Guinea Pigs in the wild rely on an abundant diet of fresh vegetables, fruits and herbs; therefore it is vital that daily fresh food variations be provided for your guinea pig.
Offer your cat an assortment of leafy greens, salad peppers (without seeds) and herbs as the bulk of his vegetable serving.
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Leafy Greens
Guinea pigs should derive most of their nutrition from leafy green vegetables, which contain many essential vitamins and minerals while being low in calories and starches. Plus, water content plays an essential role in keeping them hydrated!
Foliage vegetables such as romaine lettuce, red and green leaf lettuces, turnip greens, mustard greens, dandelion greens, and bok choy should make up roughly 50% of your guinea pig’s daily vegetable consumption.
Other vegetables to feed your guinea pig on a weekly basis include carrot tops, beetroot, fennel bulbs, celery root and cabbage. Be sure to vary which veggies you offer your pet so they are receiving all kinds of vitamins and nutrients! It is wise to rotate between vegetables so your pet receives a variety of different vitamins and nutrients each week.
Root Vegetables
Root vegetables contain more minerals than leafy greens due to their underground origins, including potatoes, carrots and radishes as well as parsnips, beetroot and turnips. But bear in mind that root veggies contain higher quantities of calcium and sugar than leafy greens which could cause problems such as sores around the mouth if consumed in large amounts.
These vegetables contain plenty of vitamin C and A as well as soluble fibre and important trace nutrients such as potassium and magnesium.
As with fresh foods, always cut fruit and veg into bite-size chunks before feeding it to your guinea pigs to minimize choking hazards and facilitate digestion. In particular, remove seeds and pips as these may be responsible for digestive issues or even be toxic for them. It may take some time before your pet adjusts to new food; some might dislike certain kinds of veggies while others will embrace them straightaway!
Fruit
Fruits and vegetables play an essential part in a guinea pig’s diet, providing essential vitamins, minerals, soluble fibre and phytonutrients – plant chemicals with antioxidant properties – that provide protection from disease while supporting optimal health and strengthening immunity.
Guinea Pigs require vitamin C every day, making fruit an ideal supplement to the main component of their diet, timothy hay. For optimal results, add your daily fruit feedings directly alongside it!
Guinea pigs should also receive slices of green or red peppers, without the seeds and cores, to give them plenty of Vitamin C. Orange slices can also be too sugary; carrots, broccoli, endive, and dill may also be added for variety if offered occasionally; any food high in calcium or oxalic acid should only be given occasionally to avoid digestive problems in their pet guinea pig.
Fats
Your guinea pig’s ideal diet should consist of leafy green vegetables. These foods provide essential vitamins, minerals and antioxidants such as vitamin C which is vital in protecting against scurvy (characterized by weight loss, haemorrhages in the stifles and general unthriftiness).
Serve daily leafy greens such as romaine lettuce, mustard or turnip leaves, dandelion or chard greens, kale, fennel, parsley, dill cilantro butter lettuce and radicchio in small amounts to keep guineas from becoming overexcited and overeating them.
Feed only the following foods in moderation: cauliflower, radish (which may cause gas in some guineas), cucumber and cabbage leaves. Also avoid foods high in oxalic acid content (e.g. raw or dried beans, lentils and rhubarb) since this could contribute to bladder stones in guineas.
