The Pet food industry is booming at an exponential rate as more and more people are converting into pet parents. More and more humans have started expanding their circle of pet parenting by giving a home to parrots, rabbits, hamsters and other small animals. Pet parenting sets a huge responsibility on our shoulders because then you, as a pet parent, have to cater to their daily nutrition with the appropriate feedings. This piece will acknowledge all those facts and a piece of appropriate information that will help you become a better pet parent, so take this leap of faith with us.

Understanding the toxicity of products

Sweet Potatoes: It is not among the list of ideal and nutritional food items for rabbits because it contains sugar and starch which increases the calorie count for them and causes indigestion, resulting in the stumpy stool.

Peas: It contains a high percentage of sugar level that causes problems in their intestine, kidneys and brain.

Iceberg Lettuce: Okay, this comes out as a surprise because, as per their leafy food type, this can be one of their perfect snacks. Well, iceberg lettuce contains Lactucarium which is the major cause of diarrhoea and weakness. Romaine is the black lettuce; you can feed them without any second thought.

Raisins or grapes: Always make sure to feed them with grain-free products. Even if the grain-free raisins are harmful to their digestion. These directly affect their kidney.

Potato Chips: Well, as potatoes are already harmful to hamsters, when fried they become worse. Always keep your pets away from potato chips because after consuming, they will gain weight in no time and this will give rise to other health issues.

Celery: It’s a fresh and juicy vegetable but harmful for hamsters. It contains an excessive amount of water content which will give rise to bloating in hamsters. So, there’s always a no to celery.

Citrus Fruits: These are harmful to small animals in so many ways. One of them is their acidic nature. Because of how small animals they are, their stomach is even more sensitive which doesn’t digest acidic products easily.

Salt: Well, excessive salt is harmful there’s no doubt in that. Animals, mainly birds with smaller bodies have sensitive organs, therefore that much sodium causes an imbalance in the electrolytes and body fluids, causing excessive thirst, kidney failure and whatnot.

What’s a nutritious meal for them?

A balanced diet is all that we need to sustain a healthy and prosperous life. We can study well to learn what adds nutrition to our food, we have to do that for our pets as well, because their life relies on us. Below are a few pointers that will help you understand what’s best for your pet’s diet, specific to birds, rabbits and hamsters:

A meal’s healthy when it contains:

Protein: These play one of the essential roles in fulfilling the nutritional values in rabbits, birds and hamsters. Each animal must be fed with different feeding values, proteins give healthy and lean muscle growth. If feeding more than the required amount then it can cause indigestion leading to severe kidney failure. For birds cooked meals like tofu, beans, light-coloured cheese & eggs should be on the top of your feeding list. Some of the important sources of proteins for rabbits are grass hay, alfalfa hay and pellets.

Fibre: Fibre completes one of the most important nutritional requirements in birds, rabbits and hamsters. It’s still essential to feed them a prescribed ratio; fibre helps in improving the digestive system. Vegetables and fruits are some of the best sources of fibre. Feed them seedless fruits and vegetables, however, it is important to wash them properly before feeding them.

Water: Well, this won’t surprise us because no one can sustain without water. It is important to keep a bowl of water in their respective spaces so that they can drink it freely whenever they want to. At times the quality of water differs, you can always consider feeding them bottled water. The bottle helps in keeping the space cleaned so that even if tipped by any action, it won’t create any mess.

Carbohydrates: These are one of the essential sources of energy, there’s still an adequate percentage of how much you can feed birds, rabbits and hamsters. Bird seeds, rabbit & hamster food contains appropriate carbs, but keeping a check on the label is always good. You may check with a vet and find the number of carbs required so that you can always add other ingredients to balance. Carbs contain sugar, starch and fibre, a simple sugar that they can digest easily. Therefore, it’s complete nutrition when added carbs to complete their nutritional requirements.

Vitamins and Minerals: These cover the basic nutritional need of animals. Vitamin A, D, E, K, B, Zinc and Copper are the most common few from the list. Always make sure to keep pets away from Vitamin C because of its acidic nature. It is always important to balance a ratio of vitamins to feed because a lack of a few will cause severe illness or weakness while a larger percentage of vitamins is toxic as well.

