Your guinea pigs should have fresh, washed leafy greens or weeds each day, such as kale or broccoli Broccoli is an edible green plant in the cabbage family whose large flowering head and stalk is eaten as a vegetable. The word broccoli comes from the Italian plural of broccolo, which means "the flowering crest of a cabbage", and is the diminutive form of brocco, meaning "small nail" o…Broccoli
Vitamin C
Vitamin C, also known as ascorbic acid and l-ascorbic acid, is a vitamin found in various foods and sold as a dietary supplement. It is used to prevent and treat scurvy. Vitamin C is an essential nutrient involved in the repair of tissue and the enzymatic production of certain neurotransmitters. It is required for the functioning of several enzymes and is important for immune system function. It also functions as an antioxidant.
What's the best food for pigs guinea?
Good fresh foods to feed your guinea pig include:
- Bananas
- Blueberries
- Cantaloupe
- Green peppers
- Parsley
- Green and red leaf lettuce
- Strawberries
- Tomatoes
- Watermelon
What vegetables are safe for guinea pigs?
These veggies can be fed on a daily basis:
- Raddichio
- Green leaf lettuce
- Red leaf lettuce
- Romaine lettuce
- Bell pepper (any color, red have more sugar)
- Cilantro
- Pumpkin
- Tomatoes*
- Asparagus
- Yam
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 are guinea pigs' favourite foods?
The Most Healthy and Favorite Foods of the Guinea Pigs
- blueberries
- melon
- papaya
- peach
- pear
- plum
- pineapple
- tomatoes
- Brussels sprouts
- cucumber
What should you feed guinea pigs daily?
The preferred basic diet for guinea pigs is unlimited amounts of Timothy or other low-calcium hay, supplemented with smaller amounts of a commercial, high-fiber, Timothy-hay based guinea pig pellets. Vitamin C (see below) should be given each day. Hay should be offered free-choice throughout the day.
What is the best thing to feed your guinea pig?
Your pig will be perfectly happy with high quality pellets and hay and treats of fruits and vegetables. For a special snack, try mixing some rolled oats into your guinea pig's pellets or stuff a small cardboard tube with fresh hay.
What household foods can guinea pigs eat?
CHART KEYAlfalfa – pellets0Alfalfa pellets are suitable for young, growing and/or pregnant guinea pigs (under 1 year of age). Ref. Pellets: Alfalfa vs Timothy.Beets (beetroot)4.90Bell pepperSee Peppers (capscium)Blackberries21.00Blueberries9.7Feed in moderation.98 more rows•May 31, 2010
Do guinea pigs need vegetables every day?
Guinea pigs' need fresh greens and vegetables every day to help them get enough vitamin C (they can't produce it themselves). Our vets' advise one teacup of greens and veg, per guinea pig, per day, which can be split into morning and evening feeds.
What veggies can guinea pigs eat everyday?
Summary. Of all the vegetables we have listed, the best ones are asparagus, broccoli, bell peppers, dandelions, romaine lettuce, spinach, and zucchini. You can begin adding these foods to your guinea pig's daily diet to help them get the nutrients they need to live long, healthy lives.
What is toxic to guinea pigs?
Onions and garlic These two combined make a great seasoning for practically anything. However, onions and garlic both belong to the plant group called Allium and these have some substances that are toxic for guinea pigs.
What are the best fruits and veggies for guinea pigs?
Good fresh foods to feed your guinea pig include:Bananas.Blueberries.Cantaloupe.Green peppers.Parsley.Green and red leaf lettuce.Strawberries.Tomatoes.More items...
What can't guinea pigs eat list?
A short list of the foods to avoid feeding your guinea pig includes:Chocolate (or anything else containing caffeine)Onions.Garlic.Mushrooms.Iceberg lettuce.Avocados.Nuts.Potatoes.More items...
How often should a guinea pig eat?
Other than the hay, it's a good idea to feed your cavy two times a day. Both in the morning and in the evening, to help prevent overeating and, consequently, obesity. Always remove any uneaten pellets about 1 hour after your cavy has eaten and any fruit or vegetables after 24 hours.
