Snacks for rodents: nibbling fun from herbs, hay and veg

Snacks: small extras with an enrichment effect

Snacks are a good deal more than just a reward. Because rodent teeth keep growing throughout life, many products combine nibbling fun with tooth wear. You will find nibble balls made of coconut fibre, roll buffets on a wooden skewer, gourmet bites with herbs and vegetables, herb corner tunnels, clay scratch plates as well as dried fruit and vegetable mixes.

Nibbling, searching and staying busy

A snack that is fixed in place or hidden lasts longer than one simply lying in the bowl. Roll buffets on a skewer and herb corner tunnels are mounted in the cage and worked through over several days. Nibble balls of coconut fibre can be rolled and pulled apart. Vegetable bowls and clover leaves made from dried ingredients give your animals something to search for and take apart in their own time. For chinchillas and degus, deliberately choose low sugar versions, because sweet snacks do not suit their metabolism.

Amounts and getting used to them

Snacks round the ration off, they replace neither hay nor the main food. Give them in small amounts and watch how well they are tolerated over the following days. Introduce new kinds one at a time, not several together. Dried fruit naturally contains more sugar and therefore suits guinea pigs, hamsters or rats better than chinchillas. Take out any leftovers so they do not go damp, and make sure you keep everything in dry storage. A fixed snack day each week helps you keep track and stops the amounts getting out of hand.

Frequently asked questions

How many snacks make sense?
Only small amounts as an addition. Hay and the main food stay the basis, snacks provide variety and something to do.

Which snacks suit chinchillas?
Deliberately low sugar versions with herbs or hay. Dried fruit suits guinea pigs, hamsters or rats rather better.

How do snacks last longer?
Fix them in the cage or hide them. A roll buffet on a skewer or a herb tunnel keeps them busy over several days.