Guinea pigs require chewing in order to maintain proper dental health and absorb essential nutrients through their digestive systems. Timothy and orchard hays are excellent choices without fertilizers or pesticides applied, providing essential nutrition.
Vegetables are full of vitamin C and other vital nutrients. Green and red leaf lettuce, romaine lettuce and collard greens make for tasty daily snack choices.
Contents
Hay
Guinea Pigs should receive their primary nutrition from grass hay, supplemented by some quality timothy-based pellets such as Oxbow. Avoid feeding them iceberg lettuce and other leafy green vegetables which contain low levels of nutrition and can cause diarrhea.
Fresh vegetables should be offered several times each day, including romaine and red leaf lettuces, turnip greens, mustard greens, collard greens, kale, endive silver beet as well as herbs such as parsley. Guinea pigs don’t produce their own vitamin C so providing ample sources is key in order to meet their dietary requirements.
Fruits should also be given regularly but in small amounts only. Oranges, bananas, kiwis and strawberries are excellent sources of Vitamin C and should be included among your meals regularly.
Pellets
Guinea Pigs require pellets as a source of protein, calcium and fiber; however they also benefit from eating fresh produce like vegetables and fruit every day; just be sure to choose healthy products without any seeds or pip residue!
Guinea pigs tend to enjoy eating leafy green vegetables such as kale, cabbage and Swiss chard; however, avoid feeding your pet iceberg lettuce which has little nutritional value and broccoli leaves which could potentially cause stomach issues.
Orange citrus fruits like satsumas, tangerines or clementines contain lots of Vitamin C and make an excellent treat for your guinea pig; just don’t give too much fruit as this has higher sugar and acid contents than vegetables and could lead to obesity and gastrointestinal stasis in your pet guinea pig – two fatal conditions!
Vegetables
Guinea pigs are natural herbivores and should spend at least part of each day grazing and foraging in a safe enclosure, chewing up plenty of roughage such as leaves to wear down their continuously growing teeth and prevent dental problems. A daily portion of fresh vegetables might include romaine lettuce, dark greens such as collards or turnip greens, red or green peppers and cilantro while iceberg lettuce, cabbage or broccoli should be avoided as sources of nutrition.
Fruit can be offered periodically, in small portions. Try offering your guinea pig kiwi, citrus and strawberries for their vitamin C content; limit bananas due to their high sugar content; all new food should be introduced gradually to avoid stomach upset.
Fruits
Guinea pigs must chew regularly to wear down their ever-expanding teeth and stimulate their digestive systems. A balanced combination of digestible and indigestible fiber (which aids them in extracting nutrition from their food) should provide optimal benefits, something Burgess Excel offers in abundance.
Vegetables and fruits should be eaten regularly to gain maximum benefits to our health, particularly as fruit contains high concentrations of sugars that could have detrimental effects.
Fresh leafy green vegetables & herbs like dandelion, spinach, rocket, radish tops and kale should comprise the bulk of your guinea pig’s vegetable diet. You may also offer bell peppers, zucchini or tomato occasionally but be wary as their high water content could cause diarrhoea in your pet.
Herbs
Guinea pigs must consume fresh hay and vegetables as part of their diet, while herbs may also prove useful as an additional source of calcium and nutrients that may prevent problems with teeth grinding and jaws.
Every day, provide your guinea pig with fresh herbs and greens such as dark leafy lettuce varieties, dandelion greens, snow peas, kale, Brussels sprouts, broccoli, endive, mint etc. Avoid giving lawn trimmings which could contain herbicides, pesticides or other chemicals as these should never be fed directly to guinea pigs.
Fruit can provide an excellent source of vitamin C and should only be fed occasionally due to their sugar content (kiwis, strawberries and bananas are great examples of such fruits). Avoid giving canned produce which may contain high salt levels as this could lead to digestive issues for guinea pigs.
Treats
Guinea pigs should receive a variety of fresh food to prevent boredom and withdrawal that could lead to health issues. A balanced diet including hay pellets, fresh veggies and herbs should be provided every day.
A tasty vegetable mix includes romaine lettuce, green and red bell peppers (with seeds), collards, turnip greens, collards, turnip greens, kale, fennel, radicchio and basil – as well as mint which many guinea pigs enjoy eating and is easy to grow indoors or on windowsills.
As with humans, guinea pigs do not produce their own vitamin C and must rely on food sources containing this essential nutrient to receive enough Vitamin C for overall good health.
