An article for those who decide to have a pet decorative rabbit. Here are tips on how to feed him and how to do it right. Should you feed a rabbit with a special purchased food or not? Before buying a rabbit as a pet, many people ask the question “What are domestic rabbits? Do they look more like a cat or a dog? " The domestic rabbit does not look like a cat or a dog. Your dog or cat can eat a variety of things, including vegetables, fish, chicken, and meat, making them completely easy to feed. In the case of a domestic rabbit, this will not work. Rabbits have a very sensitive gastrointestinal tract. Read in detail the article "Household rabbits care".
What to feed domestic rabbits: the right diet
A little care you take when feeding your pet can ensure that your rabbit remains disease-free and will live 10 to 15 years.
From what we see on TV, we assume that all rabbits enjoy carrots. This is not true. Rabbits are mostly wild animals, so carrots do not exist in their natural diet. Rabbits are herbivores and their main diet consists of a variety of herbs and leaves. Wild rabbits also enjoy seasonal flowers or fruits.
The pet rabbit's diet should consist primarily of hay. Always make sure there is enough hay in the cage. There are two types of hay - grasses and legumes. Make sure the hay you give your pet is of a grass type. Meadow grasses that are naturally sun-dried are the best. Find out where you can have easy access to such grass or hay. This will be necessary throughout the rabbit's life. Always make sure the hay you feed your rabbit is dry and fresh. Hay should not have a damp and dull color.
Don't worry about bunny chewing teeth ruining your teeth. Rabbit teeth grow constantly, eliminating the possibility of their destruction.
Wild rabbits nibble on green grass and fresh leaves, so your pet should get its share of greens as well. Along with hay, greens are a vital part of the rabbit's diet because they will get all the nutrients from it. In addition, fresh greens will provide your rabbit with water. Yes, the rabbit will have constant access to fresh drinking water, but you cannot force the rabbit to drink it. When the rabbit consumes greens, it also receives a certain amount of water. Preferred would be: broccoli, cabbage, celery, and most greens that are dark in color. Occasionally feed your rabbit fruits such as pineapples, pears, peaches, papayas, and any of the sweet berries. Sometimes the diet may include edible flowers such as roses and lilies.
Food for decorative rabbits: to give or not
Try to stay away from commercially available rabbit foods whenever possible. These foods are usually made with starch and fat. They are made with the rabbit in mind, so that the rabbit will love to eat it. The result of such feeding will be that your pet will become fat very quickly. It seems to many that this is very good, but the opposite is true. Unwanted fat builds up in the rabbit's body, and many of the nutrients found in natural foods may not be present in commercial foods. No doubt your pet will look cute and plump for a while, but sooner or later he will start to suffer. A plump and plump rabbit is not a healthy animal. Healthy rabbits are those that have strong muscle tone with minimal fat deposits. Proper nutrition with sufficient physical activity ensures this.
But sometimes it is worth buying and giving special vitamins for rabbits, because especially in winter, when there are not enough fresh vegetables and fruits, there is not enough of the necessary microelements and vitamins. Their number is very large, for example: “phytomines” or “SANAL PRO VITAMINS”.
