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No, apple is best left out of a chinchilla's diet. The PDSA does not recommend apples because they are likely to give a chinchilla an upset tummy, and Woodgreen says chinchillas should not be fed fruit at all. Some US vets allow a thin slice once a week, but we'd skip the fruit and offer a dried apple wood stick, which is safe to chew.
| Safe? | Best avoided (the fruit). Apple wood sticks are fine |
| How much | None of the fruit |
| How often | Never for the fruit; a wood stick any time |
| Best served | As a dried, untreated apple wood stick |
| Watch out for | Soft droppings, diarrhoea, sprayed branches |
Why apple isn't a good chinchilla food
Chinchillas are built to live on dry grasses. The PDSA says hay should be the main part of their diet and always available, and Woodgreen calls them "fibrevores" that do best on about 75% hay, 12.5% pellets and 12.5% dried forage. Apple is the opposite of that: sweet, soft and wet.
The PDSA warns that moist treats can cause loose stools and names apples among the foods likely to upset a chinchilla's tummy. Sugar is a problem for teeth too: Woodgreen warns that sugary muesli mixes can lead to dental problems.
Do vets disagree about apple?
A little. VCA Animal Hospitals says a piece of high-fibre fruit such as an apple slice can be offered occasionally, and PetMD suggests small amounts of fruit like apple about once a week. The PDSA and Woodgreen say no. We follow the UK charities, because a chinchilla gains nothing from apple that hay and pellets don't already give it. VCA itself says a chinchilla on a complete diet needs no extra vitamins.
If you still choose the US vets' line, keep it to a piece no bigger than your thumbnail, with no skin wax, core or pips, once a week at most, and never for a young chinchilla.
Apple wood, leaves and other forms
- Apple wood sticks: yes. VCA recommends clean, dried, thin applewood sticks, and Woodgreen lists apple twigs and branch cuttings in its forage list. Burgess suggests washing home-cut wood, then baking it on a low heat for an hour.
- Dried apple leaves and blossom: yes, in small amounts. Woodgreen lists both in its dried forage mix.
- Dried apple rings or chips: no. VCA says dried fruit and vegetables can cause severe digestive upset.
- Pips and core: no. Apple pips contain a compound that releases cyanide when chewed, and PetMD says seeds should not be offered.
- Apple juice, apple sauce and apple-flavoured treats: no. The PDSA says most shop-bought treats aren't suitable.
If your chinchilla has already eaten some apple, a small bite is unlikely to be an emergency. Take away what is left, keep the hay topped up and watch the droppings over the next day or two. The RSPCA says to contact a vet straight away if droppings get fewer or smaller or stop, or if eating or drinking changes. Diarrhoea or a chinchilla that won't eat needs a vet that day.
Who should avoid apple?
Every chinchilla, but especially youngsters, those with a sensitive tummy and any chinchilla whose food has just changed. The RSPCA says a chinchilla's diet should never be changed suddenly, as this can make them very ill.
What to offer instead
For a treat, try one dried rose hip or a few dried dandelion leaves, or a fresh pile of good hay. Other fruit is no better: see our pages on bananas and grapes. For the full list, see what can chinchillas eat, our chinchilla diet guide and our chinchilla care guide.
Apple questions
Can chinchillas eat apple wood?
Yes. Clean, dried, untreated apple wood is one of the best chews for a chinchilla. VCA recommends thin applewood sticks, Woodgreen lists apple twigs and branch cuttings as forage, and Burgess names apple among good woods to gnaw. Only use branches from trees that have not been sprayed, wash them and dry them fully before use.
Can chinchillas eat dried apple?
No. Dried apple is concentrated sugar. VCA warns that dehydrated fruit and vegetables can cause severe digestive upset in chinchillas, and PetMD says dried fruit should not be offered. Dried apple leaves are a different thing and are fine in small amounts.
Can baby chinchillas eat apple?
No. Young chinchillas have the most delicate guts of all, and the PDSA says even its two-a-week raisin allowance is not suitable for young chinchillas or those with sensitive tummies. Stick to hay, pellets and water while they grow.
My chinchilla loves apple. Is a little bit really harmful?
One small piece is unlikely to cause lasting harm, but the PDSA says apple is likely to upset a chinchilla's tummy, and a liking for sweet food can push hay out of the diet. A dried apple wood stick is a safe chew with no sugar at all.
