FEATURE |
DETAILS |
Type
|
Charlie
is a complete food formulated for the needs of chinchillas. |
Processing |
Many of the ingredients within Charlie are processed (pelleted, flaked, rolled,
extruded) to improve their digestibility whilst retaining a natural appearance. |
Quality Ingredients |
Only
the highest quality cereals, legumes, forages and oils are used in a fixed formulation. On the packet the ingredients themselves are
declared rather than categories of ingredients, so the owner knows exactly what they are
buying. |
Coccidiostat Free |
Charlie contains no coccidiostats, nor is it produced on a line where
coccidiostats are used. Coccidiostats may be
damaging to chinchillas, just as they are to guinea pigs.
|
Nutritional Balance |
As long as steps are taken to ensure that selective feeding does not
occur, the whole diet is balanced i.e. Charlie supplies all the
key nutrients needed to meet the daily needs of the animal, together with sufficient
energy to sustain the animal. The
Charlie Chinchilla foods can also be described as a balanced diet, as each nutrient is at
the correct level, and in the correct ratio to the energy content and other nutrients.
|
Vitamins A, E & Choline |
Charlie contains alfalfa
and carrots, both rich in b-carotene. The
levels of Vitamin A and E are enhanced through adding supplement to the extrusions, and
although not declared, it also contains choline. |
Other Vitamins &
Minerals
|
Traditionally
many manufacturers incorporate vitamins into the pellets with coarse mixes which are often
refused (a bitter metallic taste deters animals from eating them). Supreme incorporate vitamins and minerals into
their extrusions. The supplement is created
to take into account the shelf life of the product and the effect that processing has on
the vitamins (different vitamins have different thermal stabilities). Many of the ingredients supply calcium and
phosphorus, but in order to ensure that their levels within the product are balanced they
are supplemented. The levels of zinc are also
supplemented. Many of the minerals that
Supreme use in their supplements are in the sulphate form, as these are more readily
available to the animal than the oxide. |
Shelf-life
|
1 year. |
Linoleic acid |
Levels
of linoleic acid within the product are elevated by the inclusion of alfalfa pellets and
soya oil. |
Stimulation |
Charlie contains
a variety of ingredients of different
shapes, sizes and textures which
encourages the animal to forage, a natural behaviour, and as long as selective feeding is
discouraged will provide enrichment to the life of the animal. |
Dental Challenge |
Charlie
contains alfalfa (Supreme’s equivalent to grass), and provides fibrous material which
may aid appropriate dental wear and help to prevent dental overgrowth. |
Fibre |
The high level of fibre in
Charlie helps to maintain the health and function of the gastro-intestinal tract, and keep
the animals occupied. |
