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03
DEC
2023
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Vets report that four out of five rabbits or guinea pigs that come into their practice have a health problem that is directly related to poor diet. Common ailments are constipation, overgrown teeth, obesity and other problems related to these primary issues.
The good news is that many of these are easily prevented if owners understood a bit more about what their pet rabbits, guinea pigs and chinchillas should be eating and why.
A day in the life of a wild rabbit
Consider a day in the life of a wild rabbit. He would spend 70% of his time above ground searching out or 'foraging' for food while keeping a beady eye out for predators, to make sure he wasn't going to end up as someone else's dinner! As a ground feeder, his diet would be mainly made up of grasses, hay, herbs and bark - all high fibre foods! He couldn't climb trees to get fruit, and he wouldn't actually go around digging up carrots either. His territory would be the equivalent .. [More]
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Why Timothy Hay Is Best Food For Rabbits in South Africa
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21
OCT
2023
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Rabbit owners are delightful people. You know that they are rarely loud and obnoxious (their rabbits would never stand for it); they have plenty of patience (because getting to know a rabbit takes time); and you can be certain that they are full of love and laughter (because that is exactly what rabbits inspire).
So, if you have gotten yourself a pet rabbit, welcome to the club. Your new baby bunny is sure to hop his way into your heart (or thump, depending on how stubborn you are about it). Rabbits are truly easy to love, as long as you give them just a few basics. Bunnies of all ages can be skittish, so avoid loud noises when you can. They also love to keep their feet on the ground, so be prepared to build ramps up to the couch. And, above all, rabbits have a specific diet, which undoubtedly should not be altered as it will affect the health and happiness of your pet.
Rabbits (and other small furries, including chinchillas and guinea pigs) require an incredible need f.. [More]
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What Is Best Feeding Hay For Rabbits In South Africa? , Rabbit Hay South Africa , Rabbit Food South Africa
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04
AUG
2023
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A scientific study on rabbits, conducted by The University of Edinburgh in 2013 has shown that feeding muesli or any dry food mixtures, with or without hay, is linked to abnormalities that can lead to painful dental and digestive problems that require expensive veterinary treatment.
The excuse by some pet owners to explain why they still feeding muesli type food is that the research does not apply to guinea pigs and chinchillas because the research was conducted on rabbits. Rabbits, guinea pigs and chinchillas may have different vitamin and mineral requirements for their daily maintenance, but they all have the same, unique dental physiology and digestive system due to an evolutionary adaptation to a plant-rich diet.
One of the main reasons we feed hay is because it is high in fiber and low in fats and proteins. This is critical due to their unique digestive systems. The research revealed the importance of fibre in their diet. The more concentrated foods you feed .. [More]
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Tags :
Why Is Timothy Hay Important For Health Of Rabbits And Guinea Pigs in South Africa , Why Is Timothy Hay Important For Rabbits & Guinea Pigs In South Africa?
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17
MAR
2023
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Newhay is the leading grower and producer of timothy hay in the UK, supplying a wide range of products to many well-known pet food brands (such as Burgess Excel) in the UK and Europe. Newhay timothy hay is now available at selected pet retailers in South Africa.
Newhay specializes in growing and drying Timothy Hay, a quality grass known for its high fibre and palatability, making it a perfect option for all types of small herbivores, including rabbits, guinea pigs, chinchillas and other small furry friends.
At Newhay farm they are proud to work to the highest standards, using only the purest certified seed and simple and respectful farming methods to produce premium quality timothy hay that is as tasty and healthy as nature intended.
Having won awards over the past 15 years for their nutritionally robust feeding hay their family-run business now focuses on producing premium quality nutritious Timothy feeding hay specifically for small domestic animals. At Newhay farm.. [More]
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Newhay Premium Timothy Hay Soon Available in South Africa
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03
MAR
2018
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Selective feeding occurs when rabbits choose some components of the muesli diet in preference to others. Rabbits will naturally select the higher energy (high sugar or starch elements) and reject the pellets. This results in an unbalanced diet, as the pellets are often supplemented with minerals and vitamins as well as often being high in fibre.
