What to Feed Newborn Guinea Pigs

what to feed newborn guinea pigs

Newborn guinea pigs tend to be wary of people, and may run away when handled, which is completely normal behavior.

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Guinea pigs are herbivorous animals and require a varied and balanced diet consisting of Timothy hay, pellets, vegetables and fruits (ensuring none contain too much calcium).

Predators also need to be fed on a schedule. By becoming used to your presence and being fed regularly, they will likely become more submissive and friendly towards people.

Contents

Feeding

Guinea pig pups require plenty of nutrients in order to grow into robust adults, which is why their diet should include grass hay (timothy or orchard) in non-compressed form and alfalfa pellets, along with plenty of fresh water at all times and avoid offering fruit as this contains too much sugar and could upset their stomachs.

Note: when it comes to sexual maturity, male and female babies must be separated so as to prevent unwanted pregnancies. While it is possible to care for baby guinea pigs without their mother present, doing so would not be advised as they require her stimulation and guidance on when and how much to urinate and defecate so their digestive tracts develop properly and she teaches their pups many valuable life skills, such as how to interact with one another as well as which foods are safe. So while it’s great having baby guinea pigs in your arms for short periods of time it’s essential that their mother should still be present within three weeks – even though short amounts of time are nice.

Care

Guinea pigs need special care throughout their lives, especially as babies. A safe cage, food, water and socialization should all be provided; ramps, tunnels, chew toys or hidey holes may also keep pups entertained and busy.

If one of your pups has stopped eating, this could be an indicator that they’re not getting enough nutrients. If this is the case for any reason whatsoever, contact your veterinarian as soon as possible for assessment and potential solutions.

If you are having difficulty with one of your babies establishing a feeding routine, try holding them in their normal sitting position while placing a bottle/syringe slightly vertically in front of them; this often encourages them to lick off and swallow. In addition, try feeding fresh fruits and vegetables like kale, romaine lettuce, red or green leaf lettuce, parsley and other fresh items daily such as kiwi strawberries and citrus that contain vitamin C instead of fruit high in sugar content.

Training

Baby guinea pigs (also called “pups”) will require extra special care and attention as helpless infants, just like any helpless infant. A safe cage, plenty of fresh hay and water, socialization and stimulation to reach full development into healthy adults is necessary to help these little furballs flourish into adults who remain happy and healthy.

Mom will likely take care of most aspects of care herself; however, supplement her diet with alfalfa when signs of trouble arise (to increase vitamin C content and provide extra calcium to her pups). You’ll also want to add clean dust-free bedding.

Puppies love to play, so you should provide their cage with plenty of toys such as ramps and tunnels as well as hidey holes, chewable objects (such as toilet paper rolls or empty kitchen roll tubes) as well as chewy objects ( such as used toilet paper rolls, kitchen roll tubes or empty shoeboxes) as well as chewable objects ( such as used toilet paper rolls or empty shoeboxes) to chew on. Before placing furniture into their living area ensure it is guinea pig-proof as these animals like to zoomies and epic popcorn outbursts so allowing ample room is essential!

Health

Newborn guinea pigs require special care to ensure they live long, healthy lives. You can help by providing proper nutrition and keeping their environment warm enough.

Your pet should also have access to fresh timothy hay and plenty of nutritious veggies and fruits, including dark leafy greens such as romaine lettuce, red and green lettuces, dandelion greens, kale mint or cilantro as well as carrot tops (no seeds!), broccoli or zucchini – plus add fresh fruits like apples strawberries or oranges each day as variety!

Muesli-style foods should be avoided as these can encourage selective eating and lead to nutritional imbalances in guinea pig babies, leading to selective feeding behaviors and nutritional imbalances. Instead, aim for providing them with a diet primarily composed of Timothy Hay and vegetables for maximum efficiency; make changes slowly to their diet slowly and gently so as to minimize digestive upset; this typically takes 14-28 days before being complete.