L Miller asks…
I have heard different descriptions of how raisins affect chinchillas. One pet store person said that toxins from too many raisins can build up in a chinchilla's system and kill it. Our chinchilla loves raisins but now we are afraid to give him any. Is there a limit as to how many he can have?
Chinchilla Planet answers…
We've read that raisins in moderation are fine. What moderation means is up to interpretation, but we don't think 1 a day is too much. As long as your chinchillas are eating plenty of their regularĀ food so that they are receiving the right nutrition, there shouldn'y be a problem. And of course too many raisins can cause diarrhea.
Some comments from a popular forum AGAINST giving raisins include:
1. Grapes and raisins have shown to be toxic to dogs, ferrets and cats. They cause liver failure. There is no data concerning chinchillas but there is anecdotal data.
Dogs, cats, and ferrets are quite different from chinchillas. Their diets are quite different too. Especially since they consume meat while chinchillas don't. What is dangerous for one animal isn't necessarily dangerous for others.
2. Ranchers who do not feed raisins have a much lower mortality rate than pet owners who feed raisins. Their chinchillas tend to live longer.
This is likely a spurious correlation. Ranchers, being professionals, are likely to have fewer deaths than pet owners. That's just plain common sense and has nothing to do with raisin consumption.
And here are some comments from a popular form FOR giving raisins:
1. I know of 2 very big ranchers that give each chinchilla 2 raisins a day in with their feed while at shows. They feel it stimulates their appetite while there. I know 1 of these ranchers does give out occasional raisins at home to favorites.
2. I give 2-3 raisins per week to adult chins and cheerios to juveniles. With over 80 animals, I haven't noticed any increase in mortality. If there was a toxicity issue with raisins, I would think the big ranchers wouldn't be feeding them at all to their show or breeding stock. I'll take my cues from ranchers I know and trust.
Of course, you need to decide for yourself. Even if chinchillas as a species have no problems with raisins, there's no way to know that your individual chinchilla won't.
Entries (RSS)
February 20th, 2007 at 7:30 am
I have owned chinchillas for two and a half years now. All my chinchillas have had the occasional raisin with no ill effects. As others have advised, just feed raisins in moderation. They are good for stimulating the appetite of a sick or skinny chinchilla too.
January 3rd, 2007 at 8:11 pm
Jacque,
It sounds like your chinchilla doesn't trust you. That could be because he has been picked up too many times when he didn't want to be. You'll need to build some trust by hanging out with your chinchilla without trying to pick him up. During these play times, give your chinchilla a treat (not too much). Try having your chinchilla eat from your hand and even try to have him sit on your hand while eating the treat. You could also try giving the treat to your chinchilla while you're holding him so that he associates the treat with you.
January 1st, 2007 at 9:13 pm
sorry i keep on asking questions, but i need some help. i want to be able to pick up my chinchilla but i just get too nervous. when you lean down to pick her up, she just sits there and waits and when you get close enough, she either snarls, or she runs around. it annoys me because whenever i want to hold chillaman, i have to get my mom to pick him up. i even tried scooping him up by his feet and he still growls.
December 30th, 2006 at 10:47 am
Jacque,
Sorry it's taken a few days to respond. We've been traveling for the last week and just got back yesterday.
Your chinchilla is shivering likely because he's scared. While you may feel there is no reason for him to be scared you need to remember that your chinchilla has no way of knowing what your intentions are. Over time you'll hopefully find that your chinchilla remains calm when you handle him.
One thing you could do is try to pick him up without scaring him. For us that means not picking up our chinchillas while they're in their cage. Our chinchillas have learned that their cage is safe and that even we won't chase them there. Instead, we only pick them up when they're running around outside of their cage.
In addition, we scoop them up by their feet as our chinchillas don't like it when our hands approach from above. Perhaps it's instinctive that any movement from above is like a predatory bird.
Finally, we've had success with picking up our chinchillas while simultaneously giving them a treat.
December 26th, 2006 at 1:58 pm
Hi again. Sometimes when I hold my chinchilla, he starts to shiver. It kind of feels like he's vibrating. There's nothing for him to be scared of because there are no loud noises or fast movement in the room. What does that mean?
Also, when I reach in to his cage to pick up chinchilla, he'll make this snorting sound and flinch like he's going to bite me. Does that mean he doesn't want to be held? I know that they need love and enjoy getting out of their cage, but is my chinchilla not as social as others?