For people who have Guinea pigs as pets, they often get confused about what to feed them and what not to. Even if you treat your pet as your family member, you can’t feed them anything out of your dining table. Some foods that humans consume are good for the guinea pig, while some are not. Thus, feeding guinea pigs needs lots of care and protection, and we will let you know all about what to feed and what not to feed to your pet.
This article has been prepared by taking different considerations in mind. His article includes a list of all Highly Nutritional Food for Guinea Pigs. So, let’s get started!
What do guinea pigs eat?
At the most basic, guinea pigs are herbivores, and they mostly eat fruits and vegetables. You don’t have to give them meat, dairy products, or eggs to these lovely guys. Just provide them with plenty of fruits and vegetables, and they are good to go. All guinea pigs need two basic nutrients, and you should provide them at any cost:
Vitamin C
Guinea pigs are vulnerable to scurvy, and thus, they need vitamin C in sufficient quantities. Thus, the guinea pig pellet should include Vitamin C to keep your pet healthy and happy.
Fibrous material
The tooth of a guinea pig always keeps on growing, and thus, they need something fibrous to chew on. In this case, hay can be very useful. Hard pellets won’t do great, so it’s important to have a sufficient quantity of hay at your home to provide them with continuously growing teeth.
Fresh food that is suitable for guinea pigs
Fresh foods and veggies are something that they need every day. You can use lots of fruits and veggies to give them treats and also help them bond with you. Following are some of the fruits and veggies that will do the magic:
- Bananas
- Blueberries
- Pasley
- Lettuce
- Strawberries
- Tomatoes
- watermelon
How much to feed your little pet?
These tiny animals don’t eat too much. Thus, don’t let them overeat, or else they can get sick. Try to provide a balance of hay, pellet foods, and fresh fruits and vegetables. Also, try to feed them at regular intervals to make sure that they are not hungry. Try to provide an unlimited quantity of the timothy hay so that it can have continuous growth of strong teeth. In addition to teeth growth, it also helps indigestion.
What are the foods that make them happy?
Although the market is filled with different foods that are called the treats for the guinea pigs, mostly, these treats include lots of artificial sweeteners. Mostly the commercial treats are a waste of money, and you don’t need to spend lots of money on them. Just buy lots of fruits of veggies, and your pet will be perfectly happy.
Toxic Food for Guinea pigs
There are certain foods that you should never give to your guinea pigs. Not all food products are best for guinea pigs. We are providing you with a list of food products that you should never give your pet Guinea pig. Following are the most toxic food for guinea pigs:
- Chives
- Coconut
- Avocadoes
- Garlic
- Raisins
- onion
In addition to this, try to remove seeds from the fruits you are offering to your little furry animal.
Keep the items fresh.
In addition to providing fresh fruits and veggies, it is also important to remove all uneaten fruits and vegetables from the bowl. Check for all uneaten food an hour before you plan to fill their food bowl. Try to replace the pellets on a daily basis. Many guinea pigs kick bedding material, or they try to drag their droppings into the food bowl. Thus, try to make sure that your pet doesn’t have any of these habits. If you find uneaten food every day on your pet’s plate, it’s time to reduce the proportion of food you are providing them. Try to reduce the quantity of food on their plate, but increase the frequency of providing food to them.
When it comes to feeding guinea pigs, it is not an easy task. You need to keep different factors into mind. You have to be attentive enough to provide them food at regular intervals so that they are never hungry. You also need to provide them food that is mentioned on the list. Just like all other pets, you need to have a proper understanding of their tastes and preferences before you purchase food items for them.
These furry little babies need a lot of attention and you need to be ever ready to feed them anything they like.