Are you confused about what you should be feeding your rabbit? If so, you're not alone. By far the most common question we get asked is 'What do rabbits eat?'
As an owner of a bun, you're right to be asking this as diet plays a huge role in the health or otherwise of your bunny. So let's break down what you should be feeding...
Hay - approximately 70%
Plain old hay should form the basis of your bunny's diet. It may seem boring to us but is absolutely vital for three key reasons:
1. It aids digestion, keeping your bun's insides nice and clean. This is especially crucial in the case of a long-haired variety such as an Angora as a bun will naturally consume hair as they groom themselves. The hay keeps the hair moving through their bowels and body.
2. The constant chewing ensure your rabbit's teeth are kept nice and short. Rabbit teeth grow constantly and chewing hay is a natural way to grind them down.
3. It relieves boredom. Rabbits are designed to be grazers - to happily munch all day. Hay is low in calories so it won't make your bun fat, rather will provide them something to pass the time. Wouldn't it be nice if we humans could snack all day without piling on the pounds!
Feed fresh hay freely every day. On a practical note it's a good idea if you can find a way to tie the hay up off the floor of the cage/floor so that it stays fresh. No one likes to eat food they've been walking on!
Green Vegetables - approximately 25%
Sounds like bunny moms are just as fussy as human ones because 'Eat your greens' applies equally to our furry friends. The key here is loads of variety such as carrot tops, parsley, peppers, spinach, dandelion leaves and flowers, watercress, celery etc.
Feed about 1 cup of greens per 3 pounds of bunny weight. Greens provide fibre and nutrients for your bun.
Treats - approximately 5%
Fruits and vegetables that are high in sugar such as carrots (yes, really!), bananas, strawberries, apples (with pips removed) peaches etc are 'sometimes treats' and should be fed in moderation.
A serving of these foods would be 1-2 tablespoons depending on the size of your bunny. Human treat foods such as chocolate, cakes and sweets are a definite no-no.
If you'd like to find out more about the exact foods your bun can and can't eat, we've created a handy guide here: 'Can rabbits eat... ?' Taking you one by one through the most commonly asked about foods.
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Abbey Mitchell is a long-time animal lover and rabbit enthusiast. She is passionate about pet rabbit care and her site http://www.rabbitsforpets.com is dedicated to delivering the best information available on pet rabbits, in her signature down-to-earth, fun style.
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Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Abbey_Mitchell
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Are you confused about what you should be feeding your rabbit? If so, you're not alone. By far the most common question we get asked is 'What do rabbits eat?'
As an owner of a bun, you're right to be asking this as diet plays a huge role in the health or otherwise of your bunny. So let's break down what you should be feeding...
Hay - approximately 70%
Plain old hay should form the basis of your bunny's diet. It may seem boring to us but is absolutely vital for three key reasons:
1. It aids digestion, keeping your bun's insides nice and clean. This is especially crucial in the case of a long-haired variety such as an Angora as a bun will naturally consume hair as they groom themselves. The hay keeps the hair moving through their bowels and body.
2. The constant chewing ensure your rabbit's teeth are kept nice and short. Rabbit teeth grow constantly and chewing hay is a natural way to grind them down.
3. It relieves boredom. Rabbits are designed to be grazers - to happily munch all day. Hay is low in calories so it won't make your bun fat, rather will provide them something to pass the time. Wouldn't it be nice if we humans could snack all day without piling on the pounds!
Feed fresh hay freely every day. On a practical note it's a good idea if you can find a way to tie the hay up off the floor of the cage/floor so that it stays fresh. No one likes to eat food they've been walking on!
Green Vegetables - approximately 25%
Sounds like bunny moms are just as fussy as human ones because 'Eat your greens' applies equally to our furry friends. The key here is loads of variety such as carrot tops, parsley, peppers, spinach, dandelion leaves and flowers, watercress, celery etc.
Feed about 1 cup of greens per 3 pounds of bunny weight. Greens provide fibre and nutrients for your bun.
Treats - approximately 5%
Fruits and vegetables that are high in sugar such as carrots (yes, really!), bananas, strawberries, apples (with pips removed) peaches etc are 'sometimes treats' and should be fed in moderation.
A serving of these foods would be 1-2 tablespoons depending on the size of your bunny. Human treat foods such as chocolate, cakes and sweets are a definite no-no.
If you'd like to find out more about the exact foods your bun can and can't eat, we've created a handy guide here: 'Can rabbits eat... ?' Taking you one by one through the most commonly asked about foods.
=================================
Abbey Mitchell is a long-time animal lover and rabbit enthusiast. She is passionate about pet rabbit care and her site http://www.rabbitsforpets.com is dedicated to delivering the best information available on pet rabbits, in her signature down-to-earth, fun style.
=================================
Abbey Mitchell is a long-time animal lover and rabbit enthusiast. She is passionate about pet rabbit care and her site http://www.rabbitsforpets.com is dedicated to delivering the best information available on pet rabbits, in her signature down-to-earth, fun style.
