chinchilla question can any of you chin keepers help

fourtorts · 02-07-2007, 07:05 PM

Hi just got the torts diet sorted now I'm off again......
I've re-homed two chinchillas and have found out a lot of info but just wonderd if chins could have a bit of mushroom as a treat?

So far they have only had one raisen each, or about half an inch of carrot or a bite size shredded wheat.
I like to give them a treat in the morning and one again at night .Is this ok

and i do realise every thing has to be introduced gradually but i'm trying to compile a list of what they can have ...

clair · 02-07-2007, 07:32 PM

There is a lot of debate on whether chins should have vegetables.
Personally I do not feed any of mine veg and stick to mini shredded wheat as treats.They are healthy and the chins all love them.
Many people do feed veg but I would steer away from mushrooms. A small piece of apple would be ok.Just remember everything in moderation. The most likely problem you will find with feeding to many different treats is wet droppings.
Burnt toast will cure this and the chins love it.I do a batch for my lot once a week

fourtorts · 02-07-2007, 08:21 PM

Thanks for the info clair.

tortoiseguy · 02-07-2007, 10:16 PM

We used to give ours and the Degus dried carrot sticks, they are like a biscuit, we just bought them from the pet section at Morrisons and they were great, no sugar or anything and they loved them

shelley · 03-07-2007, 03:31 PM

I wouldn't give mushroom personally. I have given carrot in the past but they weren't that bothered. I never give mine raisins either, there are so many other healthy things they can have like oats and bran flakes. You know the basic museli mix you buy (without rasins in!), well you can give a teaspoon of that a day as a treat.

I also like to dry apple, pear and willow leaves for my chins, they love them

fourtorts · 04-07-2007, 12:00 AM

Thanks shelley... i will not give them mushrooms. Is the bite size shredded wheat ok??
Also I am currently giving them Charlie Chinchilla food which is what the previous owner gave them, but i've found they are selective feeders and r only eatng the fruity bits and leaving the pellets. I have taken out all the fruity bits and am using them as treats cos they r used to eating them. They are quite happy to take food out of my hand but do not like to be picked up so I am trying to build up their trust by feeding them these treats by putting them on my lower arm and gradually working to the top.. I have ordered a Science (can't remenber offhand what it is called ) pellet only food which I will gradually add to the CC and eventually wean them off it.
I've also put in a branch from an apple tree which they have nearly stripped....
Please let me know if any of these things i am doing are wrong as i am starting from scratch here........

shelley · 12-07-2007, 06:08 PM

No I wouldn't feed the Charlie Chinchilla because as you have found the chins only eat the "treat" bits, and all the vitamins and minerals are in the pellets which they ignore! Some say that feeding Charlie leads to teeth and possible kidney problems, whether that is true or not I don't know, but it isn't worth the risk.... Just use it as a weekly treat, and get the chins onto pellets.

The apple branch is a great idea, chewing the bark on it will keep the teeth in good order, and if it is a big branch they will happily use it as a perch

Oh and the bite sized shredded wheat is fine.... Just one a day though

clair · 13-07-2007, 01:33 PM

You may find that with changing their food from CC to pellets you may have to not do the normal change over routine as they will still pick out the good bits and leave the pellets.
I have not had any problems going cold turkey and changing them straight onto pellets and leave out the cc full stop.As you say a small treat of any you have left over ocassionally will not harm them.
Make sure you also feed plenty of good quality hay as tis helps grind down the back teeth.
Apple branches are great and the chins love them.You may find they give them wet droppings though if given too often so just watch out for that.
Sounds like you are giving them a lovely home well done.

02-07-2007, 07:05 PM	#1
fourtorts Member Incubating Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: chesterfield derbyshire Posts: 180	chinchilla question can any of you chin keepers help Hi just got the torts diet sorted now I'm off again...... I've re-homed two chinchillas and have found out a lot of info but just wonderd if chins could have a bit of mushroom as a treat? So far they have only had one raisen each, or about half an inch of carrot or a bite size shredded wheat. I like to give them a treat in the morning and one again at night .Is this ok and i do realise every thing has to be introduced gradually but i'm trying to compile a list of what they can have ... __________________ Hi I'm Lynne and I am the proud parent of three dogs, three redfoots, two hermanns, one horsefield, four rabbits and three chinchillas ..... Oh and a hubby and a daughter .. my doggy daycare web http://www.littledoggydaycare.co.uk/index.php

