunny or rabbit info and tried to give it for chins?

 

[CJR]

I am not so sure that these people have ever seen a chin. Their directions state to give 1/2 cup for every 4 pounds of chin. I would really like to see a 4 pound chin. My Bambi is over 1000 grams and that's only a pound and a half.

Actually, 1000 grams is equal to 2.2 pounds, if I may correct you.

 

[starleomach]

Most vets base chinchilla information on rabbits, they try to kinda lump them together.

 

[Cuddlebug]

Actually, 1000 grams is equal to 2.2 pounds, if I may correct you.

Thanks for correcting me. I didn't notice my typo. She is about 2 and a half pounds.

 

[Laurie]

I attended a seminar in April with a vet present. He was actually very chinchilla knowledgabe but only because he had them as a child. I asked him why so many vets give out wrong information about chinchillas and his answer was, they do lump chinchillas in with animals such as guinea pigs and rabbits and therefore mimic their diet to chinchilla owners, when in fact it is very wrong.

Because owners don't often take a chinchilla into the vet they are not well versed in how to care for them.