Recommended Hay & Food for a Chin

[Ronbo]

What's the best recommended hay and food for a chin? Thanks!

 

[Amethyst]

The best food is Oxbow Essentials, and the best primary hay is timothy. The brand of hay doesn't matter, they are all pretty much the same nutritionally so whichever brand of timothy hay your chin will eat. A couple commonly prefered brands of hay are Oxbow and Small Pets Select.

 

[Ronbo]

The best food is Oxbow Essentials, and the best primary hay is timothy. The brand of hay doesn't matter, they are all pretty much the same nutritionally so whichever brand of timothy hay your chin will eat. A couple commonly prefered brands of hay are Oxbow and Small Pets Select.

Thank you!

 

[DawnStar]

I use Mazuri food. Should I not? I'm still uncertain what is better about Oxbow Essentials ? My vet says she prefers Mazuri as well..but I still don't have any science behind it.

 

[Amethyst]

I use Mazuri food. Should I not? I'm still uncertain what is better about Oxbow Essentials ? My vet says she prefers Mazuri as well..but I still don't have any science behind it.

Mazuri is like "second best" and is still a very good food too. Mazuri is a bit higher calcium ( 0.75-1.25% vs Oxbow 0.6-1.1% ), higher protein (minium of 20% vs 18%), and less fiber (max of 18% vs 18-23%), which is why the Oxbow Essentials is considered "the best". I guess really the best is what your chin eats and does well on, so if your chin is doing well on the Mazuri there is no reason to switch. I've heard some chins don't do as well on Mazuri (the slightly richer pellets can cause issues like diarrhea) others have no problems.

 

[DawnStar]

Mazuri is like "second best" and is still a very good food too. Mazuri is a bit higher calcium ( 0.75-1.25% vs Oxbow 0.6-1.1% ), higher protein (minium of 20% vs 18%), and less fiber (max of 18% vs 18-23%), which is why the Oxbow Essentials is considered "the best". I guess really the best is what your chin eats and does well on, so if your chin is doing well on the Mazuri there is no reason to switch. I've heard some chins don't do as well on Mazuri (the slightly richer pellets can cause issues like diarrhea) others have no problems.

I really appreciate the info!

 

[Dodgerchick]

I buy my chins fresh Timothy bales from a feed store and occasionally oxbow pellets. I give twigs, rose hips and occasionally goji berries for treats. I’m in Southern California and there is a non-profit rabbit and chinchilla rescue called The Bunny Bunch. Caroline, the gal that runs it is wonderful. I used to volunteer and go clean her chinchilla cages aNd check for hair rings before I got fibromyagia. Anyway, she has a store online and sells fresh hay bales and ships them. Shes got this one mix that is Timothy and orchard grass that my girls went nuts over. She’s got lots of different varieties. Bunny Bunch Boutique – House Rabbit Specialists Since 1984. I used to buy all the time from her, but I found the feed store 8 minutes away!