Chinchilla Carrot 101: Are Carrots Safe for Pet Chinchillas?
Chinchillas mostly feed on pellets, grass, and water. Unlike humans, they do not feed on vegetables and fruits in large amounts. They have a digestive system which is much related to the digestive system of guinea pigs. Pellets, as well as other foods that rodents feed on, can be bought in Wall-Mart, Petco, as well as a lot of other stores that sell pet products. To ensure that your Chinchilla gets the best from its meals, you should feed it bananas, apples, strawberries, collard greens, carrots that have just been cut.
Although the above-mentioned fruits contain a lot of nutrients that chinchillas will find very beneficial, carrots appear to have even more benefits for chinchillas. They are especially good for the dental health of chinchillas. In as much as carrots are great for chinchillas, you should be careful not to give them too many carrots as these can have a bad effect on their health.
Ensure that Carrots are not Too Big So They Can Chew Them
If you have any plans of feeding your Chinchilla with carrots for the first time, give them just a small quantity. Also, this should be free from any vegetables or other fruits. When done this way, you can be sure that are reacting to the carrot they ate if there is any unwanted occurrence which is food related.
Certain chinchillas have a habit of eating food in haste. This class of chinchillas might have an issue eating carrot as they will also feed on them in haste. Doing this can cause a lot of issues which will affect chinchillas negatively. So, to make sure your Chinchilla does no choke on carrots, you have to slice carrots into very tiny bits before giving them to your Chinchilla. If you do not have the time to get this done, you can buy carrots that are already sliced.
Carrots Have Bad and Good Qualities
Chinchillas are rodents. And just like other rodents, their teeth never stop growing. These ever-growing teeth can be kept at bay in various ways. While the many ways these can be done are effective, one of the best ways to keep the growth of your chinchilla teeth in check is by giving them carrots. The reason for this is they can derive some nutrients while they keep their teeth in check at the same time. Carrots contain good amounts of vitamin A, K, and C. This means they are great for the eyesight of your Chinchilla.
Your Chinchilla Should Not Over Eat
When fed with vegetables excessively, chinchillas might have an issue with digestion. They might also have other issues which might be fatal. Chinchillas have sensitive stomachs. This comes into play because of the sugar content of fruits and vegetables, which can lead to bloating and diarrhea. With this in mind, you should feed your Chinchilla with carrots very carefully. You should not take out carrots from their meals entirely; you should only apply caution.
