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No, chinchillas should not eat grapes. The PDSA names grapes, with bananas, as foods best avoided because they are high in sugar and can cause an upset tummy. Woodgreen says chinchillas should not be fed fruit at all. Green, red and seedless grapes are all the same here, and raisins are dried grapes, so they are a no from us too.
| Safe? | No |
| How much | None |
| How often | Never |
| Best served | Not at all |
| Watch out for | Diarrhoea, fewer droppings, raisins in treat mixes |
Why grapes are a no
Grapes are small bags of sugar and water. The PDSA says they are high in sugar and best avoided, and that moist treats can cause loose stools in chinchillas. Woodgreen says chinchillas are "fibrevores" that should not be fed fruit. PetMD says dried fruit should not be offered because it is high in sugar, and allows fresh fruit only as a small weekly piece, naming apple, not grapes.
A chinchilla's gut and teeth are built around hay. The RSPCA says hay should make up most of the diet and be available all the time, with 1 to 2 tablespoons of grass-based pellets a day. Sugary food fills a chinchilla up and leaves less room for the hay it needs.
Is one grape harmful?
Forms of grape
- Fresh grapes of any colour, seeded or seedless: no.
- Raisins, sultanas and currants: no from us. See our page on raisins for why the advice differs.
- Grape juice: no. The PDSA says not to offer chinchillas human food.
- Grape vine leaves: not covered by our sources, so leave them out.
If your chinchilla has already eaten some grapes, 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 grapes?
Every chinchilla. Young chinchillas and those with sensitive tummies are most at risk, which is why the PDSA singles them out even for the small sweet treats it does allow.
What to offer instead
The PDSA suggests dried dandelions, dried nettles, dried chamomile flowers and one rose hip as an occasional treat. Other fruits are no better: see bananas and blueberries. For more, see what can chinchillas eat, our chinchilla diet guide and our chinchilla care guide.
Grape questions
Are grapes poisonous to chinchillas?
Our sources do not call grapes poisonous to chinchillas. The PDSA says they are high in sugar and can cause an upset tummy, which is why it says they are best avoided. That is enough reason to keep them out.
Can chinchillas eat seedless grapes?
No. Taking the seeds out does not change the sugar or water, which are the reasons the PDSA advises against grapes.
Can chinchillas eat raisins if not grapes?
The advice differs. The PDSA allows no more than two raisins a week for adults, while VCA, PetMD and Chewy say no dried fruit. We follow the more careful line and skip raisins.
