Rabbit owners are delightful people. You know that they are rarely loud and
obnoxious (their rabbits would never stand
for it); they have plenty of patience (because getting to know a rabbit takes time);
and you can be certain that they are full of love and laughter (because that is
exactly what rabbits inspire).
So, it you have gotten yourself a pet rabbit,
welcome to the club. Your new baby bunny
is sure to hop his way into your heart (or thump, depending on how stubborn you
are about it). Rabbits are truly easy to
love, as long as you give them just a few basics. Bunnies of all ages can be skittish, so avoid
loud noises when you can. They also love
to keep their feet on the ground, so be prepared to build ramps up to the couch. And, above all, rabbits have a specific diet,
which undoubtedly should not be altered as it will affect the health and happiness
of your pet.
Feeding
Your Rabbit Starts (and Ends) with Timothy Hay
Rabbits (and other small furries, including
chinchillas and guinea pigs) are fibrevores.
They are not herbivores; they are that
plus an incredible need for fibre. The amount
of fibre that a rabbit needs in proportion to his weight and diet is impossible
to translate to a human diet. If people
ate as much fibre as a rabbit needs, they would never leave their bathrooms. And, obviously, if rabbits need such an enormous
amount of fibre, it has got to come from a concentrated source. Considering the amount of time rabbits spend eating
already, a primary diet excluding incredible sources of fibre would mean that bunnies
have no time to sleep or play. It would also
make them ill.
Timothy Hay just so happens to be that incredible
source of fibre that rabbits need. There
are, of course, other hays and grasses that rabbits can eat, but Timothy has such an intense amount of fibre that it makes
remarkably little sense to look elsewhere.
This is especially true considering that the British countryside is an ideal
location for growing Timothy Hay. Not
only that, but, because the grass naturally resists drought, it clings to its nutrients
once it has been harvested and packaged for sale. This hay also retains a sweet, meadowy smell
that lingers, meaning that feeding your rabbit is a pleasant experience for everyone. Timothy Hay has got everything a rabbit needs
– and nothing it cannot digest, meaning it is the singularly best food your rabbit
can ever have.
Small fibrevores, like rabbits, have exceptionally
sensitive digestive systems. There are simply
a lot of things that rabbits cannot digest, and, therefore, should not eat. And, once your rabbit has adjusted to a
particular type of hay, it is rather uncomfortable for them to switch to another
food. Responsible rabbit breeders are
aware of this and will start baby bunnies off on the food that is best for
them. And, once again, the answer to
that question is Timothy Hay. This is just
one more of the reasons that your pet should be fed on Timothy Hay from the moment
you bring her home. And, if she has had
another diet, then it is a brilliant idea to switch her over to Timothy Hay
soonest as there are some foods that negatively affect rabbits.
Unfortunately, muesli has long been
regarded as rabbit food at certain pet stores and supermarkets. However, nothing could be further from the truth. Muesli is severely detrimental to rabbit health. Not only is it difficult to digest, it is
also unsuitable for oral hygiene. And
those are two areas of well being that rabbits are ill advised to compromise. Muesli has also been known to induce urinary
tract infections and obesity. So,
although the muesli may have tempting packaging (and possibly a price to
match), ensure that no muesli is ever fed to your rabbits.
One of the reasons that muesli is so hurtful
within a rabbit’s diet is that bunnies will chew this up and down. Although that does not sound ridiculous, it truly
is. Rabbits, along with other small
furries, have teeth that continue to grow throughout their lifetime. Without proper care, these teeth will only
become unmanageably long and frightfully dangerous. These animals require a food that they
naturally chew from side to side, like hay.
Rabbits eat hay by gnawing it back and forth in their mouth, which
obviously promotes teeth grinding. While
people are not encouraged to do this, it is essential for the health of small furries.
Better still is the fact that your rabbits loves
hay. It is not just beneficial for them; they enjoys it. And, they like it more than
just for eating. Rabbits can be rather
playful, and one of their best toys is something they should have plenty of in
their hutch – Timothy Hay. The pile that
you put in the cage will likely become a plaything as well as a meal. It is, after all, fun for rabbits to find
treats hidden in hay, or to move it into exactly the right area before promptly
eating it (you see why rabbit people are always so patient, right?). If a food can be fun as well as nutritious,
then why would you feed your pet anything else?
There are just a few quick tips to feeding
your rabbits. Each one of your bunnies needs
a pile of Timothy Hay as large as himself, and they need this amount every
day. You can always give them a little extra,
but you should never give them any less.
Timothy Hay is the most crucial
part of a rabbit’s diet; anything else needs to be considered additionally. This includes leafy green vegetables, such as
kale and spinach and of course, fresh water.
Specially formulated treats are also not a bad idea, but only if they were
specifically produced for rabbits. Although
you may want to treat your pet to a carrot, try not to do this too often, as
they have plenty of sugar. If you genuinely
want to spoil your rabbit (as rabbit people are prone to doing), offer her more
Timothy Hay – she honestly does love it.
For more information about feeding Timothy
Hay please visit the Excel Feeding Plan website - http://www.burgesspetcare.co.uk/excelfeedingplan/
No comments:
Post a Comment