Rabbits are great pets. If taken care of properly, they can live easily for 5 to 8 years, depending upon the environment and the breed they belong to. If you want to purchase a rabbit as your pet, make sure you are prepared mentally to take care of them. Make sure to provide them proper food and nutrition so that they are fit and healthy. If you are wondering, ‘can rabbits eat guinea pig food ‘ then keep reading further.
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FEEDING YOUR RABBIT
Rabbits are herbivores and eat only plants. However, their primary diet includes:
- Weeds & grasses.
- Barks from bushes and trees.
- Green plants.
Rabbits should be provided with small amounts of food frequently. Their diet must include everything that has hay or grass.
CAN RABBITS EAT GUINEA PIG FOOD?
Yes, Rabbits can eat the food that’s formulated for guinea pigs. Since both of these pets are so similar, there’s nothing significant about their diets. Still, it would always be great to feed your rabbit with the food that’s solely formulated for them.
If you are thinking, ‘can rabbits eat guinea pig food’ or ‘can bunnies eat guinea pig food’, then you should know why the food is labeled for guinea pigs only!
Let’s go in-depth into the differences and similarities between rabbits and guinea pigs, especially regarding their dietary requirements.
BOTH ARE MAMMALS, BUT DIFFERENT SPECIES
Bunny and guinea pigs both belong to different species. Cavies are rodents, while rabbits are lagomorphs. The significant difference lies inside their mouth. Rabbits have four incisors, and guinea pigs have two incisors.
ALMOST THE SAME DIET
You can feed your rabbit guinea pig food because both of them require lots of grass and vegetables to stay fit. They require:
- Hay: Both cavies and rabbits are herbivores, and their diet should consist of good quality hay. Their digestive system needs ample amounts of hay and fiber. However, one difference that comes along their way is hay consumption. Rabbits like Timothy hay while guinea pigs like meadow grass hay.
- Vegetables: Both bunny and guinea pig love having fresh vegetables and fruits in small quantities. You can feed them with some Asian greens, carrots, spinach, and kale. The most significant difference is the number of vegetables and fruits that you are going to feed them. Guinea pigs need a higher amount of vegetables as compared to rabbits.
- Vitamin C: While it is good to feed your rabbit the guinea pig food, it is harder for the guinea pigs to consume rabbit food. Rabbits have the capability to produce their own Vitamin C and don’t need extra foods or supplements in their diets. On the other hand, guinea pigs must get vitamin C from food sources as they don’t have the ability to produce their own vitamin C. Hence, a vitamin c deficiency can lead to death and other fatal diseases for guinea pigs.
CAN RABBITS EAT HAMSTER FOOD?
No, you should never feed your bunnies hamster food. Both of them are two different species, and rabbits are herbivores and prefer consuming fiber and vegetables, and hay. On the other hand, hamsters have a mixed diet and are entirely different from rabbits. Never try to feed them hamster food as it may cause side effects and can even lead to the death of your bunny.
WRAPPING UP
With such similar dietary requirements, it’s OK to feed your rabbit guinea pig food. However, always remember that these animals also have some differences in their diets. Rabbits need higher proportions of hay and lesser proportions of vegetables as compared to guinea pigs.
