How to choose food for chinchillas?

Chinchilla is a friendly animal, she has a fairly high intelligence. This animal needs to be provided with good living conditions and properly fed. Therefore, the owner of the pet, coming to the pet store, must purchase good food for his pet. And yet, before choosing food, you need to take into account the characteristics of your animal.

Under natural conditions, the chinchilla does not have a huge choice of food, but it wants to try sweet products. If she is offered an assortment of food, then she will choose sweet foods. These animals like fruits and berries, they can eat fresh fruits or raisins. If you keep a chinchilla at home, then it will be difficult to feed it. But all the same, animals need to eat such food, which will contain many useful trace elements. The main thing is that the pet eats its entire portion at one time and does not leave any leftovers.

A feature of these animals is a weak intestine. According to physiological data, the intestines are long in size, because of this, the time from digesting food and emptying the intestines increases. The intestine accepts food of a plant nature, so any other food can cause constipation... For this reason, it is forbidden for pets to give food waste, meat products, mushrooms, potatoes, sweets, dairy products, fried nuts. All of these foods are fatty and will be difficult to digest in the intestines of animals.

The pet should not eat too much food at a time, it should be given a small portion. Don't overfeed him too much. If the pet is poorly fed, its hair will fall out. If the chinchilla is given sweet foods, then the rodent's teeth will deteriorate because of them.Food must be given dry. If the owner of the animal wants to make the food himself, then all the products must be dried and cut into small pieces.

Animals love foods such as carrots, rose hips, apples, Jerusalem artichoke, and carob. These ingredients need to be given to the pet only 2 times in 7 days. If a new food is purchased, then it must be given on the sly, otherwise the animal will become allergic. If you give a chinchilla any new, non-prohibited food, then you need to monitor the reaction of the animal. If the rodent feels good, then the portion of this food should be gradually increased.

Since the chinchilla is a herbivore, you can independently collect grass for it, only further from the track. It is worth noting that pets born in the winter have a hard time switching to grass in the summer. There is fiber in the grass, which can not be well digested by winter pets. But if fiber is not present, the chinchilla will develop incompletely. Thanks to fiber, nutrients enter the rodent's body. For this reason, the herb should be offered carefully to animals so as not to upset the pet's stomach. These animals always like to chew something.

Care should be taken when choosing food for your pet, as your pet's digestive system is vulnerable.

If you choose factory food, then it will consist of the elements necessary for the normal functioning of the animal's body. Factory feed is presented in the following varieties:

• concentrated - has cereals, beans, nuts, dried fruits, nuts;
• hay - dried stalks of cereals;
• green feed - plant sprouts.

The main food is concentrated, and hay and green feed are used as an additive. The main thing is to know that food that is intended for other rodents should absolutely not be given to a chinchilla. Such food will contain ingredients that are not suitable for the chinchilla.

Grain food - food that contains cereals that provide the nutritional value your pet needs. These substances are perfectly absorbed in the digestive system of the animal. The main ingredients are grains and beans. Dried herb can be used as an additive. Such feeds may also contain bran, wheat, cake, oil crops, fish and meat and bone meal.

When a pungent and stale smell comes from the food, it is better not to acquire it. Such food will cause serious digestive problems.

There are two types of grains - whole and granular. The difference between these two types is their shape. To save on feed, you need to use the granular form. The chinchilla likes to choose only some elements and leaves some of the food uneaten; because of this, food debris will be scattered throughout the pet's home. The animal will eat the granulated feed whole. But some chinchillas are finicky and do not eat granulated food, so you need to purchase a grain mixture as well.

If the shelf life exceeds 90 days, then such feed contains preservatives to add shelf life. Such elements can lead to illness of the animal. Nutritional elements that are contained in the pellet can diversify the diet of a chinchilla. And also the animal receives various vitamins that are necessary for its body. Rodent feed should be purchased in special stores or made on your own at home.

Feed producers can compress the grass into pellets. They need to be given to the pet 3 times in 7 days. If the supplements are made on their own, then you need to carefully collect the grass so that the pet cannot be poisoned.Collect herbs in a clean area, away from traffic. After the herb has been collected, it needs to be thoroughly cleaned and dried. Do not give a product containing moisture.

