My chinchilla won't eat hay. Why and how can I get them to eat?

Hello, A proper diet for a chinchilla consists about 70-80% hay. The most common reason for an herbivore to stop eating their hay is dental disease. Their back molar teeth can grow sharp hooks and points that grow into their gums, making it very uncomfortable to chew and grind their hay. I would recommend having RoRo seen by a veterinarian that is experienced with chinchillas. They will likely start with sedating her for a dental examination and then advise the next best step for her. I hope this has been helpful. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

If he is eating a lot of hay, it's quite normal for him not to eat much of other things, but maybe he has some sort of teeth problem and might need to be looked at by a vet. if the bald patches are due to him running into the cage then it will grow back eventually.

Based on what you are describing it sounds as if your chinchilla is very ill. Because these animals are so small, anorexia for even a few days can be very dangerous. I would recommend taking him in to be evaluated by your veterinarian as soon as possible. He may need a special Critical Care diet and fluids to get back to normal.

Anytime a rodent such as a chinchilla stops eating and drinking for any significant length of time it is a definite problem. I would recommend taking Chilly in to the vet for a physical exam and some preliminary blood work. They will also be able to provide you with some Critical Care, which is a powdered formulation for syringe feeding of rodents and rabbits.

Hello! Great questions you have about your chinchilla! Thanks for asking! As for food, you should provide both pellets and hay. There are many different commercial pellets available for chinchillas that you can buy at most pet stores. The pellets are designed so your pet can easily eat them and include the correct amounts of protein, fat, and roughage. About 2 tablespoons of food a day is recommended. Of course, some eat more or less than others. My favorite brand of food for chinchillas is made by Mazuri. http://www.mazuri.com/MazuriChinchillaDiet.aspx Hay provides the roughage your chinchilla needs and is a very important part of his daily diet. It also helps keep their teeth healthy. Hay should be available at all times. Timothy hay is a good choice. I would avoid alfalfa hay as a daily part of the diet but you can use it sparingly for a treat. I like Oxbow brand hay: http://www.oxbowanimalhealth.com/products/type/detail?object=1530 Your chinchilla should always have a source of fresh water. A stoppered water bottle is a great way to supply water as it prevents water from being spilled and helps keep the bedding dry. Chinchillas generally drink between 15 and 30ml of water per day. Bottled water or distilled water is recommended. Regarding dust baths, I recommend you place the dusting powder in a bin separate from the cage and let your chinchilla take a dust bath in there at least twice a week. I hope I answered all your questions. I wish you all the best with your new friend!

It's probably not a tooth problem, especially if he is eating his pellets and veggies without any problems, some guinea pigs stop eating hay for no apparent reason, you can try to change the type of hay this might help.

It's a very big issue with rabbits that have been fed pellets rather than hay, i would recommend trying different types of hay, if it doesn't help just make sure you buy pellets that contain a high quantity of hay in them.