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Feeding and tips for small critters
Feed your gerbils a seed mix, also known as lab chow, that comes in a block and contains the vitamins and minerals these animals need. As desert-type animals, gerbils don't need much water, but they are sure to welcome a few extra seeds or the crumbs from a piece of shelled walnut.
Be sure to feed your guinea pigs a mix designated specifically for that type of animal. Don't give them rabbit pellets, which may look much the same but don't contain the vitamin C that guinea pigs need. Without food formulated especially for them, guinea pigs will develop scurvy.
Guinea pigs genuinely adore chowing down, so you can give them produce extras without the risk that they won't eat their pellet mix. They share food likes with rabbits (which also can partake freely of produce and still want pellets): a little hay; some homegrown green beans, peas, or turnips; a bit of watermelon rind. Don't overdo the lettuce, which has little food value and will cause diarrhea. Other than that, just keep it fresh and make sure to remove the decayed food at the end of every day. Neither animal will eat anything wilted.
Feed your rabbit from a heavy ceramic bowl. These animals are unrepentant food dish flingers, using their buckteeth to toss their dinner plates. This wastes a lot of food and makes a mess. So if you feed your pet from a lightweight container, you may regret it.Copyright © 1999 by Rodale Press, Inc. |
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