02-07-2007, 08:21 PM	#3
fourtorts Member Incubating Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: chesterfield derbyshire Posts: 180	Thanks for the info clair. __________________ Hi I'm Lynne and I am the proud parent of three dogs, three redfoots, two hermanns, one horsefield, four rabbits and three chinchillas ..... Oh and a hubby and a daughter .. my doggy daycare web http://www.littledoggydaycare.co.uk/index.php

03-07-2007, 03:31 PM	#5
shelley Member Hatchling Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Staffordshire Posts: 577	I wouldn't give mushroom personally. I have given carrot in the past but they weren't that bothered. I never give mine raisins either, there are so many other healthy things they can have like oats and bran flakes. You know the basic museli mix you buy (without rasins in!), well you can give a teaspoon of that a day as a treat. I also like to dry apple, pear and willow leaves for my chins, they love them __________________ Shelley Mum to three Newfoundlands, two Cocker Spaniels, one German Shepherd, 9 Chinchillas, and 4 Hermann's and 2 Leopards... Tortoises that is! http://pic2.piczo.com/GalaxybearsNewfoundlands

04-07-2007, 12:00 AM	#6
fourtorts Member Incubating Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: chesterfield derbyshire Posts: 180	Thanks shelley... i will not give them mushrooms. Is the bite size shredded wheat ok?? Also I am currently giving them Charlie Chinchilla food which is what the previous owner gave them, but i've found they are selective feeders and r only eatng the fruity bits and leaving the pellets. I have taken out all the fruity bits and am using them as treats cos they r used to eating them. They are quite happy to take food out of my hand but do not like to be picked up so I am trying to build up their trust by feeding them these treats by putting them on my lower arm and gradually working to the top.. I have ordered a Science (can't remenber offhand what it is called ) pellet only food which I will gradually add to the CC and eventually wean them off it. I've also put in a branch from an apple tree which they have nearly stripped.... Please let me know if any of these things i am doing are wrong as i am starting from scratch here........ __________________ Hi I'm Lynne and I am the proud parent of three dogs, three redfoots, two hermanns, one horsefield, four rabbits and three chinchillas ..... Oh and a hubby and a daughter .. my doggy daycare web http://www.littledoggydaycare.co.uk/index.php

12-07-2007, 06:08 PM	#7
shelley Member Hatchling Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Staffordshire Posts: 577	No I wouldn't feed the Charlie Chinchilla because as you have found the chins only eat the "treat" bits, and all the vitamins and minerals are in the pellets which they ignore! Some say that feeding Charlie leads to teeth and possible kidney problems, whether that is true or not I don't know, but it isn't worth the risk.... Just use it as a weekly treat, and get the chins onto pellets. The apple branch is a great idea, chewing the bark on it will keep the teeth in good order, and if it is a big branch they will happily use it as a perch Oh and the bite sized shredded wheat is fine.... Just one a day though __________________ Shelley Mum to three Newfoundlands, two Cocker Spaniels, one German Shepherd, 9 Chinchillas, and 4 Hermann's and 2 Leopards... Tortoises that is! http://pic2.piczo.com/GalaxybearsNewfoundlands

02-07-2007, 07:32 PM	#2
clair Member Incubating Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: kent Posts: 135	There is a lot of debate on whether chins should have vegetables. Personally I do not feed any of mine veg and stick to mini shredded wheat as treats.They are healthy and the chins all love them. Many people do feed veg but I would steer away from mushrooms. A small piece of apple would be ok.Just remember everything in moderation. The most likely problem you will find with feeding to many different treats is wet droppings. Burnt toast will cure this and the chins love it.I do a batch for my lot once a week

02-07-2007, 10:16 PM	#4
tortoiseguy Senior Member Sub Adult Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Manchester Posts: 1,020	We used to give ours and the Degus dried carrot sticks, they are like a biscuit, we just bought them from the pet section at Morrisons and they were great, no sugar or anything and they loved them

13-07-2007, 01:33 PM	#8
clair Member Incubating Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: kent Posts: 135	You may find that with changing their food from CC to pellets you may have to not do the normal change over routine as they will still pick out the good bits and leave the pellets. I have not had any problems going cold turkey and changing them straight onto pellets and leave out the cc full stop.As you say a small treat of any you have left over ocassionally will not harm them. Make sure you also feed plenty of good quality hay as tis helps grind down the back teeth. Apple branches are great and the chins love them.You may find they give them wet droppings though if given too often so just watch out for that. Sounds like you are giving them a lovely home well done.

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