How many times a day should you feed a guinea pig?
Feed your guinea pig hay. They need it for digestive and dental health. Guinea pigs should have unlimited access to hay, which often means refilling a good-sized dish 3 to 5 times daily.
What foods are toxic to guinea pigs?
Poisonous food and plants for guinea pigsPet shop treats such as yoghurt drops, chew bars etc are very fattening and can contribute to poor dental health.Avocado.Buttercup leaves and flowers can cause extreme discomfort and in some cases be fatal.Foxglove.Ragwort.Ivy.Privet.Holly.More items...
Can guinea pigs survive on just hay?
Guinea pigs can eat as much grass hay as they wish, but portion control is needed for pellets, and even healthy treats likes veggies, fruits, and Hey!
What is the best food for guinea pigs?
A constant flow of healthy foods are important to ensure your guinea pig is getting all of the nutrients it needs. Here are some of the fruits and vegetables that are rich in nutritional benefits, the high sugar foods can be considered as more of a treat and given in moderation.
How do guinea pigs digest food?
A guinea pig eats and digests food once, in-turn creating soft faecal matter which is kept in a pouch in their rump. Then they eat and digest that matter again. This doesn’t sound very nice to you or I, but it is a very important part of keeping them in good health.
Why is my guinea pig not getting enough vitamin C?
If a guinea pig does not get enough vitamin C in its diet it will use its body’s supply. This will leave the guinea pig vulnerable to a number of health conditions, so always keep this in mind. If your guinea pig is showing any of the following symptoms, it may be due to poor diet and/or lack of vitamin C:
What vegetables should I eat with broccoli?
Broccoli – give in moderation for same reasons as leafy greens. Grapes – any colour will do. Bananas – peel and cut into smaller pieces. Cherry Tomatoes – feed these in moderation. Parsley – a small amount on occasion to add some variety to their diets. Peppers – yellow, green or red, they all provide a healthy snack that guinea pigs enjoy.
What vegetables can I eat to help my stomach?
Apples – remove all seeds and cut into slices. Oranges – give them in segments. Carrots – they will happily eat the whole carrot, top included. Leafy Greens – lettuce, spinach etc. Feed these in moderation, too much can cause upset stomachs. Broccoli – give in moderation for same reasons as leafy greens.
What are the symptoms of a guinea pig's coat?
Weak and low on energy. Small wounds bleed excessively. Coat is rough and unkempt. Swollen joints and pain. If you are concerned about the health of your guinea pig, or have any nutritional questions specific to your pet, you should always consult the opinion of a qualified professional.
Can guinea pigs be pets?
Guinea pigs are easy to keep as pets, but do have some special dietary requirements. Special attention to making sure they have enough fibre and vitamin C in their diet is a must, and keeping any foods that are potentially harmful away from them is your responsibility as their owner.
What is the most important food for guinea pigs?
Hay is the most important part of a guinea pig’s diet. Check out our full colour printable pdf download of fruit and vegetables that will help you on a daily basis to find the best fresh food for your guinea pigs. Category: Feeding. Previous Post.
What other foods do guinea pigs eat?
Apart from fresh vegetables, guinea pigs also need unlimited amounts of grass hay at all times and a small daily portion of special guinea pig pellets. It’s important that guinea pigs are NEVER given a diet of JUST fruit and vegetables but a good balanced diet.
What vegetables can guinea pigs eat daily?
Guinea pigs can eat foods such as Romaine lettuce, sweet bell peppers, kale, cucumber and coriander every day and some other green leafy vegetables too.
How much veg should guinea pigs eat daily?
About cup of vegetables is a good amount of fresh food for a daily portion for one guinea pig. This is not always easy to judge when you have lots of leaves so a little more is fine.
What are the best greens for guinea pigs?
Green leafy vegetables are extremely important in a guinea pig’s diet. Some of the best greens and the ones they tend to like best are Romaine lettuce, green and red leaf lettuce, spring greens, kale, various herbs including mint, parsley, coriander (cilantro) and basil.
