Learn How To Feed Your Pet

Animals require special care at different stages of their life and taking care of your pet’s food,  according to its species, is a responsibility you have acquired as an owner. Therefore, we will give you some advice about it so that you can have healthy and happy animals.

Something that veterinarians recommend is to provide animals with a diet rich in nutrients, taking into account the particularities of each species, especially the foods they can and cannot consume.

Feeding the birds

• Birds, oddly enough, are the pets with the greatest amount of possibilities for diet. This is due to the fact that many birds are strictly vegetarian, others eat insects, small mammals, reptiles or fish.
• To get an idea of ​​how to properly feed a bird, it is best to look at its beak, as it is specially adapted according to the diet it requires. For example, in the case of parrots, the beak is similar to a very strong hook, which serves to break seeds, fruits with husks and leaves.

• Birds of prey have a similar beak and they use it to tear up small animals. Birds on a grain- and fruit-based diet have a sparsely robust, conical-shaped beak, while birds with thinner beaks are mainly insect-eating.
• It is important to take into account the seasons and the moment of feeding the birds, because in the colder seasons, when the fruits are scarce, they tend to replace them with insects or other animals.
• Also, when they are taking care of their puppies, they tend to feed them insects to give them the protein they need.  Insects also have a greater amount of water.

reptiles

Reptiles have such a varied and different diet that it is difficult to generalize. We could even say that most carnivores feed on any prey that is within their reach and has an appropriate size for them.

This is different for snakes, which tend to have a slightly more specialized diet. However, reptiles select their prey based on color, size, movement, smell and body temperature.

In the case of herbivorous reptiles, most of them are not rigid in their diet, they may include insects or fish in them.  They also consume flowers, plant stalks, vegetables and legumes.

There are few reptiles that feed on insects or that consume invertebrates, such as lizards or chameleons.

amphibians

Amphibians are exclusively carnivores, so they feed on insects, slugs, worms and roundworms. In fact, the only stage at which an amphibian is a herbivore is in the tadpole stage.

The size of the prey can vary depending on the size of the animal and, although most are restricted to insects and invertebrates, they can also consume fish and small mammals.

Mammals

The diet of mammals is very varied and will depend on the individuality of each species so that it is possible to determine a diet that suits the animal.

Likewise, their nutritional needs change enormously at different stages, and must be adjusted at each stage in order to allow for better development of the animal.

According to their diet, mammals are classified into:

omnivores

They are animals with a highly varied diet, which can be composed of both animal and vegetable elements.

Carnivores

They are animals that feed on other animals. While they  can consume other types of food, to get their organism to function correctly, they require the consumption of animal protein.

Herbivores

These are animals that feed on a wide variety of plant-derived products, such as leaves, branches, herbs or roots, among others.

insectivores

As the name already indicates, these are animals that feed exclusively on insects or invertebrates.

fruit-eaters

Are those animals whose diet is based mainly on fruits.

While exclusive diets are much rarer among mammals, knowing the characteristics of your diet in the wild can give you a rough idea of ​​how to better meet your dietary needs.

Something you already know:  taking into account the basics of your pet’s diet can help you make better decisions about feeding your best friend.

Likewise, it never hurts to consult a veterinarian, he will give you ideas on how to organize a nutritious diet, especially when it comes to exotic animals.