Dietary Needs

Guinea Pigs' Dietary Needs!

Are you a guinea pig owner, and wondering what you need to know on dietary needs? Well, then you've come to the right place. We have everything you need to know on dietary needs for your favorite piggy! First things first, remember that it is normal for your guinea pig to eat his or her own poop. In fact, a significant amount of guinea pigs nutrients comes from their poo! But you should be looking at what your guinea pigs poop looks like, because some types are unsafe for guinea pigs to eat.You guinea pig should be eating a type of poop called caecotrophs(SEE-kuh-trohfs) which look shiny brown, and are not too hard. The kind of poop they can't eat is called fecal (FEE-kl) pellets, also called "beans". They can be light, almost as dark as caecotrophs. The most noticeable difference is the shininess. Your guinea pig should be eating shiny poops, not dull ones. You probably won't even see the safe poops, because they eat it right after it comes out.  You should also be weighing your guinea pig every week to make sure your guinea is healthy. The average adult weight of an adult guinea pig is 1.5 to pounds. If your guinea pig weighs less than that, you may want to consider taking him or her to the vet. It can also be very dangerous for a guinea pig to be overweight, because it can lead to heart disease, diabetes, or arthritis. All to say, weigh your guinea pig at least once a week! 

Diet

Back to diet. You should be making sure your guinea pig is eating safe food. Here are some examples:

FAQ's

Q: How much should I be feeding my guinea pig?

A: You should be feeding your guinea pig just about unlimited hay, about 1/8 a cup of timothy pellets, and a cup of fresh veggies every day.

Q: What should I do if my guinea pig eats something unsafe for their diet?

A: Alert their vet, and monitor their diet for 24 to 48 hours, and if you notice any changes, take them to the vet.

Q: How often should I feed my guinea pig?

A: Feed your guinea pig unlimited hay, supplemented fresh veggies 1-2 times a day, and a small portion of pellets once a day. You should not be feeding guinea pigs fruit on a daily basis. Fruit should be less than 2% in their diet.

Q: Can you buy Guinea pig food from a pet store, Or 

can you just give them the scraps of the food they can eat?

Q: Do guinea pigs produce their own vitamin C?

A:  No! That's why you have to feed them vegetables, but too many can be bad for them. 

That's all! I hope you learned all you wanted to on guinea pigs dietary needs. If you have any questions... email us!

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