Young At Heart Blend

Note: chinchillas have different nutritional needs, and have far more restrictions.  We don't recommend these blends for chinchillas.

Young At Heart Blend was created to address elder animal concerns.  It is an anti-inflammatory and mild analgesic, to address the aches and pains of old age.  It is a kidney and liver tonic, to keep those toxins flushed.  It contains some extra calories and good fats, to keep weight on.  It has some yummies that encourage eating.  Small animals can have high cholesterol, just like we can, so this mix fights the bad fats.  It is cancer-fighting, and helps to prevent urinary tract issues.  And it is a general immune boost.

from Michelle D. -

"Our bunny...has chronic bacterial infections, takes lots of antibiotics to manage the infections, and is 12 years old, so I'm glad for anything that may make her feel better and breathe easier. Thanks!"

The importance of whole foods.

“Whole food” means something to eat that is still in it’s entire, natural state, and is “bioavailable”. A whole food can be dried or powdered or frozen. But it remains what it is. Nothing is removed, extracted, or otherwise isolated from the original plant. A berry containing vitamin C is a whole food. A leaf, even dried and powdered, is still a whole food. A vitamin C pill is NOT a whole food. 

A whole food provides vitamins, minerals, enzymes, amino acids, fatty acids, and other micronutrients in a way that the body itself expects and understands. These nutrients require the presence of their “neighbours” in order to work properly and provide the most benefit. This is what bioavailable means.

Isolated vitamins, or synthetic supplements, do not bring all the parts of the puzzle together. The body can not fully use these isolated or synthetic things.

The importance of variety.

Rabbits and guinea pigs are natural foragers. They do not eat only one type of grass, flower, herb, or bark. They eat a bit of this, a bit of that, based on what is available seasonally. Without this variety, they can suffer a lack of trace minerals and other nutritional components. 

Their teeth also require a variety of foods. They need to bite, and chew, and crunch. They need to pull at bark or twigs. If they don’t get a chance to do all those things, mouth health can deteriorate and tooth problems crop up.

As small animals get more attention from the veterinary and nutrition communities, there is an increase in knowledge about just how much variety these little friends need to stay truly healthy. Hay and pellets can keep them alive. But fresh greens, as well as a varied diet to mimic forage, can help them truly thrive. 

You can even make adding variety into their diet a game that gives them some of the stimulation of their natural activities!  Hide little bits of our herb and flower mixes around their play area.   A spoonful under their tent, a bit stuffed into their chew toy, a little bunch at the bottom of their hay…this will give them the opportunity to do a little foraging, a little hunting for the good stuff, just like they would in the meadow.

Feeding Instructions

Once your animal accepts the mix, Young at Heart can be fed daily, up to 3 tablespoons per 10 lbs of body weight.  Young at Heart is most effective used along with Vita-Licious, to ensure that the broadest spectrum of nutritional needs are met.

Elder Flower, Meadowsweet, Plantain, Nettle Leaf, Oats, Oat Groats, Oat Tops, Rose Petals, Goldenrod, Milk Thistle Powder, Celery Seed.

Storage instructions: since these are dried plant materials, they may get buggy if not stored correctly.  Please store in an airtight food-safe container, in a cool dark place.  You can refrigerate them, but do not freeze.

Size: 4.4oz