home Drugs What vegetables can guinea pigs eat? Feeding guinea pigs from A to Z

What vegetables can guinea pigs eat? Feeding guinea pigs from A to Z

Guinea pigs are highly sensitive pets that require careful care, love and attention from their owner. The digestive tract of rodents of this species is designed in such a way that normal life and to maintain health, animals should receive the same food at home as they would receive in their natural habitat. The owner must clearly know what to feed the guinea pig. Nutritious food for the animal it is a matter of vital importance. In a starving rodent, after a day, the intestines stop working, and the animal dies.

The pet needs to be fed correctly so that its health remains normal, its teeth are strong, and its coat looks well-groomed. Daily menu pet should include:

50% hay;
20% dry food;
20% juicy food;
10% greens.

An important question for owners is how many times a day to give food to a guinea pig. Feeding is carried out 3 times a day. The feeder cannot be removed from the cage; food must always be available to the animal. There should also always be hay in the cage.

If there is no dry food in the animal’s diet, then it must be replaced with a similar weight of greens and raw vegetables. The menu should be varied; the rodent must be offered at least three different vegetables per day and certainly grass. It is prohibited to give your pet grass collected on the sides of highways and in industrial areas.

The optimal menu is vegetables and fruits before noon, dry food after noon.

Grain feed

A guinea pig needs to eat at least 20% grain per day. Grain food for rodents is sold in any pet store. The finished product usually includes:

barley;
oats;
millet;
sunflower seeds;
corn grains.

In addition to grain, the composition ready-made feed may include vegetable granules and vitamin supplements.

Dry food for your pet is easy to prepare yourself, you just need to buy it at the market different types grains and then mix them. But you need to take into account that the main ingredient is oats; guinea pigs eat it more readily than other grains. Solid grain food should always be present in the diet of rodents. Animals need it to grind down their continuously growing teeth. If a rodent eats only raw and soft food, then its incisors become unnaturally elongated and interfere with the ability to absorb food. As a result, the animal dies from starvation.

Green feed

This food for guinea pigs is the most healthy and natural. Your pet should eat fresh greens, rich in fiber and useful substances to support normal work intestinal tract. Below is a list of herbs recommended guinea pigs:

You need to be very careful when collecting grass for your pet. Among the useful plants there may be poisonous ones. Therefore, you should not put a bunch of grass in a cage without carefully sorting it out first. Fresh greens for your guinea pig should be thoroughly washed.

Hay

Most important food for guinea pigs. Hay not only normalizes the functioning of the intestinal tract, but is also an excellent tool for grinding down the incisors of rodents. Like grain, hay is sold at any pet store. When purchasing, it is important to carefully check that the dried grass is not affected by mold. Rotten and moldy hay can harm your pet's body. If the owner is engaged in the preparation of hay on his own, then he must carefully inspect the collected grass for the presence of prickly, weeds, and poisonous plants.

Juicy plant products

The category of such food products includes vegetables and fruits. The diet should include mainly vegetables; fruit pulp is just a treat for guinea pigs. You should not give your pet too much fruit. Their pulp is saturated with sugars, which in excess are harmful to the body of a small animal. From time to time, the guinea pig is allowed to treat a small amount of cherries, apples, peaches, nectarines, apricots, pears, bananas.

The rodent enjoys eating vegetables and berries:

It is useful to treat the animal once a week with berries rich in ascorbic acid: strawberries, currants, raspberries, wild strawberries. You can also periodically offer the animal leaves and twigs of cherries, blueberries, raspberries, gooseberries, and mint.

Eggplants and green tomatoes should not be included in the diet; these vegetables contain solanine, a toxic compound also present in green potatoes. It is strictly forbidden to give your pet leeks, onions and green onions. Bulb crops are poisonous to rodents.

Many owners are interested in whether it is possible to treat a guinea pig with melon and watermelon. The animal willingly feasts on such a treat and even eats it with pleasure. watermelon rinds. But you need to keep in mind that melon and watermelon are very sweet products, so you shouldn’t include them often in your diet.

