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01
JUN
2014
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Last April there was a lot of publicity over some joint research by the the Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies and Burgess Pet Care into the effects of diet on rabbit’s health. The paper with the results was just published and I thought I’d summarise some of the findings for you.
What they studied
Thirty two dutch rabbits were neutered, vaccinated and divided into four groups to feed one of the following diets:
Extruded nuggets with hay (EH)
Muesli with hay (MH)
Hay only (HO)
Muesli only (MO)
They were then monitored over an 18 month period to observe the impact of the diets. The researchers measured things like how much food they ate and what came out the other end, and took x-rays of their teeth at regular intervals.
Hay Intake
Unsurprisingly the hay only group had the largest hay intake, but there were also differences between the Muesli-Hay and Nugget-Hay groups, with the Nu.. [More]
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Tags :
Muesli Versus Pellets Research Revealed Into Rabbit and Guinea Pig Food Diets , Pet Rabbit Food South Africa , Pet Guinea Pig Food South Africa , Chinchilla Food
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01
JUN
2014
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When it comes to choosing the right food for your hamster it’s always best to pick a high quality food. There are several very cheap brands on the market but they may not have all the nutrients necessary to keep your hamster happy and healthy.
Hamsters are naturally omnivorous, that is they need meat in their diet as well as vegetables and cereals. This isn’t a commonly known fact. Many people presume hamsters are vegetarian and don’t eat meat and so they think they are providing a balanced diet with just vegetables and a cereal food. Instead pick a good quality hamster food that contains meat. The meat content is likely to be mealworms which hamsters just adore, so you’ll not only be giving him the best food for his well being, you’ll be giving him an interesting and tasty diet too.
It’s always best to pick a food that has been specifically developed for hamsters rather than a generic small animal food. You wouldn’t feed d.. [More]
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Tags :
Choosing Right Hamster Food , Buy Hamster Food in South Africa
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01
JUN
2014
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An aquarium can provide a perfect centrepiece for any room and can be beautiful, relaxing and educational. While setting up a tropical aquarium may seem like a daunting task at first, this can be done with ease after putting a little bit of time aside to plan what you want to include. Before purchasing your aquarium, you need to think about where you’re going to keep it and what you want to include.
It may come as a surprise, but more often than not larger aquariums are easier to maintain as they need cleaning less often and make it easier to regulate the water quality and keep your fish healthy. A larger aquarium also allows more room for fish to grow and live happily. One of the most detrimental factors on a fish’s health can be a small tank.
There are thousands of species of tropical fish to choose from, some of which need more care than others. It’s also worth bearing in mind that some tropical fish may need different equipment inside the tank and.. [More]
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Tags :
Setting up a tropical aquarium , Fish Tanks South Africa For Sale , Fish Aquarium South Africa
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31
MAY
2014
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Chinchillas have an exceptionally long lifespan, making them an appealing pet choice for people looking for long-term companions. In their natural habitat in the Andean regions of South America, they typically live for 8 to 10 years, but in captivity, chinchillas often live 15 to 20 years. To maximize a pet chinchilla's lifespan, proper care is essential.
When your chinchilla suddenly dies young, between 5 to 10 years of age, especially if they looked healthy and showed no signs of illness, it can be very upsetting. Understanding the history of chinchillas, the breeding techniques and their sensitive digestive system does help explain why many chinchillas can die younger than expected.
In the wild
When chinchillas were first imported from South America - at first into the United States,and then into Europe - people found it really difficult, at first, to keep them alive in captivity. This was mainly because of a lack of understanding of what wild chinchillas eat.. [More]
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Tags :
Dangers of Muesli Type Foods For Chinchillas South Africa , Never Feed Chinchillas Muesli Type Foods South Africa , Why Chinchillas Die From Eating Muesli Diets South Africa , Facts About Chinchilla Life
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30
MAY
2014
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Getting a pet should never be taken lightly, before you rush into picking up your very own bundle of fluff, give it some good thought. Here are some points to consider before you get a rabbit.
Rabbits like company
Rabbits are naturally social creatures and enjoy company. Your first consideration should therefore be to take on not just one rabbit, but at least two. We always advocate adoption; there are many rabbits living in rescue across South Africa right now. If you adopt more than one rabbit then ask the rescue for their advice on bonding, neutering etc.
Do you have the time?
