Guinea pigs need access to a regular supply of good quality hay – generally second cut timothy – which should make up at least 80% of their diet. Furthermore, fresh fruits, vegetables and herbs must also be provided as part of their daily intake.
Antioxidants like kale and parsley make delicious daily choices for your furry friend, providing essential Vitamin C. Potassium regulates electrolytes and water balance in his or her body while alleviating fatigue, weakness, muscle ache, constipation prevention and more.
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Leafy Greens
Guinea pigs require greens in their diet in order to receive essential vitamins and minerals necessary for good health, particularly Vitamin C which aids wound healing faster and helps avoid deadly diseases like Scurvy.
Leaves like chard, Swiss chard and spinach provide an abundance of essential vitamins such as Vitamin C for guinea pigs. Furthermore, they also contain other key vitamins and nutrients like A, K and potassium – helping their digestion while supporting heart, gut and bone health.
Don’t feed your guinea pig poisonous leaves from trees and crops like tomato and mulberry leaves; use garden or homegrown safe plants instead for daily meals of variety of leaves from safe plants in their diet instead. Fresh leafy greens should also be offered, along with grass and hay for vitamin C needs and natural foraging opportunities that help wear down teeth which otherwise overgrow, leading to abnormal calcification or abscesses formation.
Apple Tree Leaves
A healthy guinea pig diet should consist of hay, vegetables and some fruits or treats such as fruits. Hay can aid digestive health while providing essential nutrients, while leafy green vegetables like kale, parsley and spinach should comprise most of their veggies intake. Fruits should only be given sparingly since their high sugar content could contribute to obesity or cause other problems with digestion.
Guinea pigs enjoy chewing and munching on leaves and branches as part of their natural behavior, as it helps prevent teeth overgrowth while also producing antioxidants which protect their nails from becoming unhealthy. Chewing releases these antioxidants that fight free radicals that damage their bodies.
Your guinea pig needs fresh leafy greens every day for optimal health, however try to steer clear of iceberg lettuce which contains few essential vitamins and minerals. Instead, opt for romaine, green leaf and red leaf lettuce which have higher calcium and vitamin C levels compared to their counterparts like iceberg lettuce. Also avoid feeding your guinea pig tomato, maple tree leaves as these contain high amounts of oxalic acid; dock leaves should never be given due to being toxic!
Tomato Leaves
Tomatoes, unlike most vegetables, contain high amounts of sugar and provide minimal nutritional benefit to your guinea pig. Their seeds also pose a choking hazard to small animals; to keep their health optimal and ensure maximum safety replace tomato leaves with greener alternatives such as leafy greens.
Leafy greens contain essential vitamins and minerals not available elsewhere, while also helping prevent their teeth from growing too long and improving overall health. Leafy greens should form part of any balanced diet for your guinea pig to remain in top form!
Leaves provide your guinea pig with Vitamin C, an essential nutrient. Guinea pigs cannot produce it themselves and must consume it through diet or supplements in order to stay healthy and avoid deadly scurvy disease. Vitamin C helps heal faster while also protecting them against potentially deadly conditions like this one.
When selecting leaves for your guinea pig, ensure they come from an area free from chemicals and pesticides. A plant ID book or forage guide will come in handy when out picking leaves as this will allow you to avoid adding any harmful plants into their diet.
Dock Leaves
Guinea pigs love chewing leaves and branches during prewinter, but it’s important to know they shouldn’t consume all types of leaves. Maple leaves contain gallic destructive which is toxic for guineas and could even result in serious digestive issues and even death.
Other leaves that are safe for guineas include blackberry leaves, strawberry leaves, raspberry leaves, chickweed and goosegrass. These sources of protein and vitamin C provide ample nutrition as well as iron essential for maintaining healthy blood.
Clover can also provide excellent nourishment for guinea pigs as it contains Vitamin C, A and protein – making it easily available across most meadows and lawns.
Guinea pigs should avoid eating leaves from nettles and dock leaves as these contain oxalic acid which could prove toxic for them. Daisies and buttercups contain toxic materials which should also be avoided to avoid harm to their health. For best results, only consume leaves harvested from safe environments like gardens or meadows to stay safe from these plants.
