Rabbit food, rabbit snacks and food for small animals!
Feeding rabbits and small animals properly, is essential to their well-being. Good nutrition contributes to good health and isn’t that what we all want for our pets? Would you like to know which food and vegetables are best for your rabbits or hamsters and which snacks your guinea pig likes the most? Read on and find out everything you need to know about feeding rabbits and small animals!
What do rabbits and small animals eat?
Let’s start with the basics. What do rabbits and small animals actually eat? Among small animals, we find 3 categories: herbivores, omnivores and carnivores. Each category has its own preferences and needs when it comes to food;
Herbivores: Examples of herbivores include rabbits and small animals such as guinea pigs, chinchillas and degus. Herbivores mostly feed on plants, preferably the ones with a high fibre content. Think for example of hay, seeds, grasses, roots, stems and tree leaves. These contribute to a well-functioning digestive system and it helps to wear down their teeth. More on this later.
Omnivores: Hamsters, rats, squirrels, mice and gerbils are omnivores. These small animals eat animal products such as crickets, worms and insects as well as plants. This is because they tend to require a higher protein level from their diet compared to herbivores, which on the other hand have a greater need for fibres.
Carnivores: Among small animals, there’s only one true carnivore: the ferret. The ferret has a need for animal products and can’t survive without them. The ferret doesn’t dare to eat vegetable matter. This is a considerable difference compared to most small animals.
Continuously growing teeth require a good diet rich in fibre
We mentioned above that a high-fibre diet is important for rabbits and small animals. High-fibre food forces your small animal to chew and thus keeps their teeth in optimal condition. Definitely very important for your small friend. The teeth of rabbits and various small animals, including guinea pigs, hamsters, rats, chinchillas and gerbils, grow continually throughout their life. If your pet doesn’t get enough fibre-rich food, their teeth will continue to grow. This can have dangerous consequences for the health of your little friend such as crooked or broken teeth and even elephant teeth (incisors that have grown too long). Insufficient tooth wear can make it particularly difficult for your small animal to eat properly. In our range you’ll find a number of snacks that can help to prevent this, such as gnawing wood. Make always sure that your small animal is given the right food. We’ll go into that below.
What should you keep in mind when buying small animal food?
In general, all small animals should be given a diet rich in fibres. How much fibre your little friend needs varies from small animal to small animal. Rabbits, for instance, need unlimited hay but ferrets on the other hand don’t benefit from eating hay. That’s why you should always go for food that meets your small animal’s needs. Special guinea pig food for your guinea pig, hamster food for your dwarf hamster and rabbit food for your rabbit, and so on. In addition, you can broaden their diet with healthy supplements, here are some examples;
What can your rabbit eat besides rabbit food?
Hay, hay and hay. The main ingredient in rabbit food should be high-quality, fresh herbal hay. However, many rabbits eat relatively little hay or none at all. In many cases, this is due to the amount of hard food or snacks that rabbits get. Did you know that the proportion of hard food in your rabbit's diet should only be 5%? This comes down to about 20 grams of food per kg of your rabbit’s body weight, far less than you might think. It’s therefore very important that your rabbit eats enough hay. In addition, the diet can be supplemented with digestible vegetables such as chicory and endive. Rabbits also love fresh and dried herbs, which are also healthy! Fresh parsley, fresh basil and sage, but also various dried herbs are suitable for rabbits. The guideline for a good rabbit diet is: 80% hay and grass, 15% vegetables and herbs, 5% rabbit food and of course every now and then a tasty healthy rabbit snack 😉
What can your hamster eat besides hamster food?
Hamsters are omnivores, but that doesn't mean you can feed them just anything. High quality hamster food will help keep your hamster healthy. Good hamster food should contain enough fibre, protein, carbohydrates and fats to give your hamster enough energy. In addition, the diet can be supplemented with digestible vegetables and fruits. Some examples are: strawberries, apples or pears, endive, pumpkin (seedless), mango or radishes. Be careful not to overdo it as fruits can have a high sugar content. Since hamsters are omnivores, you can also keep them happy by adding animal ingredients to their food. In fact animal protein is important for your hamster's health. Mealworms are an excellent example of this. Mealworms, whether dried or fresh, are delicious and healthy for your hamster.
What can your guinea pig eat besides guinea pig food?
Guinea pigs are the biggest vegetable lovers among small animals! A guinea pig should be given around 50 to 100 grams of green food per kilo of body weight per day. Try to offer as many different kinds of vegetables as possible. Endive, chicory, peppers and carrot leaves can often be given without any problems. Make sure that you don’t feed your small animals too large quantities in the beginning. This way you can first see how your small animal reacts to it. Besides vegetables, hay is also an important part of your guinea pig's diet to ensure good bowel movements and to wear down the teeth. Guinea pig food is only a small part of a guinea pig’s diet, and can only provide around 15g of food per kilo weight of guinea pig per day. A guinea pig can be fed around 15g per kilo weight of guinea pig food per day. It’s important that this food meets your small animal’s needs. Guinea pigs don’t produce vitamin C in their bodies, even though it’s important for their bones and muscles. By feeding your pet the right food, you can supplement and maintain the vitamin C level. Always choose a special food with the right vitamins. Provide plenty of vegetables in a guinea pig vegetable rack and also add Vitamin C tablets especially for guinea pigs.
Tasty small animal snacks!
As well as small animal or rabbit food, a tasty healthy snack is the perfect way to spoil your little friend. In our small animal shop, you’ll find the most delicious snacks for your small animal. Be sure to check out our nibbling and chewing snacks for rabbits and small animals. Lots of tasty fun guaranteed!