Guinea pigs are often mistaken as herbivores
- animals that eat only vegetables, fruit, plants, grain
and vegetable by-products. They are in fact omnivores
as in the wild they also eat small bugs and grubs and
need such protein in their diet in order to stay healthy.Vitamin
C
Like humans and apes, guinea pigs are unable to synthesise
Vitamin C (ascorbic acid) naturally in their bodies. It
is therefore essential to ensure that this vital ingredient
is is always present in their diet, by ensuring that they
have fresh green vegetables and fruit every
day.
A deficiency in Vitamin C in both humans and guinea pigs
causes a condition known as scurvy, resulting in
dry, crusty skin and hair loss. Since the symptoms of scurvy
can easily be confused with mite infestations you should
seek the advice of your vet if your guinea pig shows any
of these symptoms.To ensure that our cavies are receiving
enough, especially during winter months when fresh vegetables
are less freely accessible I usually add a small piece of
a soluble vitamin C tablet to their water bottles. There
is no need to worry about an overdose of this vitamin as
the body will not absorb more than it needs.
Click here for more on Vitamin Supplements
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Fruit and Veg
The following fruit and vegetables are much loved by guinea
pigs and contain a goodly amount of Vitamin C...
- Cauliflower leaves (not the hearts)
- Carrots (Every guinea pigs' fave!)
- Apples and pears
- Brussels sprouts (just the outer leaves and
stalks)
- Swedes, turnips and parsnips
- Grapes (seedless)
- Capsicum (minus the seeds)
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- Cabbage
- Melon
- Broccoli
- Bananas (including the skins)
- Sweetcorn (throw in the leaves and silks too!)
- Pea pods
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| Also try cucumber,
lettuce (in moderation as it contains laudanum),
and celery. These are however relatively low in
vitamin C content and should therefore not be given
as part of the staple diet.
Peaches and plums and oranges contain too much
acid and could cause problems. It is best to give
fruit as an occasional treat and not too over-generously
as too much has been known to cause scabbing.
If you store vegetables in your fridge, allow them
to "warm up" a little before giving them
to your animals by leaving them aside for 15 minutes
or so before feeding.
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Wild plants
There are many wild plants that are rich in vitamins and
safe for your piggies. The following are among the most recognisable..
when picking wild plants for food always remember that
if you're not sure what it is, it's best left where it is!
- Dandelion leaves can be a great tonic and guinea pigs
love them (in fact a small amount added to a salad is
quite nice for humans too). Give in moderation though
as they work as a laxative!
- Grass - guinea pig's number one favourite food...
but do not give them the emptyings of your lawnmower
as it may have picked up other things!
- Parsley is excellent for pregnant, convalescing or
sick guinea pigs.
- Clover
Another point to remember when picking plants is to ensure
that they are from clean patches of your garden which have
not been contaminated by dog pee!As a general rule for giving
vegetables to guinea pigs, whether bought or found food
should be clean and fresh (no yellow leaves or mould) and
free from contamination by insecticides, fungal crop sprays,
weedkillers, traffic exhaust fumes or animal droppings.
After all, would you eat anything that doesn't meet this
criteria?
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BEWARE - Dangerous Plants!
There are of course a great many wild plants which are
poisonous and should of course never be fed to guinea pigs
(or humans!) In her book " The
Really Useful Guinea Pig Guide
" Myra Mahoney lists the following...
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Wild plants:
- anemone
- arum
- autumn crocus
- belladonna (deadly nightshade)
- bindweed
- black nightshade
- bluebell
- bryony
- buttercup
- celandine
- corn cockle
- daisy
- docks
- dog mercury
- elder
- figwort
- flags and irises
- fool's parsley
- foxglove
- hemlock
- henbane
- oak
- poppy
- ragwort
- scarlet pimpernel
- spurge
- toad flax
- traveller's joy (old man's beard)
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Common Garden Plants:
- acacia
- aconite
- All plants grown from bulb (e.g.. tulip, daffodil,crocus
and hyacinth)
- beech
- box
- Christmas rose
- columbine
- gypsophila
- ivy
- laburnum
- larkspur or delphinium
- lily of the valley
- love in a mist
- privet
- rhubarb leaves
- snowdrop
- yew
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Be
careful when setting up a garden run for your
guinea pigs that none of these plants are
growing where the piggies can get at them! |
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Dry cereal mixesThere are a number
of different brands of mix especially prepared for guinea
pigs and available from various pet supply stores. Some
of these contain a vitamin C supplement, although this should
not be considered as a substitute for fresh fruit and veg
as vitamin C has a fairly short shelf life.When buying dry
mixes, make sure that is for guinea pigs and not
for hamsters or rabbits. Hamster mixes contain nuts and
sunflower seeds which are not suitable for cavies. Rabbit
mixes contain a medication which is necessary to prevent
the disease coccidiosis in bunnies, but is poisonous
to guinea pigs. So if you keep more than one type of rodent,
always ensure that their foods are not shared!Which brand
of dry mix to buy is very much a matter of taste... we have
tried some brands recommended by cavy-keeping friends which
our own pigs have simply turned their noses up at!
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Hay and Dried GrassHay is very
important to guinea pigs and they consume large quantities
of it daily. A great source of roughage to aid digestion
it also gives them something to nibble at... and some warmth
when it's cold! Good quality hay is available from pet shops
and farms. The hay should be of good quality, soft and sweet
and checked for mould and thistles.It is a good idea to
add alfalfa (available in either fibre mix, cube or pellet
form) to the dry mix, or a little pasture or fibre mix for
horses. I always add a handful of
Spillers Readigrass
to the mix each evening... the piggies love it!
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Bran MashWe've tried this on
our own pigs with poor results... they simply turned their
noses up at it! However this may have been a simple comment
on our cooking skills as many people have told us that it's
a great treat and diet supplement much loved by their pigs.
For that reason we happily share it with you here...Bran
mixed with a little warm water is especially valued during
the winter months. Mix just enough to be eaten in one day
and remove the container once your pet has emptied it, washing
it out thoroughly before using it again next day.
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