There is a huge range of feeds with different compositions. To understand which brand is the best, you need to get acquainted with the rating of the best feed mixtures. This rating is based on feedback from the owners of these animals.

Beaphar XtraVital Chinchilla is manufactured in the Netherlands. It is the best food, therefore it ranks first among the rest. The blend contains protein, fiber, protein and carbohydrates. These substances provide the animal with energy, the chinchilla is active. Granules of the correct shape and texture allow rodents to grind their teeth well. This food can be used for all chinchillas.

The manufacturer of this feed is Italy. The food contains granules, grains, dried fruits, vitamin C, substances that keep the body in good condition. The mixture is the main diet and can also be served with hay.

Manufacturer - Belgium. The granules are compressed and dense, they ensure the normal grinding of the teeth of the chinchilla. The food contains prebiotics, vitamins, minerals that ensure good functionality of the body. And also it contains carbohydrates and fiber, with the help of which food is well absorbed in the pet's stomach. With the help of fatty acids, the coat becomes smooth and bright.

This feed is produced in Germany. If the owner opens the bag, then in the future this food must be stored in a dark, cold place, since the rays of the sun can spoil the composition of the ingredients. Products include substances such as dried herbs, fruits, vegetables. The product also contains inulin, which contributes to the normal digestion of the animal.

The manufacturer of this feed is Belgium. The product has been developed according to the needs of the chinchilla. The composition of these products includes cereals, various herbs, vegetables, fruits, amino acids, vitamins. All these substances help the animal to maintain its shape. The feed can be used as the main ration or as an additional mixture.

The manufacturer of this feed is Germany. The granulated mixture is used as the main food. Granules have the necessary vitamins and fiber, they do not contain sugar, they support the good functionality of the animal's body. The food is suitable for chinchillas of different ages.

This is a domestic feed. It consists of cereals, vegetables, peas, carrots, cornflakes, oats, apples, barley, sunflower seeds, nuts, dried fruits. This feed should be given to the chinchilla as a supplement, it is not the main food. The products are organic as they do not contain artificial substances. The main thing is that this feed should be given a little.

This product is also produced by a domestic manufacturer. The product is of high quality and reasonable price. The composition includes granules, pieces of vegetables and fruits. Thanks to such a balanced diet, the animal will feel good. This option is suitable for both small and large chinchillas as a main food. Components include cereals, dried vegetables, fruits and herbs. But this food has a drawback - the chinchilla can eat the ingredients that it likes: fruits and vegetables.

The manufacturer is Russia. If you buy one box, it will last 30 days. Packages come in various sizes. The food has a specific smell, but it does not harm the animal, the owner just needs to get used to this smell. This food is suitable for young and old animals. The composition includes cereals, herbs, vegetables, vitamins, minerals. This feed can become the main diet.The dense granules have a small amount of fiber, which does not harm the digestion.

This feed is the most budgetary, produced on the domestic market. The box is small, so it won't last long. The food is inexpensive and contains a set of nutrients. This feed mixture is the basis of the diet and contains such foods as corn kernels, oatmeal flakes, carrots, rose hips, dried apples, and dried grass pellets. The ingredients are natural. Chinchillas will happily eat this feed, and this feed mixture can be mixed with another. It is important to calculate well fats and carbohydrates so that the animal's digestion works well. Chinchilla should be given 42 grams of this mixture per day.

It is worth paying attention to the following recommendations:

• it is good if the feed consists of granules, because they have all the necessary elements;
• the packaging should contain recommendations for use, but you also need to take into account the characteristics of the animal itself;
• if the food is cheap, and it contains corn, sunflower, peanut grains, then the pet may develop diseases with the digestive system;
• the diet should include carbohydrates - 51%, proteins - 24%, fiber - 21%, fats - 4%;
• the feed is based on cereals and crushed dry herbs, and vitamins and minerals must be present;
• in the manufacture of feed, you need to use grass flour or cereals of corn and millet; you can mix them with dry milk, and add berries on top;
• in winter, you need to add ground, dried rosehip to the feed; this ingredient strengthens the chinchilla's immunity.

For an overview of food for chinchillas, see the next video.