When it comes to minerals, those have equal importance too. Calcium & phosphorus are the most common minerals that should be present in a rabbit, hamster and bird. But its ratio should always be adequate because more of these can cause severe damage to kidneys and urinary tract. You can always measure the ratio of calcium present in their rabbit food, bird food and hamster food so that you will have enough information to make a judgement call.

Considering all of these requirements, it is essential to choose a balanced meal for birds, rabbits and hamsters. That diet must hold a combination of such nutrients so that each help in their overall growth and development.

Top five brands that cater food for small animals

Zupreme

One of the well-known brands when it comes to food for rabbits, food for baby rabbits, bird food, small bird food, parrot bird food and more. Zupreme is a trusted brand and has been the word of every mouth around the globe. Pet parents trust Zupreem for their pet food without a doubt. Each product has been through several benchmarks and quality checks so that every packet of Zupreem pet food contains the best food. Zupreem contains a variety of food products such as FruitBlend, NutBlend, Natural, PastaBlend, Timothy Naturals for Rabbits, Timothy Naturals for Guinea Pig, Timothy Natural and Timothy Hay. Explore the healthy food for rabbits, food for baby rabbits, cockatiel bird food, parrot bird food and many more at Dear Pet, India’s best online pet shop.

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Vitapol

The best-known pet food brand, Vitapol is another most trusted brand for the best food for rabbits, cockatiel bird food, baby bird food, small bird food, food for cockatiel bird and a lot more. This pet food brand caters to a segment of small animals such as rabbits, birds, guinea pigs, hamsters and a lot more. They promise a high-quality composition in their every food with a variety of 45 pet-friendly components. In total Vitapol meets the expectation of the animals in total, if we talk about their taste, composition and nutritional enrichment so that even the fussy eaters can get around with the food in no time. Their concept of transparency rules over the trust of all pet parents globally. Each of their food product packaging is transparent so that pet parents can see the content included in the packet. Explore the best food for rabbits, bird food, cockatiel bird food, small bird food, baby bird food, healthy food for rabbits, and best food for hamsters online at Dear Pet, India’s best online pet shop.

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Supreme Science Selective

This pet food brand is also the choice of pet parents globally. Selective Science, a pet food brand offers food for guinea pigs, the best food for rabbits, food for hamsters and a lot more. This pet food brand uses all the pet-friendly ingredients to prepare a balanced food for small animals. There’s a dedicated vegetarian environment where the herbivorous food is prepared until it’s ready for consumption. They are strict against using palm oil which is made via disturbing the wildlife, so their commitment stands them out among the other small animal food market. Explore the best food for rabbits, bird food, cockatiel bird food, small bird food, baby bird food, healthy food for rabbits, and best food for hamsters online at Dear Pet, India’s best online pet shop.

Higgins Premium Pet Food

Higgins is a premium pet food brand committed to serving pets globally. It has become one of the trustworthy choices of pet parents. Higgins pet foods offer a high-quality and balanced meal which fulfils the nutritional requirements of small animals around the world. Their commitment to avoid artificial additives and preservatives make them a brand of choice for most pet parents. The colours used in their pet food are the fresh extracts of seeds, spices and vegetables. They include antioxidants such as DHA & Omega 3 that help to strengthen their immune system. As per their commitment, each of the ingredients used is air-washed which means there will be less dust and more refinement. Explore the best food for rabbits, bird food, cockatiel bird food, small bird food, baby bird food, healthy food for rabbits, and best food for hamsters online at Dear Pet, India’s best online pet shop.

Kaytee

This is one of the popular pet food brands, deals in small animal food such as bird food, the best food for rabbits, food for hamsters and other small animals. This pet food brand has an animal first approach and each of their products is carefully prepared, passing several quality checks and benchmarks. They cater delicious food, treats, beds, toys and accessories. Each of their products speaks quality & comfort when it comes to animals. Explore the best food for rabbits, bird food, cockatiel bird food, small bird food, baby bird food, healthy food for rabbits, and best food for hamsters online at Dear Pet, India’s best online pet shop.

Conclusion

When it comes to pets, feeding a balanced and complete meal becomes our priority because they rely on us to sustain. Feeding a good quality diet is as important as helping your pets breathe fresh air. These are the top five brands which you can trust for your pets because there’s no doubt that your pets will get proper nutrition with these. Follow this guide and you will understand more ways of becoming better at pet parenting.