The basic rabbit diet should be made up of quality hay, concentrated nutrients and fresh food. We are going to develop each of them.
Clean, good quality green hay. Hay is obtained by drying certain products such as alfalfa or grass. By drying, long-lasting foods are obtained that largely maintain the nutritional characteristics of the original food.
Concentrated and dry nutrients. The granules of green plants, feed, cereals and natural or flaked grains ensure good food preservation and a high supply of nutrients, even if the amounts ingested are small.
Fresh food. Fresh food should also be part of the rabbit’s diet, of course, keeping in mind that an excess of these products, as we will see later, can cause serious digestive problems.
They eat twice a day and fresh food will be a must
Once we have clear certain bases of rabbit feeding, we must think about what the daily feeding management should be. To do this, we will strictly follow the following points:
· Rabbits should eat at least twice a day, and if possible at set times.
· Keep in mind to wash very well all foods that are not packaged (fruits, vegetables …). It is also not good to put food fresh from the refrigerator in your home.
· The approximate amount of dry food (varies a lot depending on the age and size of the animal) is around 30 gr. daily which is equivalent to 3 tablespoons, always combining with hay and fresh food .
· As we mentioned before, in the diet of a rabbit there must be fresh food, green plants, vegetables and fruits. They are very important in your diet:
Fruits like apple and pear. Vegetables such as beets, broccoli, ears of corn … As a “treat” you can give a couple of raspberries or strawberries.
What we should never give to a rabbit is lettuce, and we should avoid cabbage … Why? Because its excesses can cause serious gastrointestinal disorders (diarrhea). One way to avoid these intestinal disorders is the administration to a greater extent of dehydrated vegetables and also that fresh vegetables and fruits are not considered waste for human consumption.
At the opposite extreme, in that of foods totally prohibited by harmful or toxic are: primrose, poppy, buttercup and oak and poplar leaves.
In order to ensure a correct supply of minerals and vitamins , certain pressed foods (feed) carry the optimal contribution of these nutrients, we can also opt for certain “stones” of vitamins and minerals that are hung from the cage and that the rabbit licks .
Dry foods , apart from providing an adequate nutritional balance, favor the essential dental expense. The use of stale bread as a method of wearing down the teeth should be restricted (obesity).
Regarding the consumption of water, we will have to make sure that the animal has the liquid element continuously. To do this, we will make sure that we change the water and clean the container every day.
Finally, say that it is essential to avoid sudden changes in the diet of our rabbit.
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