4 Things You Should Never Feed Your Guinea Pig
I previously wrote an article on what you should feed your guinea pig to keep it healthy. In that article, I covered pellets, hay, and fresh vegetables and fruit. However, you might not realize that there are certain things you should never feed your guinea pig if you want her to stay healthy and live a long life. This list warns you about four things that may seem harmless but that you should avoid.
Yogurt treats for guinea pigs are all over pet store shelves. They sound delicious to human tastes, but the unfortunate irony is that guinea pigs can't digest milk products. Thus, these treats can cause bad tummy trouble.
Ironically, most guinea pigs love them because they're like candy. I had a bag in the past, and I handed them out very sparingly to see what my guinea pigs thought of them. Amy didn't like them at all, but they were like piggy crack to Quinn. I only gave her one small piece once or twice a week until the bag was gone. I wish I could have given more, but it's not worth having a sick pet.
If you really want to treat your guinea pig with sweet goodies, offer fruits like apple slices, watermelon, or grapes. Even fresh fruit should be given in moderation so you don't end up with a tubby pig.
Some guinea pig pellets come with a mix of colorful bits that look appealing to the eye. They're the nutritional equivalent of the marshmallows in Lucky Charms cereal. If you serve this food regularly, some guinea pigs will stop eating healthier things like vegetables in favor the “junk food.”
Some of those foods also have seeds mixed in. Unfortunately, that's a choking hazard for guinea pigs. Never feed them any type of seeds, either in their food or in a treat stick.
Avoid enhanced pellets, and stick with the plain version instead. If you really want to give your guinea pig something a little extra, get pellets with timothy hay or dried vegetable pieces, like Kaytee Timothy Complete.
I know that guinea pigs don't really need anything extra in their pellets, especially if you're giving them enough fresh veggies, but some of them really enjoy it. My Quinn absolutely loves the dried veggies, and they're not harmful, so I get that type of food for her every now and then.
Vitamin C supplements are essential for guinea pigs, since, like humans, they can't manufacture this vitamin for themselves. Unfortunately, many people choose a supplement to put in their guinea pig's water, and many pet stores recommend this. The bad part is that vitamin C deteriorates rapidly in water. If your guinea pig doesn't gulp down a whole bottle full of water almost immediately, he's not getting any benefits.
Instead of these drops, it's best to make sure you use a food fortified with a long-lasting form of the vitamin. Supplement that with vegetables rich in vitamin C. Fresh food are the best way to make sure your pet gets all the nutrition he needs.
If you want extra assurance that your guinea pig won't get scurvy, you can purchase special vitamin C tablets at the pet store. The only potential problem is that not all guinea pigs will eat them. That's why dietary sources are always the best.
Certain types of edible hiding places are fine. My two guinea pigs absolutely love their compressed hay tunnels, which they hide in and gnaw down until they're suitably destroyed.
However, some edible hideys are made of unhealthy materials. Snak Shak-type houses are made from alfalfa, which should be limited in adult guinea pigs, and held together by calorie-laden honey.
Guinea pigs can get obese as quickly and easily as other animals, and those sweet-flavored hiding spots are the equivalent of a giant piece of candy. If your piggy likes to chew, opt for a compressed hay tunnel or something made of wood.
1. Yogurt Treats
Yogurt treats for guinea pigs are all over pet store shelves. They sound delicious to human tastes, but the unfortunate irony is that guinea pigs can't digest milk products. Thus, these treats can cause bad tummy trouble.
Ironically, most guinea pigs love them because they're like candy. I had a bag in the past, and I handed them out very sparingly to see what my guinea pigs thought of them. Amy didn't like them at all, but they were like piggy crack to Quinn. I only gave her one small piece once or twice a week until the bag was gone. I wish I could have given more, but it's not worth having a sick pet.
If you really want to treat your guinea pig with sweet goodies, offer fruits like apple slices, watermelon, or grapes. Even fresh fruit should be given in moderation so you don't end up with a tubby pig.
2. Pellets With Colored Bits
Some guinea pig pellets come with a mix of colorful bits that look appealing to the eye. They're the nutritional equivalent of the marshmallows in Lucky Charms cereal. If you serve this food regularly, some guinea pigs will stop eating healthier things like vegetables in favor the “junk food.”
Some of those foods also have seeds mixed in. Unfortunately, that's a choking hazard for guinea pigs. Never feed them any type of seeds, either in their food or in a treat stick.
Avoid enhanced pellets, and stick with the plain version instead. If you really want to give your guinea pig something a little extra, get pellets with timothy hay or dried vegetable pieces, like Kaytee Timothy Complete.
I know that guinea pigs don't really need anything extra in their pellets, especially if you're giving them enough fresh veggies, but some of them really enjoy it. My Quinn absolutely loves the dried veggies, and they're not harmful, so I get that type of food for her every now and then.
3. Vitamin C Water Drops
Vitamin C supplements are essential for guinea pigs, since, like humans, they can't manufacture this vitamin for themselves. Unfortunately, many people choose a supplement to put in their guinea pig's water, and many pet stores recommend this. The bad part is that vitamin C deteriorates rapidly in water. If your guinea pig doesn't gulp down a whole bottle full of water almost immediately, he's not getting any benefits.
Instead of these drops, it's best to make sure you use a food fortified with a long-lasting form of the vitamin. Supplement that with vegetables rich in vitamin C. Fresh food are the best way to make sure your pet gets all the nutrition he needs.
If you want extra assurance that your guinea pig won't get scurvy, you can purchase special vitamin C tablets at the pet store. The only potential problem is that not all guinea pigs will eat them. That's why dietary sources are always the best.
4. Snak Shak Type Edible Houses
Certain types of edible hiding places are fine. My two guinea pigs absolutely love their compressed hay tunnels, which they hide in and gnaw down until they're suitably destroyed.
However, some edible hideys are made of unhealthy materials. Snak Shak-type houses are made from alfalfa, which should be limited in adult guinea pigs, and held together by calorie-laden honey.
Guinea pigs can get obese as quickly and easily as other animals, and those sweet-flavored hiding spots are the equivalent of a giant piece of candy. If your piggy likes to chew, opt for a compressed hay tunnel or something made of wood.
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