You can diversify your pet's menu with fresh peas, soybeans, lentils, and green beans. It is useful to give your rodent juicy pea pods, rich in vitamins and nutrients.

Seeds and nuts

Young and active animals are recommended to include high-calorie foods in their diet. Rodents can be given nuts wheat bran, flaxseed, sesame and sunflower seeds. But if the animal is inactive and prone to obesity, then these products are not allowed on the menu. Occasionally it is allowed to treat your pet with dried fruits. Dried fruits in large quantities are harmful because they are saturated with sugars.

Additional sources of vitamins and minerals

Most of all, a guinea pig needs vitamin C. Ascorbic acid is not synthesized at all in the body of rodents of this species. Therefore, animals must daily absorb a significant amount of food saturated with vitamin C. Phylloquinone and B vitamins can be absorbed in the guinea pig’s body only after repeated consumption, that is, after the animal eats its own feces. Therefore, a rodent that eats droppings cannot be stopped.

Of the minerals, salts and calcium are especially important for guinea pigs. Therefore, it is recommended to buy mineral sticks for your pet at the pet store. Also from useful supplements It is permissible to treat the rodent with fish oil and bone meal.

Water

There must be a drinking bowl with fresh water in your pet's cage. An adult animal needs 250 ml of fluid per day, but a pregnant female needs a little more. It is recommended to buy a water bottle for your pet. In such a device, the water will not become dirty or spill.

It is advisable to give the rodent bottled or filtered water rather than boiled water. The owner must carefully ensure that dirt and debris do not get into the drinking bowl. By consuming contaminated water, your guinea pig can contract an infection.

Foods harmful to guinea pigs

Below is a list of products that can cause serious harm rodent body:

white and black bread, pasta;
meat and dairy products;
potato;
mushrooms;
baked goods, sweets;
cereals, dry legumes;
fruit and berry seeds;
radish, radish;
sorrel, rhubarb;
juice, tea, jelly and other drinks other than water;
leaves of indoor plants that are poisonous to rodents;
canned food, spices, cheese and other delicacies;
waste from the human table.

Guinea pigs love to chew on young tree branches. You should not give your pet oak, willow, pine, spruce, rowan, hornbeam, or elm branches. But you can safely put cherry, hazel, plum, apple, and pear branches in the feeder.

Nutrition for pregnant pigs and newborn piglets

Pregnant pets must eat well and of high quality. The diet of furry mothers should be rich in proteins and vitamins. It is useful to give pregnant females carrots, beets, and wheat sprouts. You can periodically add a little milk to the water. Rosehip infusion brings great benefits to the body of a pregnant pig.

If the female that gave birth does not have milk, then the owner will have to on our own syringe feed the cubs. Artificial food for small piglets includes low-fat cream and the probiotic Linex. The cream is taken into the syringe and a tenth of the probiotic capsule is added to it. The resulting solution is nutritious and beneficial for the digestive system of babies. The food in the syringe is warmed to room temperature. Piglets take 1 ml of food every hour. Two-week-old babies can be switched to cereal porridge without milk. The piglets sit on the porridge until they get used to “adult” food.

If a guinea pig appears in the house, the owner should create for it comfortable conditions contents that include setting up a cozy cage and choosing the right food. What do guinea pigs eat at home, what foods can they be fed, and what is contraindicated to give to these rodents?

Proper feeding of furry pets is the key to their health and wellness. The owner’s main task is to ensure that the rodent’s diet is varied and balanced, and also contains all the vitamins and microelements the animal needs.

But every owner should know that choosing quality food for a pet is only one of the conditions proper feeding guinea pig.

After all, there are a number certain rules that must be observed in order to provide the animal with the most comfortable living conditions.

Compliance

One of the basic rules that must be followed when feeding these animals is to never overfeed them. Guinea pigs have an insatiable appetite. If you give them more food than the norm, the animals gain excess weight. This can lead to obesity, which can lead to health problems (such as heart and liver disease).

Mode

It is advisable to establish a certain feeding schedule, giving your pet food at the same time.

