Did you know that at least 50% of cats and dogs are overweight or obese? Obesity is also common in many types of exotic animals, from reptiles to rabbits.
Even though our pets look forward to mealtime, pet feeding isn’t always easy. It can be challenging to ensure your pet gets the nutrients it needs. Luckily, all you need to do is learn some simple tips, and mealtime will go much smoother.
Keep reading this guide to learn four mealtime tips to keep your pet happy and healthy!
1. Choose Nutritionally Balanced Food
No matter what type of pet you have, you’ll need to ensure you feed them a nutritionally sound diet. Many pet foods claim to be a complete source of vitamins and minerals.
However, you’ll need to read the ingredients carefully to understand what’s actually in the food you’re feeding your pet.
This is especially important if you have an exotic pet since they have different nutritional needs. The best thing to do is talk to your vet to get specific information on your pet’s nutrition needs.
2. Avoid Too Many Treats
Understandably, treats are a part of feeding a pet, but they should only make up less than 10% of your pet’s daily calories.
Remember, treats should never be a substitute for a meal. To keep your pet at a healthy weight, make sure to look at the nutritional information on the treats you choose carefully.
Some treats are very high in calories, so even one treat a day can impact pet weight overall.
Some healthy low-calorie treats for dogs include carrot sticks or cucumber slices. Organic bone broth is also a nutritionally packed food you can add to your dog’s diet.
3. Avoid Feeding Table Scraps
It can be tempting to feed your pet table scraps like fat trimmings or other leftovers on your dinner plate. However, many of these foods are high in fat and calories and can lead to weight gain affecting your pet’s overall quality of life.
In addition, some foods can contain harmful ingredients or cause significant digestive upset.
Exotic pets, like hedgehogs or sugar gliders, tend to develop serious illnesses and obesity easily. In addition, carnivorous reptiles can develop serious diseases if they have too much fat and cholesterol accumulation in their organs.
4. Give Your Pets a Variety
Although changing your pet’s food too much can cause digestive upset, it’s still important to include some variety in their diet.
One idea is to combine a healthy combination of wet and dry food for your pet. Choose a wet food they’re accustomed to. You can start incorporating it into their diet slowly each week. You can even try mixing their food with bone broth to add a bit of moisture and nutrition.
If you have an exotic pet like a snake, you’ll need to thoroughly research the breed and nutritional needs. Snakes are carnivores, and many species need a variety of foods like insects, eggs, earthworms, or slugs.
Most snakes eat small animals like mice or rats. If you’re squeamish about feeding rats, you can look at these rats for sale to evaluate your options.
Use These Pet Feeding Tips Today
Using these pet feeding tips will keep your pet healthy and with you for a long time, no matter what type of pet you have.
Make sure to do research and talk to your vet to ensure your pet is getting the nutrients it needs.
To learn more pet health tips, check out the rest of our blog today!
