For Happy Rodents

Small pets, endless joy. With Benelux rodent food, you provide rabbits, guinea pigs, hamsters, and other small rodents with a tasty and balanced diet that supports healthy digestion, strong teeth, and an active, happy life every single day.

Discover all our products for rodents

Advice & Tips for Rabbits

Hay, hay, and more hay - that's the foundation of every rabbit's diet. It should always be available in unlimited quantities, as it is highly digestible and rich in fibre. Supplement this with a complete dry food (approximately 20 - 25 g per kg of body weight per day) that your rabbit should eat entirely to receive all the essential vitamins, minerals, and proteins. The delicious muesli mixes from Benelux, Primus, and Homefarmer provide the perfect nutritional solution. Offer a variety of fresh vegetables every day, such as endive, lamb's lettuce, or carrot tops. Keep portions moderate, but vary the selection. Avoid onions, leeks, cabbage, mushrooms, asparagus, and raw potatoes, and only offer fruit occasionally, as it contains a lot of natural sugar. And don't forget fresh drinking water. It should always be available, as rabbits that don't drink enough are more prone to digestive blockages.

Whether your rabbit lives indoors or outdoors makes little difference - its coat naturally adapts to the environment. If you choose outdoor housing, it's best to introduce your rabbit during the summer and provide a location sheltered from strong sun and wind. Rabbits are naturally active animals that love to run, jump, and dig, so give them as much space as possible. As a minimum, they should be able to make at least three large hops in one direction, although more space is always better. Even more fun? Let your rabbit safely explore your home from time to time - they're naturally curious and love discovering new places. For bedding, a combination works best: straw and pellets in the living, sleeping, and play areas, wood fibre in the toilet corner, and hay around the feeding area. This creates a home where your rabbit will truly feel comfortable.

Rabbits are highly social animals and are happiest with a companion. In most cases, a neutered male and a female make the ideal pair. They enjoy gentle affection and thrive in a calm environment. Stroke them regularly so they become familiar with your hands, but avoid picking them up too often, as most rabbits dislike being lifted. Did you know their teeth never stop growing? That's why plenty of chewing material is essential. Rabbits are most active at dawn and dusk, so expect playful activity early in the morning and again in the evening. They also reproduce very quickly, so be sure you know the sex of your rabbits before unexpected litters arrive!

The expression "breeding like rabbits" exists for a reason - rabbits certainly live up to their reputation! A female rabbit (doe) can become pregnant from 4 to 6 months of age, depending on the breed, although it's best to wait until she is fully mature before breeding. The gestation period lasts only around 31 days, and a litter usually consists of 4 to 10 kits.

Provide a quiet nesting area with soft bedding and allow the doe to care for her young without disturbance. After approximately 8 weeks, the young rabbits are ready to leave their mother - and that's when your own rabbit family may start growing very quickly!

A female rabbit is called a doe, while a male is called a buck.If you don't want unexpected litters, consider neutering or spaying your rabbits. Regular veterinary check-ups are also important, especially for their teeth and nails, as both continue to grow throughout their lives.

Advice & Tips for Rodents

A healthy diet starts with a high-quality rodent mix or muesli specially formulated for the species. After all, a guinea pig has different nutritional needs - such as extra vitamin C - than a hamster or a rat. The rodent mixes from Benelux and Primus are a delicious and well-balanced choice. Supplement their diet daily with fresh vegetables such as cucumber, bell pepper, or carrot, and occasionally offer a small piece of fruit as a treat. Unlimited hay is also essential, especially for guinea pigs and rabbit-like small mammals, as it keeps both their digestion and continuously growing teeth in excellent condition. And of course, provide fresh drinking water every day, either in a water bottle or a bowl.

Rodents are little adventurers that love to climb, dig, and hide - the more space and enrichment they have, the happier they will be. Provide a cage with plenty of bedding for burrowing, chewing materials, a cosy sleeping house, and, depending on the species, an exercise wheel with a solid running surface, especially for hamsters and mice. Social species such as guinea pigs and rats should never be kept alone, while hamsters generally prefer having a space of their own. Place the cage in a quiet location, away from draughts and direct sunlight.

As their name suggests, rodents have teeth that grow continuously throughout their lives. Chewing isn't just a habit - it's essential for keeping their teeth healthy. Did you know that guinea pigs, unlike most other mammals, cannot produce their own vitamin C? They must obtain it through their diet, which is why the Benelux and Primus muesli mixes are carefully formulated to meet their nutritional needs. Hamsters are true loners and prefer living alone, while rats are surprisingly social and highly intelligent - some can even learn simple tricks! And mice? They're true escape artists, so always check their enclosure carefully for gaps or small openings.

Rodents are famous for reproducing quickly. For example, a female mouse can become pregnant again just one day after giving birth. Gestation periods vary greatly between species. Mice and hamsters are pregnant for around three weeks, while guinea pigs have a much longer pregnancy of approximately 9 to 10 weeks. Provide a quiet nesting area with soft bedding and allow the mother to care for her young without disturbance. Keep in mind that, for most species, males and females should be separated at an early age if you want to avoid unexpected litters.

A bored rodent quickly becomes an unhappy rodent. Provide plenty of chewing materials and regularly rotate toys to keep your pet mentally stimulated. It's also a good idea to have your rodent checked regularly by a veterinarian experienced with small mammals, as these little animals are experts at hiding signs of illness. With the right care, enrichment, and attention, your small companion may be tiny in size - but enormous in happiness!