The chinchilla has a very sensitive digestive system which has evolved to process a high fiber diet of grasses, fruits, leaves, bark, roots, stems, insides of cacti and available bugs and grubs.

Chinchillas need lots of fiber. Hay should be available to your chinchilla at all times. This is essential to keep the digestive system healthy and also to help wear down their continually-growing teeth.

The chinchilla diet must be very low in fat and they should never have sunflower seeds or peanuts in their diet. They can easily become overweight if they have too much fat and, over the long term, it can actually be fatal.

What to feed your chinchilla

Chinchillas need to be fed every day. A good quality, heavy, earthenware food bowl or a metal bowl that will attach to the side of the cage is essential to keep the food dry and clean, and prevent the chinchilla from tipping the food on to the floor of the cage. Their bowls must be cleaned after every use. Because you will want to play with and handle your chinchilla, only give him a Treat in the morning (a piece of carrot, apple or a baked Supreme treat) and then give him his main meal in the evening when they are more active. We recommend providing a small amount of fresh vegetables and lots of fresh hay every day. They also need a gnawing block and safe twigs to chew to help wear down their teeth.

Feeding your pet with a premium coarse mix such as Charlie Chinchilla will provide all the nutrition he requires and the different shapes and textures help increase the natural urge to forage and provide variety and interest.

CHARLIE CHINCHILLA FOOD

CHARLIE CHINCHILLA FOOD is a complete diet specially formulated for chinchillas. It is a mix of ingredients, including alfalfa pellets, alfalfa stalk, wheat extrusions, flaked peas, flaked corn, and soy with bits of (but not too many) raisins and carrots . It is high in fiber and low in fat. CHARLIE CHINCHILLA does not contain any sunflower seeds or peanuts because although chinchillas love them, they are much too high in fat and oil to be part fo the daily diet. Each ingredient in CHARLIE CHINCHILLA is selected for the unique nutritional properties it provides and when combined, they make up a complete and balanced diet made just for Chinchillas. The variety of textures and tastes encourages foraging which is a very natural behavior for chinchillas and the can help alleviate boredom.

To make sure that your chinchilla eats all the ingredients in a coarse mix, follow the guidelines shown below:

• Train your chinchilla as a youngster to eat all its food
• Calculate your chinchillas daily food requirements according to his weight
• Divide the daily food requirement so that the majority is fed in the evening when he is more active
If he does not eat all that is given to him, reduce the amount until he is eating all of it

Although a coarse mix is preferred it may be necessary to provide a mono-componant food if, after you have persisted with this method, he still refuses to eat most parts of the coarse mix. In that case we would recommend Supreme Science Selective - available through your Vet.

SUPREME SCIENCE SELECTIVE
This contains all the nutrients your chinchilla needs in an extruded form. This means that they cannot selectively feed or leave the bits they dont like. The extrusions are specially shaped so that they can accommodate a high fiber content, which is essential. It also contains a prebiotic which helps remove bad bacteria from their stomach. SUPREME SCIENCE SELECTIVE is flavored with tasty herbs and spices so your chinchilla will enjoy every bite. Always provide fresh hay every day.

TREATS
Treats are so called because thats just what they should be a treat. If fed correctly they are not detrimental to a chinchilla and your pet will love them. However, treats are designed to be an extremely small element of the animals diet, and overfeeding may lead to health problems such as obesity, dental problems and heart disease. Specially prepared Treats will provide a tasty surprise for your pet.

Supreme Petfoods provide a range of Treats for your chinchilla made from high quality ingredients.


CHARLIE CHINCHILLA TREATS
Chinchillas really love these Treats that have been specially made to stimulate their taste buds. Each box contains 3 delicious varieties of crispy nuggets made from carrot, apple or corn. These special, low-fat cookies make an ideal treat for your chinchilla.


ROOT 'N' FRUIT TREATS
A really delicious Treat bar bursting with fruit flavors that your chinchilla will love, including plump raisins, crispy carrot and tasty apple. Feed small pieces of the bar to your chinchilla to provide a treat that is filled with natural goodness to provide loads of energy.

Other Supreme Treats that are suitable for chinchillas are:
Russel Rabbit Carrot Cruncher Treats
Russel Rabbit Garden Treats
Harry Hamster Yippee Treats
Gerty Guinea Pig Nibble & Squeak Treats

Supreme Petfoods also provides a range of tempting Stickle Treats. Each stickle is a blend of delicious ingredients, baked on to a special holder for easy handling and full of flavor. However, because they are large sticks, you should not allow your Chinchilla to eat all at once. It is recommended that you remove it from the cage after about 10 minutes.

Popcorn n Carrot Stickle Treats
Sweetcorn n Honey Stickle Treats
Wild Fruit n Nut Stickle Treats
Banana n Honey Stickle Treats a favorite for chinchillas and will provide hours of gnawing fun!
Apple n Cranberry Stickle Treats

Some natural treats you can provide for your chinchilla are fresh grass (but NOT grass clippings or any that may have been chemically treated), carrot, apple, celery, peas, raspberries and raisins.

However, too much fresh fruits and veggies can cause soft stool. Remember to avoid foods that are high in calories, sugary or contain too much fat.

Go on spoil your Chinchilla (but not TOO much!).

To help keep your chinchillas teeth healthy, you need to provide lots of hay and a gnawing block.

Changing your chinchillas diet
If you are not feeding currently feeding CHARLIE CHINCHILLA food but would like to try it, you must introduce it gradually into your chinchillas diet. Mix about one quarter of the new food with three quarters of the old food on the first day and then gradually increase the new food and decrease the old food over a 10-day period. This should make sure that your chinchilla has no tummy upsets.

Ensure there is fresh drinking water available at all times.

Drinking Bottle
The best way to provide fresh drinking water is to use a gravity-fed water bottle attached to the front of the cage. Use one of the large ballpoint bottles to prevent dripping and make sure there is a constant supply is available. Water bowls are not suitable becuase they are easy to tip over and can get contaminated.