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[Jenova]

Hiya.

I've been trying to get a better feed for my little Cheech and it's pretty hard to get the foods that you reccoment in the US (I live in the UK). I was reccommended a pellet by a specialist pet shop but it is an own brand so I was wondering if you could give me any advice on whether it is good or not before I change his food over.

Ingredients:
Wheat, Grass Meal, Soya Hulls, Full Fat Soya, Oat Bran, Peas, Unmolassed Sugar Beet Pulp, Brewers Yeast, Vegetable Oil, Dicalcium Phosphate, Calcium Carbonate, Fructo-Oligosaccarides, No Added Colourants or preservatives.

Analysis:
Protein 17%, Oils and Fats 4%, Fibre 14%, Ash 6.5%, Vitamin A 22,000 iu/kg, Vitamin D3 1,250 iu/kg, Vitamin E (Alpha Tocopherol Acetate) 100 mp/kg, Vitamin C 800 mg/kg, Copper as Cupric Sulphate 15 mg/kg.

I don't know if this will mean anything to any of you but any advice would be appreciated.

Thank you 

[chinchillagrl06]

I know there are a couple of people who live in the UK like Debbie. I'm sure she would be able to recommend something for you.

[ChinchillAZ]

I looked over at Greenwood Chinchillas to see what they feed, as they seem to be very informed, and I see they feed Charnwoods but prefer Jordans.  They also mention that most people seem to feed Duggins.

I'm concerned about the fact that hay (either Timothy or Alfalfa) isn't listed as an ingredient in ANY of these pellets.   

[Jenova]

Well he gets his hay seperately anyway so that doesn't matter. 
I was reccomended Charnwoods but I couldn't find the shop that was supposed to sell it. That's the reason I went into the other place to look at their food. Thank you for all the help though. 

Edit: I just realised the food I bought is on the Greenwood's website you linked to ChinchillAZ. It is the Pets at Home brand. I was in their shop and their Chins looked very healthy and seemed to be looked after properly. I've been in a lot of bad pet shops and although I'm not an expert all the pets in their shop seemed very happy and healthy with lots of space, toys and fans to keep them cool. (That's the first time I've ever seen that in a shop and I was impressed.) They said that's what they feed their Chins.

[chinchillagrl06]

Most Chinchilla pellets are Alphalpha or Timothy based and they are given loose hay in addition to the pellets.

[ChinchillAZ]

Well he gets his hay seperately anyway so that doesn't matter. 

Except that it does...  It should be the primary ingredient in the pellet.  Hay is the most essential part of the chinchilla's diet and the hay should also be found in the pellet.  Unfortunately, it doesn't appear any of the UK available pellets have hay in them.

[Jenova]

Well he gets his hay seperately anyway so that doesn't matter. 

Except that it does...  It should be the primary ingredient in the pellet.  Hay is the most essential part of the chinchilla's diet and the hay should also be found in the pellet.  Unfortunately, it doesn't appear any of the UK available pellets have hay in them.

If he eats plenty of hay seperately should that be okay?

[chinchillagrl06]

I would say no. His pellets should have Timothy hay or Alphalpha as the primary ingrediant.
Hopefully someone from UK will come around soon and help you with finding pellets.

[ChinchillAZ]

If he eats plenty of hay seperately should that be okay?

Not necessarily.  But you honestly might not have any other options there.   

[Jo Ann]

When the options are sparse to none, you have to go with the best solution available ... in this case it would be hay and plenty of it available at all times.
    Chinchillas can survive on hay and water alone.  As a matter of fact most vets will put a chin on hay and water only, when they are sick.
    Hopefully someone over there will come up with a good chinchilla diet soon.

 
Jo Ann

[Jenova]

Thank you for all the suggestions.

Cheech does a eat a lot of hay, he takes it into his box and lies on his back eating hay and nibbling on the sides.  I also play games with him when he's in his cage, poking bits of hay through the wire and pulling it away before he get it. After a few tries I let him have it and he'll eat it then. I hope he is getting enough. 

[Jo Ann]

Cheech does a eat a lot of hay, he takes it into his box and lies on his back eating hay and nibbling on the sides.

   Picture please ... laying on his back and eating hay ... that has got to be cute!   

 
Jo Ann

[chinchillagrl06]

OMG!!! I can't even imagine how cute that must be! 

[Jenova]

I'll deffinately try!

We bought him a big cardboard (well vegetable papaya) tube and he's successfully managed to drag it down the two floors of his cage even though it's almost twice the size of him. He's having so much fun with that at the moment, probably because it's new, but I'll keep an eye on him whenever he goes into his box. 

[chewy]

Me and my boyfriend were wondering if it is okay to feed our Chewy oats? Because his mom gives his hamster oats sometimes.So we were just wondering if it is okay to feed those to him?