Loose Guinea

Chinchillas Staying Healthy

The chinchilla’s process of consuming food is quite different than other animals.  They should have a lot of roughage and fewer nutrients.  One of the things that they must have enough of is pellets. 

Chinchilla pellets can be purchased from a breeder or a pet store.  Not all brands contain the same ingredients.  When your purchase them, be sure that the basic ingredients are in the mix.  This would include alfalfa meal, wheat germ, molasses, oats, soybean oil meal, corn, and added vitamins and minerals.  The chinchilla pellets are long because the animals eat with their hands and they must be able to grasp them.

The chinchillas consume the pellets until they feel full.  When they get to that point, they will stop and refrain from overeating.  You can either feed them once or twice a day.  You’ll want to figure out which feeding regimen is best for them.  Stick with whatever works best and be consistent.  If you’re not, the chinchilla will know and the inconsistency will cause them to be stressed.

A chinchilla’s livelihood is based on routines.  You can feed the pellets to them either from a hopper feeder or a ceramic bowl.  The hopper feeder is good to use because you don’t have to concern yourself about it falling over.  Ceramic bowls are good because they are heavy and the chinchilla can’t chew it, like they would a plastic bowl. 

Chinchilla pellets are one of the best things they can eat; but if for some reason you can’t locate them, you can substitute rabbit or guinea pig pellets for them.  These are fine to consume as long as they contain plenty of fiber and are low in fat.  If for some reason you do have to switch their pellets, do it gradually.  Once they get used to a system, it’s difficult for them to change suddenly.  They will adapt, but they get stressed if it happens all at once. 

Hay is good for them because it also provides fiber for their system.  You can choose from two kinds:  alfalfa or timothy.  They can be purchased in loose or small compressed blocks with a measurement of 1″ X 1″ X 2″.  The animals will eat both kinds and it must be chemical and mold free.  Because of their sensitive digestive system, chinchillas can only consume fresh hay.  To remain fresh, it must be stored in a dry place.

Fifty-pound bags may be too much for a chinchilla owner, so cubes can be purchased in smaller amounts.  It’s better if the cubes are broken into smaller pieces.  This way, they can handle them easier as opposed to being one cumbersome piece.  One pressed cube or a handful of hay is all an adult chinchilla usually eats. 

An alternative to hay would be Bermuda grass.  If your house has a lawn with Bermuda grass, you can feed that to your chinchilla.  However, the grass must be chemical and fertilizer free.  Just wash it off and give your chinchilla a few.  Bermuda grass helps to remedy any digestive issues.

Bill Juelfs writes for UniformHaven.com which sells cherokee scrubs, baby phat scrubs and lab coat as well as a host of other items.

1/2 Naked Baldwin Guinea Piggies, Not Skinny Guinea Pigs

Guinea Pig #157 (Tan, Blue Eyes) 2005 Littlest Pet Shop (Retired) Collector Toy – LPS Collectible Replacement Single Figure Loose (OOP Out of Package) Item Exactly As Pictured, May Have Wear from play, May have paint wear & scrapes. Tested and works properly. Ships First Class with a tracking number to US addresses, including APO/FPO addresses, EXCLUDING NEW YORK State. Please note that all orders shipped to the state of New York will be CANCELLED!!…

Guinea Pig #4 (Brown) Littlest Pet Shop 2004 (Retired) Collector Toy – LPS Collectible Replacement Single Figure Loose (OOP Out of Package) Item Exactly As Pictured, May Have Wear from play, May have paint wear & scrapes. Tested and works properly. Ships First Class with a tracking number to US addresses, including APO/FPO addresses, EXCLUDING NEW YORK State. Please note that all orders shipped to the state of New York will be CANCELLED!!…

There’s a Mouse about the House $9.99 This interactive book is so much fun: first, take the little cardboard mouse out of the pocket on the front cover. Then, as you read the story about the mouse’s adventure, follow the dotted line and move the mouse through the slot on each page. And- this book is not just fun, it’s educational too: * Teaches fine motor skills * The mouse always moves from left to right, which is important to early …

Obi, Gerbil on the Loose $3.71 A tale of a gerbil’s great adventure, perfect for fans of the Humphrey series! Life is good for Obi the gerbil. That is, until her owner goes on vacation and leaves the pets home alone! A neighbor boy comes to feed the other animals but never notices poor Obi. So the resourceful gerbil takes on the courage of her namesake (the famous Jedi knight Obi-Wan Kenobi) and breaks out of her cage in search…

Obi: Gerbil on a Mission (Obi, Gerbil on the Loose) $9.65 Obi’s on a mission to go where no gerbil has gone before – outside the house! There’s a new pet at Obi the gerbil’s house, and he’s bigger, furrier, and more slobbery than Obi. And he’s getting all the attention. But when the puppy escapes out the door and runs away, Obi sets out on a mission to bring him back. There are many obstacles, from a hungry owl to a giant dog to snarky cats in Obi’s own …