Can guinea pigs eat frozen fruit and veg?
Frozen fruits or vegetables are not suitable for guinea pigs and neither is tinned or canned food. If you can’t get fresh veggies for whatever reason, see if you can forage for safe plants or weeds. You may be surprised how many of these are growing around where you live.
How to keep guinea pigs healthy?
Mixing several vegetables in their daily fresh food portion helps your guinea pigs get a good range of vitamins rather than a lot of a select few nutrients. This will contribute to them staying strong and healthy for longer.
Do guinea pigs need vitamin C like we do?
We know that vitamin C is good for us humans, and it’s just the same for our piggy friends. This vitamin is essential because it is used to make collagen that is responsible for healthy joints, skin, gums, and is also used in wound healing.
What happens if my guinea pig has a vitamin C deficiency
Since vitamin C is essential for so many different parts of the body, there are a whole range of health problems your guinea pig could get if they don’t receive a diet that contains vitamin C.
What foods can guinea pigs eat that provide them with vitamin C?
Good quality hay should make up the majority of guinea pigs' diet and a fresh supply should be available at all times. Small amounts of fresh grass and vegetables should be given as frequently as possible and ideally daily to help offer a good source of vitamin C.
What greens Can I Feed My Guinea Pigs?
Try to feed different greens to your pets every day but make sure they are suitable for guinea pigs to eat. The sort of vegetables that people usually have in their homes that are safe to feed to guinea pigs are as follows:
What Are the Best Treats for Guinea Pigs?
You can buy natural treats at pet shops which are great for guinea pigs because they are good for their teeth and digestive systems. However, you should always avoid any sugary treats, especially if they contain honey because they could cause diabetes and nasty teeth problems.
What About Commercial Guinea Pig Nuggets?
There are some very good quality commercial guinea pig nuggets on the market and they usually do contain a good amount of Vitamin C. The problem is that if the food is old and has been stored for a long time, then most of the nutrients will have disappeared. Always check the sell by dates to make sure the food is fresh.
Why Do Guinea Pigs Eat Their Droppings?
The first being hard and dry ones which are in fact the 'real' faeces. The second type are softer and called 'caecaotrophs'. These are full of nutrients and fibre which guinea pigs eat, often straight from their bottoms because they get all the goodness out of them .
What is Poisonous to Guinea Pigs?
When setting up a run for your guinea pigs, you need to make sure there are no toxic plants in the run or close by it. Below is a list of very poisonous plants that guinea pigs must never eat:
Are Water Bottles Good for Guinea Pigs?
Gu inea pigs need to have constant access to fresh clean water. Water bottles with metal spouts are great but you need to make sure your guinea pigs know how to use them. The bottles need to be checked everyday and refilled with fresh, clean water. Guinea pigs drink around 100 to 200 ml of water per kg of bodyweight every day. If you notice your guinea pig drinking more or less than they usually do, there could be a problem so you should check this out with your vet.
Why can't guinea pigs eat muesli?
Your pets will eat the tastier bits, usually the sweeter ones and leave anything they don't like, these are usually the healthy bits that are full of fibre. A lack of fibre in a guinea pigs' diet leads to painful dental diseases.
What do guinea pigs eat?
Diet plan. Hay, vegetables, fruits, branches, herbs and other plant. There is very much you can feed your Guinea Pigs. Cavies listen to their natural instinct and really like to eat what grows on ground – raw. Most of all feed hay!
How to care for guinea pigs in the evening?
Fresh hay has to be provided all time. Water has to be filled up from time to time. Only use clear and fresh water. There is no reason to provide special “rodent-water” from the pet shop if you take care about the food for your Guinea Pigs.
How to feed cavies?
Fresh Grass is a great seasonal food for their diet from spring to fall but you have to pay attention if you start to feed grass each year. Start with short amount of it and increase every day a bit. This guarantees that cavies will be softly get into the way of it. At winter season you should replace grass with fresh vegetables to keep them healthy with a diet rich in vitamins. Fruits should be always handled like candy and should not be provided that much. Herbs can be provided fresh or dried permanent in any quantity.
