The 5 Best Foods For Chinchillas

The 5 Best Foods For Chinchillas

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Everyone who owns a chinchilla will tell you that they are one of the best pets to keep. They are quirky, playful little creatures that are always amusing to have around. If you’re planning to keep a chinchilla, however, you need to think about more than just playing with it – you also need to keep it healthy and that means choosing the best food for your chinchilla.

In this article, we’ll talk about the basics of feeding pet chinchillas and provide some tips for choosing the best chinchilla food. You’ll also see our top 5 picks for the best chinchilla food.

We highly recommend looking at the comparison table we have below where we highlighted the features of each product. You’ll also find more detailed information about each product later in the article.

Compare Best Foods For Chinchillas

Overall Best 1. Oxbow Essentials Chinchilla Deluxe Chinchilla Food View on Chewy Read Review	Runner Up 2. Kaytee Timothy Hay Complete Chinchilla Food View on Amazon Read Review	Best For Skin And Coat 3. Tiny Friends Farm Charlie Chinchilla Food View on Chewy Read Review	Best For Sensitive Stomach 4. Higgins Sunburst Gourmet Blend Chinchilla Food View on Chewy Read Review	Best For Budget 5. Brown's Tropical Carnival Natural Fortified Daily Diet Chinchilla Food View on Chewy Read Review
Type Pellet	Type Pellet	Type Loose feed	Type Loose feed	Type Loose feed blend
Amount 3 pounds (2 pack)	Amount 3 pounds	Amount 2 pounds	Amount 3 pounds	Amount 3 pounces
Key Ingredients Alfalfa meal, soybean hulls, soybean meal	Key Ingredients Timothy hay, alfalfa meal, soybean meal	Key Ingredients Timothy hay, carrot, maize	Key Ingredients Alfalfa meal, soybean hulls, wheat middlings	Key Ingredients Alfalfa meal, timothy hay, sunflower seeds

What To Look For In Food For Chinchillas?

Chinchillas have very sensitive stomachs, so they need to be kept on a fairly strict diet. If you choose the wrong type of food, you could make your chinchilla sick and it won’t thrive. You also need to be mindful of foods that are unsafe or toxic for your chinchilla so you can avoid them. The best thing you can do is choose a high-quality, properly balanced commercial diet formulated for chinchillas.

Here are some important things to look for in chinchilla food:

• Complete and balanced. Commercial chinchilla pellets are formulated to provide balanced nutrition in every bite – they provide the ideal levels of protein, fat, and fiber. Feed your chinchilla about 2 tablespoons of pellets per day.
• Loose feed. You can feed your chinchilla loose feed as an occasional treat, but pellets should be the primary food. Chinchillas will pick out the pieces they like and that won’t be a balanced diet.
• Fresh hay. Hay is the staple of a healthy diet for chinchillas – provide a blend of fresh timothy, oat, alfalfa hay, and orchard grass.
• Fortified with nutrients. All animals require certain vitamins and minerals in their diet for nutritional balance. Make sure the chinchilla food you choose is fortified with the nutrients chinchillas need.

Our Top Picks For The Best Foods For Chinchillas

Now that you have a better idea what to look for in a chinchilla food, it’s time to start shopping! Keep reading to see our top 5 picks for the best chinchilla foods.

Overall Best

1.

Oxbow Essentials Chinchilla Deluxe Chinchilla Food

View on Chewy

View on Amazon

Product Info

• Type: Pellet
• Amount: 3 pounds (2 pack)
• Key Ingredients: Alfalfa meal, soybean hulls, soybean meal

Guaranteed Analysis

Crude Protein: 18%

Crude Fat: 2.5%

Crude Fiber: 23%

Moisture: 10%

Dry Matter Basis

Protein: 20%

Fat: 2.78%

Fiber: 25.56%

Carbs: 51.67%

Pros

• Complete and balanced in every bite
• Made from high-quality natural ingredients
• Appropriate for chinchillas of all ages

Cons

• Somewhat expensive compared to other options
• Some chinchillas take time to adjust to pellets

If you’re looking for a complete and balanced chinchilla food to provide for your pet’s nutritional needs, this is easily one of the best options on the market. Though it might cost a bit more, it is well worth every penny. It contains the optimal blend of nutrients from high-quality ingredients to nourish your chinchilla and support its healthy digestion. Plus, it is suitable for all ages.

Runner Up

2.

Kaytee Timothy Hay Complete Chinchilla Food

View on Amazon

Product Info

• Type: Pellet
• Amount: 3 pounds
• Key Ingredients: Timothy hay, alfalfa meal, soybean meal

Guaranteed Analysis

Crude Protein: 16%

Crude Fat: 2.5%

Crude Fiber: 22%

Moisture: 12%

Dry Matter Basis

Protein: 18.18%

Fat: 2.84%

Fiber: 25%

Carbs: 53.98%

Pros

• Complete and balanced in every bite
• Very affordable for a good quality product
• Fortified for balanced nutrition

Cons

• Some chinchillas take time to adjust to pellet diets
• Picky chinchillas sometimes don’t like the brand

If the above formula is a little too expensive for you, this timothy complete chinchilla food is a great alternative. It is complete and balanced in every bite, featuring timothy hay as the primary ingredient. This chinchilla food supports your chinchilla’s dental health through natural chewing activity and contains prebiotics and probiotics for digestive support as well.

