Herbivore: The Wild Rabbit Diet Wild rabbits eat grass, wild flowers, weeds, and farm and garden crops. In winter, their diet changes slightly to buds, twigs, bark, conifer needles, etc. Rabbits, like hares, tend to re-ingest their faeces in order to further digest it. This process is called ‘coprophagy’. (Washington Department of Fish & Wildlife, 2014) Feeding Habits The rabbit feeds frequently–up to 30 times per day of 2–8 g of food over 4-6 minute periods. (Johnson-Delaney, 2006) The quantities rabbits need to eat depend on age/lifestyle/general health. Rabbits become overweight and may suffer if eating more food than needed. (RSPCA, 2014) Rabbit Dentition and Dental Formula Rabbits' teeth grow continuously and thus they need wearing down. They can be kept at the correct length/shape by eating grass/hay/leafy green plants. Not eating the right diet results in dental disease. (RSPCA, 2014) Teeth Shape and Size Rabbits have incisor teeth and ‘cheek teeth’. Their incisors (at the front of their mouths) are paired, curved and are relatively large. Their check teeth have deep grooves on the sides and the width of top and bottom check teeth are unequal. The cheek teeth are relatively small and are used for crushing and grinding leaves, twigs, etc. (Kressin , n.d.) Rabbits do not eat meat and so they do not have canines. The Digestive System’s length and complexity The rabbit’s digestive tract is roughly between 4.5 to 5 m in length. (Johnson-Delaney, 2006)It is a highly complex structure that processes and digests food, largely with the help of bacteria. (Wilson, 2010) Rabbits have a specialised digestive system suitable for their high-fibre diets. As the food passes through their digestive systems, enzymes break down the food so... ... middle of paper ... ...us if there is loss of bamboo in their area, they also experience a loss of habitat which is a threat to their survival. (World Wide Fund For Nature, n.d.) (Travel China Guide, 2014) Giant Pandas will occasionally eat meat, like small rodents, despite having adapted to a mainly vegetarian diet and being fairly unskilled predators. This could be the reasoning behind favouring bamboo as it is readily available all year-round. (How Stuff Works, Inc, 2014) Teeth Length and Complexity of Digestive System Due to the panda having a digestive system similar to that of a carnivore, much of the plant matter that is eaten is passed out as waste. (Smithsonian Institution, n.d.) The Panda’s digestive system has partially adapted to digest bamboo. They have tough lining in their throats, oesophaguses and stomachs, as well as enlarged surface area in the colon. (Lopez, n.d.)
The major threat to their survival is the restricted and degraded habitats (Wang and Garshelis). Their habitat is not just one big area of land. In actuality, the Giant Panda’s habitat is fragmented and separated into small patches, each supporting a small population of the pandas. This fragmentation in habitat was caused by logging, deforestation, mining, poaching and by lightning speed economic development (Threats). Logging had been found to separate the once well integrated Giant Panda habitat into many sub sections (Zhou and Pan 363) and their forest habitats became increasingly fragmented by roads and railroads (Threats). Clearing the land in Giant Panda habitats had been another reason for the fragmentation of the Giant Panda’s habitat (Wang and Garshelis). The animal had been pushed higher and higher into the mountains, as their lower and flatter habitats were seized for human for agricultural activity (Wang and Garshelis). The small population due to the fragmentation is also a factor in the decrease in the population size. Studies have shown that small populations lead to a loss of genetic diversity and can lead to problems of inbreeding (Zhou and Pan
A food chain begins with the producers. Since plants get their energy from sunlight, they are producers; one of the common producers in the Sonoran Desert is the prickly pear cactus. Many different animals eat the fruit of the prickly pear cactus, including Harris's antelope squirrel. The squirrel is a consumer because it gets its energy from other organisms. In this case, the squirrel gets its energy from the fruit of the prickly pear cactus. The food chain starts with a producer, the prickly pear cactus, which obtains its energy from sunlight. The prickly pear is eaten by Harris's antelope squirrel, which, because it is the first consumer in the food chain, is called the primary consumer. The squirrel is eaten by the diamondback rattlesnake,
they are at the top of the food chain of the grassland plants and animals. Grizzly bears are powerful, top-of-the-food-chain predators, yet much of their diet consists of nuts, berries, fruit, leaves, and roots. Bears also
animals eat primate chow and various types of greens that they get in a rotating diet.
