Plants

[fbodgrl]

I know that chins aren't allowed fruits or veggies. I was kind of wondering why. I was also wondering aside from hay why they don't eat any plant type stuff.

Guess it isn't really that important, but if they eat plants and leaves and stuff in the wild, I was wondering why in captive they don't.

 

[Ash]

Because we do not have wild chinchillas, our animals are domesticated and have been for generations, so their digestive tracts have adapted to the sort of diet we provide.


Also, chinchillas come from a dry, cold desert climate, therefore they don't have tons of "plants and leaves and stuff" to pick from, and a majority of it is probably (feel free to correct me somebody) dried plant material similar to their hay.

 

[RDZCRanch]

Chins are from a dry, cool climate. Fruits and vegetables are not available to them in the wild. They are hind gut fermentors. In short, it means they cannot process sugars very well. It ends up causing bloat which can cause GI Stasis which leads to massive organ failure and death. Vegetables also cause bloat which leads to the same outcome.

They can have other dried plant matter. Many members feed herb mixes to their chinchillas. We just don't give fruits and veggies.

 

[Essentia]

Actually, in the wild they mainly eat dried grasses, hence the reason we feed them hay. They don't eat fruit and veggies.

As for mine, I do give a small amount of my Flower Salad a few times a week to give them some variety, but absolutely no random leaves/plants/fruits/veggies.

 

[Tanya]

Chins can get safe dried herbs (dandelion, nettle, hibiscus, hawthorn berries and leaves, rose hips, red raspberry leaf, chamomile flowers, red clover, calendula flowers, oats, a small amount of flaxseed, etc). You can offer safe wood too, I think almost all chins like apple wood.

You can also feed various hays: timothy, orchard grass, brome, meadow, alfalfa, oat, wheat, barley.

Chins should not get fruit as it's high in sugar (can cause bacterial overgrowth and gas), chins don't need it in their diet. Domestic chinchillas are not used to plants high in water content, so veggies should be avoided (can cause bloat).

Here you can find a list of plants that chins consume in the wild (with pictures), just in case you're interested )

 

[fbodgrl]

Chins are from a dry, cool climate. Fruits and vegetables are not available to them in the wild. They are hind gut fermentors. In short, it means they cannot process sugars very well. It ends up causing bloat which can cause GI Stasis which leads to massive organ failure and death. Vegetables also cause bloat which leads to the same outcome.

They can have other dried plant matter. Many members feed herb mixes to their chinchillas. We just don't give fruits and veggies.

What type of herb mixes can they have? I'm assuming some members here sell what they can have?

Actually, in the wild they mainly eat dried grasses, hence the reason we feed them hay. They don't eat fruit and veggies.

As for mine, I do give a small amount of my Flower Salad a few times a week to give them some variety, but absolutely no random leaves/plants/fruits/veggies.

I actually didn't think about the dried grasses part, but makes sense.

Thanks everyone for explaining. Sometimes i am like a little kid and just want to know why things are the way they are :hilarious:

 

[RDZCRanch]

Thanks everyone for explaining. Sometimes i am like a little kid and just want to know why things are the way they are :hilarious:

There's no harm in asking! It's what we're here for. I don't know much about what they can and can't have herb-wise. Tanya posted a lot of what is safe for them.

 

[ticklechin]

I give mine wheatgrass at playtime, been doing it for years and they enjoy it. Its the only "fresh" thing a chin can have.

 

[Riven]

I was also wondering aside from hay why they don't eat any plant type stuff.

Something everyone else failed to mention is that actually they do eat other plant stuff other than hay, it's called pellets. Unless everyone else's pellet are made out of chicken meal and by-products...