Is fresh Dandelion safe for my chins?

[yoyis37]

Good morning everybody,

Is fresh Dandelions safe for my chins and if so are the flowers ?how many can you feed them?

Muchas Gracias

[mistywaterwoman]

Yes and no.

Dandelion LEAVES (not the flowers), after being dried, is safe to give as a treat, if you give only a tiny pinch no more than twice a week.

You also want to make sure that this is a plant that has NEVER ever been treated with any pesticide, or peed on by any dog, etc.

You really can do a lot of damage by overdoing it with any herb, which is why I don't mess with them at all.

[Carol~Anne]

Personally I don't feel comfortable messing with herbs either. I honestly have no idea what and how much of the stuff to give so instead I order an already made up supplement from Serena at Chinchilla Park Place. I do give all the boys a tiny pinch each night after their out-of-cage playtime is up and they really look forward to getting it and they know after they get their little pinch they are in for the night and they settle down right away.

chinchillaparkplace.ca/chinstuffstore//index.php?main_page=product_info&products_id=218&zenid=62521dd3ecaf2e4b49e3d364a157e184

[lilchinchilla]

You can give fresh dandelion, but you need to be sure there has been nothing chemically sprayed on them, and they are clean.

I would also suggest only a bit of them, like a piece of leaf.

I know that some who are with CAChins give fresh dandelions to their chins, and another couple breeders one in Canada and one in the US, who gives/gave(one is retired now) their chins fresh dandelions also. There is probably more out there, those are just the ones I ever spoke to on the subject about them.

But I would strongly suggest not overdoing it or giving too much. One small leaf, once in a while is okay.

My mother once splurged and gave my chins too much of fresh dandelions (She is like that when it come to treats of any kind.), and although not all the chins had it, some had diarrhea result, which it took me a couple days to get them over. My mother herself loves dandelion tea, and makes that often to drink(for her not the chins). It's a great herb for cleansing kidneys and liver. If you have a chin sick with any kidney or liver troubles, it is a great herb to give them.

One breeder told me he would put it with a drop of yogurt for the chins who would not eat at all due to illness and they would eat it. He just would put a pinch of it in the yogurt.

That said though, dandelions are a diuretic and so you don't want to over do it.

And I agree - with any herb, if you don't know what you are doing, it might be best not to play with it.

Doesn't matter what herbs it is. I took a holistic pet care course years ago(which I would really like to take another one to touch up on stuff, since it's been 10 years!) and learned about herbs for pets, through the instructor who is also a holistic vet, Gilian Leverkus. If you have a holistic vet in your area, you could always talk with them about herbs, how much to give, etc... With chins being so small, you have to be careful to not give too much of anything.

[partygirlha]

I've got danelions in my back yard and they have not be spraied in the 11 years I've lived here. i tried offering a small amount to the chins last summer. Mouse liked it but Bugs and Monkey thought I was crazy when I offered it to them.

[yoyis37]

Thank you everybody,

Ihave decided not to give my chins and dandelion just to be safe they eat timothy hay, mazuri pallets, plenty of wood, a little bit of rosehips and sometimes a raising so I will leave it a that.
I have been very lucky both of my chins are from a Pet store and are very healty.

[Carol~Anne]

Raisins are not a good treat for chinchillas and can cause digestive issues. Just stick to the rose hips and plenty of apple sticks etc.