Guinea pigs are true herbivores and require at least one cup of vegetables daily, including those high in calcium, oxalates and phosphorus which could potentially lead to bladder stones in guinea pigs.
For optimal nutrition, choose foods such as romaine lettuce, green and red sweet peppers, parsley, kale, mint and cilantro (coriander). Safe weeds or wild plants may also make excellent choices.
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Leafy Greens
Guinea pigs can subsist on pellets and hay alone, but for optimal health they require fresh vegetables such as leafy greens and herbs as a staple diet. As leafy greens provide micronutrients while being low in sugars and starches, romaine lettuce should form part of their daily meal as should mustard or turnip greens, kale parsley cilantro collard greens collard greens as well as hand cut grass such as dandelion leaves/flowers plantain red deadnettle chickweed or mallow (only if unfertilized/sprayed with pesticides or cut with lawn mower).
Fruit should only be fed occasionally in small amounts (such as one orange wedge, several blueberries or one thin slice of banana), since its high concentration of sugar may lead to digestive issues including diarrhea in some guinea pigs.
Root Vegetables
Feeding fresh vegetables to any pet should be an integral component of its diet, yet they shouldn’t replace their mainstay of pellets and hay. Lettuce, greens and other leafy veggies should make up most of their fresh produce intake each day; red or green peppers, broccoli or cauliflower with high vitamin C concentration should also be provided regularly as treats.
Root vegetables that are suitable for guinea pigs include raw beetroot (low in oxalates), celeriac and swede; however, carrots should be consumed only occasionally to prevent their consumption leading to obesity.
Other root vegetables like bok choy, collard greens, kale, turnips and Swiss chard are excellent sources of Vitamin C. Be cautious of eating certain cruciferous veggies like kale, mustard or turnip greens and cabbage that have been known to cause gas in humans; consume these sparingly to prevent excessive gas production.
Fruits
Guinea pigs require lots of vitamin C-rich foods in order to avoid scurvy. Vitamin C also plays an important role in bone and tooth development, digestive health issues prevention and wound healing. For optimal results, include various vegetables and herbs in their daily fresh food serving to keep their minds stimulated and keep them interested and engaged with eating fresh food – if guinea pigs become picky about any one vegetable/herb you try offering, simply remove it for a week and gradually introduce it again later on.
Green leafy vegetables such as kale, spinach, collard greens, mustard or turnip greens, cabbage and cilantro make great daily foods for your guinea pigs. Fresh hand-cut grass that hasn’t been fertilized or treated with pesticides also provides ample nutrition – many enjoy foraging their yards under the watchful eyes of their guardians to find tasty weeds such as dandelion leaves and flowers, plantain leaves and flowers, red deadnettle mallow and cleavers among many more tasty edible delights! And bell peppers, cucumbers zucchini tomatoes and strawberries can all make great treats when given occasionally as treats!
Herbs
Many herbs can be safely fed to guinea pigs as part of their daily diet, including mint, arugula (rocket salad), dill, parsley and cilantro – these being among some of the more popular choices. Be wary when purchasing herb mixes as these may contain unsuitable ingredients such as yogurt seeds or sugar that could negatively impact their health.
As part of their daily diet, guinea pigs should receive most of their vegetables through leafy greens and root veggies, with an estimated daily consumption of 1 cup full.
Fruit should only be given as a rare treat, as its high level of sugars and other substances may contribute to an accumulation of harmful bacteria in the digestive tract. Fresh fruit should only be offered occasionally – perhaps once or twice per week in small amounts and, for maximum value, consider visiting your local farmer’s market or farm shop where fresh herbs and veg may be sold at much lower costs than supermarkets.
