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Post by clover on Apr 18, 2003 5:16:31 GMT -5
This is just some info to pp who might be curious as to what can be fed to their chins. This is what I feed my chins.
Daily pellets: Oxbow Chinchilla Deluxe (another good brand is Mazuri, but my regular supplier doesn't carry this brand. Oxbow matches Mazuri in quality, so I use it instead. However, my female black velvet, Hanako, is an extremely fussy eater. She was fed Mazuri by her previous owner, and no matter how I try, she absolutely refuses to take Oxbow. She'd rather starve. So I have to buy some Mazuri for just her every month.)
Hay: Oxbow Timothy hay (everyday) Oxbow Alfalfa hay (occasionally, maybe once a week, but only a small handful. Too much alfalfa in their diet is unhealthy. It results in heavy calcium deposits in their body, you'll actually see white pee.) Another good brand of hay is American Pet Diner (APD) I have frens who swear by it. They say it's greener and fresher than Oxbow. I haven't tried it yet, but I've seen it. It seems to be about the same, maybe a little greener. But I'm not sure, I have to try it first.
I feed a tea sthingy ful of rolled oats per chinchilla daily. It's good for their fur. However, rolled oats may promote constipation, so to counteract this effect, always make sure you feed your chins plenty of timothy hay. It's good roughage.
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Post by clover on Apr 18, 2003 5:23:41 GMT -5
Weekly treats: 2-3 raisins per chinchilla. I only use unsweetened and dried raisins. You can buy them from medicine halls, they're very cheap. All chins love raisins. Almonds: unsalted, unsweetened. Only 1 per chin. Nuts are fattening. Sunflower seeds: I feed a few per chin, but I cut down if I give almonds. Hazelnuts: Same as almonds, but if I give almond, I'll skip the hazelnut coz I only allow 1 kind of nut weekly. Rosebuds & Rosehips: It's a healthy and tasty treat for them, but not all of them like it. Some may need to acquire a taste for it. Abt 2-3 per week also. Given with the sunflower seeds and raisins. Paw paw (dried papaya pieces): I bought this in Raffles City Mall. It's actually for human consumption and has a little sugar, so only give one per chin and not often. Maybe once a fortnight or every 3 weeks. I've noticed that Minimal pet treats contain this also. It's exactly the same thing. My chins also like carrots, apples, banana and some other fruits. But pls feed in moderation. Never feed them alot of it, coz it's unhealthy. Give only very small pieces occasionally. Note what you feed them as you gotta add it all up and consider if you're feeding them too much.
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Post by PeTsLoVeR (",) on May 27, 2003 14:48:31 GMT -5
I give my chin Oxbow pellets and hay where these are the main food the ex-owner feed them. But hor how come my chin dun feel like to eat the pellets huh? Maybe he still trying to adapt new environment.
what rolled oats r u refering? My chin fur not so nice coz of fight with other chin. Thinking to feed him some food to make his fur grow well again.
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Post by clover on May 28, 2003 18:35:33 GMT -5
What's the amount of pellets you feed daily? It ranges from chin to chin, but I know owners who feed only 1 table-sthingy a day for 1 chin, while I personally feed 1.5 chinese soup-sthingy per day per chin. One of my breeder frens noted that it's alot, but I think it's average, and my chins are not super fat or anything. It's true that he might be still adapting to his new environment. Observe him and see if his appetite picks up a week later. My black velvet girl, Hanako, ate very little when I first got her. She ate less than 1 chinese soup-sthingy of pellets each day and I was worried. But 2 weeks later, she's eating more. Pls ensure your chin eats lots of hay, it's quite important. They are prone to constipation and might have a slight case of it if their poo is very small and dry. I buy rolled oats from NTUC, under organic foods section. Mine are an australian brand, there are other brands, got sg one also. You shld be able to find it. If u dun, let me know, I'll get the brand and name of it for u.
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Post by PeTsLoVeR (",) on May 30, 2003 1:23:22 GMT -5
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Post by clover on May 30, 2003 4:08:35 GMT -5
Yah, it sounds very little. It's good you feed him more pellets, I doubt he'll overeat on pellets, they dun normally do that. Oh, you try the 8 in 1 brand, let me know how good it is? Cos I've never tried that brand before. Yes, they do drink more water now cos of the heat. Mine also drink more, pee more also. Wahaha. Actually, using fans directly on chins is not encouraged, furthermore, it doesn't work. U see, chins dun sweat. So they dun feel noticeably cooler even though there's wind. To them, it's the same as blowing warm, room temperature air at them. We humans feel it's cooler cos we do perspire and have sweat glands on our skin, so the fan is useful to us. However, you can use a fan to circulate air around the chin's cage, but not directly. I actually read this on a website of a chin owner from America. Someone posted a question on using fan on the chin in summer time. And that's what she replied. No prob, I hope what I said helps.
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Post by PeTsLoVeR (",) on May 30, 2003 17:02:03 GMT -5
Ic ic... okie Today hor... went to ntuc... search high and low.. looking for rolled oats... see until I blurr... and finally saw OATS...hehe.. then ROLLED OATS... so happy.. quickly grab one bag and go U know what... my chin really loves that man... I hand feed him and he always look at me and like asking for more...kkkk but only limit him to take one teaspo0n. Then.. so big bag... I also give some to my hammies... kkk. they oso loves it man... good... one stone hit two birds. The 8 in 1 plus I found quite good loh... inside got rasins, corn flakes, carrots, biscuits, cashew nuts, peanuts, all sort of nuts. And I bought it $4.50...kkk... not bad loh..u can try. My MaoMao also loves tat too.. but still can't give him more.. bad for health rite
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Post by clover on Jun 4, 2003 0:46:35 GMT -5
Yeah, I think many pets love eating rolled oats. It must taste very delicious to them. One teaspo0n is just right, dun feed him anymore than that. It's true that too much rich food, eg. raisins and nuts, can make them ill. Like my Snowball the last time. Eat and play, then fell sick.
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Post by PeTsLoVeR (",) on Jun 4, 2003 8:13:28 GMT -5
I see. okie... me will reduce those snacks for maomao
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xue
New Member - Soul
Posts: 170
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Post by xue on Jul 29, 2003 8:54:03 GMT -5
hi Clover and Petslover,
may i know how many times a week did you girls feed your chin with roll oats as i stop feeding him that since his diarrhoea.
I thought of buying that for him but i don't know the quantity that i should feed him.
May i know that when should i feed him? Is it only time when he has constipation then i should give it to him?
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Post by PeTsLoVeR (",) on Aug 2, 2003 9:46:20 GMT -5
I feed rolled oats (1 teaspo0n) 4 times a week. eh... din c him diarrhea so far. eh.. my chin fur really improves alot. Think itz the effect of the rolled-oats
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xue
New Member - Soul
Posts: 170
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Post by xue on Aug 3, 2003 4:27:23 GMT -5
Petslover, thanks for sharing with me. Look like i'm also going to buy that for him liao.
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Post by daniel on Sept 20, 2003 7:15:43 GMT -5
for those of you who are not aware, Burgess Guinea can be used to feed your chinchillas and degus... I have a few frens who own chinchillas who are feeding their chins with Burgess Guinea... for more information, can surf into www.reinbiotech.com for more details, for ordering and pricing please email me at pets_people@pacific.net.sg
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