Poll for treat

[marimo1314]

hi everyone and chinnies~ i am just curious on what you guys give to your chins (anything beside your basic feed and hay)
let see.. i now give Kaytee chinchilla treat-fruit and veg, cheerios, and give lettuces or any kind of leafy green veg. o and i tried the live organic wheat grass too:winkgrin:
so thoughts anyone???

[macy_gray]

Ok.......Someone will probably state all this better than I am going to do.
But here goes...
1.Do you have access to a better feed, such as Mazuri, Tradition or Oxbow?

2. Chinchillas do not eat vegetables. Their diet consists of hay and a good pellet. Nothing more besides a healthy treat such as a rosehip (High in Vit. C), fed sparingly. Best kept back for those Rabbits..But not chinnies.

3. Chinchillas do not eat fruit neither. Fruit has very high levels of fructose..Sugar. Even dried fruit is not good.

I know some people like to feed their pets things that us humans eat to watch them enjoy it..It certainly does not do them any good, so I would skip on all that for the chins sake. Could be fatal :)

Cheerios are fine...Again fed sparingly! The digestive system of a chinchilla is extremely delicate, meaning something new could just mess up their stools...Constipated, diahrea, not eating etc.

I see you said something like: What do you all feed your chinnies besides their basic feed and hay?
That is basically all their diet should consist of to maintain a healthy, happy chin (ofcourse spoiling them with chew toys!). Maybe the odd rosehip, cheerio or shreddie, which they adore!

I am pretty sure many more people will come and tell you basically the same thing...More than I have anyway.

[marimo1314]

yikes...does me posting this make me sound like a bad chin mom??? i am so sorry, but here i mean "treat" i mean i only give them one piece at maximum one per day (the most),usually 2-3 days per treat. and i only feed fresh vegetable hm...like once or twice a month...
i know i know, i am still using the kaytee timothy complete for chinchilla, but petco told me this is what they originally are fed with. so i bought a bag because i didnt want to change its diet, but i'll start to switch to mazuri this week, so dont worry~
She seems doing fine...giving large and hard poo and eating great....
but, thx for your advice...this is the last bottle of kaytee treat i'll buy and i'll give her less treat from now on...

[AminalTales]

Marimo, it doesn't sound like you are a bad chin mom, just misinformed.
Fruits and sugary "treats" should be avoided at all costs. One a day although it doesn't seem like a lot is enough to kill your chinchilla. Every time you give fruit or a sugary treat you are taking a large risk. If you want your chinchilla to be healthy and stay issue free it is suggested you cut out all fruit and sugar out of their diet.
We aren't just saying its bad for them like junk food is for a kid. Although its bad kids can digest junk food. Chinchillas on the other hand cannot properly digest sugar so if not right away down the road you will have big problems on your hands.
A healthy treat can be given instead such as a rose hip, a pinch of whole or rolled oats, a non frosted shredded wheat square, a plain cheerio, or a wood chew or toy. It doesn't sound very exciting to us, but trust me they will be just as excited over this. Their taste is much different then ours!
Vegetables should also be avoided. It doesn't matter if its once a year, it shouldn't be given period. This is a chinchilla not a rabbit. The only thing closest to fresh greens you should/can give is fresh wheat / cat grass.
All chinchillas need to be happy and healthy is fresh water, quality pellets and quality hay. The treats are only there for us to feel like we are spoiling them. They get just as much enjoyment and happiness from attention,toys and good feed.

[macy_gray]

Hey...you aren't a bad chinney mom...I was at the start, then I learnt, thanks to this forum! :D

[LuvMyFuzzyButts]

macy_gray Hey...you aren't a bad chinney mom...I was at the start, then I learnt, thanks to this forum!

Same with me!! I learned so much from this forum and knowing that my chinchilla is going to be healthier and happier makes me happy :).

[Karin]

you're an awesome mom! you read what other owners had to say and aren't disputing it. you're willing to make some changes.
mine get an occassional mini shredded wheat, or a small piece of cookie. but that's far and few between.

[Midwest Exotics]

I make mine cookies. I make them of only chinchilla oked items. Oats, feed, a touch of apple, etc. They gobble them up not really realizing its just mainly their feed mixed with some supplement mix & like said, a touch of apple. Its just in different form & maybe tastes a little sweeter. I have tasted them & cannot really even taste the apple.lol

I usually stick to grains as our treats. They really dont know the difference & eat any fruit treats so fast that im sure they dont even taste them anyways! hahaha

I also give a tums as a treat. They dont know its good for them, only that it tastes good. So there are ways to 'treat' without giving junk! We do also give an occasional Organic apple slice (small), cranberry, raisin, apricot, rose hip, or crab apple. (These would not be given in one day of course.) I give mine a fruit treat like once a month, if that.

I agree with everyone else though, stick to chinchilla safe treats & in extreme moderation.

Also, like it was mentioned, chew toys are also a GREAT treat for them. Like wood chews with the bark! Mine go nuts for those & loofahs.

Play time is a treat, new cage items, hammocks, wheel, etc. Treat doesnt always have to mean pump something into them.

[marimo1314]

thx guys, i do really learned alot in this forum... everything seems right by common sense but it can be harmful for chin.....
>< like i bought a giant plastic ball, and then realize its bad for chins when i read this forum...good thing i know this from the early on, phew~~ but i wasted the whole 16+bucks for nothin T.T
good that i didnt bought the track with it too..(what a relieve~)

[marimo1314]

I make mine cookies. I make them of only chinchilla oked items. Oats, feed, a touch of apple, etc. They gobble them up not really realizing its just mainly their feed mixed with some supplement mix & like said, a touch of apple. Its just in different form & maybe tastes a little sweeter. I have tasted them & cannot really even taste the apple.lol
how you made the cookie, can u give me a recipe????
if not too hard, can u include the exact measurement or the brands name of the products you used,please?
i am so thrilled when i read you made them cookie, cuz i always wanted to make something (food or housing) for them too~thanks.. i'll pm you too just in case...:hyper: