Rabbits are friendly, silent, very clean and intelligent animals. They are the perfect pet for a boy or girl from 6 or 8 years of age, they are very cheap animals to keep, but it is convenient to know all these secrets and advice on feeding rabbits. Only in this way will we be able to raise the little member of the family in the best possible way.
Feeding rabbits is almost as easy as that of guinea pigs, hamsters and other rodents, that is, you have to find a balance between fresh and clean fruits and vegetables and industrial feed. Throughout this text we will see how much and how many times a week to give feed, as well as what to avoid, such as feed with cereals (yes, cheap feeds have cereals, we know that).
Details to be considered
Not any diet works for any rabbit. A 3-month-old bunny is not the same as a 4-year-old or an 8-year-old. As with dogs and cats, rabbits also have a distinction based on age, activity level, state of health, breed, etc. .
Race
It is not the same a rabbit toy breed, for example, that needs a specific feed, or an angora rabbit that needs an extra fiber than a normal standard rabbit. Each breed has its characteristics and must be taken into account, in fact, it is advisable to consult a veterinarian beforehand, since there are some types of rabbits that are prone to excessive tooth growth. Based on this we can choose the most appropriate foods to feed our little friend.
Age
Age is essential when scheduling rabbit feeding. As we said, rabbits are also divided into vital stages like dogs and cats, for example, so if it is a young animal, it will need nutrients and a type of food, which, if it is a adult rabbit, is neutered, pregnant, with pups, or is elderly (more than 6 years). Also, based on these factors, there are others to take into account such as the health of the animal itself, the level of activity, if it lives outdoors or in a cage, etc.
"Salud"
Rabbits are strong and robust animals like cats, but they are also very sensitive. It sounds a bit contradictory and bipolar, but it is the reality. On average a normal rabbit can last between 3 and 10 years old, and even more, but it depends on your health, both genetic inheritance, as well as your internal health due to diet and external health due to the conditions in which you live.
Rabbits love sun and sand, fresh grass, fruit, they love to drink water, in fact they should drink about 400 ml a day as adults. The water does not suit them at all, they are very sensitive to heat and cold, they get stressed easily, so they need space to run, they are always looking for something to do to stay active like playing with a ball, eating, digging holes, watch the dogs that go through the fence, etc.
Rabbits have 2 mandatory vaccinations, that will also determine their good health, as well as their castration and external deworming.
Activity level
Activity is very important to rabbits, and we don't mean activity like we do when we talk about walking a dog. Rabbits need to be busy for a good part of the day, playing with some object, even if it is a cardboard box or a plastic container. They really enjoy making holes in the ground, eating roots, observing their surroundings, etc.
An inactive rabbit does not have to be a sign of poor health, but it is convenient that we review it. Your level of activity will make us increase the dose of fiber, protein and other nutrients.
How many times a day should you eat?
Simply put, pet rabbits must eat twice a day, or, like cats, they must have food available to them. But before choosing the doses and amounts, we must make sure that he is not anxious about food, his health, his activity level, that there are no predators nearby that can steal his food, such as cats, birds, dogs, etc. .
Feed type
Each rabbit, as with people and other animals, have their tastes. Some like pellets, others don't, some like fruits and vegetables a lot and others don't, and we'd get along all day like that.
It is necessary to adapt the diet to the vital stage of the animal, to its health, its lifestyle and its tastes. For example. There are industrial feeds that are complete and are croquettes (like those for dogs), rabbits usually like them a lot.
Industrial feed with wheat, pipes, corn and other cereals they are not very suitable, since rabbits are not really rodents. Rabbits are lagomorphs and their needs are different from those of a rodent.
Lagomorph means, in a few words and in a simple way, they are animals with two pairs of incisors that grow continuously and feed on all kinds of reproductive and vegetative parts of grasses, herbs, trees, shrubs, etc. They contribute to the cycle of the ecosystem, since with their feces they fertilize the seeds that are inside. Something similar to what birds do.
If we opt for a feed, it must have only natural ingredients, at least 12% fiber, 14% protein, vegetable fats below 5%, maximum 1% calcium, containing 0,8% phosphorus as maximum and vitamins A, D and E.
Allowed foods
- pellets.
- Feed without cereals or grains.
- Natural croquettes of hay, herbs, fruits, vegetables, vitamins and minerals.
- Alfalfa.
- Watercress.
- Endive.
- arugula
- Clover.
- Lettuce (except the iceberg variety).
- Radish leaves.
- Carrot leaves.
- Carrot.
- Tomatoes.
- Strawberries
- Watermelon.
- Artichoke.
- Chard.
- Celery.
- Basil.
- Collar.
- Cauliflower.
- Lombarda.
- Mint.
- Spinach.
- Cucumber.
- Red, green and yellow bell pepper.
- Eggplant.
- kiwis.
- Pineapple.
- Papaya.
- Mango.
- Pear.
- Cantaloupe.
- Tangerine.
- Cherries
- Peach.
Forbidden food
- Potato.
- Sweet potato.
- Chocolate.
- Vegetables.
- I think of other animals.
- Cereals.
- Sugary foods.
- Onion.
- Leeks.
- Broad beans.
- Mushrooms.
- Turnip.
- Green peas.
- Banana and banana.
- Custard apple.
- Figs
- Avocado.
- Plums
- Medlar.
- Apricot.
- Ferns.
- oleanders.
- lilies.
- Laurel.
- Poppies.
- Bread (of any kind).
- Rice.
- Oil.
- Nuts.
- Sugary cereals
- Oats.
- Corn.
- Cheese.
- Butter.
- Pastries.
- Biscuits (for human or animal consumption).
Rations and how to make a varied diet
The most important thing is that our rabbit has hay at your disposal 24 hours a day. This will favor their intestinal transit, since rabbits wash themselves and that hair must be expelled. In addition, the stomach of rabbits digests everything very slowly, so that the new thing that enters will help to expel the last thing that was eaten several hours ago, since their stomach and intestines are connected and always working.
Water is vitally important. You have to put several bowls with clean and fresh water, always at room temperature. El I think we should offer it to him maximum 3 times a week and the rest of the time offer a wide variety of allowed foods.
For example, 3 different fruits in the morning, 3 vegetables at lunchtime and alfalfa pellets with a carrot at night. The point is that you do not always eat the same thing, so that your body receives different vitamins and minerals.
We should always give the fruit and vegetables washed, at room temperature and cut into pieces, except for the carrot or the peppers, since they usually like to nibble on them freely.