Feeding a Guinea Pig

While some foodstuff are regarded occasional treats, drinking water, grass hay and pellets must be accessible to your guinea pig all the time, without exceptions. Also, it is highly advised to offer your guinea pig with vegetables, fruits and vitamin C (stay away from artificial health supplements, source vitamin C by means of food items).

Due to the fact guinea pigs have a sensitive digestive technique which is simply upset, normally introduce new food items bit by bit and patiently. Start off with a pretty little piece, and if they like it, continue to keep increasing the amount a minimal for the following serving.

1. Drinking water

Guinea Pigs need regular supply of cleanse, daily clean, home-temperature basic water for optimal overall performance. Prevent distilled water due to the fact it does not provide minerals that are critical to essential physique capabilities. Steer clear of water high in minerals, particularly calcium. Stay away from placing drugs, nutritional vitamins or any other health supplements in drinking water due to the fact your pet could not want to drink it. Untreated faucet water is commonly not proposed because of feasible chlorine and significant metallic contamination, but this relies upon on the high-quality of your household h2o distribution which can be tested. Unflavored bottled consuming drinking water or refreshing spring h2o could be a great option. Offer h2o in a cage-mounted drip bottle to avert contamination and/or spilling, which is common for dish servings. Thoroughly clean the drip bottle nozzle regularly (hay and pellet gunk can breed unsafe bacteria and clog the drinking water movement if not cleaned frequently).

2. Hay

Guinea pigs are grazing animals. It is extremely encouraged to give your pet with limitless quantities of grass hay, mostly for three reasons:

• Their enamel are constantly rising so they require to be constantly grazing and grinding (hay) to protect against enamel from about increasing
• Consuming the extended hay strands retains their digestive procedure relocating and in fantastic overall health
• Hay does not add substantially to obesity as it is a modest resource of protein and vitamins and minerals

Note: Pellets are not a substitute for hay. Deficiency of hay can lead to misalignment of the enamel that may need surgical correction, and gastrointestinal stasis – shutting down of the digestive tract which usually qualified prospects to guinea pig loss of life.

3. Pellets

• You have to have to supply your guinea pig with about 1/4 – 1/8 cup of basic, dye absolutely free guinea pig pellets. You can provide it in a smaller, reasonably weighty ceramic bowl to protect against tipping. It is encouraged to acquire pellets formulated with vitamin C, and you have to have to keep pellets in a dry, awesome, darkish area to maintain the potency of the vitamin C. Always glance on for an expiration date to insure product or service freshness and keep away from pellets that use animal byproducts and individuals whose major ingredient is corn. Do not feed other tiny animal pellets (like rabbit pellets) for the reason that the vitamin material is not the exact, and can be dangerous to your pet.

4. Veggies

• Feed your guinea pig generally green leafy greens
• Some veggies can be offered couple times a day, some few moments a week
• It is suggested to take away uneaten vegetables to protect against spoiling/rottening
• Do not feed wilted or spoiled food items
• Really don’t feed your guinea pig everyday the identical greens: Variety is the key to sustaining guinea pigs wellbeing
• Be cautious about veggies from the freezer – if meals is as well chilly, a guinea pig can get diarrhoea

4.1 Veggies that are encouraged for each day use:

• Carrots: Equally the root and the green tops are encouraged
• Cucumber: Little dietary worth, but high h2o content material – particularly appreciated in summer
• Bell Peppers: Inexperienced/Red/Yellow/Orange (purple yellow and orange are higher in calcium, so restrict all those. Eliminate seeds)
• Leafy greens: Inexperienced leaf lettuce, Cilantro, Red leaf lettuce, Escarole, Swiss chard, Curly endive, Romaine (only little quantities encouraged – it has a poor calcium/phosphorus ratio that can trigger kidney stone complications), Spinach (smaller quantities advised to stay clear of likely kidney stone issues)
• NOT proposed: iceberg (higher in nitrates and very low in vitamins, can induce diarrhea if given in excessive)
• NOT suggested: any vegetable in the cabbage loved ones (can cause bloat), or beet greens (too high in oxalates)

4.2 Greens that are encouraged for occasional use (handful of situations weekly):

• Broccoli leaves and peeled broccoli stem: Similar to the cabbage loved ones, so modest doses proposed
• Cauliflower: Relevant to the cabbage loved ones, so small doses recommended
• Kale: Associated to the cabbage household, so little doses advisable
• Chinese Cabbage/pak-choi: Linked to the cabbage family, so compact doses proposed
• Corn silks and husks: When in time
• Parsley: Extremely substantial in calcium, so caution is recommended if guinea pig is inclined to creating bladder stones
• Forages like chickweed, dandelions, and youthful clover
• Celery: Minimize into small pieces as it is very stringy, to steer clear of choking
• Contemporary Grass: Clear, pesticide-free, not dirty by canines/cats/and so on, NOT cut by a lawn mower
• Tomato: Remove the toxic tomato leading (inexperienced component). Clear away seeds if applying a slice from a more substantial tomato
• Beetroot: Advised in raw kind somewhat than pickled. Higher in antioxidants and other vitamins. Feeding as well often may final result in red urine

5. Fruits

Notice: Numerous fruits are full of natural sugar, have fruit acid and possible small Ca:P ratio, which could direct to bladder challenges. To stay away from your guinea pig finding a sore mouth, slice all fruit into modest parts and just give as an occasional deal with.

Next fruits are advised for occasional consumption:

• Apple: Thin wedge, include things like peel, Remove SEEDS which comprise arsenic
• Pear: Slim wedge, include things like peel, no seeds
• Apricot: Dried, a couple tiny parts
• Banana: Reasonably very low in vitamin C but loaded in other vitamins
• Blueberries
• Cantaloupe
• Seedless Grapes or Raisins: NOT Both equally, and very sparingly
• Orange
• Strawberries: Another preferred summer months fruit, also very significant in vitamin C
• Watermelon
• Cranberries: extremely substantial in vitamin C as well considerably can induce Belly UPSET
• Grapefruit: Pink, purple, and white types are all excellent resources of vitamin C, but they can be way too bitter for some pigs. They are large in H2o written content so are refreshing in heat climate.
• Kiwi: Exceptionally high in vitamin C and considered extremely good for cavies
• Mango: Large h2o information tends to make it pretty refreshing
• Raspberries

If you wish to understand about food items to stay away from, vitamin C and other valuable data and ideas about feeding a guinea pig enriched with images, please go to Guinea Pig Handbook Feeding Web page.