What can chinchillas eat? A fridge-door chart
16 foods we have checked for chinchillas. Treats are small: the full answer for each food gives the amount.
Yes (1)
- Hay
Sometimes (2)
- Dandelions (1–2 times a week)
- Rose hips (now and then)
No (13)
- Apples
- Bananas
- Blueberries
- Carrots
- Celery
- Cucumber
- Grapes
- Iceberg lettuce
- Lettuce
- Nuts
- Raisins
- Strawberries
- Sunflower seeds
Chinchilla cage sizes
| One chinchilla, minimum | 91 × 61 × 91 cm (3 × 2 × 3 ft), VCA |
|---|---|
| Pair, minimum | 91 × 61 × 152 cm (3 × 2 × 5 ft), VCA |
| PDSA, at least | 200 × 100 × 200 cm (6.5 × 3.3 × 6.5 ft) |
| Bar spacing | 2.5 cm (1 in) at most; Woodgreen says 12 to 14 mm (0.5 in) |
| Longest drop | 60 cm (2 ft) or less |
| Material | Metal, not galvanised and not plastic-coated |
| Floor | Solid resting areas, not bare wire |
Sources include Burgess Pet Care, Chewy, MSD Veterinary Manual, PDSA, PetMD, RSPCA, VCA Animal Hospitals, Woodgreen. Each answer and its sources: bruxlings.com/pages/what-can-chinchillas-eat. General guidance for healthy adult animals, checked 13 November 2026.
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