Guinea Pigs love their hay! In fact, it is essential for their health and well-being; without it they could experience issues like muscle dystrophy and even teeth issues.
Timothy, meadow and orchard grass hay should always be available to your guinea pigs for feeding purposes.
Contents
Grass Hay
Hay is an integral component of a guinea pig’s diet for several reasons. It provides essential fiber that aids their digestive system as well as their teeth. Furthermore, it can help wear down their continuously expanding teeth that may otherwise become overgrown and abscessed.
Guinea Pigs are herbivorous by nature and would spend their days foraging and grazing together in small herds in the wild. Therefore, it’s essential that guinea pigs receive sufficient amounts of hay so that they can continue this natural behavior in captivity.
As part of a healthy diet for your pet, Oxbow recommends providing high-quality timothy or orchard grass hay as the foundation. Avoid mixes containing nuts, seeds or dried fruit which are high in calorie-content and could encourage picky eating habits. You could also provide high-quality pellets as part of their supplemented diet; however these should never replace hay itself!
Alfalfa Hay
Guinea pigs require high quality Timothy or Orchard grass hay (compressed hay cakes can also be fed as treats) as their main source of nutrition to replicate their natural environment and diet. Not only is hay used as bedding but it can help them keep a healthy weight by providing insulation from heat loss; overweight guinea pigs are more prone to health issues.
Alfalfa hay is rich in calcium, vitamins, minerals and protein and often recommended to guinea pigs who need extra nutrition such as those who need weight or who are sick – providing additional support during weight gain or sickness. Furthermore it’s great for young growing guinea pigs or during periods in their lives when additional nourishment may be necessary – for instance during gestation periods in female guinea pigs.
However, alfalfa hay should only be fed in limited quantities as too much nutrition could contribute to obesity or weight management issues in guinea pigs. As such, only offer occasional treats instead of feeding regularly especially among adult guinea pigs.
Luecerne Hay
Grass hay is an integral component of your guinea pig’s diet. Packed full of fiber to aid their digestive systems and decrease blockages in their gastrointestinal tracts, they also use it as chew toys to wear down their teeth while wearing down molars over time. Without access to grass hay they could experience serious health complications including bowel stones or intestinal stasis which could even prove fatal – an essential food source that should never be missed out.
Alfalfa hay contains higher protein, calcium and calories than grass hay, making it an ideal supplement to the diet of young guinea pigs, pregnant or nursing guinea pigs and those suffering from medical illnesses. Unfortunately, excessive consumption may result in bladder sludge or urinary tract stones in adult guinea pigs who consume too much of this diet.
As well as traditional grass hay, meadow hay (composed of long grass and flowers) may help encourage foraging behavior in your guinea pigs. Meadow hay typically contains higher calcium concentrations than grass hay and encourages foraging behaviours in your pet.
Clover Hay
Clover is not considered poisonous to guinea pigs; however, its consumption should be in moderation to promote chewing behavior and help avoid dental issues like overgrowth of teeth.
Clover hay may be used in place of grass hay as an alternative source of nutrition, though its consumption should be restricted as much as possible to avoid overfeeding and subsequent bladder stones formation. It should especially be restricted for pregnant and nursing guinea pigs as too much protein could lead to bladder stones.
Guinea pigs should be fed a mixture of grass hay, timothy hay and meadow hay for optimal digestion. This will create a better ratio between stem to leaf ratios which helps promote proper digestion.
Assuring that guinea pigs always have access to quality hay is vital. Hay should be fresh, mold and dust-free and also provided daily as part of their diet – some great examples include romaine lettuce, red and green leaf lettuces, kale, cilantro and parsley as daily treats.
