How Much To Feed
Guinea pigs don’t usually overeat, but it’s important to provide the proper balance of pellets, hay and fresh vegetables. Like human beings, guinea pigs cannot make their own vitamin C, so they require vitamin C-rich foods in their daily diet.
Commercial food: Choose vitamin C-fortified pellets with no seeds or dried fruit added. Because vitamin C usually degrades rather quickly, it is crucial to also offer your guinea pig vitamin C-rich vegetables and fruit on a daily basis. About 1/8 cup of pellets once a daysupplemented by hay and fresh vegetables as described belowwill be enough.
Timothy hay: Provide an unlimited quantity of fresh timothy hay every day. Guinea pigs need continuous access to hay to aid their digestion and limit the growth of their teeth.
Fruit and vegetables: Fresh vegetables can be offered once a day and should be equivalent to about one cup total per guinea pig per day. Leafy greens like romaine lettuce, red and green leaf lettuces, kale, cilantro and parsley should comprise the bulk of your pigs fresh produce. Its best to provide variety by feeding different greens each day. Vegetables like red or green pepper and broccoli have high levels of vitamin C in them and are great daily options. Add carrots, zucchini, tomato or sweet potato once or twice a week.
Can Guinea Pig’s Drink From A Water Bowl
Yes, they can, but they can become contaminated easily with food, poo or urine. A water bottle may be better, as your Guinea Pig’s water source will remain clean. If your Guinea Pig is ill, he may find it easier to drink from a bowl, and some Guinea Pig’s are used to only drinking from a bowl. However, if you can use a water bottle, its probably better.
Can Guinea Pigs Eat Strawberry Leaves
The short answer is yes! Guinea pigs can safely consume fresh strawberries as long as they are organic and free of pesticides.
When you think about what guinea pigs can and cannot eat, strawberry leaves may not be the first thing that comes to mind.
They should always be washed before being fed to your pet, though, because any residue on the plant could be harmful. The reason why its safe for them to eat is because they contain many substances that are good for them, including antioxidants, vitamins A-C, calcium, potassium, and more.
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Quick Tips For Feeding Vitamin C Tablets To Your Guinea Pigs:
- Break the tablet to the right size and place it in their cage, some guinea pigs get curious by its aroma and eat it thinking it a treat. Else, you can hand-feed the tablet to your guinea pigs if they are accustomed to that.
- Crush the tablet into a powdery texture and put it in between some leafy vegetables they love. For example- Romaine lettuce, Spinach, etc.
- You can also cut a groove into their favorite fruit like grape, strawberry, etc. and put the crushed tablet into it.
- If none of the above tricks works, you might need to syringe feed the tablet by mixing it in water and using a syringe to feed it immediately.
What Should I Feed My Guinea Pigs
Guinea pigs are natural herbivores and would spend their time foraging and grazing in small herds in the wild. They need to be fed the types of food they have adapted to eat. Their teeth are continuously growing, which is one of the reasons why they need plenty of roughage to chew this wears down their teeth and helps prevent serious dental problems. Providing sufficient fibre in their diet is also very important for both their gastrointestinal system and general health.
For your guinea pigs to be happy and healthy, you should:
Providing the opportunity for your guinea pig to graze on grass is also important to their wellbeing. If they do not have an areas where they can graze safely , then offering cut grass is another alternative . When you harvest grass to feed to your guinea pigs you need to make sure it is safe. Ensure that the grass has NOT been sprayed with any herbicides or pesticides, dont harvest grass from the roadside as it may be contaminated with exhaust fume toxins or from areas where it might have been soiled by other animals , the grass should be fresh and green and not have any mould, mildew or fungus on it. Just as with hay, Lucerne should not be given fresh and clover should be avoided where possible and not given in large quantities).
It is important that guinea pigs are introduced to a variety of different and healthy foods from a young age, as they may not try or accept new foods later in life.
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What Foods Naturally Contain Vitamin C
Many fruits and vegetables contain vitamin C. These foods are easily found in the supermarket. Its even better if they come from your small vegetable garden! Always wash vegetables and fruit before feeding them to your guinea pig. It is important to present them to your pet as a treat, he will appreciate it more. Do not hesitate to vary his diet by offering different vegetables according to the seasons.
Key figures: The daily intake of vitamin C in guinea pigs should be 20 mg / lb. of body weight for an adult guinea pig. This dose can rise to 60 mg / lb. of body weight for a growing guinea pig, a pregnant female or a sick guinea pig. If you want personalized advice for your guinea pig, do not hesitate to ask your vet.
Can Guinea Pigs Eat Canned Strawberries
No, Guinea pigs should not eat canned strawberries.Canned fruits have very little nutritional value and may contain high levels of sugar. Canning processed foods involves heating the food to extremely high temperatures, which destroys most of its nutrients .
