The rabbit's digestive tract is unique. The rabbit has well-developed molar teeth which grow continually and need grinding down by course fibre to keep them short. If the teeth do not meet properly, sharp spurs can result, causing ulcers and making feeding painful. The only way of treating this problem is to have a dental treatment at the vets. This will have to be carried out under general anaesthetic. The rabbit's stomach is small and should always have food stored in it. The acidity kills any bacteria but very little digestion takes place. The protein and soluble carbohydrates are absorbed in the small intestine. The rabbit eats large amounts of insoluble carbohydrates such as cellulose. Their digestive tract is designed to digest this matter. They have a well developed caecum where bacterial fermentation takes place to break down the cellulose.
The rabbit forms two different types of faeces. The normal hard pellets are formed from the indigestible fibre. The digestible fibre undergoes fermentation in the caecum and is then passed as caecotrophs, normally at night, which the rabbit eats direct from the anus for further digestion. This is known as pseudorumination and allows the rabbit to digest the nutrients released by the fermentation.
The flora of the caecum is vital to a rabbit's survival. Any disruption to the 'good bacteria' can cause a growth of 'bad bacteria' which can cause problems with poor digestion or toxins produced by the bacteria. Certain antibiotics (e.g. penicillin), large amounts of soluble carbohydrates, a diet high in fat or not much fibre can all have this effect.
The best food for a rabbit is plenty of hay and greens and a small amount of rabbit pellets. The very
popular 'muesli-style' diet is not recommended for rabbits as it encourages selective feeding. I feed my
rabbit Supa Rabbit Excel
which is recommended by many vets. The pellets provide a balanced diet with added vitamins and minerals.
To buy Supa Rabbit Excel, click here.
For more information about feeding your rabbit, look at the RWF leaflet.
The information provided on this website is provided for guidance only. No responsibility is accepted for any errors, omissions or inaccuracies in the site content. Reference to any organisation or person in this website, or any site that it is linked to, does not indicate any form of endorsement. PetsLove does not take responsibility or accept liability for any loss or damage resulting from using this website and its content or any other site that it is linked to.
This website uses Google Analytics, a web analytics service provided by Google, Inc. (“Google”). Google Analytics uses “cookies”, which are text files placed on your computer, to help the website analyze how users use the site. The information generated by the cookie about your use of the website (including your IP address) will be transmitted to and stored by Google on servers in the United States . Google will use this information for the purpose of evaluating your use of the website, compiling reports on website activity for website operators and providing other services relating to website activity and internet usage. Google may also transfer this information to third parties where required to do so by law, or where such third parties process the information on Google's behalf. Google will not associate your IP address with any other data held by Google. You may refuse the use of cookies by selecting the appropriate settings on your browser, however please note that if you do this you may not be ble to use the full functionality of this website. By using this website, you consent to the processing of data about you by Google in the manner and for the purposes set out above.
PetsLove © 2006-2008
Any comments send to webmaster@petslove.co.uk