The digestive system of the horse consists of a simple stomach, small intestines, cecum, large and small colons, rectum and anus. The horse’s stomach is comparatively small for its size. The stomach of an average horse has a holding capacity of about two gallons. This may be the reason horses eat small but frequent meals. From the stomach food moves to the small intestine, which is the main site of digestion. The small intestine empties into the cecum. The cecum; along with the large colon; make up the large intestine. Digestion in the large intestine occurs by action of bacteria and protozoa. (arg.gov.sk.ca)
The American Rabbit Breeders Association (ARBA) currently recognizes 48 unique rabbit breeds. Each breed requires specific care and needs to stay well maintained and at their best health. What most new rabbit owners do not realize is that owning a rabbit requires long-term commitment and major responsibility. A well cared for indoor rabbit can live up to 8-12 years. Rabbits are the 3rd most abandoned pets with dogs and cats being in 1st and 2nd. Especially near Easter day, many people impulsively purchase rabbits to later realize that they can’t nor do not want to care for them any longer. About 95% of Easter bunnies end up being abandoned at shelters. Many people believe that rabbits are a cheap and easy pet suitable for children. This is
Digestion is defined as the process of transforming foods into unites for absorption. The Digestive System is a complex network of organisms that have six major processes: The digestion of food, the secretion of fluids and digestive enzymes, the mixing and movement of food and waste throughout the body, the digestion of food into smaller pieces, the absorption of nutrients, and the excretion of wastes (Inner Body (1).)
During digestion, the body breaks down food into smaller molecules that could then be used by the body’s cells and tissues in order to perform functions. This starts off in the mouth with the physical movements of chewing and the chemical breakdown by saliva. Enzymes in the stomach break food down further after traveling from the mouth through the esophagus. The food from here then moves into the small intestine, where pancreatic juices and enzymes dissolve proteins, carbohydrates, and fibers, and bile from the liver breaks down fats into these small molecules. Any portion of the fibers or food that were unable to be broken down are passed from the small intestine to the large intestine, which is where the digestive tract transitions into the excretory tract, then the colon and out of the rectum. Any liquids that have been stripped of their nutrients by the body proceed from the stomach to the kidneys. In the kidneys, sodium ions (Na+), uric acid, and urea are exchanged with water, which moves urinary bladder and is excreted through the
It’s a typical day. After school you get home and you are starving, but you just want a snack. “What should I eat?,” you ask yourself. Then, after looking through the cabinets for a few minutes, you find Cheetos and decide to eat a few. With just the presence of those Cheetos in your sight, the digestion process begins in your 9 meter long digestive tract.
Due to their sensitive digestive system, rabbits require lots of fiber in their diet. Therefore, fresh hay should be provided and easily accessible to them at all times. Vegetables should also make up the majority of their diet. A heavy pellet based diet can lead to obesity and digestive problems within your rabbit. If you do not provide your rabbit with a proper diet, they will develop GI Stasis which can potentially kill them. GI Stasis is a condition in which the digestive system slows down or stops completely. Bad bacteria build’s up in the intestines and release gas into the system causing extremely painful bloating and further decreasing a rabbit’s motivation to eat or drink. Baby rabbits 3-4 weeks of age should be fed alfalfa hay as
Low levels of fiber decreases gut mortality which can lead to digestive upset. (Notes) When feeding a rabbit low fiber and high pellets, it can lead to obesity which has serious diseases that can result from it. Even though some rabbits, like my own for example, love the pelleted feed with the seeds and dried other treats, this does not mean it is completely good for the rabbit due to it being high in CHO/sugar or starches. Obese rabbits can be in pain and have a decreased life span, along with many diseases like fly strike, pododermatitis, bladder stones, pregnancy toxemia, gastrointestinal ileus, urine scald, etc. (Dr.
When she looked at the rabbit, she never had seen any rabbit with either a waistcoat-pocket, or a watch to take out of it. She began to wonder and decided to go after him. When Alice tried to lo...
They used every part of the animal they hunted for survival. However, now we have all kinds of clothing, housing, and are not constantly being hunted by other animals, so eating their meat is simply a luxury. Before man figured out how to hunt larger animals, plants and grains were consumed. This was not a drawback and man lived on fine. Going back to this lifestyle would transform the world into a cleaner place, and could help the world eventually obtain an organic lifestyle, which would be beneficial for the
The Hyena eats mostly wildebeests, gazelles, zebra, buffalo, rhino calves, and most species of ungulates. The Hyena mostly gets its food by hunting packs or alone, or by scavenging after kills of other animals or other Hyenas. The hunting usually takes place at night when they are most active. When the kill their prey they rip their prey from limb to limb and usually eats the whole carcass of its prey. To do that Hyenas massive jaws contains teeth so strong and so sharp to crush bones of its prey. Hyenas store their food underwater to to hide from other carnivores stealing the left over meat. One Hyena can eat up to 14.5 kilograms of meat per meal. Hyenas can spot and will usually try to hunt the young, weak, diseased, injured, or dead prey, but if drove extreme hunger it can take down a full grown male lion.
As you can see, the digestive system is a very unique complex system. It is also extremely critical for the human body and each part has to work correctly in order to keep the digestive system working properly. It isn’t something we think about daily, but in reality it is something that we should be appreciative for every day. Without this system we would not have life.