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[GrayRodent]

As far as chinchillas being naturally diabetic I think that is inaccurate. Diabetes in chinchillas is not unheard of but does not seem to be common. I've seen very few diabetic chinchillas problems on the board. Degus (having very similar physiology) are known for being prone to diabetes and should not have sugar.

Chinchillas do have very sensitive digestive systems and sugar can wreak havoc with their stomach and intestines if you overdo it. It's not that common but when it does happen it can escalate very quickly into a fatal problem.

Dried fruit (which is relatively high in sugar) is okay to give a treat. Personally I tend to stay away from treats and tend to advocate using them only as a training and taming aid. The closer you stay to hay and pellets the less risk there is of unintended consequences. Treats should be considered to have no nutritional value to chinchillas and considered to be for your benefit only IMO.

[mallerydr]

Ahh thank you so much. No more raisins ever that's for sure. I'm scared now. She has a vet appointment on the 31st. I had her out for about 4 hours today to play, she seems fine. So cheerios and oatmeal are ok? Like the no flavor oatmeal, any specific brand? or just any non flavored kind?

[mallerydr]

 Are there specific sites to get these rose hips or safe chinchilla treats? I do know the grocery store for the cheerios and oatmeal.

[GrayRodent]

Typically chinchillas with serious health problems act depressed, especially those with liver disease. I'm not sure you have that much to worry about. Like I've said most cases of fur chewing that get posted on our board are from harmless or treatable causes. An overall unhealthy appearance is concerning though. The good news is that a number of curable things can explain it too including diet.

As far as your questions Oatmeal should be unsweetened, plain oatmeal. Cheerios are okay. I'd say no more than 4-6 rings in a day.
Rose hips are kind of rare but sometimes you can find them in online stores that cater to exotic pet owners. I recommend not giving any treats until after his diet is straightened out and after you get a vet exam and after he's not been stressed and only if his fecal output is normal. Interaction without treats can go a long way with chinchillas. (Yeah, that's a lot of ANDs.)...

I also recommend weighing your pet once a week routinely. There will be variations as he gets less treats and goes on a better diet. Having a good baseline healthy weight is an handy diagnostic tool. Typically weight loss of 15% or more indicates something needs to get checked out.

[kageri]

The plain oatmeal usually says Old Fashioned Oatmeal.  Rosehips are plenty easy to find across the internet.  I generally  use http://www.rondaschins.com .  There aren't too many good chin supplies in local stores.  Goji berries are a smaller healthier substitute for raisins.  That's what my husband used to shoulder train his favoruite chin.  You should still be careful not to overfeed treats but it's much safer than raisins or most pet store items.

[mb30]

I have read in the past that chins are natural diabetics and that is why sugary treats really should not be given.
I stand corrected! I still would stay away from that type of stuff.

[kageri]

I don't think I've heard of a diabetic chin.  Maybe as part of a genetic defect.  Most seem to succumb to digestive problems or for a longer term bad diet they might get organ failure.  I had someone feeding a kaytee mix contact me after losing 5 chins to vague symptoms that seemed like multiple organ failure.  The remainder were saved with only grass hay for a week before slowly putting them on a better pellet.