Guinea Pig Diet
What can you feed your new cavy? A proper guinea pig diet will protect his skin, fur, teeth, energy, and internal health. Experts suggest a diet high in commercially pelleted food as well as plenty of hays. Your guinea pig will also love fresh fruits and vegetables; just be judicious about handing them out.
When you first bring a guinea pig into your home, he’ll be cautious about warming up to you in the first twenty-four hours. One of the best ways to make friends with him is to offer a strawberry or a bit of grass or hay.
If you offer your pet something that he hasn’t see before in his limited guinea pig diet, it’s possible he won’t eat it. Break off little tiny pieces to tempt him. But don’t expect him to be any less picky than your kids! Some guinea pigs are suspicious about any food, and others don’t recognize an unfamiliar food as something edible. Many of them will eat a new food if they see another guinea pig enjoying it. And they have their own individual likes and dislikes.
Experts suggest that the first component of a guinea pig diet includes pellets, fortified with vitamin C. You should avoid products that include beets, corn, syrup, bone meal, eggs, animal fat, seeds, nuts, or oils. Most pellets are made from alfalfa. Timothy hay is used in some pellet brands, but it contains less calcium so it should be used for guinea pigs that are at least a year old. Expect him to eat one-eighth cup per day, and don’t mix them with nuts or seeds.
Hay is something you should make available to your guinea pig all day long, every day. It’s a staple in a guinea pig diet. It keeps his teeth correctly ground, and he needs the fiber for proper digestion. You do not need to choose an alfalfa hay for your pup if he already has alfalfa-based pellets; in fact he might develop bladder stones from too much calcium.
You can buy packaged hay at the store, or you can look for bales of hay that will be more economical and provide a fresher product. Check out your local farms or ask at any area horse stables. A bale of hay can last you many months, and it will not lose its nutritional value over a very long period of time. Choose leafy hay rather than all stems. Timothy hay is the most common in the average guinea pig diet, but look for bluegrass and other soft, pliable types.
Forage is wonderful for your pet-as long as it’s grown in a non-treated field. Wash it before you give it to your guinea pig. Fresh grass provides natural vitamin C. They love dandelion greens.
Every cavy loves a bit of fresh fruit and vegetables-and proper guinea pig diet contains no more than just that bit. Leafy vegetables are a favorite, but avoid iceberg lettuce. Its nutritional value is minimal, and it can cause diarrhea. If you feed your pet celery, chop it into tiny pieces because of the strings. He can eat tiny broccoli leaves, but cruciferous vegetables and cabbages are not ideal-he’ll get gas! Green pepper, up to one-quarter chopped, is a favorite. A baby carrot is okay every other day.
You can give him a couple fruits per day. He can have tiny dried apricot pieces. You can give him no more than two grapes or raisins, but do not give him both in the same day. He’ll love a thin apple wedge as long as it contains no seeds. Use a quarter-inch round of banana, a 1×2 inch wedge of cantaloupe-wash the rind!-or one slice of orange. He can have several blueberries, or a couple strawberries.
If you give him vitamins, never put them in his water. He’ll avoid the water and become dehydrated.
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