You may think that rabbits are a low maintenance pet. They are not. You need to be committed to giving your pet the happiest and healthiest life possible, perhaps for many years and this involves interaction with your pet, plus time devoted to feeding, cleaning, trips to the vet etc. If you’re adopting or buying a rabbit for your child, can you trust them to keep looking after the.. [More]
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Tags :
Your First Rabbit - Things To Consider , Getting Your First Pet Rabbit in South Africa
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30
MAY
2014
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Create the perfect hamster home with Rotastak hamster cages! These cages are vivid and colourful, making them the ideal choice for younger hamster owners that want much more than a standard hamster cage!
The brilliant thing about Rotastak hamster cages though, is that you can buy a whole range of add ons and extras to create your very own hamster paradise that your small pet will love – they’re suitable for gerbils and mice too.
So what are the necessities of a hamster cage?
Rotastak hamster cages provide everything your hamster needs to be happy and healthy: a water bottle, separate sleeping area, facilities to exercise and a main room where your hamster can scurry around and hide food as they would in the wild.
So when you buy a Rotastak hamster cage you already have everything you need to provide the perfect home for your hamster. Now you’re free to expand it as you want! With tunnels, .. [More]
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Tags :
Create Perfect Hamster Home , Rotastak hamster cage , Buy Hamster cage in South Africa , buy hamster cage online South Africa
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29
MAY
2014
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Rabbits, guinea pigs and chinchillas must have diets high in fiber to keep their digestive systems healthy and working properly. Hay provides good digestive health as well as physical and mental stimulation. The two main types of hay are grass hay and legume hay. Grass hay is the better of the two because of its high nutrient content.
Grass hays include teff, eragrostis, timothy and meadow hay. Some legume hays are alfalfa, clover, beans and peas. While legume hays are very tasty to your rabbit, they are high in calories and can cause obesity.
The fiber in hay is essential to a rabbit’s digestive system. If bunnies don’t get a regular supply, their system will slow down, which can lead to fatal gastrointestinal stasis. The trouble is, not all hay is attractive enough for rabbits to want to eat.
Teff and eragrostis are perhaps two of the more widely used hay varieties in South Africa. The major disadvantage of these hays is that the nutritional value can r.. [More]
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Tags :
Timothy Hay Supplier , Rabbits Need High Quality Hay , Timothy Hay is now available in South Africa , Timothy Hay Finally in S.A. , Buy Timothy Hay
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29
MAY
2014
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People are often unaware that local animal shelters in many parts of South Africa, have many rescued guinea pigs, rabbits, chinchillas, pet rats and hamsters that need homes, primarily as a result of people who surrender them because they unable to take care of them properly. Little Critters Rescue Club is a non-profit, prolife, rescue, rehabilitate and re-homing organisation for small animals in Johannesburg.
Many pet stores house both male and female guinea pigs together and occasionally sell incorrectly sexed guinea pigs. This increases the odds that a breeding pair has been sold or that a young undeveloped sow is already pregnant when purchased (sows can become pregnant as early as four weeks of age). Other pet owners intentionally breed their guinea pigs “to see what it’s like”; and the number of unwanted guinea pigs needing homes continues to grow.
Little Critters Rescue Club rehome these needy critters (Guinea Pigs, Rabbits,.. [More]
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Tags :
Little Critters Rescue Club , Small Animal Rescue Service in South Africa
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25
MAY
2014
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Should I feed my bird, seeds or pellets? The short answer to this question is that it's okay to feed your pet both seeds and pellets, but neither should be fed exclusively. Birds in captivity often do not get the variety of foods that they would in the wild, and can't get all of the nutrients that they need from seeds alone. As a rule, a bird should be fed a quality commercial pellet as a staple diet, and should be offered fruits, veggies, and greens daily, with a few seeds thrown in now and then as a treat and to add variety. Make sure not to let your pet eat to many seeds -- they are like junk food to birds, and some of our feathered friends may refuse to eat anything else if they eat a seed only diet, leading to health problems and a shortened lifespan.
A diet of bird pellets offers more complete nutrition than seed-only diets. Even better, many bird pellets are formulated with a wide range of healthy ingredients for specific birds. This means they offer the e.. [More]
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Tags :
Right Diet For Birds In South Africa , Roudybush Bird pellets , Bird Seed , Do I Feed Bird Seeds Or Pellets , Roudybush Bird Food Options , Feeding Birds The Right Nutrition , Feeding Birds , Bird food suppl
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25
MAY
2014
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Vets report that four out of five 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 guinea pigs should be eating and why.
A day in the life of a wild guinea pig
Consider a day in the life of a wild guinea pig. 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. His territory would be the equivalent of around 20 tennis courts meaning he'd get a lot of exercise every day searching out food acr.. [More]
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Tags :
Why Timothy Hay Is Best Food For Guinea Pigs In South Africa
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