Yes, guinea pigs may enjoy peaches occasionally as an occasional treat, since these juicy fruits provide important sources of vitamins C and minerals.
Guinea Pigs need lots of moisture in their diet, and eating too many sweet treats could lead to obesity and diabetes in guineas.
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Vitamin C
Vitamin C, also known as ascorbic acid, is an indispensable nutrient for guinea pigs. This antioxidant plays an essential role in maintaining the health of skin, tendons, ligaments and blood vessels as well as wound healing processes. Without sufficient supplies of this nutrient, guinea pigs may suffer from scurvy.
Signs of Scurvy in Guinea Pigs Include Rough Hair Coat, Lethargy, Poor Appetite & Joint Pain
Your best option for providing vitamin C to your guinea pig is through providing them with high-quality food containing stabilized vitamin C from brands like Oxbow, Mazuri, Small Pet Select and Sherwood. Look for pellets without seeds, nuts or dried fruit as these ingredients deplete essential nutrient stores. Additionally, supplement this food with Timothy Hay and fresh veggies rich in vitamin C; at least one cup should be given per day!
Minerals
Guinea pigs require a diet rich in minerals in order to ensure that their teeth wear down sufficiently and prevent dental disease. Hay and grass are great sources of these essential minerals; making these sources even more essential during times when your guinea may be sick, pregnant, or nursing.
Guineas possess a specialized gut that allows them to absorb more essential nutrients from their food than would be possible with a typical mammal digestive tract, making guinea pig feedings vital. Therefore, ensure you give guinea pigs high quality pellet mixes, low in protein but high in fibre as well as access to fresh hay as part of their regular care regime.
Supplements such as multivitamins and salt or mineral wheels may not be necessary if your guineas have access to a nutritious diet consisting of pellets, hay, vegetables, fruit and water. However, weekly weigh-ins will allow you to monitor their weight gain so as to detect changes quickly in health or behavior.
Antioxidants
Guinea pigs require an ample supply of antioxidants to ward off free radical damage. This group of chemicals includes vitamin C, carotene and glutathione; free radicals can damage cells and proteins within their bodies including their heart and lungs; glutathione is a natural antioxident which protects neonatal animals against oxygen-induced lung damage.
Guinea Pigs do not produce vitamin C on their own and must consume it through diet alone to prevent an unpleasant and potentially life-threatening condition known as Scurvy. A lack of other essential vitamins may also negatively impact dental growth and alignment, energy levels, reproductive ability and gut integrity.
Your guinea pig’s best chance at receiving enough vitamin C lies in providing fresh vegetables high in this nutrient, such as bell peppers, coriander and kale from your local supermarket. Some pellets also contain Vitamin C but this can quickly degrade when stored improperly so be wary when selecting these brands with short shelf lives and use-by dates.
Fiber
Guinea pigs need an ample supply of fiber in their diet in order to keep their digestive systems moving smoothly, as well as to wear down their constantly expanding teeth which could otherwise become dangerously sharp if chewing is limited.
Peaches, like other fruits, provide your guinea pig with essential dietary fibre. But you should only include them as part of its daily diet in small amounts because their high sugar content can pose health problems.
Therefore, it’s essential that guinea pig owners provide them with fresh produce in a steady diet, rotating it regularly. Also avoid giving foods high in water or fat (like rhubarb and avocado) which are hard on their digestive systems and low-protein diets can cause health issues in these small creatures. Protein is vital as the building block for tissue formation – low-protein diets have been found to cause them to grow too slowly leading to health concerns for your pet guinea pig.
