Step 1 the right Diet

The primary task of chinchilla care is making sure your chin has everything it needs to maintain its physical and mental health.

In order to maintain your chinchilla herd, you will need to know a few things about chin nutrition. Chinchillas are not rabbits, gerbils, ferrets or any other breed that falls under the small pet category. They are chinchillas and should only be fed chinchilla food-- this likely means that you will need to go to a pet store to get food for your chinchilla, not the grocery store. Though many grocery stores carry basic pet foods such as dog food, bird food and often food for bunnies or gerbils, most will not carry food specifically made for a chinchilla. Chinchillas need to eat food made within certain nutritional standards to maintain a healthy weight, health coat, and healthy diet.

Chinchillas are herbivores and pet chinchillas should be fed a diet of chinchilla pellets, hay, water and occasional treats such as nuts and raisins.

Most pet owners are able to purchase chinchilla pellets from a pet store or even a local breeder. Some of the most popular brands that our chinchillas have enjoyed are Kaytee: Forti-Diet Chinchilla Food, Kaytee® Timothy Hay and Oxbow Chinchilla Food. While the actual contents of the pellets may vary from brand to brand, the basic ingredients include alfalfa meal, wheat germ, oats, molasses, soybean oil meal, corn, and added vitamins and minerals.

We fill our Chinchillas' food bowls when they become low; since chinchillas will only eat until they are full, over-feeding usually is not a problem. We tend to fill the food bowls in the evening, since chins are crepuscular or nocturnal, but some owners suggest feeding first thing in the morning. Overall we have found that it doesn’t really make much of a difference, as long as your chinchilla has food every day she will be happy! Most owners agree that the key is consistency in feeding time to prevent stress—no one likes to wonder when their next meal is going to be.

Chinchilla food pellets can be offered in a small ceramic bowl or a hopper type feeder that attaches to the side of the cage. The advantages of the hopper feeder are that it can't be tipped over and it's easy to fill from the outside of the cage. If you do offer food in a bowl, ceramic bowls are best because they are heavy enough to prevent being tipped over and they can't be chewed like a plastic bowl. Food bowls designed for birds that attach securely to the side of the cage are also a suitable alternative for especially rambunctious chins.

While food pellets may provide most of a chinchilla's nutrition, hay provides the necessary fiber. The hay, either alfalfa or timothy, can be either loose or in small compressed blocks of alfalfa about one inch by one inch by two inches. Chinchillas like both types, so feel free to give either or both, as the blocks will also help them to maintain healthy teeth.

If chinchilla pellets are not available, we recommend feeding your chinchilla timothy hay or alfalfa blocks. Rabbit food can actually be harmful for a chinchilla and can cause irreversible liver damage so it’s not wise to house chinchillas and rabbits together, as they will probably end up sharing food. If there is an emergency situation, guinea pig food is the best alternative. If you have to substitute your chinchilla’s food, make it for as short of a time as possible and try to get another available substitute that is highest in fiber and lowest in fat.

If you happen to change brands or types of food pellets, keep in mind that chinchillas are creatures of habit. Make the change as gradual as possible, mixing in the new pellets in with the old. Each day add slightly more of the new pellets to the mix over the course of a week or so. Your chinchilla might discard the new pellers at first, until it gets used to eating them annd seeing them daily.