Studies on the nutritional requirements of the chinchilla

[Stackie]

Outdated but interesting read

http://jn.nutrition.org/cgi/reprint/52/3/427

 

[Spoof]

This was very interesting, not for the research value, but for the fact that they couldn't complete the research because by 8 months their herd was so unhealthy they were dying.

Adding in the comments and treatments for "numerous eye infections and fungal issues" "and as they got sick they were treated as vet directed" I'd wager there was a huge issue going on there.

I'd also be curious to know what "other animals" were kept in the lab - they claimed to keep the temp at 68 for the comfort of the other animals, was that the ultimate downfall, or they really did screw up the diet that bad?

Intriguing!

 

[Stackie]

I wondered all those things too...it's a pretty old study as well, which is why I found it interesting and decided to post it!

 

[ABBY W.]

It is interesting. Thanks Stackie!

 

[Riven]

A whole tablespoon of dust per week... no expenses spared there!

It's too bad that they did not appear to think there was a connection between the enteritis and the feed. And it's too bad there is no link to the "other report" regarding the enteritis.

 

[leonejain]

can we give him sprouts, because whenever i give my chin some sprouts he gets allergy

 

[Laurie]

No sprouts or fresh vegetables or fruits for chinchillas. Hay and pellets only as a food source.

 

[caiti]

I read this about two weeks ago when I started researching the ideal chin diet. There are only two other english studies on chin diets besides this one and they both study wild chins. There is virtually NO empirical data on what consists of a good chin diet (wild or domestic). I was amazed. Chins have been used in studies for a while but I guess even in the experiments the investigators don't have any solid info what to feed them or have not published their findings on how the chins reacted to what they were fed. I think it's kind of unbelievable.

A lot of the studies I looked up were in german or spanish, though, so maybe those ones have more info who knows?