Can Chinchillas Eat Cherries? (Suitable Addition To Pet’s Diet?)
As a responsible pet owner, it’s important to understand the dietary requirements of your chinchilla. Nevertheless, the question of what can chinchillas eat and not eat may be a source of confusion. For instance, you may wonder if cherries are a suitable addition to your pet’s diet.
Can chinchillas eat cherries? Yes. Chinchillas can eat cherries as an occasional treat, not a regular treat. Dried cherries are good for chinchillas, not fresh cherries Unlike other fruit treats, cherries have a high sugar content that may upset your chinchilla’s sensitive digestive system. Plus, there’s a risk of cyanide poisoning that we’ll cover later on.
I will dig deeper into the nutritional content of cherries, dried cherries, and the benefits and health concerns they have on chinchillas. Also, suggest other cherry alternatives you might want to consider for chinchillas.
Can Chinchillas Have Cherries ?
Yes. You can include cherries as an occasional treat. I say an “occasional” treat because cherries don’t cater to all the nutritional requirements of chinchillas.
Nutritional Content Of Cherries
To better answer the question “Are cherries ok for chinchillas,” let’s first break down the nutritional content for you. Cherries contain:
- Antioxidants and anti-Inflammatory compounds (anthocyanins, flavonols, and catechins)
- Vitamins (Vitamin C, A, K, and choline)
- Minerals (Potassium, Calcium, and Magnesium)
- Fiber
This table shows the vital nutrients you get from a 100-gram serving of cherries. For the record, base this data on sweet cherries. There may be a slight variation for sour or tart cherries.
| Sugar | 12.8g |
| Fiber | 2.1g |
| Fat | 0.2g |
| Protein | 1.1g |
| Vitamin C | 7mg |
| Vitamin K | 2.1μg |
| Choline | 6.1mg |
| Potassium | 222mg |
| Calcium | 13mg |
| Magnesium | 11mg |
Chinchilla’s Digestive System and Nutritional Needs
Now, what does a healthy chinchilla diet look like? And do cherries meet this requirement?
| Fiber | 15%-35% |
| Protein | 16%-20% |
| Fat | 2%-5% |
| Sugar | 4% |
It’s evident that cherries don’t provide as much fiber and protein as chinchillas need. Also, they contain up to 12.8% of sugar, which is higher than the 4% of the daily requirement.
So, while cherries are ok for chinchillas, moderation is key to avoiding excessive sugar consumption. Therefore, feed them sparingly as an occasional treat.
Benefits of Feeding Cherries to Chinchillas
The cherry fruit, besides being a delicious treat, has some nutritional benefits.
- It’s rich in antioxidants and anti-inflammatory compounds that protect against oxidative stress and inflammation.
- Also, a study by the “National Library of Medicine” on the health benefits of cherries concludes that these compounds can reduce the risk of chronic diseases like heart disease and cancer in animals, including chinchillas.
- Likewise, choline is shown to improve the sleep cycle, brain function, and healthy cells.
- In addition, cherries are low in calories, making them an excellent addition to a healthy diet.
- Plus, they contain potassium that regulates blood pressure and maintains healthy heart function.
Are Dried Cherries Good for Chinchillas?
Dried cherries are good for chinchillas. However, only give a little amount due to the higher sugar content.
Nutritional Value of Dried Cherries
- Chinchillas require a diet that’s low in moisture for healthy digestion, Feeding dried cherries is a better choice. They have a tenth of the moisture in fresh cherries.
- Dried cherries have a higher energy density than fresh cherries. Your pet gets 350 calories per 100-gram eating of dried cherries and 68 calories per same eating of fresh cherry fruits.
- The drying process involves the removal of cherry pits. Therefore, there’s no risk of cyanide poisoning.
How Many Dried Cherries Feed To Chinchilla
When feeding dried cherries to chinchillas, keep in mind the recommended serving size. This is because dried fruits, including cherries, are concentrated in sugar, carbs, and calories.
- Reducing the serving size by about 75% compared to fresh cherries. Essentially, 1 dried cherry per week should serve for a chinchilla.
- Also, according to Dr. Ed Bonnette, chinchillas have a unique digestive system that extracts the most possible nutrients from their diet.
- This digestive system calls for a diet rich in fiber, which is why they primarily eat grasses, leaves, and twigs in the wild.
- In that regard, provide a diet rich in grass hay, preferably Timothy hay, orchard grass, or oat hay. These will provide enough digestible and indigestible fiber for healthy gut bacteria and bowel movement.
- But don’t forget commercial pellets. These formulated feeds provide all the nutrients that your chinchilla needs.
Potential Risks of Overfeeding Cherries to Chinchillas
- It might interest you to know that cherries contain cyanide. This highly toxic chemical can lead to stomach upset if ingested.
- However, the cyanide is only released if your pet chews on the cherry pits. The cherry fruit itself is non-toxic.
But how much of this toxic chemical do cherry pits have? According to calculations, the cyanide content of a single cherry pit is 0.85 mg. Nevertheless, some varieties have more cyanide content than others. The table below shows the amount of cyanide in cherries.
| Cherry Type | Cyanide Content Per Gram |
| Red cherry | 3.9mg |
| Black cherry | 2.7mg |
| Morello cherry | 65mg |
- Another red flag is the high sugar content. Cherries contain 3 times the sugar requirement in your chinchilla’s diet. And their sensitive digestive system just can’t handle it. Your chinchilla will most likely develop diarrhea and dental problems owing to its high sugar content.
- Moreover, their insulin control system is not as sensitive. This may cause type II diabetes mellitus, especially in obese chinchillas.
What Type Of Other Fruits Chinchillas Can Eat?
Fruits are a sweet snack for your chinchilla. Still, you should know which fruits are safe, especially for a chinchilla’s sensitive digestive system. So, that brings us to what fruits can chinchillas eat. The category of fruits to consider are:
- Low-sugar fruits: apples, strawberries, grapes, and Cheerios
- High-fiber fruits: papaya
- Dried fruits like raisins and bananas
Even at that, moderation is key to avoiding excess sugar and overfeeding. That said, you should only serve these fruits infrequently as treats. Also, you want to avoid nuts due to their very high-fat content.
Wrapping Up
Chinchillas can technically eat cherries. Nevertheless, we don’t recommend cherries due to the potential risks and the fact that cherries are not a part of their natural diet. But if you choose to feed cherries, serve dried cherries as an occasional treat with the pit removed.
Primarily, chinchillas require a balanced diet that consists mainly of hay and grasses to maintain their digestive health. Also, make it a point to consult with a veterinarian or a chinchilla expert before introducing new foods to your chinchilla’s diet. This will ensure they’re receiving the proper nutrition they need to thrive.
