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Guinea Pig Foods

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Submitted By fiona3175
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What foods shouldn't I feed ?
Foods to avoid include cereals, grains, nuts, seeds, washed or brushed potatoes, wild mushrooms and berries, onion, shallots, avocado, rhubarb, breads, biscuits, sweets, sugar, breakfast cereals, chocolate.

What should you feed your guinea pig?
Like rabbits, Guinea Pigs are herbivores and require a high fiber diet. They should have grass or grass hay (e.g. meadow, timothy, fescue, oaten, pasture, and paddock or ryegrass hays) available at all times. Lucerne or clover hay can be offered but not as the sole source of fibre as they are high in calcium and protein. Suitable grasses include clover, buffalo grass, & oat grass. Guinea pigs also enjoy dandelion, milk thistle & a variety of fresh herbs.

Grass & hay encourages chewing for long periods of time and helps to keep their teeth in good condition, which grow continuously throughout the guinea pig's life. The hay is best provided to them, if possible, in a hayrack attached to their cage wall.

Fresh leafy green vegetables and herbs should also be offered. Vegetables include broccoli, cabbage, celery, endive, beet/carrot tops, Brussels sprouts, zucchini, capsicum, spinach leaves, bok choy & other Asian greens, dark-leafed lettuce varieties, fresh (uncooked) peas and stringed beans, corn and husks (sparingly as high in calcium). Herbs include parsley, coriander, mint, dill, basil, dandelion, rocket etc. Offer a variety of 2 or 3 different greens each day and remember to make any changes to the diet slowly to avoid gastric upset.

Guinea Pigs also require a dietary source of Vitamin C, otherwise they will suffer from 'scurvy'. This is usually supplied by the fresh greens but small amounts of vitamin C-rich fruit can also be offered e.g. citrus, kiwi fruit, strawberries.

High quality guinea pig pellets (min 16% fibre) can be offered but only in small amounts as a treat. Many commercial pellets are too high in fats and carbohydrates, and low in fibre, and should not be fed ad lib or as the sole diet. Vitamin C content also declines once the bag is opened.

Pregnant cavies have a higher requirement for Vit C and oral supplementation may be required - contact your vet for advice. For this reason, their food and water containers must be cleaned out and re-stocked daily.

Guinea Pigs should be fed unlimited timothy hay after 6 months of age (before 6 months unlimited alfalfa hay), unlimited plain pellets e.g. not with all the colourful bits, and 1 to 1 1/2 cups of vegetables per day. Green leafy vegetables high in vitamin C are the best, with fruit used more on an occasional treat basis.
Safe Fruit, Vegetables and Herbs | Additional Information / Instructions | Anise | | Apple | No seeds as they contain cyanide, higher sugar content, may cause lip sores | Apricot | No pit/stone, high sugar content | Artichoke | | Asparagus | | Banana | May cause constipation, do not feed when giving antibiotics, higher sugar content | Basil | | Beet Greens | High in vit. C | Blackberries | Higher sugar content | Blueberries | Higher sugar content | Bell Peppers/Sweet Peppers | No seeds, high in vit. C | Bok Choy | May be gas causing | Broccoli | May be gas causing | Cabbage | Small amounts, rarely, may be gas causing, high vit. C | Carrots | Higher sugar content, tops edible and high vit. C, large amounts may cause liver problems | Cauliflower | May be gas causing | Celery | Only in very small pieces due to choking hazard from string, leaves are high in Vit. C | Cherries | No pits/stones, higher sugar content | Cilantro/Coriander | | Clover | Beware of pesticides | Collard Greens | High Vit. C | Corn | Leaves, silks and stalks are also edible, higher sugar content | Cranberries | Higher sugar content | Cucumber | | Currants | Leaves are edible also, high in Vit. C, higher sugar content | Dates | Higher sugar content | Dandelion | Leaves, stem, flower and root edible, high in Vit. C, beware of pesticides | Dill | | Endive | | Figs | Higher sugar content | Grapefruit | Higher sugar content, high in Vit. C | Grass | Avoid ornamental grass | Green Beans | | Kiwi | Higher sugar content | Lemon/Lime | High Vit. C, may cause mouth sores, best if home grown | Lemon Mint | | Lettuce | No iceberg | Mango | No pit/stone, higher sugar content | Melon | Higher sugar content, high vit. C | Mint | | Mustard Greens | High vit. C | Nectarine | Higher sugar content | Orange/Tangerine / Mandarin | High Vit. C, higher sugar content, may cause mouth sores | Papaya | | Parsley | High vit. C | Parsnip | | Passion Fruit | Higher sugar content | Peach | No pit/stone, higher sugar content | Peas | Higher sugar content , pod also edible | Pear | Higher sugar content | Plum | No pit/stone, higher sugar content | Pumpkin | | Raspberries | Leaves are edible, higher sugar content, high vit. C | Sage | | Spinach | Has been linked to kidney and bladder stones | Sprouts | | Squash | | Strawberries | Higher sugar content, high vit. C | Sweet Potato | | Swiss Chard/Red Chard | High vit. C | Thistle | | Tomatoes | No leaves and stalk, high vit. C, may cause lip sores | Turnip/Turnip Greens | | Water Cress | | Yams | |
Other Treats That Are Safe | Additional Information / Instructions | Oats | | Bran | |
Never feed a guinea pig anything containing onion, garlic, chocolate, nuts or excess salt or sugar. If you are unsure if something is safe, do not feed it.

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