Post by Darren Lim on Mar 10, 2004 0:48:53 GMT -5
Do I have to feed hay?
Hay is an essential part of a chinchilla’s diet. It provides low calorie nutrition and the necessary fiber that a chin’s digestive system requires. Herbivores intestines require food to create movement. Without hay, gut stasis would set in, resulting in small or no droppings, lack of appetite and eventually death. Pellets are extra calories and a way to get in a few more vitamins and minerals, but are really not an essential part of the chinchilla’s diet.
What kind of hay is best?
Hay falls into to basic categories: hays that are grass and hays that are legumes. Alfalfa is legume hay and, as such, is very high in calcium, calories and protein. While chins need calcium, too much can lead to bladder stones. The excess protein can cause kidney problems and the extra calories make for fat chins.
Grass hays are Timothy, Brome, Orchard grass and Oat. These hays provide just as much fiber, but are lower in calcium, calories and protein than the alfalfa. If the choice is Alfalfa or no hay, then by all means feed the Alfalfa, the chin needs the fiber. Also, Alfalfa is much more suitable to young chins, pregnant and nursing chins. They can use the extra calcium and calories. As an aside, Alfalfa is a galactagogue, which means it can increase milk production in nursing moms.
Well, why can’t I just feed straw? It’s high in fiber.
Straw has more fiber but less nutrition than hay. Straw is what happens if hay is allowed to grow to maturity and set seed. Hay is cut during the early stages of growth. The younger the plant it when the hay is cut, the more nutritious the hay is. Once the grass flowers, the plants are dying so the nutrients are all transferred from the stems and leaves into the seeds.
How do I know what I’m buying is hay and not straw?
Good quality hay is green. Straw yellow, more golden, and the stems are typically fatter because it’s a mature plant. Good hay should be green and smell fresh. Hay will last for as long as a year without losing any significant amount of nutrition as long as it is kept
dry and out of direct sun light. It shouldn’t be in an airtight container either as that will trap the moisture and cause molding.
There are so many different types! How do I choose one?
Understanding the terms will help. There are typically two cuttings of grass per season. The first or early cut is the first of the season on that field. The grass is young and full of nutrients, but the moisture content can be higher and the risk of mold greater. Only buy first cut from a supplier you trust to properly cure the hay. Second cut is after the hay is allowed to continue growing. There will be shorter pieces and it will be leafier. Western timothy means nothing. Timothy can be grown in a variety of places. The bulk of it is grown in the western half of the US. There is no “Eastern Timothy”.
Below is a table of relative nutritional values taken from “Nutritional Composition of Animal Feeds” from the USDA. Since Chinchillas are not listed, the energy value is for horses since the digestive systems are the closest.
Feed Energy Protein Fiber Calcium
Alfalfa High High Low High
Timothy Medium Medium Medium Low
Brome High Medium High Low
Oat Medium Medium Low Low
Clover Medium Very High Medium High
Rye Low Medium Medium Medium
Oat St Low Low High Low
WheatSt Low Low High Low
Please keep in mind that this is not an exact science. The quality of the hay you feed depends on so many, many variables. The stage of growth the plant was in when cut, the weather during growth and storage, the way it was stored, how long it spent in transition and warehousing, exposure to bright light, wetness, heat, etc. The best way to pick good hay is to find a trusted supplier, open a bag or box, stick your nose in it and inhale. If it smells good, pick up a piece and feel it. If it feels good and not brittle, taste it. It should taste fresh and sweet.
Do not cut corners. The life and health of your chinchilla depends on you making the best hay choices. When it comes to choosing hay, a few pennies saved at the cost of your animal’s health and well-being isn’t worth it.
Hay is an essential part of a chinchilla’s diet. It provides low calorie nutrition and the necessary fiber that a chin’s digestive system requires. Herbivores intestines require food to create movement. Without hay, gut stasis would set in, resulting in small or no droppings, lack of appetite and eventually death. Pellets are extra calories and a way to get in a few more vitamins and minerals, but are really not an essential part of the chinchilla’s diet.
What kind of hay is best?
Hay falls into to basic categories: hays that are grass and hays that are legumes. Alfalfa is legume hay and, as such, is very high in calcium, calories and protein. While chins need calcium, too much can lead to bladder stones. The excess protein can cause kidney problems and the extra calories make for fat chins.
Grass hays are Timothy, Brome, Orchard grass and Oat. These hays provide just as much fiber, but are lower in calcium, calories and protein than the alfalfa. If the choice is Alfalfa or no hay, then by all means feed the Alfalfa, the chin needs the fiber. Also, Alfalfa is much more suitable to young chins, pregnant and nursing chins. They can use the extra calcium and calories. As an aside, Alfalfa is a galactagogue, which means it can increase milk production in nursing moms.
Well, why can’t I just feed straw? It’s high in fiber.
Straw has more fiber but less nutrition than hay. Straw is what happens if hay is allowed to grow to maturity and set seed. Hay is cut during the early stages of growth. The younger the plant it when the hay is cut, the more nutritious the hay is. Once the grass flowers, the plants are dying so the nutrients are all transferred from the stems and leaves into the seeds.
How do I know what I’m buying is hay and not straw?
Good quality hay is green. Straw yellow, more golden, and the stems are typically fatter because it’s a mature plant. Good hay should be green and smell fresh. Hay will last for as long as a year without losing any significant amount of nutrition as long as it is kept
dry and out of direct sun light. It shouldn’t be in an airtight container either as that will trap the moisture and cause molding.
There are so many different types! How do I choose one?
Understanding the terms will help. There are typically two cuttings of grass per season. The first or early cut is the first of the season on that field. The grass is young and full of nutrients, but the moisture content can be higher and the risk of mold greater. Only buy first cut from a supplier you trust to properly cure the hay. Second cut is after the hay is allowed to continue growing. There will be shorter pieces and it will be leafier. Western timothy means nothing. Timothy can be grown in a variety of places. The bulk of it is grown in the western half of the US. There is no “Eastern Timothy”.
Below is a table of relative nutritional values taken from “Nutritional Composition of Animal Feeds” from the USDA. Since Chinchillas are not listed, the energy value is for horses since the digestive systems are the closest.
Feed Energy Protein Fiber Calcium
Alfalfa High High Low High
Timothy Medium Medium Medium Low
Brome High Medium High Low
Oat Medium Medium Low Low
Clover Medium Very High Medium High
Rye Low Medium Medium Medium
Oat St Low Low High Low
WheatSt Low Low High Low
Please keep in mind that this is not an exact science. The quality of the hay you feed depends on so many, many variables. The stage of growth the plant was in when cut, the weather during growth and storage, the way it was stored, how long it spent in transition and warehousing, exposure to bright light, wetness, heat, etc. The best way to pick good hay is to find a trusted supplier, open a bag or box, stick your nose in it and inhale. If it smells good, pick up a piece and feel it. If it feels good and not brittle, taste it. It should taste fresh and sweet.
Do not cut corners. The life and health of your chinchilla depends on you making the best hay choices. When it comes to choosing hay, a few pennies saved at the cost of your animal’s health and well-being isn’t worth it.