Can Chinchillas Eat Cheerios? Cheerios are a popular breakfast cereal that are safe for chinchillas to eat … Even though chinchillas can eat cheerios they do contain more phosphorus than most chinchillas need. That means they should only be given to your chinchilla in moderation to avoid creating a calcium-phosphorus imbalance in your chinchillas diet.
Can Chinchillas Eat Cheerios
Cheerios are one of the most well known brands of breakfast cereal on the market. Most people will have a box of Cheerios on hand for there non fur-babies to eat. So it’s quite common for a chinchilla owner to wonder if cheerios are a chinchilla safe treat.
So can chinchillas eat cheerios safely?
The first thing wee need to take a look at is the nutritional facts to figure out how well cheerios stack up as a chinchilla treat. In particular, their protein, fat, and fiber content. Followed by more importantly the amount of phosphorus and calcium they contain.
This is important since chinchillas are susceptible to neurological problems and brittle bones if there is a calcium-phosphorus imbalance in their diet.
Cheerios Nutrition & Ingredients
Amount Per Serving | Amount | |
|---|---|---|
Calories | 100 | |
Calories from Fat | 15 | |
% Daily Value* | ||
Total Fat 2g** | 3% | |
Saturated Fat 0.5g | 3% | |
Trans Fat 0g | ||
Polyunsaturated Fat | 0.5g | |
Monounsaturated Fat | 0.5g | |
Cholesterol 0mg | 0% | |
Sodium 140mg | 6% | |
Potassium 180mg | 5% | |
Total Carbohydrate 20g | 7% | |
Dietary Fiber 3g | 11% | |
Soluble Fiber | 1g | |
Sugars | 1g | |
Other Carbohydrate | 16g | |
Protein | 3g | |
Vitamin A | 10% |
Vitamin C | 10% |
Calcium | 10% |
Iron | 45% |
Vitamin D | 10% |
Thiamin | 25% |
Riboflavin | 2% |
Niacin | 25% |
Vitamin B6 | 25% |
Folic Acid | 50% |
Vitamin B12 | 25% |
Phosphorus | 10% |
Magnesium | 8% |
Zinc | 25% |
Ingredients
Whole Grain Oats, Corn Starch, Sugar, Salt, Tripotassium Phosphate. Vitamin E (mixed tocopherols) Added to Preserve Freshness.
CHEERIOS ARE GLUTEN FREE
As you can see cheerios are a good source of high quality fiber, and healthy fats. In addition, they are also a very good source of calcium, but they do contain a lot of phosphorus.
Many people give their chinchillas cheerios with no ill effect, but cheerios do contain a 1 to 1 calcium to phosphorus ratio. That means Cheerios won’t provide the 2 to 1 ratio of calcium to phosphorus that chinchillas need in their diet.
Should Chinchillas Eat Cheerios?
While it’s perfectly safe to give your chinchilla a Cheerio as a treat they shouldn’t make up a large portion of a chinchillas diet. Cheerios also contain sugar and other empty calories that will fill your chinchilla up but won’t give them all the nutrition they need .
In most cases, it’s a better idea to give them Specially Made Chinchilla Snacks if you want to give them a treat.
Overall, if you already have a box of Cheerios on hand then it’s fine to give a couple to your chinchilla to eat. While they might not be the best food for a chinchillas physical health, they can add some variety to your chinchilla’s diet and help break up the monotony of their day.
As always with any treat moderation is key!
Can Chinchillas Eat Honey Nut Cheerios
Can Chinchillas Eat Honey Nut Cheerios? It’s best to avoid feeding your chinchilla Honey Nut Cheerios since they contain 9 times more sugar than regular Cheerios. If a chinchilla has too much sugar in their diet it can lead to excessive weight gain and other health problems that are commonly associated with obesity.
Can Chinchillas Eat Oats
Oats are a healthy grain that both people and animals absolutely love to eat. Most people eat them as a breakfast food as a warm bowl of oatmeal, and they are also the primary ingredient in Cheerios. The best thing about oats is that they are one of the few gluten free grains, and they also contain a unique fiber molecule called Beta Glucan that has a wide range of beneficial health properties.
So can chinchillas eat oats?
Yes, oats are a good treat for chinchillas, and they are more wholesome and natural than Cheerios. But you still don’t want to feed them too much oats since they aren’t a nutritionally complete chinchilla treat.
If you want a healthy treat for your chinchilla try some of the products below since they have been specifically formulated to meet a chinchillas nutritional needs.
Chinchilla Safe Treats
F.M. Brown’s Tropical Carnival Natural Chinchilla Food, 3-lb Bag
F.M. Brown’s Tropical Carnival Natural Chinchilla Food (Buy Online) is a vitamin fortified food that has been specially formulated to meet a chinchillas dietary needs. It contains a mix of alfalfa meal, timothy hay, raisins, sunflower seeds, rose petals, wheat, corn, oats and soybeans.
This chinchilla food also has an excellent macronutrient profile since it contains 14.75% protein, 3% fat, and 1500mg of vitamin C. F.M. Brown’s Tropical Carnival Natural Chinchilla Food also has a 21% fiber content along with added probiotics to help promote healthy digestion.
Exotic Nutrition Dried Rose Hips – Healthy Natural Treat
Exotic Nutrition Dried Rose Hips (Buy Online) are a healthy all natural chinchilla safe treat. They are a great source of vitamin C & E, and they contain 5.5 % protein, 0% fat, and 27% fiber. Their high fiber content and rough texture will also makes them a great treat to give to your chinchilla to help file down their teeth.
Vitakraft Chinchilla Mixed Fruit Cocktail
Vitakraft Chinchilla Mixed Fruit Cocktail (Buy Online) is a healthy snack for chinchillas that’s packed with lots of yummy little treats. This mixed chinchilla food contain rose hips, ash berries, vegetables, and raisins, hay and puffed wheat.
Vitakraft Crunch Sticks Honey Flavor with Added Calcium Chinchilla Treat
Vitakraft Crunch Sticks (Buy Online) are a little granola bar for chinchilla’s that contains all of the nutrients they need. This crunchy chinchilla treat is made with a special blend of grains that have been fortified with extra calcium and minerals.
The bar is triple oven baked to make it extra crunchy, so chewing it will even help file down your chinchilla’s teeth
The Vitakraft Crunch Stick even comes with a holder clip, so you can attach it to your chinchilla’s cage, or you can even hold it and serve it to your chinchilla if you like to hand feed.
Vitakraft Chinchilla Treat
Vitakraft Chinchilla Treat (Buy Online) is a nutrient dense chinchilla treat that’s made from dandelion flowers and greens. In addition, they also are bound together using sugar, oil, and whey which gives them their drop-like shape. They also have been fortified with a wide range of vitamins and minerals, and the drops contain 5.2% protein, 21%, and 4% fiber. Which means they should only be fed to a chinchilla sparingly since they are a very rich treat.
Sources:
https://www.petmd.com/exotic/conditions/musculoskeletal/c_ex_ch_calcium_phosphorus_imbalance
https://www.cheerios.com/products/original-cheerios/
https://www.cheerios.com/products/honey-nut-cheerios/
https://www.rspca.org.uk/adviceandwelfare/pets/rodents/chinchillas/diet
