Rabbits are one of the nation’s most popular pets and for good reason; they are playful, inquisitive and with the correct care will enjoy sitting with their owners to be held and stroked. However, many rabbit owners are unaware of their rabbit’s complex digestive system and their strict nutritional requirements and this lack of understanding can result in overfeeding or feeding of inappropriate food products which can lead to obesity, illness and even death.
With the correct food, care, housing and handling you and your rabbits will have a long, happy time as owner and pet stretching up to twelve or more years.
This careguide website aims to introduce all the important things you need to know about Rabbits, their feeding requirements, the Burgess Excel Feeding Plan and general good care so you can enjoy the experience of being a rabbit owner to the full.
Timothy hay is a type of hay that is well known for providing quality nutrition for animals. It is fed widely to horses who need a top quality diet, and also to small pets, such as rabbits, guinea pigs and chinchillas. These small mammals need a lot of fibre in their diet, and Timothy hay is packed full of fibre. It’s also helps keep their teeth in good condition. Small pets love to eat Timothy hay. It stops them getting bored. It has a mix of stalk and flat blades which makes it especially good for digestive health.
You’ll be able to find Timothy hay in various mixes, with other added ingredients. The mix you choose will depend on the needs of your pet. For example you may choose a mix of Timothy hay with dandelion and marigold. The dandelions help with urinary tract problems, and marigolds help build a strong immune system. A mixture that includes camomile can help calm a nervous pet. If your pet has long teeth, a mix that include birch bark will be more rough and chewy and will help keep your pet’s teeth short. Small mammals chew grasses in a different way to other food. Ordinary guinea pig or rabbit food is chewed in an up and down motion, which doesn’t really help much with grinding down their teeth, which grow continuously, but grasses are chewed with a sideways motion which grinds the teeth down equally. If your pet suffers from overgrown teeth, giving them extra Timothy hay to chew on could really help. Give it a go and you’re very likely to see an improvement.
Whether you feed Timothy hay alone, or in a mixture with other herbage, you should be looking to feed each animal a pile of herbage the same size as their body each day. Of course your pets will need other food as well, and some nice fresh greens, but their fibre needs are high, so don’t neglect their needs for hay. Timothy hay will go a long way towards providing their daily fibre and roughage needs. It has been recommended by pet owners and vets alike as being a great source of fibre. A truly good quality pet food. Whatever the age of your pet, they should have a constant supply of Timothy hay available to them to graze on during the day.
When you’re choosing your Timothy hay product, look for one that has been dried carefully to maintain as many nutrients as possible, and also look for one that has reduced dust. Timothy hay is naturally low in dust, making it the best choice for your pet, but any process that removes any excess dust will help your pet if he has any respiratory problems. Research shows that rabbits given hay are more active and have less stress habits such as biting the bars of their cage.
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