Canning also uses a lot of preservatives, so you really dont know what harmful chemicals your cavy is exposed to.
Its also extremely important that you never feed your cavy canned food because it could lead to serious health complications for them .
Canning makes all the nutrients in fruit unusable by guinea pigs, so even if they eat a little bit of the fruit, there wont be any nutritional value left in their system, which can lead to serious health problems.
Canning fruit also removes the water content, which is extremely important for your cavys body system .
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Re: Is This Vitamin C Tablet Okay To Give To My Guinea Pig
Originally Posted by bpattersA children’s plain vitamin C tablet would be ideal — it would be less likely to have additives. You could split it into the right-sized doses.Thank you for the reply, but I found a pet store a bit out of the way that actually had some Oxbow daily C.Just went and picked it up.Piggies weren’t to crazy about it though , I had to crush it up and dab it on a small piece of fruit.I will start sprinkling it over there veggies, they should be okay.Thank you.
Tips For Buying Best Strawberries For Your Guinea Pigs
- Buy Fresh Strawberries :When buying strawberries , you need to make sure that they are fresh and have no signs of mold or other spoilage.
- Buy Organic :If possible, buy organic strawberries from a local supplier so you know for certain how they were grown!
- Avoid Strawberries That Have Been Packed In Liquid:You need to avoid strawberries that have been packed in liquid because they contain too much sugar.
- Avoid Buying Strawberries That Are Shriveled Or Soft:You should avoid buying strawberries that are shriveled or soft because they indicate spoilage.
- Dont Buy Frozen Strawberries : Its best not to buy frozen strawberries as they may be old and lack freshness!
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Risks To Consider While Feeding
Guinea pigs are easy to feed animals who eat their food without creating any tantrums. Guinea pigs need mostly fiber and vitamin c for staying healthy. You can say, these two items are their fuel. They require other vitamin forms also like vitamin k, vitamin e, and vitamin a. They get nutrients from their diet only. Sometimes they need supplementary foods like fruits to meet the vitamin requirement. Some owners ask if they can include mushrooms in their guinea pig’s diet. Well, as discussed, mushrooms can’t be included in their natural diet as they don’t have any essential nutrients that guinea pigs need.
Here at Kidadl, we have carefully created lots of interesting family-friendly facts for everyone to enjoy! If you liked our suggestions for can guinea pigs eat mushrooms then why not take a look at can guinea pigs eat bread or guinea pig facts!
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Can You Give Human Vitamin C To Guinea Pigs
Over the counter vitamin C tablets for humans that have been cut into quarters are sometimes suitable, but show your vet what youre thinking of using and get their approval first.
Never use supplements after their expiry date as they are unlikely to contain sufficient amounts of Vitamin C.
And never give your guinea pig multivitamin supplements designed for humans, as these are frequently toxic to guinea pigs.
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How To Feed Tomatoes
Owners should give raw tomatoes to guinea pigs guinea pigs cannot consume cooked tomatoes.
To avoid pesticides and other harmful chemicals leftover in tomatoes, wash them properly before serving.
Owners should never remove any seeds from tomatoes tomato seeds are beneficial for tomatoes.
Clean their living space regularly before and after feeding unhygienic areas can lead to diseases.
Take your pet guinea pigs to the vet immediately if they exhibit any sign of weakness.
Can Guinea Pig Eat Frozen Strawberries
No, Guinea pigs cant eat frozen strawberries!
Frozen strawberries can be dangerous for your guinea pig. Guinea pigs cannot eat anything that is frozen because of the low temperatures that will drop their body temperatures and cause them to become very sick.
Your cavy has a very sensitive body system. Giving them extremely cold food would freeze up all of their internal organs . It could lead to hypothermia and death.
If at all you cant find fresh strawberries and are forced to resort to frozen strawberries, you need to ensure they are at room temperature. It is highly recommended that you defrost the strawberries before feeding them to your cavy.
You should also cut up the strawberries into small pieces so its easier for your cavy to eat and digest .
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Vitamin C Supplement Oxbow Supplement
I have recommended a few things from these guys in the past, and there is a reason for that. Oxbow is very well known for making healthy small animal foods, and when it comes to guinea pigs, they are no exception.
While the tablets arent as subtle as the spray in terms of introducing vitamin C to your guineas diet, they make up for it in other areas. The supplement is hay based meaning it is high in fibre and can support other dietary requirements.
Oxbow argues that their supplement is able to support your guinea pigs in times of stress . As well as this, they argue that the vitamin C also helps your guinea pig recover from over a period of illness. One of the more common illness I see with guinea pigs is the flu . Speaking from personal experience, I can testify to vitamin C helping me get over being sick, so imagine the same goes for guinea pigs. While vitamin C does act as a great regenerative to your guineas immune system, it also acts as a great preventative to your little guy getting sick in the first place. On top of this, I tend to point people towards probiotics as a tool to help your guinea pig recover from a period of sickness. Believe it or not, a lack of vitamin C can actually cause a host of other guinea pig illnesses
Coming in at about $10, this is certainly a cheaper option then my first recommendation. On top of this, you are getting about double the amount .
