Pet Habitat South Africa

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21 Apr 2014

Right Food For Guinea Pigs

Posted By : Guest

It’s important to feed your guinea pig the right food. Guinea pigs, like all animals have quite specific dietary requirements and shouldn’t be fed food meant for other animals.

Food that is meant for rabbits, or a generic food designed for all small mammals will not have the right balance of nutrients for your guinea pig. Poor nutrition can lead to various illnesses and ailments and so picking the right food for your pet is very important. Pick a food that is specially formulated for guinea pigs. Make sure it actually states on the pack that it is guinea pig food.

Burgess Nature Guinea Pig Trimellos

Choose a high quality food such as Bunny Nature Guinea Pig Dream and you’ll be sure that it has been developed with your guinea pigs’ needs in mind and will contain all the nutrients, and all the vitamins and minerals that your pet needs to grow up healthy and happy. A top quality food will have more natural ingredients than a cheaper food and it will be tastier for your pet too.

Guinea pigs need a high level of folic acid and vitamin C, so check the packaging for these too. If you food is a good one, and it’s been specially made for guinea pigs, then you should find that these extra requirements of folic acid and vitamin C have been taken care of. The developers of your new food will be experts in guinea pig nutrition so it gives you peace of mind that you’re giving your pets the very best.

When you choose a new food for you pet, especially one that is going to be a lot better for them than that which they’ve been used to, it can be tempting to throw away the old food and get them straight onto the new one, but it’s always wise to introduce a new food gradually to allow them to get used to it. Doing this will eliminate the chances of any digestive issues that can be associated with a sudden change of food.

You can also add to your guinea pigs’ vitamin C intake by giving them fresh fruit and vegetables. They also really enjoy them so it’s a great treat too. Giving them tasty and healthy treats keeps your guinea pig entertained and reduces stress and boredom which can cause various ailments.

Your guinea pig will love dandelion leaves, cabbage leaves, orange, strawberries, spinach and much more. Don’t forget to give them plenty of fresh water too and change it regularly, even if they haven’t emptied their water bottle. Feed them in a sturdy ceramic bowl. This will help prevent them tipping it over and they won’t be able to chew it either.

Ideal Guinea Pig Food - Hay, Hay and more Hay!

We can’t stress enough how important a good quality hay is for your guinea pigs. It’s sad that this is not the well known fact that it should be. Some guinea pig owners even think that the hay is for their guinea pigs bedding and become distressed when their guinea pig eats it! Straw is for bedding, but hay, which is dried grass, is a vital part of a guinea pigs’ diet. However they will probably also love to sleep on it, and sit on it while they eat, which is no problem, just change it regularly.

All guinea pigs should be allowed to eat an unlimited amount of hay. Timothy hay is ideal guinea pig food.

It’s high in fibre
low in calcium
low in calories

Hay is perfect for the nutritional needs of a guinea pig. It is the high fibre content of the hay that is very important. A pellet only diet will not contain the high levels of fibre that a guinea pig needs in his diet. You can and should add fibre to your guinea pigs diet with fresh vegetables daily, but he will still need more and timothy hay will provide this, as well as keeping him occupied. Chewing hay seems to keep guinea pigs happy as well as healthy!

It’s also very good for their teeth. Like rabbits, guinea pig teeth keep growing throughout their life. They chew other foods in an up and down motion, which doesn’t help to wear their teeth down. They chew hay with a sideways motion which does wear their teeth down and keep them trim. Overgrown teeth can be a real problem, they can even grow into the skin of their mouth and be very painful for them. Of course this can also result in some high vets bills!

Make sure your guinea pig gets a good big handful of hay every day. You can buy it in bulk and if you buy it fresh it will last for several months if you store it correctly. It can go mouldy if stored in a sealed plastic container, so instead store it in a wooden or cardboard box where it will be dry but well ventilated. If you buy a bale of hay then break it up as little as you can, just break off what you need when you need it and it will stay fresher.

Tags : Right Food for your Guinea Pigs , Timothy Hay , Excel Pellets , Timothy Hay South Africa