How to Choose Treats for a Chinchilla

It’s completely natural to want to treat your chinchilla to something delicious every once in a while. Chinchilla treats can be tricky, though. Certain foods that are safe for other rodents, such as fresh veggies, can be dangerous for a chinchilla. Snacks like dried rose hips, plain cereal, timothy hay, and the very occasional raisin are all delicious treats for your chinchilla. If you’re ever in doubt about a treat, ask your vet first.

Method 1

Method 1 of 3:

Finding Treats at the Grocery Store

1
Let your chinchilla have 1 tsp (0.5 g) of dried herbs every few days. Dried herbs such as dandelion leaves, rosemary, hibiscus, parsley, and strawberry leaves are all delicious to a chinchilla. Buy these herbs dry or dry them at home and give your chinchilla no more than 1 tsp (0.5 g) 3-4 times a week.^{[1]XResearch source}
- You can buy individual herbs or get multiple herbs and make a mix for your chinchilla. Either way, it is going to love the flavor.
- If you are unsure about if an herb is chinchilla-safe, always consult with your vet before feeding to your furry friend.
2
Use 1 sunflower seed as a treat 1-2 times per week. Nuts and seeds are very high in fat, so they should be used very sparingly when it comes to your chinchilla. However, a single, unsalted sunflower seed can be an indulgent treat every once in a while.^{[2]XResearch source}
- Don’t give your chinchilla more than 2 sunflower seeds in the span of a week. This is a lot of fat and can be very difficult for a chinchilla to digest.
Advertisement
3
Give your chinchilla 1-2 pieces of Shredded Wheat or Cheerios. Plain, unfrosted, miniature shredded wheat squares and plain Cheerios are both great occasional treats for a chinchilla. For shredded wheat, try breaking a mini square in half and giving one half to your chinchilla as a treat. If you’re using Cheerios, try not to exceed more than 2 pieces.^{[3]XResearch source}
- Cereal should be an occasional treat for your chinchilla. It doesn’t need cereal every day. Try to space these treats out to once every other day or once every few days.
4
Substitute a regular treat for a raisin or dried cranberry 1-2 times a week. Typically, it’s not advisable to feed your chinchilla fresh fruit. This is because fresh produce can cause bloat, which is a dangerous medical condition for small pets. An occasional small, dried fruit can be a delicious treat, though, when provided in moderation.^{[4]XResearch source}
- Raisins or dried cranberries should be used in place of regular treats. Your chinchilla shouldn’t be getting both a dried fruit and cereal on the same day.
- Some chinchillas may also like getting half a banana chip or apple chip as a fruit treat.
Advertisement

Method 2

Method 2 of 3:

Giving Treats to Supplement a Chinchilla’s Diet

1
Get your chinchilla dried rose hip as a vitamin C-rich treat. Dried rose hips are one of the few treats you can give your chinchilla every day. Rose hips are a great source of vitamin C. Give your chinchilla a hip each day as both a snack and a dietary supplement.^{[5]XResearch source}
- You can find dried rose hips in many grocery stores, as well as in health food stores and online.
2
Offer your chinchilla unlimited amounts of grass hay. Clean grass hays such as timothy, brome, or orchard are both a treat and a necessary source of dietary fiber for chinchillas. Your chinchilla should have hay available to them at all times. Always make sure to check the hay for mold before you give it to your fuzzy friend.^{[6]XResearch source}
- To help keep hay from getting moldy, try storing it off the ground in a cool, dry area such as your pantry.
- While some other pets can have legume hay like alfalfa, clover, and vetch, those are too high in protein for a chinchilla. Stick to grassy hays. These are readily available from most pet stores.
3
Look for natural, untreated woods as chew toys. Chinchillas love to chew. Not only is it enjoyable, it also helps keep their teeth healthy. Wood toys are a great option for chewing treats, as long as they are chinchilla-safe. This means that they should not be treated, glued, or painted. These also need to be made of chinchilla-safe wood, such as:^{[7]XResearch source}
- Ash
- Aspen
- Cottonwood
- Dogwood
- Elm
- Kiln-dried white pine
- Poplar
- Sycamore
4
Try untreated bamboo treats as an alternative to wood. If you’re struggling to find a high-quality wood toy, consider getting a bamboo chewing treat for your chinchilla. Bamboo is a safe alternative, as long as it has not been glued, painted, or chemically treated.^{[8]XResearch source}
- In fact, you can often find bulk packs of bamboo chew toys online or from specialty small pet stores.
Advertisement

Method 3

Method 3 of 3:

Making Sure Treats are Chinchilla-Safe

1
Practice moderation with your chinchilla’s treats. Too much of anything, including fats, sugars, and proteins, can be detrimental to your chinchilla. Focus on providing small amounts of nutritionally-balanced treats. Dried herbs, rose hips, and the very occasional raisin are typically favorites among chinchillas. These should make up no more than 10% of their daily diet.
- There’s some debate as to whether fresh fruits and vegetables are good for chinchillas. While nutritious, fresh produce can also promote bloat in these animals, which may become life-threatening if left unchecked.
- Some pet stores sell pre-made chinchilla treats, but these are often high in both sugar and fat. Generally, it’s better to provide treats like rosehips and hay than store bought chinchilla treats.
2
Talk to your vet before giving your chinchilla a new treat. It’s always advisable to call your vet and clear a new treat with them before giving it to your chinchilla. This way, your vet can let you know if there are any known risks with the potential treat.^{[9]XResearch source}
- You can also always ask your vet for a list of chinchilla-safe treats when you take your fluffy friend in for a check. That way, instead of repeatedly calling, you have a vet-approved list on-hand whenever you need it.
- Watch your chinchilla’s weight since too many treats could lead to weight gain and be dangerous to your pet.
3
Avoid woods that are toxic to your chinchilla. While some woods are good for your chinchilla, others can be harmful or even toxic for them. Treated woods like particle board and plywood are toxic for your furry friend. Some untreated woods can also be harmful, including wood from cherry trees, citrus trees, redwood, cedars, and other evergreens.^{[10]XResearch source}
- If you are unsure about what wood a toy is made of, check with the manufacturer or choose another toy. There are plenty of options out there in chinchilla-safe woods.
Advertisement