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24
MAY
2014
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FANTASTIC NEWS! New research conducted by The University of Edinburgh & Burgess Pet Care has shown that rabbits fed on a muesli diet are more likely to suffer from dental and digestive problems. Pets at Home have taken a HUGE step by announcing the following: “We’re phasing out rabbit muesli in our stores & advising all our rabbit customers to transition onto rabbit nuggets and hay.”
Why are Pets at Home discontinuing rabbit muesli?
Pets at Home the largest pet retailer in the UK with more than 360 stores support the latest thinking in pet welfare standards and this decision has been taken in light of the weight of feeling amongst the veterinary community towards the feeding of muesli based diets, and their potential negative effects on the health of rabbits.
What is selective feeding?
A muesli diet consists of lots of different ingredients that make up the mix. A rabbit fed on muesli may pick out their favourite bi.. [More]
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Latest Muesli Research Findings by The University of Edinburgh & Burgess Pet Care , UK Pet Stores Stop Selling Rabbit Muesli
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21
MAY
2014
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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]
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Is Timothy Hay Worth Extra Costs in South Africa , Eragrostis Hay , Teff Hay , Lucern , Alfafa Hay
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20
MAY
2014
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Rabbit Awareness Week, hopped into action on May 4 in UK, and called for muesli-style rabbit and guinea pig food to be removed from supermarket and pet store shelves, following the results of a new academic study that has proved it is dangerous to the health and welfare of Britain’s 1.7 million bunnies.
The announcement of the findings from the two year academic study conducted by The University of Edinburgh, coincides with Rabbit Awareness Week, an annual event which highlights the health and welfare needs of Britain’s third most popular pet. The research confirms the link between muesli-style rabbit foods, fed with or without hay, and potentially deadly dental and digestive problems that lead to costly veterinary treatment and in some cases can be fatal.
Rabbit Awareness Week is backed by major UK animal welfare charities and pet experts including Burgess Excel, RSPCA, PDSA, Blue Cross, MSD Animal Health, Bayer Animal Health, Practice Plan for Vets, .. [More]
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Feeding Muesli A Ticking Timebomb
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18
MAY
2014
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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]
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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
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11
MAY
2014
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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]
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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
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26
APR
2014
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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]
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Tags :
Teff or Timothy Hay In South Africa , Timothy Hay South Africa , pet rabbit food , pet guniea pig food , chinchilla food
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21
APR
2014
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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]
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Tags :
Right Food for your Guinea Pigs , Timothy Hay , Excel Pellets , Timothy Hay South Africa
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13
APR
2014
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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]
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Tags :
Timothy Hay , Burges Excel Feeding Plan , Guinea Pig Food , Rabbit food , Chinchilla food
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