Guinea pigs eat grasses, plants and crops. Totally vegan! Here are some of the important notes I think we all GP lovers or pet owners should know;
- Guinea pigs require moderately high levels of fibre in their food. Important: feed good quality fresh hay alongside the usual brand of feed.
- Guinea pigs, like humans are unable to make their own Vitamin C and it must therefore be provided as part of their diet. Guinea pigs also have a high Vitamin A requirement, much higher than that of other rodents.
- Dry foods for guinea pigs should not contain high levels of calcium as this can lead to urinary tract problems.
- Guinea pigs have teeth which grow continually. If fed unsuitable foods, can lead to painful dental conditions and it's painful. Plenty of hay and grass in their diet is important to help ensure that their teeth are sufficiently worn down. Failure to feed them these, can result in serious dental disease.
- Not advisable to make any sudden changes to your guinea pig’s diet as this may make them very ill. Always introduce new diets gradually.
- Feed fresh, clean water must be always available everyday.
- A good sign of a healthy guinea pig is when he/she is eating every day and passing plenty of dry droppings. Always keep an eye on how much your guinea pig eats and drinks. If you notice that your pet's eating/drinking habits change or the droppings get smaller or are no longer being produced, contact your vet straight away as your pet may be seriously ill.
- You can treat your guinea pig with small amounts of apple and strawberry. However, Guinea pigs can be greedy! They can suffer from obesity if food is not monitored correctly and obesity can result in many other health problems. Do not feed too many treats or too much dry food containing excess sugar.
- There are a number of foods that are poisonous to guinea pigs so always double check before you feed them. DO NOT FEED potato, rhubarb, tomato leaves, buttercups, daffodils, poppies or tulips. The list is not exhaustive, and if in doubt as to whether something is safe to feed it is best to avoid.
More info on PFMA website.
So, what do I feed the girls at the moment?
- Hays. Are the most important food in a guinea pig diets. The petshop recommended Alfalfa hays to me but I mixed them with Timothy as Timothy is important when they grow up. Alfalfa hays are recommended for babies, pregnant guinea pigs or sick guinea pigs.
- Vitamins. As they are like us, it is important to have supplements ready to boost up their immune system. I still need to get something better than what I have. I'm looking at Oxbow brand at the moment. It seems very promising.
- Pallets or compressed hays. I don't really like them. But the girls can go nuts about them. Aiko especially! The petshop probably feed them too much. I hate to see black poops! I like greens. Lol! Pallets and compressed hays are not really something you should feed them often. For weak GP'S, you probably need to get those that are high in vitamin c as it is vital for them.
- Treats. Whatever that is, treats shouldn't be something you give all the time. Keep it simple like fresh organic vegetables instead. The girls are not use to fresh vegetables yet, so I just included 3-4 corn nuggets, some oats and extremely loads of hays.. 2 times daily. Ocassionally, when I'm in the mood, dried apple & banana treats. Treats should be something that's rewarding for them. NOT AS NORMAL DIETS!
Aiko's favorites are corn treats with a little bit of pallets, while Fuyu and Natsu love oats very much!
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