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No, we would not give a chinchilla raisins. Vets and charities split on this: the PDSA allows no more than two a week for adult chinchillas, but VCA, PetMD and Chewy all say no dried fruit, and VCA warns it can cause severe digestive upset. We take the careful side, as raisins are almost pure sugar. A dried rose hip makes a safer treat.
| Safe? | Best avoided; sources disagree |
| How much | None from us; PDSA limit is two a week |
| How often | Never from us |
| Best served | Not at all; a dried rose hip instead |
| Watch out for | Diarrhoea, raisins in treat mixes, a chinchilla that refuses hay |
What the sources say about raisins
This is one of the few chinchilla foods where good sources openly disagree.
| Source | What it says |
|---|---|
| PDSA (UK) | No more than two raisins a week; not for young chinchillas or those with sensitive tummies |
| RSPCA (UK) | Small amounts of dried fruit as treats |
| Woodgreen (UK) | No fruit |
| VCA (US) | No dried fruit: it can cause severe digestive upset |
| PetMD (US) | No dried fruit: too high in sugar |
| Chewy, vet reviewed (US) | Never feed raisins |
We follow the "no" side. A raisin is a dried grape, and the PDSA says fresh grapes are best avoided because of their sugar. Drying packs that sugar into a smaller, chewier piece. A chinchilla gets nothing from raisins that it needs, and the risk is a gut upset in an animal with a very delicate gut.
If you do follow the PDSA limit
If you want to use a raisin as a taming reward, keep strictly to the PDSA's limit: no more than two a week, for an adult only, and never for a young chinchilla or one with a sensitive tummy. Stop if droppings soften. Our guide to taming a chinchilla covers rewards that need no sugar.
Sultanas, currants and raisin treats
- Sultanas and currants: the same as raisins. They are all dried grapes.
- Yoghurt-coated raisins: no. The PDSA says most shop-bought treats aren't suitable.
- Treat mixes with raisins: no. Chewy warns against mixes with dried fruit, and the PDSA says to avoid muesli-style mixes.
- Raisin bread, cereal or cake: no. Human food is likely to be unsuitable, the PDSA says.
If your chinchilla has already eaten some raisins, 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.
What to offer instead
The PDSA's own treat list has better choices: one rose hip as an occasional treat, dried dandelions, dried nettles, chamomile flowers, a few rolled oats, or a piece of shredded wheat the size of a 5p coin (about a dime). Fresh grapes are covered on our page about grapes. For more, see what can chinchillas eat, our chinchilla diet guide and our chinchilla care guide.
Raisin questions
How many raisins can a chinchilla have?
The PDSA sets the upper limit at two a week for an adult chinchilla, and none for young chinchillas or those with a sensitive tummy. VCA, PetMD and Chewy say none at all. We would give none.
Are raisins toxic to chinchillas?
Our sources do not call raisins toxic to chinchillas. Their concern is sugar: VCA warns dried fruit can cause severe digestive upset, and PetMD says dried fruit is too high in sugar.
Can baby chinchillas have raisins?
No. Even the PDSA, which allows a couple a week for adults, says raisins are not suitable for young chinchillas.
Can chinchillas eat sultanas or currants?
Treat them exactly like raisins, as they are also dried grapes. We would not give them.
