Guinea pigs need vitamin C for growth and disease protection. Their pellets or food sources provide this essential source of nourishment.
Bananas provide them with essential potassium to support organ health, blood flow and muscle strength – essential elements that they require for overall wellness. Plus, their fiber content may lead to digestive issues like bloating and gas.
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Vitamin C
As with other rodents, guinea pigs cannot produce their own vitamin C and without an abundant diet containing this nutrient they may develop deficiency. A simple adjustment to their diet usually suffices to prevent deficiency.
At the core of any guinea pig’s diet should lie unlimited timothy or other grass hay and smaller amounts of high-quality nuggets or pellets with stabilized vitamin C added; supplementing this with daily servings of fresh leafy vegetables such as romaine lettuce, red or green leaf lettuces, turnip or mustard greens, collard greens cabbage endive etc – with occasional servings of tomato, scallion or zucchini for variety.
Add vitamin C drops to your pet’s water for several reasons; however, this approach should be avoided for several reasons. First of all, they degrade quickly in water so a fresh supply must be provided regularly; additionally, some animals such as guinea pigs may avoid drinking from containers with these drops due to their strange taste.
Potassium
Guinea pigs require potassium, an essential mineral which assists with the proper functioning of internal organs like the heart and kidneys, regulates blood flow, fights arthritis and decreases muscle cramps. A banana contains approximately 3.6 mg of potassium while also being an excellent source of vitamin C to prevent scurvy.
A diet suitable for pet guinea pigs should include grass hay, pellets and fresh vegetables; however, many commercial treats marketed towards them contain empty calories which may cause digestive issues in pet guineas.
Guinea Pigs should enjoy snacking on small slices of banana, which should only be given in moderation as this could result in stomach upset. Kale is another nutritious treat which provides vitamins A and K along with calcium to your guinea pig.
Fiber
Guinea pigs are herbivorous animals and require plenty of fiber in their diet to ensure optimal digestion. Burgess Excel feeding hay (we recommend Timothy over Alfalfa) offers this benefit and also promotes proper wear on their growing teeth.
Guinea Pigs chew their hay in circular movements that help wear all sides of their teeth evenly, helping prevent scurvy from occurring due to teeth that have not been worn down enough.
High-fiber vegetables like green and red peppers, romaine lettuce (not iceberg), parsley, beet tops, dandelion greens, corn husks and silk, cilantro and carrots can help provide your pet with more fiber in his or her diet. Fruit should only be given occasionally due to its high sugar content that may destabilize healthy bacteria in his digestive tract and lead to serious health problems including diarrhea if fed regularly; hence it is imperative that new food should be introduced slowly under veterinarian supervision when changing over to any new food source.
Sugar
Guinea pigs are natural herbivores that spend most of their time chewing and foraging for food, with plenty of roughage providing ample wear-down for healthy teeth and jaws. Failing to chew adequately may result in dental issues, obesity or digestive disorders if left unchecked.
As such, it is crucial that hay (such as Timothy or oat hay ) forms the majority of your pet’s diet at all times; this should make up at least 80%. Hay is low in sugar content while offering essential fiber and nutrients to your guinea pig.
Your guinea pig should also receive daily portions of low-sugar vegetables that contain plenty of vitamin C, like dark leafy greens, endive, bok choy cabbage kale silver beet dandelion greens as well as herbs such as marjoram borage parsley basil nasturtium rosemary as part of its diet. Add small portions of fresh fruit each day as well – such as kiwis strawberries and citrus fruit which contain high levels of Vitamin C content.
