What can you not feed guinea pigs?
Make sure you do not feed your guinea pigs the following foods (this is not an exhaustive list): cereals; grains; nuts; seeds; dried beans, corn, and peas; buttercups; garden shrubs (such as hemlock or privet); lilies of any kind; sweet peas; nightshade; oak; avocado; onion grass; onions; potato tops; mushrooms; ...
| Foods to Feed | Foods to Avoid |
|---|---|
| Grass hay | Salt licks or mineral blocks |
| Plain pellets | Animal byproducts |
| Fresh vegetables (and the occasional fruit) | Seeds with kernels that cavies can choke on |
| Daily vitamin C supplement | Veggies with a lot of calcium |
Yes! Bananas are an excellent source of vitamin C and potassium, both of which are vital to a guinea pig's diet.
Generally many guinea pigs dislike being touched anywhere that isn't their head, shoulders, or their upper back. Everywhere else is a no-go zone, especially when it comes to their butt. In order to try to keep your piggies comfortable, keep your petting in the areas that they're OK with.
- Meat of any kind. ...
- Dairy, including yogurt, cheese, kefir, sour cream, cream cheese, and cottage cheese. ...
- Iceberg lettuce and the lighter lettuces give guinea pigs diarrhea. ...
- Cabbage, cauliflower, or other gassy veggies can lead to bloat. ...
- Avocado. ...
- Onions, leeks, chives, or shallots can lead to blood disorders.
Luckily, grapes are not known to be toxic to guinea pigs like they are to dogs and some birds. “That being said, [two to three] grapes per week are all you need for vitamin C benefits without overloading a guinea pig with sugar,” Henson said.
Cucumber: Guinea Pigs can eat both the flesh, seeds (not too much) and the skin. Green beans:These contain vitamin C, and can be fed in a raw state. However, be cautious as they also contain calcium and phosphorus.
Excess fat in their diet can kill liver and pancreatic cells, deteriorating gastrointestinal function. Aside from this, peanut butter also contains a lot of sodium, sugar and too many calories. Peanut butter also has a dangerous mechanical effect, it is a choking hazard for them!
Guinea pigs as a group are unusually sensitive to certain antibiotics, whether they are given orally or by injection.
Recommended fruits include: apples, strawberries, blueberries, grapes, and oranges. Fruits and veggies should be fed to guinea pigs in small, bite-sized portions throughout the day (as opposed to all at once).
Can guinea pigs eat tomato?
Tomatoes are safe for guinea pigs to eat. Tomatoes have many beneficial dietary benefits including: Great source of fibre - necessary for correct digestive health. High in Vitamin C - A necessary vitamin in their diet.
Guinea pigs don't naturally eat fruit or root vegetables, but you can give them in small amounts as treats, such as small pieces of carrot or an apple quarter.
Avoid known stressors. House guinea pigs in a quiet area away from other pets or activity. Limit the number of animals in each enclosure to prevent overcrowding, and don't change their social groups too often. Follow a consistent routine for daily care.
Leafy greens like romaine lettuce, red and green leaf lettuces, kale, cilantro and parsley should comprise the bulk of your pig's fresh produce. It's best to provide variety by feeding different greens each day.
Many guinea pigs enjoy simple toys like balls, tunnels, and tubes. Tubes and tunnels are also great to keep in guinea pig cages so they have areas to hide and sleep. Guinea pigs do like human affection from time to time, especially stroking.
Fears of toys, people, and loud noises are the most common fears. There are many reasons why a guinea pig may develop fears of people. For example, a bad experience with a small child could result in a guinea pig that is fearful of all small children.
Never hold your guinea pig with only one hand. If your guinea pig becomes stressed, there is a higher chance that they will attempt to jump or wiggle out of your grasp. It is always best to hold your guinea pig so that they are secure and comfortable in both of your hands.
Some guinea pigs never feel comfortable being picked up, especially if they aren't handled a lot when they're little. This doesn't mean that you can't have a good relationship with them though. It just means that you have to relate to him or her where they are more comfortable, usually on the ground.
In short, it's safe to give your guinea pig a small slice of watermelon to enjoy but only in moderation. A piggy's diet should mainly consist of fresh hay, grass, high-quality pellets, and some nutritious veggies.