How long does it take for a guinea pig to lose its teeth?
After 24 hours. Guinea Pigs lose their deciduous teeth at womb and will be born with a complete set of teeth.
What is the best food for cavies?
Cucumber. Very popular food for cavies. Endive. rich in vitamins and minerals / appetizing. Fennel. rich in vitamins and minerals. Can take on color on urine. Helpful by digestive complaints. field salad.
What foods can you feed a da?
Feed carefully because of it oxialic acid. May take color on urine and feces. Can be provided with the green. Broccoli. High amount of vitamin C. Contains oxialic acid. Provide it increasing. Carrot. Rich in calories. Do not feed every da.
Can you give cavies fresh herbs?
Fresh herbs can be provided without limitation. Dry herbs might be provided only a handful once a week cause the cavies run in trouble clearing their water balance otherwise. All herbs can be provided fresh or dried.
What do guinea pigs eat?
Along with the basic nutrients, water, hay, and pellets vegetables, fruits and vitamin C are necessary supplements. However, their digestive system is intended for grass diets. With careful planning, provide its diet with high fibre and low carbohydrate. What can and can’t guinea pigs eat?
Is zucchini good for guinea pigs?
Positive. Zucchini is best served raw to guinea pigs. It provides nutritional value and is a good source of vitamin C.
Can a cavy eat asparagus?
Asparagus is low in vitamin C, but still provides nutrients. Thus, yes, your cavy can eat asparagus but not too much to avoid bloating.
Can guinea pigs eat vegetables?
Despite vegetables being essential to a guinea pig’s diet, not all of them are applicable. Although some vegetables are recommended, one needs to mind how often it should be fed. It is best to let your pet try a variety of greens in moderate amounts. But make sure all are in accordance to the appropriateness of your guinea pig’s diet.
Can guinea pigs eat iceberg lettuce?
Yes, guinea pigs can eat lettuce but mainly pertaining to romaine lettuce, bibb lettuce, butterhead lettuce, and Boston lettuce. Feeding lettuce should be kept moderately, and avoid iceberg lettuce because it is believed that it can cause diarrhoea.
Top 10 Best Vegetables To Feed Your Guinea Pig
Whether you just got your guinea pig and want to know what they eat or you just want new ideas, this post will explore the top 10 vegetables you can feed to your guinea pigs. There are some foods to avoid and I talk about them in this post.
Basil
Basil is a great herb that can be fed to your guinea pigs. It has a nice smelling scent and tastes quite different to the usual food they eat. For this reason they may be cautious at first but try it out and worse that can happen is that they just aren’t interested. It is full of vitamin C and is very nutritious.
Mint
Mint is another tasty herb. Again, this nice smelling herb can spruce up the cage a bit and is quite different to other vegetables in taste and smell. Your guinea pigs will love it! Usually grocery shops will sell spearmint and that is fine. It is chock-full of vitamins such as vitamin A and C.
Romaine Lettuce
Romaine lettuce is one vegetable that can be fed somewhat more regularly than the rest. This is because it is low in calories and has a great nutrition profile. They love the crunch and they love to tear off the leaves. Romaine lettuce contains vitamin A and C mainly as well as minerals such as potassium, folate and phosphorous.
Brocolli
Brocolli has a lovely texture and crunch that your guinea pigs will love. Brocolli is very common and fresh organic types are the best. Calcium is low as well so it is a good vegetable to feed.
Bell Peppers
The reason bell peppers are included in the top 10 is because they are just great! Bell peppers are low in calcium and they love that crunch. They can eat the whole bell pepper contrary to popular belief! Many leave out the seeds but it’s up to you as they can eat everything including the pith.
Celery
Celery is a great vegetable because of the crunchy texture. Some guinea pigs might not like it all that much as it has a distinctive taste. It is low in calories and contains many vitamins so is beneficial to your guinea pigs.
