Pet Habitat South Africa

04 OCT 2014

Posted By : Guest

Filed Under : Nutrition | Guinea Pig Food | Timothy Hay

The latest feeding recommendation for rabbits, guinea pigs and chinchillas is a diet of 80% grass hay and/or fresh grass. But why are there so many pet owners reluctant to do this? Maybe there is a fear that their beloved pet will starve to death. Or how do we know if our hay in South Africa is good enough? It has been proven that only a diet of hay provides them with good digestive health as well as physical and mental stimulation. Concentrated food such as pellets, nuggets or dry food mixtures (also called muesli) must constitute only 10% of the diet because they don’t contain the right type of fibre. Failing to provide adequate portions of the right kind of fibre can rapidly lead to illness or death. Because grass/hay does not appeal to humans, we have decided to feed more concentrated foods. Many people today are becoming more and more conscious of what they putting into their bodies. This is why we always look at the nutritional information on the back of .. [More]

Tags : Review of Hay In South Africa , Teff Hay South Africa , Eragrostis Hay South Africa , Timothy Hay South Africa

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21 MAY 2014

Is It Worth Buying Timothy Hay

Posted By : Guest

Rabbits, chinchillas, and guinea pigs should be offered free access to large quantities of fresh Timothy Hay daily. As with most foods, different types of hay are not identical in structure and nutrient content. This is especially true for timothy hay, teff/eragrostis hay and alfalfa hay. Although all these types of hay are now available in South Africa, each has its place in your pet's dietary needs and should not be substituted for one or another. Teff and eragrostis are perhaps two of the more widely used hay varieties in South Africa. They are often very palatable and provide a good amount of fibre without providing too high an energy value. The major disadvantage of these hays is that the nutritional value can range hugely from good to extremely poor quality. These hays are almost brown looking (a little green but not much), and it is soft to the touch. The quality will ultimately depend upon stage of growth when cut, fertilization, and environmental factors. Alwa.. [More]