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Author Topic: ? on chinchilla food...  (Read 3192 times)

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cadillactaste

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? on chinchilla food...
« on: April 15, 2009, 09:53:57 AM »


High quality food (Mazuri, Traditions or Oxbow) was suggested to me in another post by JoAnn...So now I'm puzzled...we have the food the breeder gave us. I wanted to mix the two foods my husband bought without me with him...at a pet store BEFORE we even picked up our chinchilla...[He was super excited and bought all sorts of things even an edible log that we removed learning it's a no no to give honey to chins]

So we have two containers of food...Both from SUNSEED...One states SUNTATURALS "Natural Chinchilla Food" And Sunscription VITA. Which states is Corn Free...
Link below shows the container we have
http://www.petfooddirect.com/store/product_detail.asp?pf%5Fid=90111301&dept%5Fid=251&brand%5Fid=102&Page=

We though also have their Sunaturals...which surprizingly states it has GROUND CORN! Which I heard corn is a no no...  :-\ So I'm thinking that one is a definate NO NO...But it has freeze dried peas and all sorts of interesting stuff in there...Herbs...flowers...berries...vegetables...grains...
The company's website...
http://www.sunseed.com/artccat315FPCNL.html

My husband is going to be so upset that everything he's boughten is a NO NO for our chin...he spend a lot of money at the pet store...and it seems that they can't have anything but the bedding he picked up...and the water bottle... :::(((

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Jo Ann

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Re: ? on chinchilla food...
« Reply #1 on: April 16, 2009, 12:05:52 PM »

 ::silly::
I see we have an overzealous enthusiastic new chin owner!   rofl   We laugh with you, not at you ... we have all been there before!

If you have seen very many of my post you will know I often mention this:
Manufactures do not take the time to do their research!  They see that a chinchilla is in the rodent family and assumes any thing a rat can have a chinchilla can have.  WRONG!!!
Manufactures create a product to appeal to the eyes and minds of the consumer ... not the animal that eats it, but the human that buys it.  Many times this can become the downfall of the animal, especially when it comes to chinchillas.

I love the description they give for their "Natural Chinchilla Food" note how the different words appeal to you that I have in bold print ... by the time you read it, you feel guilty if you don't buy it!  Even the name sounds like a prescription from a doctor!
Quote
  Sunscription Vita Chinchilla Food
 
Only the finest will do for your sunny-bright pet! This specially formulated mixture contains bananas, raisins, and hulled oats – foods that will vitamin-charge your chinchilla’s health. The freshness of these high-quality ingredients will provide your charming pet with the well-balanced diet and  great taste he deserves!
 

Now, tell me which of the above ingredients grow in the chinchilla's natural habitat ... the Andes Mountains. 
I send more letters to the different manufactures and raise more ceilings in pet stores than you can imagine.   
They want to charge you high dollar for killing/injuring your chinchilla and/or making a wreck out of it's health.

Chinchillas are just like little children ... offer them a bowl of ice cream and a bowl of collard greens, give them the choice, and see which one they eat.  When treats are mixed in with their pellets, they will eat the treats and leave the pellets.  Don't be fooled thinking they will eat the pellets eventually ... they have even been known to refuse to eat until given the treats and/or have thrown the pellets to the floor of the cage or on your rug.

bananas are considered a treat  ...  dried bananas usually contain lots of preservatives ... I give mine a nibble or two of a fresh banana ... but ONLY as a TREAT!
raisins are considered a treat, a high sugar content treat
ground corn in pet food is not the same quality as the corn we eat, pet quality corn is not good for your chin, but fresh, steamed corn ( a corneal or two) is OK for your chin to eat
Quote
it has freeze dried peas and all sorts of interesting stuff in there...Herbs...flowers...berries...vegetables...grains...
I never like to see ingredients listed as a general description, I much prefer the exact ingredients be listed.

If you have a high quality chinchilla food, a good supply of hay and fresh water, this is all your chin needs ... anything else is extra and should be questioned.

Treats should be treated as treats ... rewards for something special they do or as a training tool.   

