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RodiCare®
Indigestion: A Common and Dangerous Problem!
Guinea pigs and rabbits are widespread and popular as household companions. However, the animals often have to be taken to the vet because of serious gastrointestinal illnesses.
A highly specialized digestive system that cannot tolerate everything
In the wild, these small herbivores have a meager diet. The solid green parts of plants such as grass, stems and leaves of herbs are very rich in structure, but provide little energy. In order to survive on such a fiber-rich and nutrient-poor diet, guinea pigs and rabbits have developed highly specialized digestive tracts. Unfortunately, this complicated gastrointestinal tract is very sensitive.
Why is digestion so sensitive?
Energy sources such as fats, starch and sugar are hardly present in grass, because grasses and herbs consist mainly of cellulose and cellulose-like substances with a solid fibrous structure. However, cellulose is actually unsuitable for human and animal consumption because it is indigestible.
The original homeland of guinea pigs is South America. Their wild ancestors live in high-altitude areas of the Andes. They feed on fresh grass and herbs, which are available to them all year round. Their natural food always contains enough vitamin C. Our pet guinea pigs also rely on vitamin C from their diet as they cannot synthesize it themselves.
The original home of the wild rabbit is the steppe landscapes of southwestern Europe. They feed on grass and herbs, although fresh grass is not always available. Like guinea pigs, they are well adapted to a diet in barren biotopes.
Many little helpers break down the cellulose
In order to still get enough nutrients from their food, rabbits and guinea pigs have millions of bacteria in their intestines. These can utilize the plant fibers and provide the animals with the energy they need.
Never an empty stomach – transport of food through replenishment
The stomachs of rabbits and guinea pigs are very weakly muscled. This poses a great danger because the food pulp can only be transported further by food coming from above. To ensure this, take e.g. B. Guinea pigs eat up to 80 small meals per day. In animals that do not eat, food remains in the stomach for too long and begins to ferment there. Eventually, all digestion can come to a standstill.
The appendix as a fermentation chamber
The vital bacteria that break down the cellulose are located in the greatly enlarged appendix. If the food contains too much sugar or starch, the pH value shifts and the growth of unfavorable intestinal bacteria is promoted. This often leads to stomach and intestinal problems.
Appendix feces provide important nutrients
In addition to normal feces, rabbits excrete a special grape-shaped, softer cecal feces. Guinea pigs engage in coprophagy, which means they occasionally eat their own feces. Both are absorbed directly from the anus. The ingested feces provide bacterial components and additional nutrients such as proteins but also vitamin K and B vitamins.
How do I feed my rabbit or guinea pig correctly?
Such a complicated digestive system can easily get confused, especially if we are too kind to our little friends and spoil them with treats and nutritious food. These problems can be prevented with a few simple rules.
It's best to follow the animals' natural diet. As grass eaters, rabbits and guinea pigs need food with a high crude fiber content.
Green fodder – provides additional nutrients
In addition to hay, the animals should be given fresh green fodder such as grass, meadow herbs, groundweed or dandelions. However, do not use wilted food as this can ferment in the stomach. If wild plants are not available, salads and structured vegetables are also suitable. Green fodder and other fresh food should always be fed in several small portions throughout the day, otherwise the digestive system will be put under a lot of strain.
Delicacies – but the right ones
Basically, the food range can be supplemented with a variety of delicacies. For example, carrots, apples, cucumbers and even fennel are very popular with animals. But consider the size of your animal and exercise some restraint when it comes to the amount - this is especially true for soft, structure-poor vegetables and fruits rich in sugar.
The teeth grow and grow
The teeth of guinea pigs and rabbits are exposed to a lot of stress in nature. In order to compensate for the abrasion caused by eating, they continue to grow at around 2 mm per week throughout their life - that would be over 10 cm per year.
If the teeth are not worn down enough when the food is too soft, they grow unevenly or become so long that the animals can no longer chew properly - which ultimately leads to digestive problems.
Hay, hay and more hay
Always provide your animal with unlimited amounts of good hay - it is its natural nutritional basis!
Good quality hay has a greenish color, an aromatic smell, is not dusty and does not contain too many small particles. It is completely normal for hay to be selected. Components that remain and are no longer eaten should be discarded.
Tip
In order to ensure even wear on the gnawing and molar teeth, birch, hazelnut or apple tree branches should also be provided in addition to the hay. Dry bread and rodent stones are not suitable for wearing down teeth; in addition, bread contains too many easily digestible carbohydrates and rodent stones contain far too much calcium.
Delicious – it’s not always healthy
The colorful ready-made foods available on the market for guinea pigs and rabbits often contain food that is too fatty or too sweet. These taste very good to the animals and are picked out of the food. On the other hand, the healthy parts of the food that are rich in crude fiber tend to be disregarded. This can easily lead to malnutrition and obesity. Animals that also move little are particularly at risk.
The preference of rabbits and guinea pigs for energy-rich food ingredients or “rodent snacks” is comparable to the preference of humans for sweets: it tastes good – but it is usually not healthy.
Therefore, use ready-made feed that is as rich in crude fiber and as uniform as possible. Do not use ready-made feed as a complete feed, but simply supplement hay and green fodder with small amounts of this feed.
What else is important?
Always provide the animals with sufficient amounts of clean drinking water, as their water needs cannot be met exclusively from green fodder.
Due to the peculiarities of calcium metabolism, too many dry feeds with a high calcium content should not be fed (see chapter Calcium metabolism and bladder mud p. 15).
Changes in feed, for example when large quantities of green fodder are available again in spring, should be carried out slowly and gradually so that the bacterial flora in the intestine can adjust to the changed diet. If the protein-rich spring greens are fed too quickly in large quantities, this can lead to fermentation processes and therefore severe stomach pain for your pet.
Please observe the following rules:
- Make good hay available indefinitely; it should make up the majority of the feed quantity!
- Provide enough fresh drinking water!
- Feed suitable green fodder!
- Raw fiber-rich and uniform ready-made feed only as a supplement!
- Change feed slowly and carefully!
- If you have digestive disorders, definitely not a zero diet. If necessary, force-feed animals that do not eat!
- If you are ill, consult your veterinarian!
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