Since chinchillas eat such a bland diet most of the time, they will greatly appreciate any and all treats you are willing to give them. In fact, they will eat so many treats it will make them sick if you give them the chance. So it's very important to be your chinchilla's 'conscience' and only feed him treats once in a while so he doesn't get sick.

That said, what kind of treats will your chin like the best?

Since they originally ate fruits, plants, and seeds, in their native habitat, any of these usually work great as treats for your chinchilla. If you want to feed your chin vegetables stay away from the leafy ones like lettuce, cabbage and brussel sprouts. Try and stick to organic veggies or the home-grown variety to keep your chin from ingesting any pesticides that might upset his little system. Remember that veggies are not daily food for your chin, but more of a treat, so don't feed him too much too often.

Another treat you can give Chilli are a variety of herbs. They seem to love mint plants, which you can grow yourself just about anywhere. Another good one is basil, which is fairly easy to grow if you have an inside garden or even little potters. Thyme and oregano are also pretty well accepted among chinchillas. If you're into cooking, you can start a little herb garden so you have fresh herbs to cook with and also some home-grown treats for your little buddy.

There's another herb that you probably wouldn't think of giving to your chin, and that's dandelion leaves. Be sure to only feed your chin these lives if you know for sure they are pesticide free. If you just fertilized your lawn, then it's best to just throw them away since they will hurt your chinchilla. Not surprisingly, they are extremely easy to grow inside as well. Just by plucking a few and sticking them in a pot you can have fresh dandelion leaves for your chin all winter long.

Other good treat ideas are black sunflower seeds, pieces of apple, raisins, or even the store bought variety. Just be sure not to give him too many.

One of the best use for treats is to help him learn that you are his friend and how to be a social critter (and even do tricks!). But it's important to teach him these things slowly over time instead of trying to cram it all in one day. First of all , it probably won't stick in his brain but you'll also need to bribe him with treats and you'll make him sick if you feed him treats all day. A good general rule is to never give him more than 1 teaspoon of 'treat' per day.