Care tip of the Month - October

Be very careful how many treats you give to a Chinchilla. Too many or the wrong foods and you will make them very ill. In the wild, they eat a very plain, dry diet that is high in fibre with very little or no fat (mainly grasses, shrubs, roots and dried berries). They cannot tolerate foods which are rich or moist or high in fat or sugar. They are very susceptible to diarrhea. Too many treats will give them the runs, which can be very serious in such a small animal.

Suitable Treats
The occasional raisin is OK (once a week maximum), or a tiny bit of apple or carrot (preferably dried), hay pellets, shredded wheat or herbs (milk thistle, rose blossom, nettle, peppermint, lemon balm, parsley, and dandelion are all fine - don't go overboard with the dandelion though as it is a laxative!). No more than one treat should be given each day, and do not give any at all if your Chinchilla has even slightly runny or wet faeces.

Remember that treats do not always have to be food. A sandbath is the biggest treat for a Chinchilla. Also, apple tree branches, new toys, card boxes, gnaw sticks and toilet roll cardboard tubes will all be very much appreciated by your little friend, as well as time out of their cage (in an indoor run or safe room) being the ultimate treat.

Hugo & Carlos investigating and gnawing on their new wooden toy