Cheerios

[lydz]

Can chins overdose on cheerios? My husband find it amusing the way they hold the cheerios and gobble it up and our chins LOVE cheerios. He keeps giving them like 4-5 a day and I am getting worried that he is over doing it but he won't listen to me when I yell at him.

 

[Siylvat]

I personally dont feed cheerios, but I use the general rule of 2-3 treats per week, if that many.

 

[DaphnesandFreddysmom]

Mine is the same way. Not with cheerios but with shredded wheats. They LOVE him because he loves to give them treats. I have been subjected to hiding the shredded wheats from my husband and I told him we ran out.

 

[Jenn]

Tinkerbell loves cheerios and would eat dozens if I let her. But I don't. I will give her 3 cheerios at one time maybe every couple of weeks or so.

 

[Chinniechantel]

They should get 1-2 treats a week, meaning one shredded wheat, 2 cheerios, one rosehip, etc. People love to overdue it, but you are just hurting your animals.

 

[3CsMommy]

Mine have never had a cheerio *ever*. Cervantes "breeder" used that kaytee seed mix with coconut shreds and banana chips in it, and Crash was too young for treats while Carise had him in rescue. They get wood/palm leaf chew items every day, and about 3-4 food treats (chin thins, rolled oats, rose hips or shredded wheat) a week.

Has your husband ever seen them go completely bonkers for an apple or pear twig? The chewing seems to last a lot longer with one of them, and there's not the health risk of over treating. I have some of both that I could send for you to try. PM me if you're interested.

 

[addictedtochins]

I got this little pot (4X4in) of organic wheatgrass at the supermarket. Every 2-3 days I'll give them maybe 4 short strands of grass. The cats and birds also like some.

 

[Veronica]

I do give mine plain Cheerios (not honeynut or any other sweetened version) on occasion, but prefer bite sized unfrosted shredded mini wheats. You want their main food source to be good quality pellets and hay - if they're eating to many treats, they're going to eat less of what they should be eating.

It's tricky to convince a co-chin-caretaker to change his ways - I have the same deal with my hubby.

 

[lydz]

They don't really go bonkers on apple twigs. I have and they chew them a bit but no that much at least when we see them. And they eat plemty of pellets and hay. Especially fatso. He's always eating.

What are the side effects of too many cheerios??

 

[Parkerspetchins]

If they are eating that many cheerios a day they are filling their bellies with something they don't need and then not eating enough of what they do need. While a Cheerio is a relatively safe treat because it is low in sugar, it is still a treat. Have your husband hand them pellets, it's almost just as adorable LOL. Tell him he can have his special moment X times a week (however many you decide) and then tell him he has to hand them a pellet the rest of the time . I have never heard of a chinchilla who doesn't go nutty over apple twigs. See if Kelly has some of her little apple wood bites left that you can try, most chins go nuts for them!

 

[Brandon]

Chinchillas do not need and do perfectly fine without treats. The only treats Binx gets is the weekly rosehip and I give him wood chews whenever I want and he loves them! I think woodchews make great "treats" as chinchillas love them and they cannot have too much.

Treats are really only given for an owner's own satisfaction, rather than the pet's because all you would end up doing in the long run is hurting your beloved pets.

 

[Sheri]

I give treats 3 times a week at most. 1 time they get a (1) cherrio the next time they get a rose hip. If they get a 3rd treat it is usually a rose hip or something healthy like that.

 

[lydz]

If they are eating that many cheerios a day they are filling their bellies with something they don't need and then not eating enough of what they do need. While a Cheerio is a relatively safe treat because it is low in sugar, it is still a treat. QUOTE]

What if they are eating their pellets? Trust me, Fatso hordes the pellets. And they eat plenty of hay also. It doesn't seem that they have stopped eating what they should.

 

[starleomach]

It is still not good for them to get too many treats. I can eat candy bars and still eat all my meals but is it good for me?