What can chinchillas eat?

Cherry, plum, cedar and redwood (Purdue), and thuja and yew (Swiss animal welfare society, STS). Merck also lists oleander, citrus wood and fresh pine as unsafe, and Germany’s Veterinary Association for Animal Welfare (TVT) rules out conifer and stone fruit wood entirely. None of our chinchilla sources calls chocolate toxic, but the University of Minnesota advises against it, so we rate it “Better not.” If you suspect your chinchilla is in pain, ill or injured, the RSPCA says to see a vet immediately. NC State adds that a chinchilla not eating for more than 12 hours is always an emergency.

Hay, at all times: Germany’s Veterinary Association for Animal Welfare (TVT) says it must always be available, dry and not musty. PDSA recommends dust-extracted timothy or meadow hay, refreshed every morning. Add dried herbs and a small amount of chinchilla pellets (TVT).

Only a few, but sources give different amounts: the RSPCA, PDSA, Merck, NC State and Purdue say 1 to 2 tablespoons a day, Blue Cross about one, the TVT about 2 teaspoons, the Swiss animal welfare society (STS) 10 to 15 g, and the Royal Veterinary College (RVC) a teaspoon at most, while Woodgreen says about 4 tablespoons (30 g). Don’t overfeed them – PDSA says your chinchilla is likely to choose pellets over hay. PDSA, the RVC and Woodgreen advise against muesli-style mixes. These are starting points – your chinchilla’s weight shows whether the amount is right.

Sources disagree. The TVT says chinchillas don’t tolerate fruit or fresh vegetables and often react to fresh greens with diarrhea that can be fatal. Woodgreen advises against both, the RVC against fruit, and PDSA says no to apples and carrots. Merck and NC State, on the other hand, allow some leafy greens and vegetables every day – NC State calls greens a very important part of the diet – and fruit in small amounts. We err on the side of caution, so nearly all fresh food is rated “Better not.” Always change the diet gradually (RSPCA, TVT, Merck).

PDSA says treats aren’t an essential part of a chinchilla’s diet, and Blue Cross calls commercial treats unnecessary. PDSA says to keep them to a minimum and ideally dried. The TVT suggests dried rose hips and dried vegetables as an occasional treat. NC State, Blue Cross and PDSA advise against sugary store-bought treats. According to Purdue, treats should not exceed 10% of daily food.

Fresh water must always be available (TVT, STS, PDSA, NC State). Sources disagree on bottle or bowl: PDSA, the RSPCA and Merck recommend a bottle, which Merck says stays cleaner than a bowl, and the TVT gives a nipple drinker as an example. The STS, by contrast, recommends an earthenware bowl, NC State and the RVC allow either, and Blue Cross names both a bottle and a bowl. Merck says not all chinchillas know how to use a water bottle, so make sure yours drinks from it. The RSPCA says to check the bottle twice a day, and Blue Cross and NC State say to change the water daily.

Untreated apple or pear branches are ideal for gnawing (PDSA); Merck also lists birch, ash, elm, maple and hazel, and the TVT willow and hazel. The STS says all branches should be fed dried only, and Merck says never to use wood treated with chemicals or pesticides. Purdue calls cherry, plum, cedar and redwood toxic, and the STS thuja and yew.

If your chinchilla’s eating or drinking habits change, or its droppings get fewer or smaller, the RSPCA says to talk to your vet straight away. Merck says to contact a vet immediately if you see signs of illness. If you suspect your chinchilla is in pain, ill or injured, the RSPCA says to see a vet immediately. NC State adds that a chinchilla not eating for more than 12 hours is always an emergency.

The STS says never to withhold food from a chinchilla. It says an overweight chinchilla must get less fat, but that you should discuss this with your vet first. On the right diet, chinchillas generally keep themselves at the right weight, according to the RSPCA, and the RVC recommends weighing them at home once a week.

Then we rate it more cautiously and say so. With chinchillas, that happens a lot: the TVT, Woodgreen and the RVC rule out fruit, the TVT and Woodgreen fresh vegetables, and PDSA says no to apples and carrots, while Merck, NC State and the University of Minnesota allow small amounts – we rate both “Better not.” The same goes for raisins (PDSA allows two a week at most, Merck advises against dried fruit), oats (a PDSA treat, but Merck advises against grains), nuts (an excellent treat for Purdue, while most other sources advise against them), alfalfa hay (only for youngsters and pregnant or nursing females, says PDSA, while Woodgreen’s guide lists it among the hay varieties for around 80% of the diet) and dried dandelion (PDSA, the STS and Woodgreen for it, Merck against). Sources also disagree on how many pellets to give.