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[Pankakes]

I just got my first chinchilla, his name is Charlie ^^
    He's about a year old, and loves raisin =D
he gives me and my mom kisses because he loves us the most, but he make shis little growling noise when I try t o pick him up xD

[mylittlechinchilla]

Congrats on your new chin.

I would advise against raisins    TOO much sugar. 

I would recommend plain cheerios and plain shredded wheats, they are GREAT treats and much better health wise than raisins.

What kind of food is your chinchilla currently on?  I'm hoping he is on a high quality feed 

[Pankakes]

Okay, are they okay once in a while?
He's currently on the Vita Prima Chinchilla food, which he likes to dump and then burry in the bedding. But he does eat it if there is no other food in the cage.
Also, his food has chopped Timothy Hay in it. Its really fun to watch him eat the hay 8D

[mylittlechinchilla]

Not trying to be rude but his food is garbage    I would throw it out and get a better feed, Mazuri or Tradition are probably the 2 most commonly used feeds used and pretty easy to find.

His diet will play a huge factor in his health and life span.

Almost any food you find in a pet store is garbage, truly.  It should be against the law for them to sell it....

[Pankakes]

okay =)

[Jo Ann]

   Hi Pankakes!  I had never heard of Sunscription Vita Prima Chinchilla Formula, so I looked it up on the internet.  Personally, I think it has to many "extras" in it. 
When you read the ingredients, it sounds good ... But consider: The packageing allows you to see what the pellets look like, but in doing so, it also lets in the light ... light is the enemy of most vitamins listed.  By the time you purchase it, more than likely, most of the vitamins have probably lost their potency.  So you have paid an extra price for something that is probably already gone by the time your chin eats it. 

Always remember ... you are the one that pays for your chin's food ... manufacturers know this, so they tend to try to make it 'look/appear' to be the best to you, while often ignoring what is best for your little one. 

But he does eat it if there is no other food in the cage.

Your chin may eat it, but consider the fact that many of the ingredients are considered to be more 'treats' than nourishment.

But he does eat it if there is no other food in the cage.

What else is in the cage that you are calling food or that there is for him to eat?

...food, which he likes to dump and then burry in the bedding

Keep in mind ... he urinates and poops in that same bedding.  Dumping his food is a bad habit he needs to break.   

Traditions or Mazuri are my preferences also.
 
Traditions was formulated by ranchers and researchers with many years of experience with chinchillas.  It provides everything, nutrition wise your chin should need.  It is hard to get, in some places.  I would check out the internet (M. C. B. A and Empress Chinchillas for a list of ranchers that may be closest to you that you could get the Traditions from.) 

Some of the WallMarts carry Mazuri now.  Check your local WallMart  ...  if they do not normally carry it, you may be able to get the manager to order it for you.  Mazuri use to have corn in it, but they have removed corn from the ingredients.  (Pet grade corn is not good for chinchillas.)

The jury is still out on raisins ... some say yes, some say no. 
Personally, I think allot would depend on the number given and the chinchilla's health and the circumstances, in my opinion.
One of the very experienced ranchers I know says to give a chin a raisin or two the first two or three days in a new home to help it cope to the new surroundings and that one or two a week is fine.
I would never give a raisin to a chinchilla that is over weight or is diabetic or has either in it's family history.

Raisins have little to no preservatives ... many of the cereals do contain preservatives. 
I have been told by my heart doctor that man-made/formulated chemical preservatives are not good for man or animal.

Excess of anything (except love) is not good for your chin.   

   Jo Ann

[Pankakes]

What else is in the cage that you are calling food or that there is for him to eat?

I ment if I had a couple cherrios or something in his cage too.

I got him a better food dish though, one that he can't easily tip over, and I ordered some Mazuri food for him since no pet stores near me sell any of the good food brands =)

also, my local petco sells these Apple wood chew toys made by the Kabob peope (like the lavabites), are they okay for chins? On the package it says they are, but I just want to erify that since there are some toxic woods =/

[Jo Ann]

   Cherios should be considered a 'treat'.  It is best for chinchillas if they have only one or two treats each day.  Treats should be hand-fed.  Treats are something special for a chinchilla.  If he is leaving his treat in the floor, you might want to try a treat that he would like better.

I am not familiar with Kabob, do they have a website where it would give the contents of the food/item?  Would you post the URL to the site, please.

Apple wood that has not been treated with insecticides should be OK for your chin. 

Most of the dangerous woods are the hard woods, such as cherry and/or wood that gives off an odor or scent, such as cedar.

   Jo Ann