hungry hungry chinchilla!

[oliviaritota]

I have been looking on here and on other sources but the information is very contradicting. I have read that you should feed your chinchilla 1-2 tablespoons of food a day and then I have read that you should leave food in your chinchilla's cage and always change it out for fresh food. No where does it tell me about how much I should feed a 10 week old chinchilla though.

So my little 10 week old Marley has been getting a tablespoon a noon and a tablespoon around 7:30 pm but she will seem hungry again around 10:00 pm. I am scared that I will over feed her!!! How much should be feeding her a day?

 

[tunes]

Almost everyone recommends free feeding. There may be more waste that way, but you never have to worry about your chin being hungry. Depending on what you feed your chins with, they may poop or pee in the bowl, but you can just dump it and then refill it as necessary.

 

[knitdragon]

I usually give my chin about 3 tablespoons of pellets every evening and that seems to be plenty. And of course a lot of hay.

 

[Basket_of_Chinchillas]

I free feed (as in there is always food available) both of my boys for pellets and hay. Especially for a young chin I do not think under any circumstances that the food intake of still-growing chins should be limited. As long as they are one a good quality pellet and have good hay they are good to go. What kind of pellet do you feed? What kind of hay? Chins don't really overeat unless they are being fed really junky food that is food of treats.

 

[Kansas City Chinchillas]

I agree with Basket. A 10 week old chin is doing a lot of growing and should have feed available at all times. They won't overeat. I would start with 4 tablespoons and see how much she eats daily for a while. She will eat more as she gets bigger. If she hasn't peed and pooped in her feed you don't need to empty the bowl every day. Just replace what she's eaten.

 

[Godofgods]

I give my 5 chins two decent tablespoons worth of pellets each when i feed them. Which the changing season coming up, they have started to eat a little bit more. Usually there is a little left by the next day when its time for new feeding. If i notice it empty (rare) i will add more.

 

[akane]

Chins don't overeat healthy food. I put out 2-3 days worth since they don't eat the exact same amount every day and I don't want to throw extra food away every day.