What Do Chinchillas Like to Eat?

Like people, what chinchillas like to eat and what they should be eating are not always the same thing. Chinchillas should be fed a diet consisting largely of hay-based chinchilla pellets and fresh Timothy hay and alfalfa, available at pet stores and veterinarian clinics. Given a choice, however, chinchillas love to eat a variety of fruits, vegetables, grains and nuts. By offering only about 1 tsp. of treat foods a day, it is possible to reward a chinchilla while keeping its sensitive digestive system functioning.

  1. Fruits

    • Chinchillas love fruit such as raisins, dried blueberries or cranberries, banana chips and small pieces of apple, grape, kiwi or pear. Dried papaya and dried pineapple help prevent hairballs. Picky pet owners choose organic dried or fresh fruit, as it is best to avoid even small amounts of pesticides and chemicals in a chinchilla's diet. All treats offered should be low in salt, sugar, fats and oils and only offered in small quantities.

    Vegetables and Herbs

    • Vegetables such as carrots pieces, parsley, chard, or small pesticide-free dandelion leaves are chinchilla treats. These furry South American creatures also love fresh or dried herbs such as mint, thyme and oregano. Rose hips provide vitamins and are a popular choice. Too many fresh vegetables can cause digestive problems, so serving size should be about 1 tsp. and only one per day.

    Grains

    • Chinchillas also like grains such as rolled oats or small amounts of boxed cereals, such as corn flakes, oat, bran or shredded wheat. Avoid sugary cereals. Chinchilas also enjoy small pieces of unbuttered toast, a few pieces of dried spaghetti or special chinchilla crackers from pet food stores. Avoid cookies and regular crackers as they are too high in fats and salt.

    Seeds and Nuts

    • Chinchillas love almonds, but only offer one per week.

      Feed chinchillas black sunflower, flax and pumpkin seeds, but only occasionally, as they have issues digesting fats and oils. Most chinchillas devour almonds, but limit this treat to only one per week. Avoid peanuts and pecans as they are too high in fat and can cause liver problems.