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[Jenova]

I was just wondering what your views on giving chins fruit is. I give Cheech dried papaya, dried kiwi and raisins (he gets about three pieces a week). I kept away from any fresh fruit although I have heard of people giving chins a slice of fresh apple and other fruits. I just wanted to know what fruits (fresh or dried) you would give to your chinchillas. 

[ThreeLilChins]

We use different kinds of dehydrated fruit papaya, bananas, apples whatnot. We don't feed them fresh fruit. We have heard the the water/suga content is to high. We don't know that for a fact.

We would say dehydrated fruit would be the way to go.

[Abby W.]

I give my guys dried cranberries, raisins, and papaya.  I tried small pieces of fresh apple once but it gave them loose poops, so we didn't do that again.  Although they seem to much prefer shredded wheat and strawberry yogurt.

[chinclub]

John & Amy are right.  Chinchillas are not created to eat fresh fruits and veggies.  If you study their habits in the wild you will see that even there they eat dried vegetation.   Since their bodies are not made to digest wet foods, fresh fruits and veggies will indeed cause sickness.

It has also been proven that chinchillas are the most healthy long term with the blandest diet.  It takes them awhile to learn to process new foods (which is why we have to slowly wean them onto a new food).  Its important that we keep this in mind when we are feeding treats as well. 

We are very strict with our chinchillas' diet.  It is so hard not to spoil them with lots of different treats, but its our job to make them as healthy as possible.  So they only get their hay and pellets and a supplement.  Our pets do get one treat a day but we stick to only one type.  We will give raisins, dried papaya, and rose hips but we don't go back and forth between the two.  The get a raisin every day until the box is gone, then we may switch to papaya and again they get that only every day until its gone, ect.

[Jo Ann]

We give our chins dried papaya, raisins, cranraisins and dried rose hips.  Each of these contain different vitamins for a chin, but they are more of a treat than anything. 
Our way of saying "Thank-you" for all the pleasure they give us, or a reward for doing something. 
We, as a rule, give one of them every day for a week, then change to a different one each week. 
We do have some chins that do not like one type, so, they get one they like, that week.   

    We often think a chinchilla prefers variety ...
True?      False?
True, IF that is what they are use to having. 
False, IF they are not use to having it ... you don't miss what you've never had. 
 
The "variety" is more a human's idea of pleasure in food, same as the different colored/shaped chew sticks you pay so much for, when they would be just as happy with chew blocks cut from a plain untreated seasoned pine board.

You prefer fresh fruits and veggies because you are use to them and enjoy them ... so you assume the same would be for your chinchilla ... you think you are giving him what HE wants, when it is really, you are giving him  what YOU want.    
Of course after he gets it, most of the time, he wants it, too.     Good for him/her or NOT.

If a chinchilla is getting all the vitamins, minerals and fiber in it's FRESH chinchilla pellets and hay, treats are not necessary, but, they can still be a fun reward for your chin.  (One per day.)   
If the food you give them does not have all they need (along with the hay),you need to change his food.  
If you can not, for whatever reason, then he/she needs a supplement to properly balanced it's diet.

When fresh fruits are given, one of the biggest problems is the portion they are given.   Don't judge by your size, but by his.  A thin slice of apple (thin enough to see the print on a news paper through), about the size of a dime, would be equal to a dinner plate for us.    
Another reason fresh fruits and vegetables are not that good, if purchased in a store, is that most likely they were sprayed with insecticide/or chemicals added when it was growing.  

In the wild, chinchillas would sometimes hollow out a cactus, for the water it provided, but only when water was sparse and the air dry.  Normally the morning dew provided most of the moisture they need.

For chinchillas ... dried and bland is good.   

 
Jo Ann

[Abby W.]

On that same topic, I have myc hins on the CA chins pellet mixture.  I have tried the vitamin supplement but I can't get any of my guys to eat it.  I tried adding a small amount of honey and rolling it into little balls, they wouldn't touch it, I even tried baking the little balls to make tiny chinchilla cookies...(my husband decided at that point that I am a loon), but they stillw ouldn't eat it.  Any ideas?

[Jenova]

Thanks for all the replies.
We did offer him a small piece of apple once but he turned his nose up at it. He much prefers his papaya. And knowing it is much better for him bakes it even better. 

[chinclub]

Abby,
If you are feeding a good food you don't really need a supplement.  We are feeding Tradition now and don't need it.  We were feeding Advanced Nutrition and noticed that our mothers were loosing weight so we started the supplement until we could wean them onto a better food.  Now I just hate to stop it because they expect it and are at that supplement tray every morning!!  We make our own and everyone loves it. It was suggested to me by my mentor and was created by a Mr. McClenahan in California. Here is the recipe:

2 parts Clovite
4 parts Steamed Rolled Oats
4 parts Wheat Brand
4 parts Crimped Oats
2 parts Raw Wheat Germ

We could only find the raw wheat germ in a health food store and it requires refrigeration.  We don't always include it in our mixture.

[Debbie.nl.ca]

4 parts Steamed Rolled Oats

NOT RAW?

(my husband decided at that point that I am a loon

Welcome to my world.

Abby you can try mixing it with other things, like a raisin or even mushed up papaya. I've had to do things like that to get sick chiins to eat critical Care supplements.
As Jamie has said if they are on a great pellet they probably don't need it.

[Jo Ann]

Quote
4 parts Steamed Rolled Oats
NOT RAW?

This is just the process that is used on the oats when they are processed ... it does not mean for you to steam and roll them.

The raw wheat germ contains the good bacteria for the chin's digestive system.  It does have to be kept refrigerated if it is added to the mixture, you would be wasting your money if you left it sitting out in room temperatures.