|
25
MAY
2014
|
|
|
|
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]
|
|
|
|
Tags :
Why Timothy Hay Is Best Food For Guinea Pigs In South Africa
|
|
|
|
21
MAY
2014
|
|
|
|
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]
|
|
|
|
Tags :
Is Timothy Hay Worth Extra Costs in South Africa , Eragrostis Hay , Teff Hay , Lucern , Alfafa Hay
|
|
|
|
18
MAY
2014
|
|
|
|
People are naturally drawn to animals, and there are many benefits to keeping pets in your home. Indeed, there are many studies that demonstrate people with animal relationships derive an unusual amount of healthy benefits from them.
Just like humans, domesticated animals require a special diet aimed at providing them with all the proper nutrition they need for a long and healthy life. Unfortunately, some pet owners do not take the time to ensure their small furries are getting the diet they require. Although different animals do have different nutritional requirements, this quick guide will ensure your rabbit, guinea pig or chinchilla is receiving exactly what he needs for optimum health.
It All Starts with Timothy Hay
The foundation of your pet’s diet begins with timothy hay. Rabbits, chinchillas and guinea pigs cannot get enough of it. Small furries need to eat a pile of hay as large as their body every single day. Timothy hay has almost everything yo.. [More]
|
|
|
|
Tags :
Feeding Your Small Pet Furries in South Africa , Feeding Pet Rabbit Food , Feeding Guinea Pig Food , Cavi , Feeding Chinchillas Food , Timothy Hay , Teff Hay , Alfafa Hay , Lucerne , Burgess Excel
|
|
|
|
17
MAY
2014
|
|
|
|
Imagine paws as big as your own hands, ears as long as your arms and teeth as strong as any dog – all covered in colourful fluff and twitchy whiskers! Whether it’s a French or English lop, a Continental or Flemish giant or a giant Papillion, rabbits can really grow to an impressive stature and weigh more than five kilograms.
Giant rabbits can be good natured, affectionate and make really great pets provided they are fed and cared for properly. You need to ensure you can really give a giant rabbit the attention, love, home and vast amounts of food it needs before welcoming one into your extended family.
Here are our top tips for looking after giant rabbits:
1. Accommodation
Big rabbits mean even bigger homes – think about the bunny version of a castle! A cosy hutch used for smaller rabbit breeds would be like trying to cram an elephant into a Mini! A rabbit-proofed room in a house with a customised dog basket to sleep in or a small shed wou.. [More]
|
|
|
|
Tags :
Caring For Large Rabbit Breeds , Rabbit Hutch in South Africa , Rabbit Homes in South Africa
|
|
|
|
11
MAY
2014
|
|
|
|
Many people think that muesli-type foods are enough to give their guinea pigs but in truth, they are not. Muesli is also referred to as dry mix or mixture foods and pellets are also called nuggets. Recently, there has been a lot of discussion regarding muesli diets, and there is now a campaign to ban this type of pet food from pet stores in UK.
Most of the cheaper brands are flashy. These are the foods we want to buy because they look good and taste good to guinea pigs, but unfortunately they are the ones to stay away from. These muesli type foods are usually a mixture of pellets, colourful pieces (flakes or pellets), nuts, seeds, and/or fruit bits.
Muesli mixes have also been known to contain pieces of twig, stone and other harmful items. The seeds and nuts in muesli are high in fat. Often times the mixtures include sunflower seeds. Sunflower seeds in the shell are dangerous, not just because of high fat content, but because the shells splinter into sharp pieces that c.. [More]
|
|
|
|
Tags :
Guinea Pig Muesli Ban in UK , Guinea pig food South Africa , Muesli Bad Guinea Pigs , Muesli versus pellets , muesli verus nuggets , Guinea Pig Pellet food South Africa
|
|
|
|
28
APR
2014
|
|
|
|
This is a question we are often asked… Can I feed my Chinchilla Rabbit Pellets?
The answer we always give is a resounding “no”. Chinchillas have a similar digestive system to rabbits and fibre is a core part of their diet. However, their nutritional needs are quite different which is why Burgess formulated Excel Nuggets specifically for Chinchillas. Consistently feeding rabbit nuggets or rodent pellets to a chinchilla can cause illness, so please opt for a food that has been specifically formulated to meet their needs.
