Guinea pigs differ from other rodents such as hamsters in that they do not have cheek pouches; their mouth serves to store food instead. Although their mouth sizes can differ, guinea pigs typically carry approximately two tablespoons worth at one time.
Commercial treats contain excessive sugar content that lack any nutritional benefit for guinea pigs. As an alternative, feed your pet timothy-based vitamin C-fortified pellets along with fresh vegetables and fruits to provide ample sustenance.
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They don’t have pouches
Guinea pigs are herbivorous animals that feed on hay, vegetables and high-fiber pellets as food sources. As part of their food chain role they also prey upon birds of prey, reptiles such as anacondas and caimans and mammals. Due to their gentle disposition they make popular pets that can even be trained to whistle on command!
Guinea pig cheek pads contain fat pads which enable them to keep food inside their mouths, so guinea pigs may have partial chewed and unswallowed food left at the back of their mouths, making it hard for vets to examine their teeth properly.
Guinea pigs may not be suitable as pets for children as they can be fragile and bite if handled roughly, making handling them challenging. Guinea pigs also tend to hide when approached making it harder for humans to handle them. Because Guinea pigs require constant social contact they can become depressed from loneliness unless provided with comfortable surroundings that offer safe places in their cages for hiding and social interaction.
They don’t store food in their cheeks
Guinea pigs do not possess cheek pouches to store food for later consumption, so when eating they chew, bite, and crush their food before swallowing. Guinea pigs tend to digest their meals quickly in order to prevent overeating.
Assuring your guinea pig receives enough high-quality grass hay each day is crucial for its digestive and tooth care, while sugary fruits or treats should be limited as they may lead to obesity or digestive issues. Instead, offer alfalfa cubes, carrot tops and apples as treats once or twice each week as rewards.
Your guinea pig needs access to fresh water on a daily basis; their large water consumption necessitates this. For optimal health, provide fortified with vitamin C water as their bodies cannot produce this essential nutrient on their own.
They store food in their mouth
Guinea pigs store partially chewed and unswallowed food in their fat pads at the back of their mouth, prompting veterinarians to sometimes scoop this out when inspecting a guinea pig’s teeth. For this reason, it is vital that your guinea pig receives a diet rich in fibre.
Guinea pigs possess unique digestive systems, and require high amounts of fiber in their diet in order to keep their gut moving smoothly. A good mixture of high quality grass hay (such as Oxbow) and timothy or alfalfa pellets is ideal. Avoid feeding them any other types of pellets as these may contain too much sugar and could potentially cause digestive issues.
As an occasional treat for your guinea pig, offering fresh fruit or vegetables can be beneficial. Just be careful that they are given in small portions as some produce are high in sugar content which could lead to obesity or health issues if offered frequently.
They store food in their back teeth
Guinea pigs have highly delicate digestive systems and must consume plenty of fibre-rich foods in order to keep their gut moving efficiently. With ever-expanding teeth, chewing food regularly is vital in wearing down these ever-emerging tooth surfaces and to maintain overall dental health. Feeding wooden blocks or sticks (untreated wood only) in their cages as gnawing surfaces may help. Furthermore, cereals, grains, nuts, seeds, dried beans & corn, peas, buttercups garden shrubs foxglove Lily of the Valley onions potato tops avocado plants etc are all bulk plants which should not be fed to these delicate creatures!
If your guinea pig’s teeth appear to be growing abnormally, contact a veterinarian immediately. Filing down of their teeth to the appropriate angle and length under short anesthesia may be required; in severe cases they may need extraction; however most cases of this nature can be corrected if caught early enough.