How Many Tomatoes Can Guinea Pigs Eat
- Quantity: Generally, it is always better to buy fresh fruits and veggies for guinea pigs. It is safe to give guinea pigs two to three small slices of tomato cube.
- Frequency: Experts suggest never giving raw foods more than two to three times a week.
If the food is new to guinea pigs diet, serve them only one slice every week.
Observe if the guinea pig is showing any allergic reaction.
Owners should immediately take their guinea pigs to the vet if they observe any odd behavior after consuming a new food.
- Variation: We should never give any fruit or vegetables without washing them properly and removing seeds from them.
In the case of tomatoes, we can give them tomato seeds without any hesitation.
Guinea pigs can easily chew and swallow soft tomato seeds.
Cherry tomatoes are small in size, and their seeds are even smaller it is an excellent choice to give cherry tomatoes to guinea pigs.
Cut a cherry tomato in half and serve it to guinea pigs every two to three days.
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Nutrition Facts Of Tomatoes
There is a lot of nutrition in tomatoes that are helpful for guinea pigs. Tomatoes are rich in fiber, carb, and protein but comparatively low in calories.
Tomatoes contain lots of vitamins, and the vitamin C content of tomatoes is the most noticeable contribution. For guinea pigs, vitamin c is an essential nutrient, and we should not overlook it. Vitamin k in tomatoes helps in bone formation and blood clotting.
To improve the heart condition of guinea pigs, we need folate, which is there in tomatoes. The benefits of folate also extend to cell formation and tissue growth.
Potassium in tomatoes reduce blood pressure and improve heart disease and complication.
Lycopene and beta carotene are essential antioxidants that reduce inflammation and lower free radicals in the body. Antioxidants also improve eyesight along with other functions.
Why Do Guinea Pigs Need Vitamin C
Vitamin C is plays a number of important roles inside guinea pigs bodies.
Amongst many other things it:
- Supports the immune system.
- Protects tissues from harm caused by free radicals. Free radicals are a natural by-product of normal metabolism in all animals but they damage tissues and organs if theyre left to build up.
- Plays a role in making collagen. Collagen is an important protein in blood vessels, muscles, skin, bones and joints.
- And its needed to make neurotransmitters the chemicals which help relay messages around the nervous system.
So given its many functions, what are the risks of not receiving enough?
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What Does Vitamin C Do In The Body
Vitamin C:
- Reacts with oxidants that can damage cells, stopping them from creating damage in the cells
- Helps form and maintain connective tissue, especially collagen. Collagen is the main structural protein component of connective tissue.
- Converts lysine into L-carnitine. L-carnitine moves fatty acids around in the mitochondria when fats are broken down and helps generate metabolic energy.
- Is required to synthesize the neurotransmitter norepinephrine.
- Reduces the amount of metal ions in the brain
- Causes Vitamin E to be regenerated
- Improves the bodys ability to absorb iron.
Why Do I Need A Guinea Pig Vitamin C Supplement
You are probably wondering why cant you just use any old vitamin C supplement for your guinea pig. Surely human vitamin C pills are just as good, right? A guinea pigs diet is pretty wide ranging, but there are also plenty of things you dont want your guinea pig to eat. Check out my ultimate guinea pig food list to find out more. The last thing you want is to feed your guinea pig a vitamin supplement that does the opposite of what you want it to due to some unknown unhealthy additive.
The best vitamin C supplement for guinea pigs are typically designed to compliment your guineas diet and other health related needs. Certain compounds can contain Timothy Hay or other substitutes, which are perfect at boosting your guinea pigs over all health. Supplements are one of the first stops that I recommend new guinea pig owners take a look at. If you have just bought a guinea pig, I recommend read my beginner guinea pig checklist.
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Vitamin C For Guinea Pigs: Requirement Food Suggestion & More
Vitamin C is an essential component of a guinea pigs diet. Due to the lack of ability to synthesize their own Vitamin C, guinea pigs need a supplement of Vitamin C in their food. Thus providing a diet rich in Vitamin C is very crucial for our guinea pigs.
An average guinea pig requires around 10-30mg of Vitamin C daily for every pound of body weight. A guinea pig which is ill or currently suffering from a deficit of Vitamin C will need around 50mg of Vitamin C every day or as directed by Veterinarian.
Source: NCBI
As the requirement of Vitamin C varies depending upon the growth rate, age, and many other factors, it is always a great idea to be on the higher end. Unlike calcium, any extra vitamin c will be excreted by guinea pigs through urine. So, it is wise to provide extra Vitamin C to ill guinea pigs.
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