Change of feed

A sudden change of food can harm the health of the animal, so you should correctly change the food to which the pet is accustomed. If the owner decides to change the brand of food, then the new food is introduced into the guinea pig’s menu gradually, adding it in small portions to the animal’s usual diet.

New products

The same goes for new products. For the first time, offering your pet a piece of fruit or vegetable, you need to observe the animal’s well-being for some time after that. If you experience symptoms such as constipation or diarrhea, New Product completely excluded from the rodent's diet.

Food quality

Food for animals must be of high quality and fresh. It is unacceptable to feed your pets rotten or moldy food.

Availability of water

Guinea pigs do not drink much water, getting enough essential fluid from succulent and green food. Interestingly, in summer the animals consume more water than in winter period. But, despite the time of year, there should always be fresh food in their cage. pure water so that your pet can drink whenever he wants.

Bottled water is clean and fresh and should always be present in your guinea pig's cage.

Cleanliness of dishes

An important condition when feeding furry animals is the cleanliness of the dishes. Feeders and drinking bowls should be washed regularly and cleared of food residues so that the animal does not develop digestive system disorders due to eating stale, rotten food.

Important: it is strictly forbidden to leave a guinea pig without food even for one day. If an animal fasts for eighteen hours, it digestive system stops functioning, which leads to the death of the rodent.

Two approaches to feeding guinea pigs

When it comes to choosing a diet for furry rodents, the opinions of owners and breeders are divided.

Some believe that dry food containing grain and pressed granules from cereals and grass is contraindicated for guinea pigs, since the basis of their menu should be hay, grass and succulent food.

Adherents of dry food claim that ready-made food from well-known manufacturers contains everything necessary elements and ingredients for animals, and in limited quantities, grains are even beneficial for them.

In fact, these two options have both advantages and disadvantages, so each owner must decide for himself which type of feeding to give preference to.

Option 1: Grain-free diet

The main part of this diet consists of hay and fresh grass. As an additional food, fans of grain-free feeding give guinea pigs pieces of vegetables and fruits and berries twice a day.

A grain-free approach to guinea pig nutrition includes a wide variety of vegetables.

What to consider when choosing this type of feeding:

The pet's menu should be varied, so every day succulent food should include five types of vegetables and fruits. For example, on the same day you can give your guinea pigs slices of carrots, peppers, apples and raspberries. And on the second, feed with pieces of pumpkin, turnip, cucumber, and blueberries.
Vegetables and fruits must be environmentally friendly. It is unacceptable to give pets foods treated with chemicals.
Uneaten slices of vegetables and fruits must be removed from the cage immediately. Otherwise, the process of rotting begins in them and, after eating such a product, the pig may become poisoned.

Among the advantages is the fact that the owner will not need to spend money on purchasing ready-made grain or granular mixtures.

If we talk about shortcomings, then the owner will have to take care that all year round there were several types of fresh fruits and vegetables in the refrigerator, and in winter this is quite problematic and costs the owner a lot of money.

Option 2: feeding grain or pelleted mixtures

The grain approach to feeding pigs involves only one tablespoon of grain per day, the rest is vegetables and hay.

The most optimal daily diet for animals, according to adherents of grain nutrition: 50% high-quality hay, 20% each of dry and succulent food and 10% green food.

What you should know when choosing this type of food:

You should buy dry mixtures only from trusted manufacturers. Cheap food contains a lot of grains and dried sweet fruits, which are harmful to the health of the animal;
The guinea pig is given no more than a tablespoon of dry food per day and must supplement the diet with juicy food;
if the animal is not accustomed to dry food, then the pet should be accustomed to it gradually, starting with half a teaspoon per serving;
Such food is quite high in calories, so it is not advisable to feed dry mixtures to rodents that move little.

The advantage of grain food is that it is hard, so it helps the animal grind its teeth.

If we talk about the minuses, then quality food quite expensive. Another disadvantage is that such food can be difficult to find in a pet store and often has to be ordered on Internet sites.

How many times a day should you feed your guinea pig?

Many inexperienced owners often fatten their pets so much that they then have to be kept on a strict diet. Therefore, owners should know how much food to give their guinea pig, and what size a single serving of food should be.

