Guinea pigs are adept foragers that spend much of their time searching for plants to snack on, sniffing and nibbling at. Ensuring they receive an appropriate mix of nutritious commercial pellets, fresh produce and hay is key to their health and well-being.
Guinea pigs require diets high in fiber in order to stay healthy and active, as a lack of fibre may lead to digestive and dental issues.
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High in fat and salt
As with other small animals, guinea pigs require adequate amounts of vitamin C for proper immune system functioning, growth and bone development, wound healing, iron absorption and maintaining skin integrity. Since they cannot produce it themselves, providing them with a balanced diet of pellets, hay and fresh vegetables is key in giving them adequate amounts of this nutrient.
Chips contain high levels of fat that can wreak havoc with your guinea pig’s digestive health, including bloating and diarrhoea. Furthermore, they’re an excellent source of salt which may lead to water retention and weight gain.
Instead of chips, guinea pigs can enjoy healthy animal-appropriate snacks such as carrot sticks, fresh greens, berries and sweet potato slices as tasty snacks. But be mindful when feeding dairy products; it may cause digestive upset and health issues in their system (guinea pigs don’t possess an enzyme necessary to digest lactose; this means they may suffer bloating or diarrhoea from milk).
Not suitable for guinea pigs
Guinea Pigs are herbivorous creatures that enjoy eating grasses, herbs and leaves that grow nearby. In captivity they are fed hay pellets formulated with various vitamins and minerals for their overall health.
Guinea Pigs should avoid banana chips as these products contain salt and sugar that could potentially be dangerous to their health.
Guinea pigs should never be fed meat as this can lead to digestive issues and an upset in normal gastrointestinal tract function, leading to malnourishment or illness due to animal protein and nutrients they don’t require.
Guinea pigs should always receive fresh vegetables as part of their daily diet and timothy hay as bedding material. Avoiding cat litter could block up their intestines and be unsanitary; paper or puppy training pads would make more suitable options as bedding material for guinea pigs. It is also important to change it daily as guinea pigs can get tangled up easily in it.
Not a good source of vitamin C
Guinea pigs cannot produce their own vitamin C, making it an essential part of their diet. Although manufactured tabs and water drops provide them with vitamin C, this may cause digestive issues as well as disrupt their microbiome (the community of bacteria living within their digestive tract).
As chips tend to contain high levels of sugar and may contain trace amounts of cyanide in their seeds and pits, it would be wiser for your guinea pig to enjoy fresh fruits and vegetables instead.
Timothy or Orchard grass hay helps maintain digestive health while encouraging teeth-gnawing that will prevent overgrown teeth. For optimal health, provide your guinea pig with fresh vegetables, herbs, and dried fruit as treats on occasion. When choosing plants beware that some are poisonous such as daisies, buttercups, dahlias, tulips and crocuses are poisonous to them while Rhubarb contains large quantities of oxalic acid which could potentially inhibit calcium absorption leading to life-threatening bladder stones!
Not a good source of fibre
As any guinea pig owner knows, their pets love to eat! But it is important to avoid overeating, which could pose serious health issues. A proper balance should include healthy pellets, hay, grass and leafy vegetables as well as fruits and snacks to keep your guinea pig content and happy.
Guinea pigs require plenty of fiber in their diet to aid with digestion and prevent bloat and constipation, however chips do not offer this essential element as they contain processed and prepared ingredients which could pose digestive challenges to your pet.
Chips should only be fed as treats in very small, bite-sized chunks as an occasional treat, with leafy vegetables and herbs making up the bulk of their fresh diet. Fruit can also be offered occasionally but be mindful that its high sugar content could lead to weight gain; treat fruit only occasionally as snacks. Providing vitamin C rich fruits such as citrus fruit or kiwi helps prevent scurvy; try including these into their diet in small bite-sized chunks for best results.
