A list of no-nos would take forever! I'll try to give a few examples of good/bad
Any food that is more than just pellets is bad- Mazuri and Oxbow are a couple of the good pellet only ones, Some people feed a rabbit pellet I believe is Purina Rabbit Pro Show.
This should be supplemented with Timothy hay (without anything like carrot pieces etc mixed in)
No treats are needed for chins, but if you want to give some, a single Cheerios, a rosehip, or pinch of Post shredded wheat would be healthy. You can also try a handful or alfalfa or orchard grass hay, as long as they're still getting plenty of timothy. You never want to give enough treats that they aren't getting the nutrients of food they need. Also anything high in sugar/water content is bad, this includes raisins and most other fruit (even dehydrated). Many of the Kaytee brand treats out there marketed for chins aren't good for them (like yogurt covered things). Instead of getting treats from a pet store look at vendors on here for chin safe treat ideas, then either get from them or take a trip to a health food store or your grocery store. Just remember- no extra sugar or chemicals.
water should be in a small animal water bottle (there have been people use bowls even though chins shouldn't get wet) and use reverse osmosis or other filtered water. tap water has microbes that could get chins sick.
Chews and Other non-diet stuff
double check that wood is chin safe. There's some wood they love and is good for them and are healthy chews like apple, grapevine, poplar, pear. Other woods are really bad and contain certain tannin's or other things that are toxic to chins. Bad woods include any fruit with a pit, peaches, cherries, things like that. Cedar is toxic to most rodents, not just chins (it kills stuff-that's why people make chests to store stuff in from cedar).
Plastic is bad for chins. If they nibble on it and manage to eat some it could cause impaction in their stomach and could lead to death. Replace plastic with safe wood/metal, or at least cover in fleece.
Wire mesh floors are a no-no. this includes wheels. Chin feet can get caught and broken. And it isn't comfy either. (imagine your feet just standing on a grid, it would feel good where your body weight is only on a few points)
Because plastic and wire are bad for chins, wheels typically have to be ordered online. They should be 15 inches to give chins spines plenty of room. I have a chin spin, but there are a few other good styles out there.
There's plenty more to be wary of to keep your chin safe, and plenty of chin-safe fun things. Browse the forum, use the search function, and don't be afraid to ask for more specifics.
illowfight:
