organic vegetables/leaves/sprouts?

[Chefscott]

I just bought some local organic carrots to roast off for my own consumption, and I was wondering if it would be ok to feed a small bit of the tops/sprouts to my chinchilla? Or even if I dried them out? I wont feed him this unless I hear thats its ok for him, thanks

 

[Riven]

They don't really need them. Dried tops probably wouldn't hurt, be about the same as hay I suppose, but then I say, why not just use hay?!

 

[Chefscott]

Okay thanks, but what I have a hard time understanding is with all these treats and snacks that are available and hearing other people that give their chinchillas raisins, cherrios, popcorn, heck I even saw on one forum someone had put a whole ear of fresh corn in the cage with their chins and i have read about people giving their chins treats like these on a regular basis for a year or two. Is it just a risk that some chins can handle treats of this kind and it doesnt affect them. I used to give gus a raisin or a dried cherry or a plain unsalted almond until i joined this forum and all that has come to a halt, because alot of the stuff I have read has scared me. Im sorry to go on about this, maybe its the mixed reviews or something, but this treat giving issue has been on my mind now heavy lately. Also I am about to buy a new male chinchilla, so maybe I wont even start giving him treats at all, but its so hard not to want to please them, thanks again for all your advice

 

[addictedtochins]

I was stupid and prob killed my first chinchilla. She got bloat and died. Just isn't worth the risk. I have had chins and been on chin boards since then for years now and one thing I have learned is they are exotics and rather fragile

 

[greychins]

Those kind of treats aren't safe for any chin. And that's the problem with some chin sites and forums out there. They are a ton of sites that suggest raisins, dried fruit, and so on, as good treats... maybe more sites like that than ones that say that those are not good treats.

Some chins do manage to eat those treats for years and survive... but that doesn't mean it's healthy for them. My original chins had raisins and nuts galore for the first two years of their lives... one of them's still alive, the other lived to be 8.... but just cause they didn't die really young doesn't mean it was good for them.

I haven't given raisins or nuts to chins for years. Sure, they love them, but there are so many more healthy treats that they like too. Mine go nuts for rosebuds, and many of them like rosebuds and cheerios as well. You can still give treats, just make sure they're healthy treats, like cheerios, shredded wheat, pinch of oats, rosebuds, rosehips.... no popcorn, dried cherries, raisins, or nuts. Their digestive system can't handle sugar well, and the same goes for the fats found in nuts. And popcorn and fresh corn... just not good.

 

[greychins]

I have had chins and been on chin boards since then for years now and one thing I have learned is they are exotics and rather fragile

I wouldn't say they're fragile, it's simply that they're not people, or even dogs, they're chins. Sure, humans can eat whatever we want from day to day and not do damage for years, but chins don't digest things the way we do. They're hindgut fermenters and there are certain things they can't deal with. Natural sugars. Fats. They need a simple diet of quality pellets, hay, and water. Treats are optional, though if the owner wants to give them, there are plenty of safe options to give. I feel like chinchillas are only fragile pets when people are careless about what foods and what treats are fed.

 

[Riven]

Agree with the above. It's like I wouldn't feed my horse a hamburger... I'm not going to feed my chin ( that are basically like a diabetic when it comes to processing certain sugars) sugars aka dried fruits and such.

I understand that there are a lot of people, even some to run forums who don't give good information. If you look at how long their animals have lived, then you'll get a better pictures of what the truth of the matter is. I know someone who had a female who still littered at 20 years old. She lived her life on a pellet and hay. I'd like to see some of those people match that. Also a lot of people on some of these other forums won't ALLOW people who don't agree with them to join their forum. Basically it's not an open forum, it's a society who shares the same views, right or wrong. Here you get all kinds and all kinds of different opinions.

 

[becky12883]

My boys favorite treats are apple sticks, they love them and even though they get about 4 a day they still think they are a treat. Another treat they love is bluegrass hay, again not really a treat but they think it is. They also get occasional hay cookies made with pumpkin and some treats that I bought for them from a forum member. The actual treats they get about once a week.
As far as the greens and raisins and corn and etc., they don't need those things, those things could hurt them in the long run. Why risk it? Stick with what you know is safe and healthy.

 

[Cuddlebug]

My question would be this "Do you want your chinchilla to live 5 years or a healthy happy 20 years?" If you want to go with all those unhealthy treats, then by all means, go for it. Just remember that you are affecting the chinchilla's health, even though if might not be immediately obvious.

 

[Chefscott]

Many thanks for the advice and your time on the treat issue, I really appreciate it, and I just told gus his 2013 resolution was that he had to give up dried cherries, raisins, whole almonds, and just be happy with pellets, hay, water and chewing sticks. I am gonna try and find some rose hips and other safe healthy alternatives to treats for him. But thanks again, everyone is so nice and eager to help on this forum its great. Hopefully I wont wear out my welcome, for I still have many questions but i will start with one to two a week, and maybe form all your help one day I will be able to give advice to someone in need.

 

[ticklechin]

Bloat is not something any chin owner wants to deal with since the chin is in SEVERE pain and has a real chance of dying, all that because the owner wants to "treat" the chin to a goodie, that goodie can and will kill, its just a matter of time. That and chinchillas can get cavities just like humans, cavities can lead to tooth loss and infection, which can lead to malo, another death sentance.

 

[ArmyWife]

Many thanks for the advice and your time on the treat issue, I really appreciate it, and I just told gus his 2013 resolution was that he had to give up dried cherries, raisins, whole almonds, and just be happy with pellets, hay, water and chewing sticks. I am gonna try and find some rose hips and other safe healthy alternatives to treats for him. But thanks again, everyone is so nice and eager to help on this forum its great. Hopefully I wont wear out my welcome, for I still have many questions but i will start with one to two a week, and maybe form all your help one day I will be able to give advice to someone in need.

Good idea :thumbsup: I did the same thing when I first owned my chins. They had their fair share of raisins then once I researched on this forum, I immediately changed that. Now they occasionally get a rose hip, bite size shredded wheat or a pinch of old fashion oats. They love them just as much!