What foods are good for guinea pigs?
What can Guinea Pigs Eat?
- Majority of a guinea pig diet should be hay.
- And in that hay, the most recommended hay is Timothy hay or any low calcium hay.
- Apart from that grass, they can also happily feed on pellets meant for guinea pigs only.
- They also like fresh green vegetables like lettuce, broccoli, cauliflower, etc.
What is the best diet for guinea pigs?
Safe Fruits and Veggies for Your Guinea Pig
- Romaine Lettuce
- Spinach
- Kale
- Parsley
- Carrots (and the carrot top)
- Zucchini
- Sweet Potato
- Peas
- Cucumber
- Broccoli
What can guinea pigs eat and not eat list?
- Stone fruit (all kinds) Contains cyanide and is rich in sugar. Can cause diarrhea.
- All kinds of exotic fruits like mango, papaya, pomegranate Causes serious indigestion and colics.
- Rhubarb Rich in oxialic acid
What vegetables are good for guinea pigs?
- Lettuce
- Parsnip
- Bell peppers
- Spinach
- Broccoli
- Celery leaves
- Tomatoes without stems or leaves
- Cucumber
- Zucchini
- Kale
How Much Should A Guinea Pig Weigh?
On average, adult male guinea pigs weigh 2 to 2.6 pounds (or 900g to 1200g). But females are usually around 1 1/2 to 2 pounds (or 700g to 900g). But, these aren’t hard and fast guidelines.
1. Consult A Vet
This is by far one of the most important things you can do. Find out if your cavy is otherwise healthy (fingers crossed), or if there’s something going on that you can’t see that’s causing weight loss.
2. Offer A Balanced Diet
To help your pigs gain weight (and maintain), you need to make sure they’re eating right.
3. Feed Critical Care
There’s different things you can feed to your piggie to help them gain weight and critical care is one of the most popular – go-tos.
4. Offer Oats
Oats have been proven to help pigs put on weight. Make sure that it’s NOT quick oats. Only use plain, steel cut oats (uncooked). Just like with humans, if they eat too much of it then they can gain weight from that too.
5. Provide Alfalfa Hay
Alfalfa hay is high in calories and calcium. This is only an option if you want to help a guinea pig gain weight who’s pregnant (or even nursing) or a baby guinea pig (about six months or less).
6. Handfeed Separately
If you have a big herd of guinea pigs (heck, if you even have two sometimes) it can be hard to keep up with how much everyone is eating.
How to Help A Guinea Pig Gain Weight
You can help your guinea pig gain weight at home by enriching their diet with nutrient-dense foods and vitamins. If you notice significant weight loss, you’ll want to consult with your veterinarian immediately.
FAQs
This could be a sign of an improper diet or a parasite. Consult with your veterinarian for the best treatment options.
Conclusion
A sudden weight loss of guinea pigs may indicate health problems. Since their bodies aren’t configured to handle drastic weight loss in a short period, you’ll want to act quickly to avoid further problems.
How to help guinea pigs gain weight?
The best way to help a guinea pig gain weight is to switch to alfalfa hay, introduce new veggies and fruits, clean the cage, and introduce pellets.
How to feed a guinea pig a new food?
You can start by cutting the food into small pieces and giving them ½ cup a day.
How much does a guinea pig weigh?
An adult male guinea pig should weigh around 1kg (give or take 200g).
What is the most common disease in guinea pigs?
Scurvy is one of the most common diseases in pet guinea pigs. Scurvy is essentially a deficiency in vitamin C. When a guinea pig develops scurvy , they can begin to lose their hair, lose mobility, and eventually lose weight.
Why is my guinea pig losing weight?
There are plenty of reasons why your guinea pig could be losing weight, including dental problems, scurvy, bad hygiene, and parasites.
Do guinea pigs need clean water?
Additionally, always make sure your guinea pig has access to fresh, clean water.
How to help a guinea pig gain weight?
To help your guinea pig gain weight you need to change the diet, but be careful changing the diet drastically. If your vet has prescribed a change in your previous diet plan, you need to do it gradually. A sudden change in diet can develop many other problems. You should let your piggie change its habit slowly in weeks.
What to feed a malnourished guinea pig?
For malnourished pets, you should use alfalfa-based pellets instead of hay-based pellets. It would help to add some water and make a mush to encourage your pet to eat. Vitamin C: Guinea pigs are not able to synthesize their vitamin V in the body. Therefore, they need supplements of vitamin C in their daily diet.
What foods can piggies eat?
Furthermore, the following foods help your piggie gain weight. Hay: There are certain varieties of hay that are beneficial for your piggie in sickness because they contain more calories to help maintain weight and fight the disease. These are alfalfa, readigrass, and oat hay. Vegetables: If you are not giving your piggie vegetables ...
Why do guinea pigs shed?
Guinea pigs grow hairs during the winter and shed in the summer. The obvious reason for growing and shedding is temperature maintenance. However, when they shed hair in summer, some guinea pig owners think they are losing weight. In reality, change in season has nothing to do with weight gain or weight loss.
Can you give pigs vegetables?
Vegetables: If you are not giving your piggie vegetables and want your piggie to gain weight, it is best to start giving veggies to your little pig. However, you should very carefully which vegetable to offer and which not to offer. Vegetables are full of vitamins, and your piggie needs vitamin C for living a healthy life.
Can guinea pigs make their own vitamin C?
You can provide a proper balance of pellets, hay, and fresh vegetables. Guinea pigs cannot make their own vitamin C, and they need it from outside in their daily diet. You should provide an unlimited quantity of fresh timothy hay every day to aid digestion.
Do guinea pigs overeat?
He advised me of a diet plan and tips to take better care of my piggie. Your guinea pig doesn’t overeat, and therefore, they need a balanced diet full of all the essential nutrients in an adequate amount. You can provide a proper balance of pellets, hay, and fresh vegetables. Guinea pigs cannot make their own vitamin C, ...