With grain feeding

Adult pets are fed grain or granular mixtures no more than twice a day. A single serving of food should be half a tablespoon. A feeder with dry food should be kept in the animal’s cage at all times. After all, guinea pigs rarely eat food completely at one time, leaving treats in reserve. Therefore, the feeder with uneaten food is not removed so that the pet can eat whenever he wishes.

In addition to the main dry food, the animals are given pieces of fruits and vegetables once a day, but in small quantities, for example, a slice of carrot and apple is included in one serving.

The right diet- succulent food in the morning, grain mixture in the evening

Dry food is suitable for feeding young active and active guinea pigs. For animals that have a small cage or don't move much, ready-made mixtures given in limited quantities. It is also not advisable to feed dry food to elderly rodents.

Important: it is advisable to establish such a diet: in the first half of the day you can feed your guinea pig succulent food consisting of vegetables and fruits, and in the afternoon give it grain mixtures.

When feeding grain-free

If you feed your guinea pig only succulent food, then the pet is given this food twice a day, supplementing the menu with two more types of vegetables. The volume of the daily portion of juicy food should be 20-30% of the pet’s body weight. For example, if a pig weighs one kilogram, then she is given approximately two hundred to three hundred grams of vegetables per day.

The pig's diet must be supplemented fresh berries, herbs and leaves

As for additional food products, there should always be bundles of fresh hay in the animal’s cage. And in the summer, pigs are fed every day with fresh greens (grass, leaves and plant stems) and young tree branches. In winter, pets are offered sprouted green shoots of seeds and cereals.

Nutrition during pregnancy

For guinea pigs during pregnancy and lactation, the dosage of food is doubled, giving it to the expectant or nursing mother more green and juicy food. But it is not recommended to give parsley, sage, seeds and large amounts of dry food to pets during such a crucial period.

Types of food for guinea pigs

In their natural habitats, guinea pigs feed primarily on food. plant origin: fresh grass, hay, leaves and roots of plants, tree bark and berries.

Therefore, when getting a small animal, the owner should study information on what to feed a guinea pig at home, and how to properly create a diet for furry pets.

Guinea pig food is divided into five types.

Solid dry food

These are grain or granular mixtures consisting of cereals and legumes, herbal granules, plant seeds, dried fruits and vegetables and nuts. The pet store has a wide range of dry food for guinea pigs, but if necessary, you can prepare it yourself.

Hay

The same important element of nutrition for guinea pigs as grain feed. Hay is bought in a specialized store or prepared with your own hands.

Green food

In the summer, the animals are given (apple, pear, willow, birch, ash and maple) as treats. Branches of plum, apricot, cherry and cherry are given to pets in limited quantities. You cannot feed pigs with branches of oak and coniferous trees.

Berries are a delicacy, so their quantity must be strictly dosed

And, such as papaya, kiwi or persimmon are given to animals extremely rarely and in limited quantities.

As for nuts and seeds, you can occasionally pamper your pets with them, but only if he leads an active and active lifestyle. It is not advisable to give such a delicacy to sedentary animals, since frequent use nuts lead to obesity.

Products contraindicated for guinea pigs

There are a number of foods that you should absolutely not feed your guinea pig.

The pig will be happy to eat the sweets and delicacies offered from your table, but this should under no circumstances be allowed.

List of foods that are prohibited for rodents:

Important: if you feed a rodent one of the prohibited foods, this can lead to the death of the animal. Therefore, the owner should carefully ensure that none of the above ingredients enters his cage.

Table of permitted and prohibited products

Before giving your pet this or that product, you should carefully study what can and can cause harm to guinea pigs. irreparable harm their health.

