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Author: Andrea Austin
One of the most important aspects of properly caring for
your pet rabbit is providing him with a healthy, satisfying,
and well-balanced diet. Fortunately, doing so is relatively
easy, since there is general consensus about what is good
for rabbits and a wide range of great food pellet options.
Rabbits can also
eat many of the fruits and veggies that you probably have
on your dinner table every night (see below for recommendations
and portions).
Hay
Hay is an essential component of a rabbit's healthy diet.
One reason why is that feeding a rabbit hay on a daily basis
seems to reduce rabbits tendencies to pull out and consume
or chew on their own hair, which leads to (sometimes very
dangerous) hairballs.
Buy high-quality leafy grass hay, timothy hay or clover hay.
Avoid alfalfa hay, as it can sometimes be problematic and
has been shown to increase the risk of bladder stones.
FRESH Water
Like all creatures, rabbits need fresh water in order to
survive. Change water daily or at least every two days. When
you change the water, also wash the water bottle or dish thoroughly
to get rid of bacteria.
You may want to use a water bottle that can hang on a cage,
as this can reduce the messiness factor. If you prefer to
use a bowl, make sure it is sturdy and heavy enough so that
your rabbit won't overturn it.
Yogurt?
Although it may sound funny, rabbits can actually benefit
from yogurt just the same way that humans do. Yogurt is proven
to reduce the bad bacteria in the body, balancing out the
good bacteria in the process. Many pet rabbits seem to like
yogurt and accept it as a part of a balanced daily diet.
Chew Toys
As you will quickly learn as a new rabbit owner, bunnies
love to bite and chew on things. This is actually essential
for good dental health, but the trick is to give them good
substances to chew on so they won't be tempted to eat up your
furniture or other, more dangerous substances, like wires
or electrical cords.
A dog's chew toy (on the smaller side) can be a great alternative,
one which most rabbits seem to enjoy a great deal. Two more
natural options are a large bone from a piece of boiled meat,
with the bone marrow taken out, or some apple tree branches
(the twigs are great roughage and help keep the bunny's
intestines clean).
Rabbits tend to be quite sensitive when it comes to changes
in their diet or feeding schedule. In fact, if there is a
sudden change or interruption, a rabbit may lose his appetite
or become ill.
Therefore, it's important to be consistant. Establish a feeding
routine that is easy for you to stick to each and every day.
Set your timer and fix the feeding schedule into your own
everyday routine. Make sure you have enough rabbit food (whether
hay, pellets, veggies, etc.) on hand so that you don't run
out
unexpectedly.
Feeding your rabbit a consistent, balanced and healthy diet
is one of the best ways to ensure that your pet has a long
and happy life as your prized companion.
by Andrea Austin, http://www.rabbits-n-bunnies.com
About the author:
We hope you enjoyed this article. If you would like more
information on pet rabbit care, click on this link to get your
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