Rabbits
Research has shown
that pet rabbits have the same make up as
wild rabbits and as their main source of food,
they eat grass. As grass contains a lot of
fibre but has a low nutritional value, rabbits
need to spend a lot of time each day grazing.
Wild rabbits have been reported to spend several
hours grazing and prefer to graze at dawn
and dusk.
It has been noted also
that certain foods such as herbs, fruits and
berries make up only a small amount of the
food intake for rabbits.
It is suggested that
pet rabbits should copy the eating habits
of wild rabbits. Therefore their diet should
be based on grass or hay, supplemented by
vegetables, wild plants and herbs.
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Guinea Pigs
These animals need
a diet rich in grass, hay and fibre. The natural
diet of guinea pigs is grass, so it makes
sense to keep them on it. They need the long
indigestible fibre in grass and hay for their
digestive system and to keep their continually
growing teeth ground down to a normal length.
Guinea pigs can live quite happily on a diet
of good quality hay, pure dried grass, wild
plants and herbs and vegetables.
Good foods for guinea
pigs include the outside leaves of cauliflower
(but not the white 'flower'), split the stem
of the leaf down the middle; stems of broccoli
chopped into quarters lengthways are also
enjoyed although they have little nutritional
value; broccoli flowers, green or black cabbage,
kale, chicory, carrots, parsnips, sweet corn
outer leaves and the silk (sweet corn is fattening
and overheating but makes a good winter food),
raw beetroot, celery, cucumber, small amounts
of parsley, small amounts of apple although
it can cause mouth sores in susceptible animals;
wild plants including plantain, golden rod,
cleavers, yarrow and dandelion in a balanced
salad - dandelion is a diuretic and can make
their droppings soft if fed to excess.
As guinea pigs cannot
produce their own vitamin C, they require
a fresh supply in their diet everyday. This
can come from fresh vegetables, fresh grass,
dried grass or guinea pig food with vitamin
C added. They need a constant supply of good
hay and a safe hutch, cage or pen.
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About Guinea Pigs
Chinchillas
In captivity their
diet should consist of good quality hay, chinchilla
pellets, supplemented with fresh wild plants,
grass and vegetables. Protein 15% (up to 18%
during pregnancy and lactation), Fibre 30%,
Fat 4%,
Chinchillas are intolerant
of sugar and fruit should be fed in only small
amounts as an occasional treat. Peanuts and
other fatty foods should be avoided. Their
food should be fed fresh as the nutritional
value of pellets deteriorates with storage.
Hay should be fresh, dry and free from mould.
Water should be provided in a water bottle.
Fresh food should never be fed straight from
the fridge as cold food can cause fits.
Chinchillas love routine
and should be fed at the same time every day.
They also need lots to chew on such as apple,
hazel or willow twigs. Hay or alfalfa cubes
provide environmental stimulation as well
as being a food source. A hollow log filled
with hay and a few choice treats is another
good way of supplementing the food bowl.
Chinchillas need fresh
unsaturated fatty acids in their daily diet
as they cannot synthesize these within their
own bodies. Diets low in arachidonic and linoleic
acids can lead to reduced hair growth and
ulcers on the skin.
Chinchillas also require
vitamin E, choline (a B complex vitamin) and
the amino acid methionine to enable it to
break down natural carotene, or pro-vitamin
A, into vitamin A. A deficiency in the diet
can result in the carotene build up , which
can cause a condition known as 'yellow ears'.
Chinchillas also need
a ratio of calcium to phosphorous in their
diet of between 1:1 and 2:1.
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