Product	Can	Possible in small quantities	It is forbidden
Vegetables	Cucumber	Tomato	Potato
	Carrot	bell pepper	Onion
	Zucchini	Jerusalem artichoke	Garlic
	Pumpkin	Avocado	Eggplant
	Turnip	White cabbage	Radish
	Celery tubers		Radish
	Parsnip tubers	Swede	Horseradish
	Beet	Artichoke
	Fennel
Fruits	Apple	Apricot	Lemon
	Pear	Banana	Lime
	Plum	Melon	Grapefruit
	Grapes (seedless)	Citrus fruits (tangerine, orange)	Pomegranate
		Watermelon	Persimmon
			Dates
		A pineapple
		Dried fruits
		Kiwi
Berries	Raspberries	Blackberry
	Blueberry	Rowan
	Strawberry	Cranberry
	Cherry	Gooseberry
	Cherries	Sea buckthorn
	Currant
Garden greens	Beet and carrot tops	Parsley	Green onion and garlic feathers
	Dill	Spinach	Sorrel
	Celery greens	Cilantro	Rhubarb
	Salad
	Young ears of corn
	Sprouted cereal grains
meadow greenery	Yarrow	Sagebrush	Lettuce
	Plantain	Dandelion	Belladonna
	Clover	Coltsfoot	Celandine
	Sage	Blooming Sally	Fern
	Chamomile	St. John's wort	Sow thistle
	Burdock	Milk thistle	Marsh wild rosemary
	Nettle		Lavender
	Echinacea		Coil
	Alfalfa		Valerian
			Motherwort
Nuts		Walnuts
		Peanut
		Hazelnut
		Almond
		Cashew
Sunflower seeds and seeds	Flax seeds	Sunflower seeds	Hemp seeds
		Pumpkin seeds
		Dill seeds
		Sesame seeds
Branches of trees and bushes	Apple tree	Cherry	Oak
	Pear	Apricot	Quince
	Raspberries	Plum	Spruce
	Blueberry	Cherries	Pine
	Hazel	Aspen	Fir
	Ash	Rowan
	Currant Kalina	Kalina
	Maple	Chestnut
	Mulberry	Elm
	Hawthorn	Hornbeam
	Cherry plum	Poplar
	Birch	Willow

Legumes		Asparagus	Boiled peas
Legumes			Beans
Dairy			Absolutely not
Meat products			Prohibited in any form
Eggs			Contraindicated
Bakery products			It is not possible in any way
Sweets			Prohibited

Industrial food for guinea pigs: classification and rating

Manufacturers of ready-made food for rodents also produce food for guinea pigs. It comes in three types: basic grain-free and granular.

The main food consists of grass pellets, cereal grains, dried fruits, dried vegetables, seeds and nuts. Among the brands that produce such food are Mealberry, Versel-Laga, Vitakraft, JRFarm, Biosphere and Zoomir.

The best granulated food is considered to be “CaviaComplete” from the company Versel-Laga. The main component of a grain-free diet is high-quality hay. Here the Vitakraft brand firmly holds the palm.

When choosing dry ready-made feed The owner should also pay attention to the following criteria:

The bulk of the diet should consist of forb pellets, rather than grains and other ingredients. Food without grass pellets intended for rats or hamsters is not worth buying, as it does not provide any nutritional value for guinea pigs;
If the owner decides to opt for granulated food rather than a grain mixture, then he should choose food with medium-sized granules. It is inconvenient for guinea pigs to eat granules that are too large;
Don't forget the expiration date. Stale food can cause food poisoning in a rodent.

Review and table of the most popular ready-made food for guinea pigs

Before giving preference to a certain brand of ready-made food, the owner needs to study its composition, as well as the advantages and disadvantages characteristic of each type of food.

Standard grain mixture "LittleOne" from the Mealberry brand

Considered one of the most the best feed for guinea pigs. It contains nutritious grass granules, grains of oats, wheat and barley, dried slices of carrots and apples and vegetable seeds. The food is enriched with vitamins and minerals necessary for normal functioning digestive system of rodents.

LittleOne food

A food called "Crispy Muesli Guinea Pigs" produced by Versel-Laga

Contains dried herbs, herbal granules, cereal grains and dried vegetables. It also contains vitamin C and beneficial minerals.

Crispy Muesli Guinea Pigs food

"MenuVital" from the Vitakraft brand

The basis of the feed is oat and barley grains. Contains given food and alfalfa grass granules, Yucca extract, dried vegetables and vegetable fats.

