Small animal guide: fiber, snacks and enrichment for rabbits and rodents

When feeding rabbits and small rodents, it's tempting to focus on "the right food" like a bag on the shelf. In practice, it's more about rhythm, structure and habits: plenty of fiber every day, thoughtful snacks and an environment that makes the animal use its body and mind.

It sounds simple, but small changes can make a big difference, especially for digestion, tooth wear and well-being. Here you will find a guide that brings together the most important principles and provides concrete ideas for both feed and edible enrichment.

Why fiber is the foundation

Hay is not just hay. The quality can fluctuate, and it is clearly felt by the animal. Good hay smells fresh, feels dry and “crisp”, and it must not be dusty or earthy. Dust irritates the respiratory tract and eyes, and moisture can cause mold, which you do not want in a small animal system.

At the same time, there are the teeth. In rabbits and many rodents, teeth grow throughout their lives, and regular chewing on roughage is a central part of “dental care.” When the amount of fiber becomes too low, problems such as decreased appetite, irregular bowel movements, gas, selective eating and dental problems are more common.

The good starting point is therefore almost always the same: roughage first, the rest as a supplement.

A simple rule of thumb: how to distribute the diet

It gives peace of mind in everyday life to have a rough breakdown in mind. The RSPCA's plan for rabbits often mentions approximately 85% hay/grass, 10% fresh vegetables and 5% pellets, and many professional recommendations are in the same direction when looking at herbivorous small animals.

Here is a practical overview that can be used as a guide. It cannot replace individual advice in cases of illness, age or pregnancy, but it will help most people get started.

A sentence that often rings true: If in doubt, give more hay and fewer “extras” for a period of time and keep an eye on stool and appetite.

Hay, grass and straw: what actually takes up the most space

Hay is not just hay. The quality can fluctuate, and it is clearly felt by the animal. Good hay smells fresh, feels dry and “crisp”, and it must not be dusty or earthy. Dust irritates the respiratory tract and eyes, and moisture can cause mold, which you do not want in a small animal system.

Variety is often an advantage. Some animals eat more when given a mix of different types of hay, or when supplemented with dried herbs in small amounts. A simple technique is to have several “hay stations”: one by the toilet (many eat while there), one in a haystack, and one as a pile for them to rummage through.

Storage also matters. Hay should be kept dry and airy. Plastic bags in a warm utility room can quickly give off a musty smell, even if the hay was fine when purchased.

Pellets and mixtures: when does it make sense?

Pellets can be useful, but they should rarely be the main diet for rabbits, guinea pigs, and chinchillas. They are typically more energy dense than hay, and if the animal fills up on pellets, the desire to chew rough food decreases.

For hamsters , rats and mice the picture is different: here a complete food or a well-prepared mixture is often the basis, because they are not strict herbivores. They still benefit from gnawing and chewing, but their nutrition usually requires more components than “hay and greens”.

If you use mixed food with visible seeds and colored pieces, watch out for selective eating. Some animals will sort out the sweet and fatty first, and then the nutritional profile will be skewed.

Signs that the distribution should be adjusted may be:

• Less interest in hay
• Very small or irregular stool balls
• Sticky stools or diarrhea
• Weight loss or bloated stomach
• Drooling, wet chin, or reluctance to chew

Snacks that make sense (and snacks that tease)

Snacks can be a godsend when used correctly. They can entice shy animals, make handling easier, and act as edible enrichment. But “natural” doesn’t always mean “free range.”

Dried vegetables and fruit are popular because they are easy to dose and often have a crunchy texture that allows chewing time. Products such as dried carrot chips , dried apple pieces and banana chips can therefore be fine as rewards. For herbivorous species, fruit is typically best in very small amounts because sugar can create an imbalance in the gut, especially if the base is not high in fiber.

Dried roots are another good option. Dandelion root and chicory can provide both chewiness and fiber, and chicory is known for its inulin content, which many associate with supporting gut flora.

If you shop at a specialty store like FjeldgaardShop.dk , you can look for snacks with few ingredients and no artificial additives. This makes it easier to see what the animal is getting, and it fits well with a more sustainable mindset of “less is better.”

A few simple guidelines will help in everyday life:

• Start small: give a new snack in tiny amounts and observe the stool for 1–2 days.
• Keep it simple: few ingredients make it easier to find the cause if your stomach reacts
• Use chewing time as a goal: choose something that takes time to chew rather than something that disappears in 3 seconds.
• Think species first: fruit is rarely a good idea as a “daily thing” for rabbits, guinea pigs and chinchillas

Edible enrichment: when food also becomes an activity

Many small animals do not get “tired” of eating. They get tired of eating the same thing in the same way. By changing the serving, you can create more calm and fewer boring habits such as chewing on bars or over-grooming the fur.

Try turning some of the day’s greens and dried snacks into a task. Hang a few dried carrot chips on a string made of natural material, hide small pieces in haystacks, or use a braided roll of seaweed as a treat holder. Hay balls with fillings (e.g. pumpkin and carrot) often work as both a snack and a “project” because the animal has to work to get the best out of them.

A good rule of thumb is that enrichment should preferably reinforce what the animal is already designed to do: foraging, chewing, digging, hiding and exploring.

Environmental enrichment: more security, more movement

The feeding schedule may be fine, but if the environment is poor, something is often lost. Rabbits are prey animals, and many rodents live with a strong urge to hide, build nests and investigate.

Therefore, “interior” is not decoration. Hides, tunnels and platforms can reduce stress levels and increase activity because the animal dares to move more. A platform is often a hit with rabbits, who can both lie under it and sit on top and keep an eye on it. For hamsters and gerbils, a deep bottom and digging-friendly material are often what makes the most sense in everyday life.

Social needs are also part of enrichment. Guinea pigs typically thrive best with conspecifics, and many rabbits have a hard time being alone. Hamsters are a strange story, with some species thriving alone and others able to function in groups under the right conditions. It pays to read up on the specific species you have.

If you want to get started without buying a lot at once, you can start here:

• Cardboard box with two exits
• Hay in multiple zones
• Chewing sticks made from safe types of wood
• Burrowing box for species that dig
• A quiet “viewpoint” for rabbits

A small focus on choices with consideration

When buying food, snacks and enrichment, sustainability can feel unclear. A practical place to start is to choose products with a clear origin, a short ingredient list and materials that make sense for the animal. EU production, sustainable natural materials and fewer unnecessary additives are often easy pointers.

FjeldgaardShop.dk focuses on animal welfare, more natural choices and a range with a focus on quality and documented function. It is an approach that is well suited to small animals because they react quickly to changes in both feed and environment.

If you are given two options, choose the one that most resembles “food or material” and least resembles candy.

Mini-check: when you want to adjust without redoing everything

Start with hay. Increase the amount and make it more exciting to eat. Then gradually reduce the most energy-dense extras, and use snacks as a planned part of activation instead of “a little all the time.” This usually results in both cleaner stools, better chewing time, and an animal that seems calmer in its daily life.