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Muesli mix with lots of flakes
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This brand of muesli has a few pellets and extruded nuggets and is mainly composed of flaked cereals. This mixture is very likely to induce dental disease and obesity.
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Muesli mix with few flakes and lots of pellets and extrusions
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The manufacturers of this brand of muesli mix state that it is high in fibre. It's fibre content will be increased by the stems of alfalfa and the husks of the sunflower seeds and grain. There are few flakes in the mixture which is mostly made up of pellets and extrusions. Theoretically, rabbits on this type of muesli mix are less likely to develop problems than the mixtures that contain a lot of flaked maize, peas and oats
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MUESLI MIXES
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Muesli with less flakes
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This brand of muesli mix contains a lot of extrusions but also contains flaked maize and peas. These components are palatable but severely deficient in calcium. Whole wheat kernels have been added to the mixture and will increase the fibre content because of the husk. However, most rabbits do not eat the wheat kernels and select the flaked maize and peas instead. Although the analysis of the whole mixture may be acceptable, a rabbit that selects these ingredients will be eating an unbalanced diet.
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MUESLI MIXES
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Locust beans
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Locust beans are the pods of the Mediterranean carob tree (Ceratonia siliqua). The pod is several inches long, hard, and dry and contains several seeds that are used in the food industry. Crushed pieces of the pod used to be a common component of muesli mixes, but the seeds sometimes made their way into the mixture as well. The leading manufacturers of muesli mixes withdrew locust beans from their mixtures as the result of several fatalities in rabbits that swallowed the seeds and died from intestinal obstruction. Ground pods are included in some pellets and nuggets.
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Locust bean seeds
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The seeds that are inside locust bean pods are dry and hard. They can be large enough to obstruct the small intestine of any rabbit that swallows them, sometimes with fatal consequences. Although the seeds should not be in muesli mixes, they can make their way into the mixes if they are still in pieces of locust bean pods.
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Whole grains
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Whole grains are often included in muesli mixes. Because of the fibrous shell, the addition of whole grain increases the overall fibre content of the mixture so the analysis on the side of the packet looks good. This is misleading as rabbits seldom eat the grain and if they do, they leave the shell in the bottom of the bowl.
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Sunflower seeds
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Sunflower seeds are occasionally encountered in muesli mixes. They are not a food item that would normally be available for rabbits to eat. The kernels are high in fat, deficient in vitamin A and calcium with a highly inverse calcium to phosphorus ratio. Although the occasional seed is not harmful, there is no need to include them in muesli mixes. Some rabbits enjoy the hulls, which have a high fibre content but no other nutritional value.
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Sweetcorn kernels
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These are hard dry kernels from sweet corn. They are not suitable for feeding to rabbits. Not only are they deficient in calcium but some of them are the right size and shape to obstruct the small intestine. They may be swallowed whole because they are so hard.
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Puffed wheat
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This component of one brand of muesli mix looks like (and probably is) breakfast cereal.
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Rolled oats
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Rolled oats are often found in muesli mixes. Like all the other cereals, they are deficient in calcium with an inverse calcium to phosphorus ratio. They are high in starch so rabbits that pick oats from the muesli mix are prone to dental disease and obesity.
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MUESLI MIXES