What Do Chinchillas Eat in Captivity?

The popularity of chinchillas as pets is rapidly increasing. These large rodents are friendly, intelligent, and can bond strongly with their owners. Chinchillas are strict herbivores and their behavior and health can be negatively affected if they are not fed the right diet. Fortunately, meeting the dietary needs of chinchillas is easy with a bit of knowledge.

  1. Chinchilla Pellets

    • The staple diet of chinchillas in captivity should be chinchilla pellets. These prepackaged foods can be purchased at most pet stores. Compressed alfalfa and timothy hay make up the bulk of chinchilla pellets, and some foods also include sunflower seeds, dried fruit and shelled nuts. Chinchilla owners should avoid chinchilla foods that are dyed unnatural colors or that do not consist primarily of alfalfa and timothy hay.

    Timothy Hay

    • In addition to the compressed timothy hay included in prepackaged chinchilla food, chinchillas also need actual pieces of hay. Timothy hay helps chinchillas to metabolize their food and can prevent both diarrhea and constipation. Chinchilla owners should feed timothy hay freely, always making sure chinchillas have a full bowl of hay available.

    Raisins

    • Chinchillas love raisins, and many chinchilla owners use them as treats to help socialize and train their chinchillas. In small amounts, raisins can be a great supplement to chinchilla diets, but chinchillas should not have more than two or three raisins a day. Too many raisins can cause a chinchilla to become overweight.

    Yogurt Chips

    • Yogurt chips have no substantive nutritional value for chinchillas, but are a safe periodic treat for chinchillas to eat. Some chinchilla owners feed chinchillas a yogurt chip or two during stressful periods both to calm the chinchilla and reward it for good behavior. Never mix yogurt chips into a chinchilla's regular diet or a chinchilla won't eat their usual food. These treats should only be given by hand.