Proper nutrition, no matter how trite it sounds, is a guarantee of health, good mood and attractive appearance of any guinea pig of any breed.
But despite the abundance of information about the correct diet, there are still breeders (or members of their families) who are not averse to treating the pig with bread, pouring seeds on it, or even offering potatoes!
To begin with, it should be clear once and for all that the guinea pig is a vegetarian , scientifically — herbifor , which means “herbivore”, and has a relatively long digestive tract specially adapted for digesting coarse fibers. That is why it is important that the pigs’ feed contains a lot of vegetable fiber (fibers). Good hay and grass are very important elements in the diet, as they contain a large amount of fiber (fiber), which plays an important role in the digestive process.
Hay and grass
RULE # 1: Hay or grass should make up 75% of the guinea pig’s diet .
Good hay is a kind of stimulant to keep the intestines of the gilts working properly.
Good quality hay should be:
- fragrant, that is, to have a characteristic odor
- not small and not dusty
- without the inclusion of any coarse and large twigs.
For long-haired pigs, it is better to give hay cut, tied or rolled into a roll, since hay easily gets into long hair and makes combing difficult.
Green grass, especially during the warmer months, is a great substitute for hay! Grass is the best food for pigs! And the most beloved!
The grass contains almost all the vitamins a pig needs.
The only requirement: not to collect grass on the sides of the roads due to the settling of vehicle exhaust gases, as well as under trees, because bird droppings there promotes rotting of the grass and degrades its quality.
Read about what herbs are good for guinea pigs in the article “Green food” . And what are poisonous — in the article “Plants poisonous for guinea pigs”
The grass and greens that we humans eat are the so-called green fodder . The basis of green forage is field or meadow grass.
Greens that guinea pigs love:
- spinach leaves
- greens and dill stalks
- parsley (can only be given as a delicacy)
- lettuce leaves, etc.
Granulated feed
Hay and specialty pellets sold at pet stores are often referred to as roughage .) Roughage is the basis of the diet of guinea pigs.
It is quite possible to do without pelleted feed, but it is very convenient to use and helps out in many cases, especially in winter.
Nowadays, the variety of feed brands is overwhelming! Moreover, disputes between breeders about which food is good and which is not good for anywhere have not subsided for many years. In this article, we will not hang the labels “good” and “not good” on feed, since in most cases all these assessments are subjective. If desired, reviews and opinions of breeders about feed can always be found on the Internet.
Fruits and vegetables
Fruits and vegetables are often referred to as succulent food .
What vegetables and fruits you need and can give guinea pigs:
- Carrot;
- Apples;
- Cauliflower. Fresh green leaves of cauliflower are very popular with pigs, but pigs do not eat white flowers.
- White cabbage. Care should be taken when feeding white cabbage, as it disrupts the intestinal flora of the pigs. For convenience, you should cut the cabbage leaves into pieces.
- Curly chicory, also known as endive (Cichorium endivia). Well-respected, very mineral-rich and low-carbohydrate, very watery.
- Celery;
- Citrus fruits;
- Greens of peas and beans (in very small quantities);
- Bell pepper;
- Brussels sprouts;
- Watermelon;
- Fodder beets;
- Red beets (or their greens);
- Cucumber;
- Ground pear (Helianthus tuberosus) — both leaves and tubers can be given;
- Corn cobs.
For even more information on juicy food for guinea pigs, see the article “Juicy foods”
Berries can only be given to guinea pigs as a treat.
Water
Every living thing needs water, and therefore guinea pigs, although there are some pig breeders who argue that with the right amount of greenery, guinea pigs do not need water. This statement is wrong and wrong. In summer, pigs need a lot of drinking water, especially pregnant and lactating females.
Drinking water must be changed every day. It is advisable not to use a drinking cup, as the water deteriorates faster in it, it is better to use drinking bottles. But on very hot days, pigs can happily stand around an open drinker and lower their front legs into it.
Guinea pig feeding rules:
- Feeding is recommended to be carried out at the same time, to which the animals quickly get used to.
- It is not necessary to give too much feed, and uneaten feed remains should be removed from the cage (except for hay).
- Green food, vegetables and fruits must be fresh.
- Pigs should have hay and / or grass at all times.
- Fruits and vegetables should be washed well, but not peeled. It is better to peel sweet peppers, as the skin does not chew well.
- Lettuce leaves absorb harmful substances, so it is recommended to rinse and dry them thoroughly.
- Drinking water should be changed daily.
- From time to time, you can give the pigs something to chew on.
Guinea pig feeding regimen
Most breeders believe that a two-time feeding regimen — morning and evening — is optimal for guinea pigs and recommend feeding at specific hours.
Pregnant females are fed 3–4 times a day.
Feed should be given in sufficient quantity, as guinea pigs do not tolerate prolonged fasting. In the specialized literature, there is a statement that if the pig for any reason does not eat for more than 18 hours, then it must be euthanized. That is, a fasting period of 18 hours or more is extremely dangerous for gilts.
And one more, not entirely pleasant feature common to many rodents. To maintain health, guinea pigs must eat their droppings. The amount of litter eaten varies greatly. Young guinea pigs eat their mother’s droppings to develop gut flora.