But what food is best for a chinchilla?
That would be chinchilla pellets.
Sure, they can eat plenty of other things as well, but pellets are the easiest and best way to ensure your chin gets the nutrition it needs.
Keep reading for a rundown of the best chinchilla pellets. Below that, we’ll also go over the best chinchilla food apart from pellets.
Best Chinchilla Food Compared
I have owned a chinchilla now for roughly 4.5 years and tried several different kinds of chinchilla pellets, in order to find the best ones. These are the 5 best chinchilla pellets options on the market.
The table above breaking down the best chinchilla pellets can be your quick reference guide allowing you to decide for yourself.
If you want in-depth reviews of the best chinchilla pellets, you can continue to read below.
I’ll break down the 5 best chinchilla pellet options, in addition to answering some of the most frequently asked questions new chinchilla owners have when it comes to food.
Best Chinchilla Pellets: Reviews
#1: Oxbow Essentials Chinchilla Food
The Oxbow Essentials Chinchilla pellets come in ranked #1 for a few reasons. First and foremost, they check all the boxes needed to keep your chinchilla at peak health.
The pellets are specially formulated for chinchillas and are designed to help maintain a strong and healthy digestive function and provide optimal dental health.
Additionally, I am a fan of the Oxbow Essentials pellets due to the increased levels of fiber, which is a primary need for chinchillas to live long and healthy lives.
I also love that these chinchilla pellets are backed by reliable reviews and can be offered in larger quantities. Do not hesitate to go with a larger size bag.
These pellets are not going to go bad, and they are currently the pellets I use daily for my 5-year-old female chinchilla Chili.
#2: Mazuri Chinchilla Diet Pellets
Mazuri Chinchilla Diet food is another excellent option for chinchilla pellets.
Mazuri ensures that no additional supplements are needed if you offer your chinchilla these pellets. They include plenty of fiber and also incorporate timothy hay into the mix.
For those of you new to owning a chinchilla, timothy hay is one of the best hays you can use for a chinchilla. Having it blended into the pellets is a nice bonus.
In addition to the previously mentioned benefits, you also get flaxseed, probiotics, vitamin E, and vitamin C, which are all great nutrients to provide your chinchilla.
All these benefits, in addition to the ease of purchase through Amazon make it a great choice and my number two ranked chinchilla pellet option.
#3: Kaytee Timothy Complete Pellets
I am a big fan of most things Kaytee. They make quality and safe products for chinchillas, including many of my favorite chinchilla accessories.
When it comes to finding the best chinchilla pellets and food, they are still a leader and offer a great option.
The Kaytee Timothy Pellets are great for promoting healthy chewing, which naturally helps your chinchilla maintain healthy teeth.
Kaytees pellets also offer probiotics, are blended with timothy hay, and contain no fruit or sugary treats, which is also a plus with a chinchilla’s sensitive digestive tract, which even has trouble with foods like apples, if given in too large of an amount.
Overall, Kaytee’s Timothy Complete is an excellent option to choose for your chinchilla pellets.
#4: Supreme Petfoods Science Selective
Selective Chinchilla pellets is another high-quality pellet you can offer your chinchilla. And for an excellent price.
It is another high fiber formulated pellet designed to help support digestive function, in addition to providing healthy skin and fur for your chinchilla.
Most of the pellets we discuss in this post boast the same functionality and benefits.
It is all about finding quality chinchilla pellets that are designed specifically for chinchillas, containing no additives, while supporting healthy teeth and other significant bodily functions.
Selective Chinchilla pellets check all these boxes and make for an excellent choice.
#5: Kaytee Fiesta Food Pellets
Kaytee comes in with another bag in our list of the top 5 ranked chinchilla pellets. I told you I love Kaytee products, didn’t I?
This blend is a bit different from the previous option.
The Kaytee Fiesta Food pellets are more designed to help promote more chewing for your chinchilla by using larger pieces of food.
In addition to having that nice crunch, they are also packed full of the needed nutrients your chinchilla needs to remain happy and healthy.
This includes the standard probiotics in addition to the fiber needed to support digestive health.
I also love that this pellet option comes in bags of 3. That is right; you get 3 bags of 2.5LB’s of pellets.
How Much Of The Pellets Should My Chinchilla Be Eating?
When it comes to the exact amount of chinchilla pellets your chinchilla should be eating, it is relatively difficult to pinpoint a precise measurement.
