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Author Topic: how much should I feed them?  (Read 3029 times)

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nemue

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how much should I feed them?
« on: December 09, 2007, 06:36:45 PM »

When I first got my chins, I found varying degrees of opinions on how much and how often to feed them.  I got the brand of food they had been using at the pet store, but they were unable to tell me how much to feed them.  They clerks weren't very well educated.  I have read that feeding them in the morning and evening is good, but also that if you feed them in the morning they get too excited before they sleep.  Right now I'm feeding them just at night.  Although they seem to be ok, they are anxious to get fed, and have no way of telling me if they are hungry.

I have no idea how much to feed them.  There is no measurements given on the container for the food.  I read somewhere about a tablespoon and a half for pellets a day per chin.  So right now I"m giving them three tablespoons once a day, plus lots of hay, and two dandillion treats each. 

should I be feeding them more, or more often, or are they ok?
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Sillychinchilly

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Re: how much should I feed them?
« Reply #1 on: December 09, 2007, 07:17:38 PM »

My chin, who is almost three, gets a tablespoonful of Pellets a day, and I just make sure there is fresh hay in her cage all the time. Also make sure to take out the old after a day.
NOW...
You said you got your food at the pet store... What brand is it exactly? You need a good quality brand, like Mazuri (Which is the brand I use) to feed her with. Store bought food is often stale and past date by the time you get it, and therefore no longer has any nutrients. There is no benefit to the Chin there. www.chinworld.com sells good chin food for a good price. Shipping can be a bit steep if you're like me and go crazy and buy a bunch of stuff, but not TOO terrible.
IF you need to change her food, you need to do it slowly. When I got pixel from the pound (yes the pound...) I had to switch her food. It had banana chips and I don't even know what else in it, and that's no good. Do 3/4 what you were feeding her mixed with 1/4 what you're going to be feeding her for a week and a half, then do it half and half, then do it with 3/4 of the new food, and finally, after a week and a half or so of that, you can give her all the new food. This is to avoid upset stomachs, diarrhea, and constipation.

I'm sure other people will have more advice for you.
Good luck!!   
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nemue

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Re: how much should I feed them?
« Reply #2 on: December 09, 2007, 10:46:18 PM »

Thanks.  I feel a little better about how much I'm feeding them.  I guess they were just excited about dinner time!  The brand of food is "Sun Seed Sunscription Vita Chinchilla Formula."  It does have a very few banana chips and raisins in it, and also hulled oats and grains.  Mostly it's pellets though.  They seem to like it.  I can even feed it to them through the bars and they think it's a treat.  I know that changing any animal's food is hard, and I don't want to add stress to them right now as they are still new to the house.  Once they get to know me, I will consider changing what they are eating to something better, especially if a lot of people tell me this brand is no good!   :-\

Thanks agian.
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Sillychinchilly

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Re: how much should I feed them?
« Reply #3 on: December 09, 2007, 10:58:48 PM »

I'm not familiar with that particular brand, so I couldn't really say, other than that as a rule... things with treats are not good for chins. One raisin, banana chip, or rose hip a day is enough. Pixel can also have a half of a shredded wheat cereal, but that's all she gets. She hates me... lol. When I first got her, the shelter was feeding her crap food that was formulated for guinea pigs... NOT good. She had the poops big time when she came to me. :(
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nemue

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Re: how much should I feed them?
« Reply #4 on: December 09, 2007, 11:11:49 PM »

Good to know.  This container is almost done, so I will find something that doesn't have treats.  For now,  I'll just pull the treats out.  There's not a lot in there, and they are very small.  I'm guessing the wheat/oat stuff is ok for them to have?
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Sillychinchilly

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Re: how much should I feed them?
« Reply #5 on: December 10, 2007, 12:22:50 PM »

It should be. A lot of people here give their chins Rolled Oats.
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Debbie.nl.ca

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Re: how much should I feed them?
« Reply #6 on: December 14, 2007, 08:01:22 PM »

My chins eat from 4-6 tablespoons of pellets per day, and a hand full of hay.
I also give alfalfa cubes and a teaspoon of treats, a mix of oatmeal/ or other cereal, sunflower seeds and a peice of dried fruit. Total of 1 teaspoon full daily.
If I find a pellet dish empty I add extra the next night, if there are pellets left from thier norm, I cut out the treats.
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