You can supplement the chinchilla's diet with green vegetables such as broccoli, lettuce and celery. Don't offer too much watery food, however; it can cause digestive problems. Fruit is fine as an occasional treat--most chinchillas seem to love raisins--but your chinchilla may develop a preference for the sugary taste if given fruit too often. Avoid high-fat foods such as sunflower seeds and peanuts.

Another suitable supplement is alfalfa or timothy hay, which will help satisfy the animal's need to gnaw and keep its teeth in excellent condition. Your chinchilla may also like to chew on blocks of untreated white pine. To provide water, attach a water bottle with drinking tube to the outside of the cage. Be sure to keep the bottle filled with fresh water.

Author(s): Fredericka Wagner

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