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Author: Hagar Lagarto
The typical diet for a pet rabbit consists of water, hay,
pellets, fresh vegetables, and its own caecal pellets. Fruit
and other treats are given only in very limited quantities,
as they can cause obesity in a rabbit. Rabbits require a constant
water supply as they dehydrate quickly.
Most sources recommend 80% of the diet should be Timothy
hay or another grass hay. Too many vegetables in a rabbit's
diet typically leads to diarrhea and other digestive problems.
Pellets
Rabbits are generally fed a pelleted feed available from
pet stores, supermarkets, and farm suppliers. Pellets were
originally designed for rabbit breeders for the purpose of
providing as much food energy and vitamins as inexpensively
as possible. This is optimal when the rabbits are being bred
for food or for experimentation.
Most sources recommend a minimum of 18% fiber, low protein
(14?15%), and less than 1% calcium. Depending on the amount
of vegetables available, an adult rabbit should be given between
20 ml to 40 ml per kilogram (? and ? cup of pellets per 6
pounds) body weight daily. Pre-adolescent and adolescent rabbits
(7 months and younger) can be given as much pelleted diet
as they can consume, although additional vegetables are preferable
to additional pellets. An older rabbit (over six years) can
be given more pellets if they are having difficulty maintaining
a steady body weight. Timothy hay-based pellets are great
for rabbits that have stopped growing and do not need to gain
weight. Alfalfa-based pellets are best only for young, growing
rabbits or older rabbits who are under-weight.
Hay
Hay is essential for the health of all rabbits. A steady
supply of hay will help prevent gastrointestinal stasis and
other digestive tract problems in rabbits. Additionally, it
provides a number of necessary vitamins and minerals at a
low food energy cost. Rabbits enjoy chewing on hay, and always
having hay available for the rabbit may reduce its tendency
to chew on other items. Timothy hay and other grass hays are
considered the healthiest to provide the rabbit. As a persistently
high blood calcium level can prove harmful to the rabbit,
hays such as alfalfa and clover hay should be avoided. Alfalfa
is also relatively high in food energy, and a constant diet
of it can cause obesity in rabbits.
Treats
Treats are unhealthy in large quantities for rabbits, just
as they are for humans. Most treats sold in pet stores are
filled with sugar and high food energy carbohydrates. If an
owner is determined to feed the rabbit treats, the best treat
to provide it with is fruit.
Acceptable fruits (seeds and pits MUST be removed): Banana,
Mango, Pineapple, Peach, Apple, Kiwi, Berries, Orange and
other citrus fruits.
Pineapple, mango, and papaya all contain a natural enzyme
which is thought to reduce hairballs.
Fruits or other treats must be given in moderation, as rabbits
easily become overweight and suffer health problems. Their
diet should consist of no more than half a tablespoon of fruits
or treats per day.
However, fresh fruits should not be given to rabbits under
the age of 4 months because their digestive systems are not
always developed enough to handle the fruit. It can cause
enteritis that causes death within 48 hours.
While a common myth that rabbits should be given lettuce,
this is not a good idea because it contains little to no nutritional
value for the rabbit and again can cause enteritis which leads
to a quick death.
Caecal pellets
Do not be alarmed if you see your rabbit eat some of his
feces. These are called cecal pellets, and are a vital part
of his diet. Caecal pellets are soft, smelly, clumpy feces,
and are a rabbit's only supply of Vitamin B12. Due to the
design of the rabbit's digestive system, they cannot extract
some vitamins and minerals directly from their food. At the
end of their digestive system is an area called the caecum
where cellulose and other plant fibers are broken down and
ferment. After they have been broken down and passed, a rabbit's
digestive system can finally extract the vitamins from them.
About the author:
Hagar lagarto is a long time Pet lover with many articles and
websites on the subject.You can get much more info at http://pet.freehostia.com |