It is more important that your chinchilla enjoys the pellets you provide and continues eating them, and is maintaining a healthy weight.
Investing in a cheap scale for your chinchilla can help you monitor this.
I always use a food bowl that I keep full and am currently using the Oxbow pellets, which I ranked number 1 on this list.
I also always use two hay feeders full of timothy hay.
If she is still working through her hay and her pellets, I assume we have no issue.
If, for whatever reason, your chinchilla begins to decrease its food intake, you should weigh it or speak to a vet about the situation to, ensure your pet is in top health.
Chinchilla Will Not Eat Pellets: What Should You Do?
If your chinchilla is not eating pellets, you may have a few issues. First, it is important to understand that changing foods is typically not a good idea.
Once you have decided which one of these pellets options are going to be your go-to-best chinchilla pellet, stick with it.
It is also important to recognize if your chinchilla is not eating due to not liking the pellets or an illness. Therefore, I always offer pellets, hay, and hay cubes in addition to apple sticks to chew on.
Give your chinchilla all the items needed to remain healthy and help it with its chewing needs.
Now, I also want to touch on some secondary chinchilla food options before sending you on your way.
While these still may be considered pellets in some situations, I broke them down and pictured them as more of a supplement for a chinchilla and the option you may turn too if your chinchilla doesn’t respond well to pellets.
Best Food For Chinchillas Apart From Pellets
Below is the list I have compiled, breaking down the best secondary chinchilla food options that you can use. You can also use a few of these as a substitute, if need be.
#1: Supreme PetFoods Tiny Friends Farm Charlie Chinchilla
Tiny Friends Farm Charlie Chinchilla food is another excellent, well-balanced food option for your chinchilla.
It has no added sugars and helps to promote healthy fur and skin. Not to mention, your chins will absolutely love it.
#2: Modesto Milling Organic Non-GMO Chinchilla Pellets
Modesto is one of the few organic options you have for your chinchilla. It is also non-GMO.
It comes in a much larger sized bag (10 lbs) but for the cost, is one of your cheaper options.
It offers all the nutritional value you need for a healthy chinchilla and makes for an excellent food option. But I prefer the regular pellets I listed above.
#3: Vitakraft Vita Smart Chinchilla Food
This is another great option for chinchilla food.
It boasts all the same nutritional value you get from the other options we have listed out in this post and is offered in a 3 lb bag.
It is packed with vitamins and offers strong dental support for your chinchilla. Pellets like these ensure your chinchilla does not need vitamin supplements.
Chinchilla Food Buying Tips
Something you need to keep in mind when searching for the best chinchilla pellets or the best chinchilla food is that all chinchillas are different.
Sure, a lot of chinchillas will be just like my 4.5-year-old female chinchilla and love pellets, timothy hay, and hay cubes.
She eats it all and does not have much of a system as to why she eats more or less of one of the options each day.
As my own chinchilla breeder once told me at the adoption, this may not always be the case. You may have a chinchilla that loves hay and hay cubes, or one that favors the chinchilla pellets more.
Therefore, I prefer and recommend giving your chinchilla options. At least in the beginning, until you know for sure which food or pellet option they prefer.
Doing so is going to ensure your pet gets the nutrients they need, including fiber, proteins, and vitamin c.
Not to mention, it ensures you are providing it what it needs to ensure it has the chance to file down its teeth accordingly.
Best Chinchilla Pellets: Final Thoughts
At the end of the day, what may be the best chinchilla pellet for me, may not end up being the chinchilla pellet you (or your pet) prefer. And that is perfectly fine.
The important thing is to ensure your chinchilla enjoys the food you provide and that it gets the diet it needs to remain healthy and live a long, happy life.
These little rodents have quite sensitive stomachs, so they really should not eat anything apart from timothy hay and pellets. They certainly do not need salt licks or anything like that.
Chili and I certainly wish you the best of luck with your pellet and food search and the journey ahead of you with your new chinchilla!
Share your thoughts.
Do you have any other recommendations you would like to share or believe there is another pellet that deserves to be ranked as the best chinchilla food or best chinchilla pellet?
Be sure to share those thoughts, stories, and concerns by dropping a comment below.
As always, Chili and I appreciate you stopping by and reading today, and we will see you next time.
Leave a Reply