....I give my little ones Alfalfa hay until they are 3 months old, then switch over to 1/2 Alfalfa hay and 1/2 Timothy hay, mixed. When they turn 6 months old they usually go to strait Timothy hay. Alfalfa is then used only when he/she is sick or sickly/under weight....
Wait, what? Ive been given mine alfalfa cubes since Ive had them (1 year)...uh oh spaghettiO's
Keep in mind, I used the word "I". Different breeders/ranchers do different things ... as long as the chins are
healthy and happy, then you feed them what you and/or your vet feels is best for them when it comes to hay. In some areas of the country one or the other may not be readily available, so you would have to use the one that is. A
fresh crisp hay of one kind is always better than old hay of any kind, regardless of which kind it is. Alfalfa is more fattening, but has more nutrients also ... if you have a chin that is constantly active and not over weight, I would think the alfalfa would still be good, or maybe a mix of the two ... as long as it does not start getting fat.
Just like some of us humans get over weight because we don't always eat the right stuff OR we may be eating the right stuff, but not getting the amount of exercise we need ... either and/or both things can cause the same thing ... obesity. It is the same for any animal. Obesity is not good for any animal, including chinchillas and humans. I know, at this time, age 60, I am overweight and it is causing problems. I weighed between 115 and 125 between ages 16 and 34 years of age, then, over the next 20 years, I had 3 heart attacks, 7 light strokes, spinal surgery, brain surgery, my right shoulder and knee rebuilt and eye cancer. Not being able to continue to be as active, but still eating the same way ... I slowly added 50 pounds. Why bring this up? Because you have to be constantly aware of your chin's age, activity , health and weight to help assure it a long and happy life.
You often have to go for what works best for you and your chin and/or what is available. Some people feed meadow hay or coastal hay, regardless of the type, it needs to be available to your chin on a daily basis. But
always use a high quality feed and ample exercise time. In my opinion that is a must! No substitutes for either.
Jo Ann