The short and sweet answer is yes! Guinea pigs can eat pineapple, but in moderation. There are several different health benefits that this fruit can offer to your piggy, but there are a few drawbacks that you need to be aware of before you decide to include it into their diet.
Can guinea pigs eat strawberries?
So how much strawberry can a guinea pig eat? “Adult guinea pigs can have a total of two small- or one medium-sized strawberry once a week,” Feusse recommended.
It is generally not a good idea for guinea pigs to eat pickles. Pickles have been preserved in vinegar and spices, and while cucumbers can be a healthy part of a guinea pig's diet, the vinegar and spices in pickles can be harmful to them.
Overall, it is OK to feed your guinea pigs carrots!
But just like any other foods that you choose to add to their diet, it's important to introduce them gradually after doing your careful research.
When taking into consideration all the nutrition factors, green bell peppers are the best for your guinea pig to eat, because of their lower sugar content. It has almost 2 g less than the other colors. However, all colors of bell peppers can be safely consumed by piggies.
Young guinea pigs tend to popcorn more
Baby guinea pigs have a lot more energy to expend and will show their appreciation with an excited popcorn.
It's a perfectly normal behavior. As long as the guinea pig seems to be in control and the jumps don't continue nonstop, enjoy the happy display. Although joy is the usual reason for popcorning, fear is sometimes the cause.
Technically, yes, guinea pigs can eat raisins.
Guinea Pigs like temperatures of between 18 to 23 degrees Celsius. If it drops below 15 degrees your piggy can get chilled.
Guinea pigs are very sensitive to both heat and cold. Keep them in temperatures between 60 and 85 °F to avoid putting their health at risk.
Make Sure Your Guinea Pig Has Plenty Of Things To Chew
Make sure your cavy has access to good quality hay products, fibre-rich pellets as well as vegetables and fruit. You can also give your pet tasty hanging woodrolls, willow sticks and puffed rice and hay treats.
What are guinea pigs allowed to drink?
Fresh, clean water with nothing added is the best drink for guinea pigs. But why can't guinea pigs have other drinks? It's unhealthy for guinea pigs to ingest high sugar, high salt, or high fat drinks. That eliminates soda, juice, dairy, sport drinks, and others.
Fruit works well as an occasional treat that is offered once a day or several times a week. Keep the portion size small since fruit is high in sugar; a small wedge of orange or apple, several blueberries or a thin slice of banana is perfectly adequate. Kiwis, strawberries and citrus have high levels of vitamin C.
Guinea pigs are a prey species and must be able to hide in a secure place away from things that scare them. There should be enough places for all your guinea pigs to hide at the same time, and they must be away from the sight and smell of predators such as foxes, cats, dogs, ferrets and birds of prey.
Cucumber: Guinea Pigs can eat both the flesh, seeds (not too much) and the skin. Green beans:These contain vitamin C, and can be fed in a raw state. However, be cautious as they also contain calcium and phosphorus. Peas: As with most vegetables, these contain Phosphorus and Calcium.
The easy answer is yes! Guinea pigs can eat apples, but as with all fruits and vegetables, in moderation! It's important to know all the information you can get in order to determine whether or not any one food is good for your piggy or not.
To sum things up, small portions of strawberries can be a treat for your guinea pig once or twice a week. Strawberries, because of their sugar content, are not fit to be included in your pig's diet every day. The stems and leaves are healthy for your pig, perhaps even better than the fruit itself.
A guinea pig is happy if he can play and run around, possibly also enjoying a few moments of freedom outside of his cage. His favourite games are simple ones, like tunnels and tubes: a guinea pig really loves running along the tunnels and don't be surprised if you find him right in the middle of it having a nap!
Fear for their safety from unfamiliar humans. If a guinea pig has experienced some mishandling from humans they're not familiar with, or have been with other piggy parents in the past that maybe didn't know how to properly care for them, they might be scared of other humans they come in contact with!
Hay and grass
Good-quality hay should make up most of your guinea pigs' diet, and they should always have it available to them. They should have fresh grass as often as possible too, ideally every day.
Some of them never like to be picked up or held by humans and always prefer “hands-off” guardianship, although this largely depends on their personality.
Can you give guinea pigs water in a bowl?
Pros of Using a Water Bowl
In addition, guinea pigs will often drink more from a bowl than a bottle. Water bottles usually require more work to get the water out. For this reason, water bowls are great for stone-prone guinea pigs.