Best For Skin And Coat

3.

Tiny Friends Farm Charlie Chinchilla Food

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View on Amazon

Product Info

• Type: Loose feed
• Amount: 2 pounds
• Key Ingredients: Timothy hay, carrot, maize

Guaranteed Analysis

Crude Protein: 16%

Crude Fat: 3%

Crude Fiber: 15%

Moisture: 66%

Dry Matter Basis

Protein: 47.06%

Fat: 8.82%

Fiber: 44.12%

Pros

• Promotes natural foraging behavior
• Added linseed for skin and coat health
• Suitable for all breeds and ages

Cons

• Not complete in every bite like pellets are
• Chinchillas may pick through and eat only certain pieces

Some chinchillas take time to adjust to a pellet diet, so if you’re looking for a recipe that combined the nutritional balance of pellets with the deliciousness of loose feed, this is it. This recipe is nutritionally balanced with a tasty mix of grains, seeds, pellets, and dried fruits and veggies. It is suitable for all breeds and ages, and it is made with no added sugar. It promotes natural foraging behavior and contains added linseed for healthy skin and coat.

Best For Sensitive Stomach

4.

Higgins Sunburst Gourmet Blend Chinchilla Food

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View on Amazon

Product Info

• Type: Loose feed
• Amount: 3 pounds
• Key Ingredients: Alfalfa meal, soybean hulls, wheat middlings

Guaranteed Analysis

Crude Protein: 14%

Crude Fat: 2%

Crude Fiber: 22%

Moisture: 12%

Dry Matter Basis

Protein: 15.91%

Fat: 2.27%

Fiber: 25%

Carbs: 56.82%

Pros

• Rich blend of tasty bites chinchillas love
• Fortified with vitamins and minerals for balance
• Enriched with omega fatty acids and probiotics

Cons

• Somewhat more expensive than other loose feeds
• Some chinchillas will pick out certain pieces

Another excellent option in loose feed is this Higgins Sunburst Gourmet Blend for chinchillas. It features a delicious and nutritious blend of hay, grass, seeds, veggies, fruits, and more to nourish your chinchilla while also appealing to his foraging instincts. It may cost a little more, but it is worth the price.

Best For Budget

5.

Brown's Tropical Carnival Natural Fortified Daily Diet Chinchilla Food

View on Chewy

View on Amazon

Product Info

• Type: Loose feed blend
• Amount: 3 pounces
• Key Ingredients: Alfalfa meal, timothy hay, sunflower seeds

Guaranteed Analysis

Crude Protein: 14.75%

Crude Fat: 3%

Crude Fiber: 21%

Moisture: 12%

Dry Matter Basis

Protein: 16.76%

Fat: 3.41%

Fiber: 23.86%

Carbs: 55.97%

Pros

• High in fiber from timothy/alfalfa hay
• Fortified with essential nutrients
• Very affordable for a decent amount

Cons

• Chinchillas may pick out only the pieces they like
• Not complete and balanced in every bite

If you’re looking for a loose feed your chinchilla is sure to love, try this recipe. It features a wide variety of delicious ingredients including alfalfa and timothy hays, sunflower seeds, oats, barley, and more. It is fortified with the essential vitamins and minerals your chinchilla needs and is highly affordable as well.

Tips For Feeding A Chinchilla

Before you even think of bringing a chinchilla home, you need to know how to care for it properly. Once you’ve chosen your cage and equipped it with the necessary toys, it’s time to start thinking about buying the best chinchilla food and learning how to feed your pet properly.

Here are some simple tips for feeding a chinchilla properly:

• About 80% to 90% of your chinchilla’s diet should come from fresh hay, ideally timothy hay or orchard grass.
• Pellets are the ideal staple diet for chinchillas because they are complete and balanced – offer 1 to 2 tablespoons per day.
• Offer your chinchilla small amounts of fresh produce each day, avoiding foods very high in sugar as well as commercial treats like yogurt drops.
• Keep your chinchilla’s water bottle full of fresh water, cleaning and refilling it at least once daily.
• Provide your chinchilla with chew toys to help it keep its teeth filed down.
• Once you choose a diet for your chinchilla, keep it as stable as possible – changes in dietary routine can upset your chinchilla’s sensitive stomach.

Your chinchilla’s health depends on the quality of its diet, so be sure to buy the highest-quality chinchilla food you can consistently afford. It’s important to keep your pet’s diet stable and to choose something that provides for all of its nutritional needs.

Final Remarks

Feeding your chinchilla is not a task you should take lightly. These animals have very sensitive stomachs, so choosing the best chinchilla food is extremely important – you also need to know how much to feed your chinchilla to provide for its nutritional needs. A complete and balanced commercial pellet is the best diet for chinchillas, though you can supplement it with other foods as needed.

If you’re still not sure where to start in looking for a chinchilla food, try out one of the top 5 best chinchilla foods we’ve reviewed above. Good luck!