Is rawhide safe for chinchillas?

Question

i've heard that booda velvet chews are LOVEd by chinchillas along with other animals but i heard that its pricey (but idk how much it usually costs bc i didnt go to the pet store yet...)

but is rawhide safe for chinchillas? and can i give them those pieces of wood that they have in the reptile department for them to climb on???? thanks^_^

Answer 1

Nope. Wouldn't do it, rawhide is an animal product and they aren't carnivores like your dog. Plus there might be chemicals, etc. in there that can get him sick. Same with the snake stuff. ONLY get untreated wood for your chinny. Anything with chemicals, paint, dyes, that the snake wood has could kill him.  Snakes don't chew on those, but a chinny will. Research what you buy him, or buy from the rodent section.

Answer 2

Rawhide is not safe for chinchillas. Chinchillas are herbivores and only eat specific low fat non-meat products. Some pet stores will sell you anything and claim that it is safe because they think that every rodent is the same. I learned that lesson the hard way. The best thing that you can do is to buy a book on the subject. A lot of people love to spoil their pets, but give them items that are not supposed to be in their diets. Rawhide is a meat product. As for the wood, as long as it is not treated, and is not an aromatic wood, it will be safe for them. Remember that a chinchilla will eat anything that it can sink it's teeth into.