Selective feeding increases the risk of the problems below:
- dental disease
- gut stasis and other digestive problems
- fly strike
- reduced fibre intake
- reduced water intake
Rabbits fed muesli style diets eat less hay leading to a reduced fibre intake. These issues have been highlighted in research by Professor Anne Meredith. The results have been published in peer reviewed journals. As a result of this research many pet retailers in UK removed muesli style diets from their shelves in 2013 and we have continued to educate vets, retailers and rabbit owners on the importance of correct nutrition for .. [More]
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Muesli Style Diets are Unhealthy For Pet Rabbits and Guinea Pigs
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15
JAN
2017
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Did you know that rabbits and guinea pigs need different types of hay to sleep on and to eat? While grass and herb based foods, such as pellets, will provide a good portion of your pet’s fibre needs, grass is what they would naturally nibble all day long in the wild.
Providing enough fresh grass every day to meet your rabbit or guinea pigs’s needs is difficult, hay has just the same health and digestive benefits as fresh grass – but is much easier to store.
In fact, studies have shown that feeding hay should make up to 85-90 per cent of your small furry’s daily diet, that’s around 1kg of hay per week, to maintain a healthy gut and weight and keep teeth healthy.
However research has shown that the majority of rabbits and guinea pigs are not fed the correct hay, and instead are forced to chew on bedding hay, which, while comfortable to sleep on, is often unpalatable and has an unknown nutritional value.
So what’s the alternati.. [More]
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Difference Between Bedding & Feeding Hay For Rabbits Guinea Pigs Chinchillas South Africa
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29
MAY
2016
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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 foo.. [More]
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Tags :
What Is Best Hay In South Africa? Which Is Best Hay In South Africa? , Review of Different Hay in South Africa
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29
JAN
2016
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Hay can be as nutritious to small animals as turkey and all the trimmings are to us, but it also provides them with many other added benefits. Here’s three reasons why hay is not just for Christmas…
For fodder… Hay for eating, such as Timothy or meadow hay, is different from hay for bedding, as it is much better quality with little dust (great for pets with respiratory problems), and lower calories. Packed full of fibre, it’s also excellent for your small animal’s digestive system as it reduces blockages and keeps the gut moving, which is very important for rabbits and guinea pigs.
Ensure you buy good quality fresh hay that smells sweet, is slightly green and has long strands – if it doesn’t look appealing to you, chances are your pet won’t like it either, and always provide a good supply of water to wash it all down.
If your pet doesn’t seem interested in the hay, try out a different type. Rabbits have m.. [More]
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Tags :
Encouraging your pet to eat more hay , Rabbit Hay South Africa
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01
JUN
2015
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The dietary needs of any animal (including humans) are directly linked to the unique digestive processes of that animal. Fibrevores, as the name implies, need lots of fibre. Fibrevores have a unique digestive system with an appendix designed to deal with fibre exclusively. A complete fibrevore diet will provide for their dental, digestive and emotional health. The Excel 5-a-day Feeding Plan is an easy to follow guide to ensure your pet gets the right balance of fibre, nutrients, vitamins and minerals for their all-round health.
The benefits of Timothy hay on teeth
Rabbits have teeth that continually grow throughout their lifetime. If they’re not ground down through eating, they can form sharp points and spurs. By eating a high fibre diet, the healthy length and shape of the teeth are maintained.
Bedding
More than that, fibrevores love snuggling in piles of Timothy hay. They love playing with it and pushing it around their homes. It’s a great com.. [More]
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importance of Timothy hay for fibrevores
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15
MAR
2015
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Rabbit owners are delightful people. You know that they are rarely loud and obnoxious (their rabbits would never stand for it); they have plenty of patience (because getting to know a rabbit takes time); and you can be certain that they are full of love and laughter (because that is exactly what rabbits inspire).
So, if you have gotten yourself a pet rabbit, welcome to the club. Your new baby bunny is sure to hop his way into your heart (or thump, depending on how stubborn you are about it). Rabbits are truly easy to love, as long as you give them just a few basics. Bunnies of all ages can be skittish, so avoid loud noises when you can. They also love to keep their feet on the ground, so be prepared to build ramps up to the couch. And, above all, rabbits have a specific diet, which undoubtedly should not be altered as it will affect the health and happiness of your pet.
Feeding Your Rabbit Timothy Hay
Rabbits (and other small furries, including chinchillas and guine.. [More]
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Tags :
Why Is Timothy Hay Important For Rabbits In South Africa , Timothy Hay in South Africa , Rabbit Food South Africa
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