Final answer:
Emily should feed her pet rabbit a diet rich in greens, hay, and limited pellets, emphasizing high fiber content to support its specialized monogastric digestive system.
Step-by-step explanation:
If Emily just adopted a pet rabbit, she should feed it a diet that suits its unique digestive system. Unlike carnivores, rabbits are herbivores with a specialized monogastric digestive system, which means they have a single-chambered stomach. Their diet should consist primarily of a variety of greens, hay, and a small amount of pellets. Hay is crucial as it provides the fiber necessary for the proper functioning of a rabbit's digestive system and helps prevent issues such as GI stasis.
Rabbits have an enlarged small intestine and cecum, which allow more time for digesting plant material and more surface area for nutrient absorption. Moreover, rabbits digest their food twice. They produce soft feces known as cecotrophes, which they then re-ingest to extract further nutrients. This process is essential because their cecum hosts bacteria that break down complex plant material and produce important nutrients like vitamins.
Therefore, Emily should ensure her rabbit's diet is rich in fiber and not high in carbohydrates or sugars, as these can disrupt their delicate digestive balance and lead to health issues.