This is also why we would suggest that rabbits and chinchillas are not kept together as pets. As with rabbits, a chinchilla’s teeth will continue to grow throughout his life. They can become overgrown and this can be fatal. A good, coarse fibre filled diet, including Burgess Excel feeding timothy hay, will help to keep teeth in good shape in addition to wooden chew objects for gnawing.
If you spot that your chinchilla i.. [More]
|
|
|
|
Tags :
Feeding Chinchillas The Right Diet in South Africa , Chinchilla food South Africa , Chinchilla pellets , Muesli Chinchilla food , Lucerne pellet , Muesli Chinchilla food , Chinchilla breeder , Timothy Hay
|
|
|
|
26
APR
2014
|
|
|
|
Hay should form the foundation of a rabbit, guinea pig or chinchilla’s diet and you need to make sure you are feeding a plentiful supply each and every day. There are a number of different types of hay available and certain things you should look out for before feeding.
What's the Key to Good Hay?
There are three main factors when it comes to choosing a good quality hay, no matter what variation it may be:
It must be fresh and sweet-smelling with no musty smell.
It must be free from excessive dust.
It must have been stored out of direct sunlight, in a dry location, in a container that is NOT airtight. (Sealing hay in an airtight container encourages the growth of potentially deadly mold toxins).
Know your Hay
In South Africa we have Teff Hay due to our warm climate conditions. It is almost brown looking (a little green but not much), and it is soft to the touch. Teff Hay has a lower protein and nutrient content than Timothy Hay, depending on the growt.. [More]
|
|
|
|
Tags :
Teff or Timothy Hay In South Africa , Timothy Hay South Africa , pet rabbit food , pet guniea pig food , chinchilla food
|
|
|
|
21
APR
2014
|
|
|
|
It’s important to feed your guinea pig the right food. Guinea pigs, like all animals have quite specific dietary requirements and shouldn’t be fed food meant for other animals.
Food that is meant for rabbits, or a generic food designed for all small mammals will not have the right balance of nutrients for your guinea pig. Poor nutrition can lead to various illnesses and ailments and so picking the right food for your pet is very important. Pick a food that is specially formulated for guinea pigs. Make sure it actually states on the pack that it is guinea pig food.
Burgess Nature Guinea Pig Trimellos
Choose a high quality food such as Bunny Nature Guinea Pig Dream and you’ll be sure that it has been developed with your guinea pigs’ needs in mind and will contain all the nutrients, and all the vitamins and minerals that your pet needs to grow up healthy and happy. A top quality food will have more natural ingredients than a cheaper food and it w.. [More]
|
|
|
|
Tags :
Right Food for your Guinea Pigs , Timothy Hay , Excel Pellets , Timothy Hay South Africa
|
|
|
|
13
APR
2014
|
|
|
|
Got a rabbit, chinchilla or guinea pig? Did you know that these small herbivores need timothy hay and LOTS of it! Hay is so beneficial to these herbivores, so it’s very worrying when some rabbit, guinea pig and chinchilla owners don’t realise how much timothy hay they actually need within their diet. Hay is packed full of fibre which is essential for your herbivores digestive system.
All of these animals need a great deal of fibre in their diet. Rabbits, for example, need to eat a pile of Timothy Hay that is roughly equivalent to their size, and they need it every single day. Your herbivore should have access to Timothy hay at all times so they can chew on it as much as they like. It's also wonderful stuff for keeping them entertained, stuffing it into willow balls, tunnels... you can watch them for hours re-arranging their home to be just how they like it... before it all gets eaten of course!
Timothy hay is also a great toothbrush, as guinea pi.. [More]
|
|
|
|
Tags :
Timothy Hay , Burges Excel Feeding Plan , Guinea Pig Food , Rabbit food , Chinchilla food
|
|
|
|
|
|
Category List
|
|
|
|
|
|
Archive List
|
2025 2023 2022 2021 2020 2019 2018 2017 2016 2015 2014 |
|
|