I'm thinking about writing some of the stuff down, normally done here in Denmark, because I know a lot of it is very different to how people in the US and UK do things.
I do not think that the other ways of doing things are wrong, I simply want to inform about differen ways of doing things :)
So let's start out with feeding:
There are a couple of different ways to do this. The most important way is that you feel good about the way you are feeding.
Remember to check the specific feed where you live. As far as I can understand, some types of feed we have are quite good, but the same feed in US can be very bad.
You need to bear in mind that the pellets we have are not made by looking at what the chinchilla eat in the wild, but made by furfarmers, to get animals that would thrive and get a nice fur. There is nothing wrong with this, but people have a tendensy to forget this, and think that some chinchilla pellets are the only right way to go, and they can never be improved.
Then we have to look at what the specific pellet is made for. If the pellet is made for farmers, it might not be the right pellet for you and your animal. In general they have a very high content of protein. This is good for females who are used for breeding, but it's not the best for the avrage pet chinchilla.
You need to find a pellet made for pet chinchillas. This could be some of VitaKrafts pellets.
Personally I'm very fond of VitaSpecial.
They have 3 different types of pellets. One for young animals, one for grown animals, and one for senior animals.
The biggest problem about these pellets is, that they are quite expensive.
It's also possible to get a some feeding products where a lot of different things have been mixed together.
For the most part, these products is something you should avoid. They do have some good parts, but they also contain a lot of not so good treats, like nuts and banana. Thes treats can be used, but should not be given in big amounts.
If you'r not happy about only using one type of pellets, it's okay to mix different types of pellets, as long as it's a good quality. Some animals will enjoy being able to choose between the different types of pellets.
Now you may have an idea about what to feed your pet chinchilla.
Let's look at how to feed:
A chinchilla eats about 30 grams of pellets a day. They do not, however, have a tendensy to overeat, so it's not a problem giving more pellets.
You should feed once or twice a day. It depends on what suites you best. You can feed early in the morning, late in the eavening or at both times.
The first time you feed, put 30 grams of pellets in the bowl (or 15 if you feed twice a day), the next time you are going to feed, there should be a few pellets left. If there's no left, give a bit more pellets. If there's a lot left, give a bit less pellets.
The left over pellets should be thrown out. They will get bad if left in the bowl, because they get a lot of mouisture from the air.
Hay:
Now we've looked at pellets, let's look at hay.
Hay is not the main feed, because all the nutrients is in pellets, but the chinchilla still need some hay for the system to work. There should always be some hay in the cage.
The most important thing when buying hay is to be sure it's not bad. This is quite easy to check.
Bad hay:
There should be no mold in the hay.
They hay must not be wet.
It should be dust free. Dust is a sign of mold.
Good hay:
It has a nice, fresh smell.
It's dry
If you find any dead insects like grashoppers, this is okay, and a sign they haven't usen any pesticides where the hay was grown.
If you are not sure about a pack of hay, don't buy it!
