Technology continues to advance, taking the pet industry along for the ride. Marketing conforms to the need for newer, better, and bigger innovations. Not surprisingly, the pet industry follows this same trend. At times it can be discouraging to source accurate information in an ever-changing market.
In 2006, it is difficult to find a proper diet guaranteed to meet rabbit or guinea pig needs. Most companies seem to claim superiority. A conscientious consumer seeks the information needed to decipher packaging jargon. When possible, research your pet’s nutritional needs prior to searching the aisles. Become familiar with the plants typical of diets in the wild. This will help you leave the “doughnut” and purchase the “salad” when shopping for meals. Consult with an exotic veterinarian regarding proper diets and ask his or her opinion on finding nutritious, high-quality food brands. Internet forums are also a growing way for pet owners to discuss food and other topics.
Often the inflated advertisements on bags claim to be supreme, complete, fortified, gourmet, and balanced. Complete feeds claim to carry a guaranteed analysis on the bag equivalent to the research-based needs for a species. Fortified feeds have something added – they can be fortified with vitamins, minerals, or other ingredients. Guinea pigs, for example, need feeds fortified with vitamin C.
Before reaching for your next bag of rabbit food, it is important to understand the basic mechanics of rabbit digestion. The digestive system of rabbits (and guinea pigs) contains a large organ known as the cecum. The cecum is a bacteria factory with a full-time function of fiber digestion. Grass hay is a very high-fiber, low-calorie food. Wild rabbits constantly graze and digest throughout the day to keep the cecum full. High-fiber, low-protein diets are the best way to keep the digestive tract pH balanced and properly moving.
Rabbits are strict herbivores, meaning they need a stringent plant diet. Rabbits have small stomachs, and unlike cats, dogs, and humans, they have a very difficult time digesting fats, sugars, and carbohydrates. Most of a rabbit’s digestive tract is equipped for fermenting fibrous grasses. On the flipside, fermentation improperly breaks down sugars and fats in fruits and vegetables. Understandably, foods high in these can lead to bloat, enteritis, gastrointestinal stasis, and a number of other health complications.
Primarily, rabbits are fed a diet made from pelletized hay. Pet store shelves are full of alfalfa- and timothy-based pellets. Alfalfa-based pellets are ideal for immature rabbits and guinea pigs because they contain optimal protein and calcium for growth as well as fiber for gut health. Mature animals have lower caloric needs for maintenance. Oxbow believes in feeding animals according to their stage of life.
Quality timothy-based pellets are high in fiber and contain less protein and calcium than alfalfa, but provide optimal nutrition for animals that have finished growing.
________Growth formulas should be 15-18% protein and 18-23% fiber. ________Adult formulas should contain less than 16% protein and at least 20% fiber.
Feeds lower than 20% fiber are calorie-dense and will not maintain proper cecum health. Quality feeds should be judged by their bag label and ingredient list.
Truly Complete? Now that you understand how to read guaranteed analysis tags, the ingredient listing on your rabbit food should be comprehended. Ingredients are listed in their order of inclusion. The first ingredient is the main ingredient, constituting the highest percentage of the formula. The second largest ingredient is listed next, and so on. Pay special attention to the first 15 ingredients listed in your pet food. Understanding the problems with fats and carbohydrates in rabbits will help you scan for unnecessary ingredients such as: peanuts, corn, sunflower seeds, pasta, peas, pumpkin seeds, raisins, carrots, apple, and pineapple. Do not purchase products containing these items. To further complicate the matter, companies specializing in rabbit mixes claim to be healthy – high in fiber and low in protein. Unfortunately, the guaranteed analysis is for the bulk mix, rather than individual ingredients. Peanuts and seeds are very high in fat and protein. Corn, peas, carrots, and apples are filled with unwanted sugar carbohydrates. Pets presented with mixes are intelligent enough to sort the high calorie foods from the mix, consuming only the ill-digested treats, and leaving the beneficial high-fiber items. Mixes encourage and cater to picky eating. Animals stock up on the snacks in the mix and binge at meal time rather than graze on hay and pellets throughout the day.
Educated consumers, veterinarians, and rabbit advocates continue to feed the basic complete feeds. Oxbow rabbit and guinea pig fortified feeds contain the optimal protein, calcium, and fiber in each bite. Complete pellets are a quality blend of plants and nutrients presented in bite-sized morsels. They are optimally digested and keep the intestines in a state of continued balance. Mixes containing a visible variety of foods lead the digestive tract on an unhealthy roller coaster for these strict vegetation fermentors. Keep treats separate from meals and avoid the colorful ploys advocated by mixes. Rabbits on high-fiber, low-protein pellet and hay diets live the longest and healthiest lives.
Changing a small herbivore diet, including any changes in pellets, lettuce, vegetables, or treats, should be done with time and patience. Over the course of several weeks, slowly increase the percentage of new diet daily. This may take five to six weeks not only for your pet to adjust psychologically to the change, but the bacteria factory must adjust as well. Be assured, however, that graduating from a colorful, store mix to a healthy complete pellet is the best health decision you can make for your companion.
As you peruse the pet aisle, first make a visual check to assure that you are purchasing a complete, 100% pellet for your pet. Once the colored mixes are avoided, check the nutritional analysis for pellets containing the suggested fiber and protein for your animal depending on its life stage. (Remember, growth formulas should be approximately 15-18% protein and 18-23% fiber. Adult formulas should contain less than 15% protein and more than 23% fiber. Feeds lower than 20% fiber are calorie dense, and will not maintain proper cecum health.) Third, check ingredients to ensure that seeds, nuts, and fruit are not included. Feel confident knowing you made a highly educated purchase for your rabbit or guinea pig. In addition to pellets, feed your rabbit or guinea pig unlimited quantities of grass hay, such as timothy or orchard grass. If you have further questions, investigate the companies and products online or visit Oxbow at www.oxbowhay.com.
Suggested Readings:
Agar, Saundie. Small Animal Nutrition. Butterworth: Heinemann. 2001.
American Rabbit Breeder’s Association, Inc. Official Guide Book: Raising Better Rabbits & Cavies. 2000.
Quesenberry, Katherine E. and James W. Carpenter. Ferrets, Rabbits, and Rodents: Clinical Medicine and Surgery. Second Edition. Saunders.