Question, do they list the mill date of the products?  OR the expiration date?  Or no date?   I noticed they use the word fresh in their description.

 ::wave::  Jo Ann

P.S.  Thank-you for bringing this to light ... so many people do not want to admit their 'learning mistakes' leaving many more to do the same.  Each time a mistake or wrong thing is brought out into the light many more people do not make the same mistake.   I applaud you for doing so.     ::clapp::
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cadillactaste

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Re: ? on chinchilla food...
« Reply #2 on: April 16, 2009, 12:18:07 PM »

Thanks JoAnn...So it seems this can't be used even as treats. That's what I was wondering...I'll have to get a tubberware container...and buy some higher quality food. And toss this in the dumpster at the entrance of the lake association where I live...bagged of course...so hubby doesn't see what I've done with his food he purchased.

He spent almost $100 and all of it has been tossed...Again knowing what I've heard pet stores say about different species they sell. I know for a fact it's not all truth...I even reported our local Petsmart when they wouldn't listen to me on the care of their ornate wood turtles. [a species I have as a pet] The thing that kept eating at me was...if I didn't make them change...those poor turtles would be bought...and kept in the same habitat that the store kept them in...guarenteeing them to end up with shell rot or worse! When the manager wouldn't listen to reason...I contacted the 800 number online...and made a complaint. And in under a week the turtles were in their proper environment. Thus I "know" that information obtained at a pet store needs to be researched...to prove if it's fact or fiction...



But I also learned when we were researching hedgehogs...that hedgehog food mostly was "treats" and you really had to look hard to get the GOOD stuff. Thus I questioned the food from the get go that hubby bought.

Thanks again JoAnn...I wasn't sure if I could pass it off as treats or not...now I know that it is off to the trash can for it as well...Luckily our breeder gave us a bag of food when we picked up Nibbles. Which will allow me to get more food...and I'll make a stop at our breeders and buy more of their food...so I can mix it. Not sure what brand of pellets they use...but I don't want to throw off the chins in any way. But I don't wish to have to bother the breeders every time I need food also. [though they do offer to sell it]
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Jo Ann

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Re: ? on chinchilla food...
« Reply #3 on: April 16, 2009, 12:48:17 PM »

 ::silly::   Have you already opened the packages?  If not, make them refund your money.

If you have a good breeder, she/he would not feel "bothered", but would feel 'assured' one of her babies is in the right home.   :::grins::

When you find out the brand, you may also want to find out where to get it if the breeder lives to far away. 

Some of the WallMarts and a few of the pet stores have started carrying Mazuri ... if the one in your area does not, ask them to do so, please.

The #1 thing is to find out the brand ... if you will be using a different brand ... you will need enough to mix it and change the food gradually. 
1st week in new home ...all breeder/same food
2nd week ........3/4 breeder's food mixed with 1/4 new feed
3rd week ........1/2 and 1/2
4th week ........1/4 breeder food mixed with 3/4 new feed
5th week ........all new feed
This is if all is going well with the chin and it is accepting the new food with no bad reactions to it.

Dirrhea is one of the first bad reactions that can be noticed.
If diarrhea occurs ... remove all pellets and give a straight hay diet with pieces of burnt wheat toast.
Do burn the toast ... it is the charcoal part that helps stop the diarrhea.
If diarrhea last more than 2 days and toast does not help ... see the vet, he's in trouble.
Once the diarrhea is gone, start the change over all over again.

 ::wave::   Jo Ann
« Last Edit: April 16, 2009, 12:50:37 PM by Jo Ann »
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cadillactaste

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Re: ? on chinchilla food...
« Reply #4 on: April 16, 2009, 01:33:18 PM »

Well the food is of course unopened from the pet store...but it's in a town where we never go. He just happened to get excited and purchased the stuff... ::) I don't think we still have the reciepts...The gas alone isn't worth it...and the other things we've opened like the edible log. I did give that to someone with a guinea pig.  :)

Well the breeder isn't far from us...25 minutes actually. Hugh...maybe I'll just do that then...They offer it for sale on their site...so...I guess I could just do that. And know that I won't have no issues with a food change. Thanks JoAnn...
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