Fibrevore

In zoology, a 'fibrevore' is a specific group of small furry animals that must have fibre as the main component in their diets in order to live. These animals have all developed a unique digestive system that requires a high level of fibre to keep it healthy.

The following animals can be classified as fibrevores:


 * Rabbits
 * Guinea pigs
 * Chinchillas
 * Degus

The 'Fibrevore' Diet

The need for fibre stems from the foraging habits of 'fibrevores' in the wild, the behaviour that has adapted over time to let them survive and thrive in their natural habitat.

In the natural world, rabbits, guinea pigs and chinchillas all live off grass, plants, twigs and bark. None of these Are rich in nutrients, but they're all high in fibre.

To get what nutrients there are, the animals' digestive systems have to break these foods down into simple compounds that the body can absorb.

Big Vs Small

A cow survives on the same principle, but by a different method. Its enormous stomach capacity acts as a giant fermentation vat in which bacteria break down the plant material to allow nutrients to be extracted. The bigger the 'vat', the more efficient the process.

Rabbits, guinea pigs and chinchillas, however, are small prey animals with many predators and survival means being of a size and build that allows them to run away - fast. That rules out the large stomach and digestive system of an animal like the cow.

They have developed an alternative system instead: one where the fibre is passed through not once but twice. This allows the animals to get all the nutrients they need. Their bodies and behaviour have adapted to let them eat continuously while staying alert and ready to hide or run whenever danger threatens.

Double Digestion

The 'fibrevore' ferments fibre to get its nutrients just as the cow does. But without the cow's big-storage stomach capacity, it has to operate a different system. It's one that is based on the little-and-often eating of sufficient fibre for nutrition - but since what goes in must come out, keeping the whole digestive system moving is absolutely vital.

That's why ‘fibrevores' need two types of fibre: digestible and indigestible. The first gives them essential nutrients and the second keeps the digestive system moving along.

But ‘fibrevores' can't get enough nutrition from fibre as it first passes through the gut. So they pass it through the gut again.

Uniquely, ‘fibrevores' are able to separate these two types of fibre from each other in order to process them efficiently.

Indigestible fibre is moved through their digestive system and excreted as separate, round, hard droppings. This type of fibre acts to keep the digestive system moving and stimulate appetite. Healthy droppings are a sign of a healthy ‘fibrevore' - if they are not hard and round, but are tear-shaped or soft, this could be a sign of poor diet or an unhealthy digestive system.

Digestible fibre is moved up into an organ called the caecum - this is like a giant appendix and is where the fermentation occurs. Bacteria in the caecum ferment the fibre which then emerges in the form of clumps of sticky droppings - called caecotrophs.

‘Fibrevores' eat the caecotrophs and their systems extract essential nutrition as the digestible fibre passes through for the second time. These sticky droppings are mostly re-ingested at night. This again is behaviour that has evolved in the wild where ‘fibrevores' eat little and often when exposed to predators and re-process caecotrophs when safely tucked away at night in their burrow.

Beneficial Fibre for 'Fibrevores'

Having the correct ratio of digestible and indigestible fibre is essential for healthy, happy rabbits, guinea pigs and chinchillas. Burgess Excel call the correct ratio ‘Beneficial Fibre' and it is a measure of the total of indigestible and digestible fibre found in their food.

Digestible fibre is very short - less than 0.3-0.5mm after being eaten - and as well as providing essential nutrition, helps to maintain the right level of bacteria in the gut. It is the bacteria in the caecum that ferment the fibre and if levels of bacteria change the fermentation process breaks down and diarrhoea can occur - this can lead to an illness called sticky bottom which is extremely painful and can be fatal. Too little digestible fibre in the diet leads to malnutrition.

Indigestible fibre is longer. In addition to creating the vital passage of food through the gut, it plays an essential role in keeping teeth ground down and helps to stimulate the appetite. Too little indigestible fibre means the digestive system stops - and that can be fatal. Plus overgrown teeth can lead to painful injuries and eventually death.

Beneficial Fibre is therefore essential for the digestive, dental and emotional health of ‘fibrevores'.

For digestion, it keeps the gut mobile, maintains the right balance of gut bacteria, helps to prevent abnormal droppings and helps to stimulate the appetite.

For the teeth, which grow continuously, it encourages greater use and helps with optimal dental wear.

And for emotional health, fibre (in the form of hay and dried grass) encourages natural foraging behaviour and prevents boredom while in the form of healthy snacks it provides emotional enrichment and can strengthen the bond between pet and owner.

In April 3013 the Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies at the University of Edinburgh announced they now have evidence to support that feeding muesli type foods to fibrevores leads to illness, healt problems and possible early death. This had led to a number of pet food retailers and manufacturers to wothdraw muesli from sale and production, with owners being urged to switch their pet's diet to one that is more rich in fibre and to include a substantial daily amount of Timothy Hay.

The term 'fibrevore' was supposedly coined by Burgess Pet Care.