=================================
101 Guide on Rabbit Diseases
Even though caring and keeping rabbits is a rewarding and fun task, it is also tedious. Apart from ensuring you give them quality and nutritious foods, you need to be sure that you monitor their health always to avoid the onset of diseases and illnesses.
As a pet owner, it is your responsibility to take care of them to ensure that your rabbits are in the best of health. The primary concern of pet owners is the diseases they might get, and ways of preventing them. This article details the common diseases that rabbits have and how best to treat them.
Below are common diseases encountered by your pet rabbits:
- Colds - Like human beings, rabbits get colds too. Similar to humans, their symptoms also include runny nose and sneezing. Even though colds is not that serious, you should place the affected rabbits in separate cage because colds is communicable and can be transmitted to other rabbits. Most often, colds lasts for several days and can be cured on its own without medical intervention.
- Fungal diseases - Fungi infection is a communicable and transmissible diseases which can be spread from rabbits to human beings. Thus it is best to bring your pets to the veterinarian for immediate medical intervention. Fungal diseases usually affect younger rabbits and it is characterized by the loss of their fur.
- Coccidiosis - It is a type of disease which is contracted by licking their dirty fur and drinking and eating contaminated food. This disease is generally attributed to poor sanitation and cage maintenance. If you do not want your rabbits to die of premature death, then you should clean their cages twice or thrice weekly. The common symptoms of coccidiosis include abrupt weight loss, diarrhea and slouching or hunched sitting position. It can be treated by incorporating coccidiostat on their food. If you believe that your rabbit has coccidiosis and you do not know how to treat it, be sure to bring it immediately to your veterinarian for immediate medication.
- Heat stroke - If you notice that your rabbit is panting heavily and it is lying at full length, then your rabbit has heat stress. If you notice signs of heat stress, be sure to place its cage in the shade or in places with lower temperature and place a bottle of frozen water near the cage. Be sure to have a bottle of frozen water ready in your freezer because it comes in handy when such cases arise.
- Red water - It is a type of disease wherein the urine of your rabbit turns reddish due to feeding rabbits with too many green veggies, and the cold temperature. To address the problem, it is suggested to give the rabbit plenty of water to drink, minimize feeding your pet with green veggies and to keep it in warm area. Be sure to observe for a couple of days for any improvements on its condition, otherwise bring it to the veterinarian immediately.
- Ear Cankers - It is a case wherein you see small mites on the ears of your rabbits, causing it to have crusts on its outer edge. You will also notice that your rabbits will constantly scratch their ears as they are bothered by the mites. To appease the situation, put some canker lotion on their ears and clean their cage fully to eliminate the mites living in their cage.
These suggestions and ideas will guide you in case your rabbit experiences some of the diseases mentioned above.
David D. Warren enjoys writing for The Rabbit Hutch Shop which sells rabbit hutch and rabbit hutches as well as a host of additional products.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=David_D._Warren
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Humans are different from animals but if there is one thing that is common to all of us, it is the chance of conceiving and becoming a parent. Being pregnant for others speak of good news especially if they are expecting it for quite some time. There are others that consider pregnancy bad news. No matter what, we should regard pregnancy as a blessing or a gift that can change our lives at the end of the day. When humans get pregnant, we tend to think of different things before considering it. We should be ready and prepared because it is not something that we can leave or throw when we are tired of it. Animals on the other hand don't need to think of everything and the right timing because getting pregnant is part of their existence.
In this case let us talk about the pregnancy of your pet. There are many pets that you can consider but it is easy to find the right one. Just go with your gut or better yet get a pet that makes you feel happy. That is not hard right? Rabbits are not a bad choice. They live in meadows, forests, wetlands and grasslands. They are herbivores meaning they only eat grasses and hays. According to records, there are 47 breeds of rabbits that you can choose from. Rabbits are relatively not expensive to raise so you have no problems taking care of them. Rabbits are famous because of its rapid reproductive rate. In fact many people believe that rabbits are sign of prosperity. Male rabbit is called buck while female rabbit is called doe. The young rabbits are called kit or kittens.
If this is your first time to consider rabbits as pets, you may find it hard to determine if they are pregnant. The conception period only lasts for 31 days which makes it more difficult to determine if a doe is pregnant. But if you look closely to signs and symptoms, you will surely notice and ready for the kits to arrive. You can start by looking one or all of the following signs:
1. A doe will try to build a nest in the corner of their hutch or cage. If you notice that they are gathering hays, it means they are up to something or they are simply pregnant and they are preparing for the coming of their kits.
2. A doe that is gaining weight (even if you did not change their diet) is a typical marker of being pregnant.
3. The doe will begin to pull furs. If you notice that they are pulling furs from her abdomen and chests, it means she is nearing her delivery date.
4. Feeling the pulses can help a lot. If you are not experienced, it is time to seek for your Doctor's assistance. Veterinarians can palpate the abdomen of your rabbits to feel the fetuses.
There you go. Determining rabbit pregnancy is not that hard, you only need time and take a closer look. Does cannot say a word so it is up to you to find out they are pregnant. Just watch out for the signs and you will get by.
David D. Warren enjoys writing for The Rabbit Hutch Shop which sells rabbit hutches and rabbit hutch as well as a host of additional products.
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