The question asked is:
And the answer:
This is a good one - here we go...
The proper diet for an adult, non-breeding chinchilla is grass hay (preferably Timothy, but Orchard grass, Oat hay, and Brome hay are all acceptable) as 90% - 95% of the diet. It should be free choice, so therefore available at all times. Pellets are recommended at 2 tablespoons twice a day. That is the best diet to maintain dental and GI tract health. I actually know a board certified exotics specialist who has a pet chin that she only feeds hay - no pellets, treats, or greens at all and she is doing great - for about 6 years now.
I think the vets that are recommending this "new way" of feeding are basing their reasons on rabbit and guinea pig nutrition facts. I could possibly see some benefit to feeding greens - it gets more water into the chin and maybe that would decrease chances of bladder stones and urinary problems, but, maybe they would just drink less because they are not as thirsty, so who knows?? Side effects are wet, sticky poops from unfamiliar fermantation processes and possibly too much water in the diet. The other thought would be : what if they are eating more greens than hay? Greens are not coarse enough to wear down chinchilla molars, so over long periods of time, dental disease may develop. This is all speculation, of course, because proper studies have not been conducted, however, if you find all of the specialists and ask them, greens are not part of a normal chinchilla diet.
In my opinion, I do not feel that it is necessary to feed greens to keep your chinchillas healthy. All they really need is hay and water!
Angela Keffer, VMD
If you have follow up questions regarding this, please direct them to myself (tunes) and I will foward them to Dr. Keffer. Thank you.
Regarding chinchilla nutrition: More and more lately vets are recommending "the new way" of feeding chinchillas by switching them off of pelleted feeds onto a fresh vegetable (greens) diet.
What is the proper diet for a chinchilla? Is there a place for fresh leafy greens in that diet? What could be some of the dentrimental effects of fresh leafy greens for a chinchilla?
And the answer:
This is a good one - here we go...
The proper diet for an adult, non-breeding chinchilla is grass hay (preferably Timothy, but Orchard grass, Oat hay, and Brome hay are all acceptable) as 90% - 95% of the diet. It should be free choice, so therefore available at all times. Pellets are recommended at 2 tablespoons twice a day. That is the best diet to maintain dental and GI tract health. I actually know a board certified exotics specialist who has a pet chin that she only feeds hay - no pellets, treats, or greens at all and she is doing great - for about 6 years now.
I think the vets that are recommending this "new way" of feeding are basing their reasons on rabbit and guinea pig nutrition facts. I could possibly see some benefit to feeding greens - it gets more water into the chin and maybe that would decrease chances of bladder stones and urinary problems, but, maybe they would just drink less because they are not as thirsty, so who knows?? Side effects are wet, sticky poops from unfamiliar fermantation processes and possibly too much water in the diet. The other thought would be : what if they are eating more greens than hay? Greens are not coarse enough to wear down chinchilla molars, so over long periods of time, dental disease may develop. This is all speculation, of course, because proper studies have not been conducted, however, if you find all of the specialists and ask them, greens are not part of a normal chinchilla diet.
In my opinion, I do not feel that it is necessary to feed greens to keep your chinchillas healthy. All they really need is hay and water!
Angela Keffer, VMD
If you have follow up questions regarding this, please direct them to myself (tunes) and I will foward them to Dr. Keffer. Thank you.