Food "MenuVital"

JR Farm Classic

Produces good food for guinea pigs, containing grain and legume flakes, dried carrots, a mixture of meadow herbs (clover, burdock, plantain, yarrow), mint and parsley. It contains minerals and ascorbic acid.

JR Farm Classic food

Ready-made grain mixture “Animals” from the trading company Zoomir

Made from seeds, dried vegetables and berries, herbal granules, cereal flakes and fruits carob. It also includes a complex of vitamins and beneficial microelements.

Food "Animals"

Ready-made mixture “Vaka Lux” from the manufacturer Biosphere

The mixture includes vegetable flakes, granulated feed, grass granules, cereals and dried vegetables.

Food "Waka Lux"

CaviaComplete food from Versel-Laga Corporation

Considered the best pelleted food for guinea pigs. Its granules are made from grass, seeds, vegetables and fruits. It is also enriched with minerals and vitamins.

CaviaComplete food

Ready-made hay “VitaVerde” from the Vitakraft brand

It has gained popularity among owners of furry rodents, as it is high-quality dry straw that the guinea pig eats with pleasure.

Hay "VitaVerde"

According to reviews from guinea pig owners and breeders, the ranking of the most popular foods is as follows:

	pros	Minuses	Estimated cost RUB.
LittleOne	The food contains no dyes and is readily eaten by guinea pigs.	The mixture is fatty and high in calories	300 rubles
CaviaComplete	High fiber content	High price	1300 rubles
MenuVital	Balanced composition, presence of vitamin C	Contains dyes	400 rubles
CrispyMuesliGuineaPigs	Economical packaging with zipper	The food is too high in calories	200 rubles
JRFarmClassic	Low grain content, affordable price	Contains dyes	400 rubles
Animals	Contains a variety of ingredients	A large number of cereals	100 rubles
Waka Lux	Balanced composition	Rodents do not eat all ingredients	200 rubles

Important: all guinea pigs have different taste preferences. A capricious pet may not like even the best and most expensive food, which most of its relatives eat with pleasure. If the rodent refuses to eat or leaves most of the food untouched, it should be changed to a different brand.

From properly selected food and balanced nutrition Not only the health, but also the life of your furry pet depends. Therefore, the issue of feeding should be approached with all responsibility and not risk the health of the rodent by treating it with forbidden delicacies and products of dubious quality.

Video: review of food for guinea pigs

What do guinea pigs eat at home: what can and cannot be given to rodents from food

5 (100%) 3 votes

The guinea pig is a herbiphorus, which means “herbivore,” and has a relatively long digestive tract specially adapted for digesting coarse fibers.

Therefore, it is important that the pigs’ food contains a lot of plant fiber (fiber). Good hay is very important element in nutrition. It contains a large amount of fiber (fiber), which plays important role in the digestive process.

Guinea pigs need good food, preferably as varied as possible. The diet of guinea pigs consists of roughage (solid) food (mostly hay), green food (grass, leaves) and succulent food (vegetables and fruits). The latter is not at all necessary in the diet, but is very convenient to use.

Rough (solid) feed

Rough (solid) feed is primarily hay, grain and special granules ( granular feed, which is sold in pet stores). You can easily do without the latter, but it is very convenient to use and helps out in many cases, especially in winter. Guinea pigs usually crunch with pleasure at such gourmet incas right there, like chickens in a backyard, they rush to the feeder, clinging to it from all sides until they find it and eat everything that they love most. Currently, ready-made, pre-mixed dry food granules have appeared on the market, specially prepared for guinea pigs, which contain added vitamin C. It must be taken into account that due to the addition of vitamin C, the food usually has a short shelf life, about 3 months. Such food must always be stored in a dry place and in tightly closed packaging, otherwise it will quickly become moldy and spoil.

good hay is a so-called stimulant that prevents intestinal dysfunction in pigs. It should also be very fresh, not small or dusty and fresh-smelling. The hay should be without any coarse or large twigs, and for long-haired pigs, it is better to give the hay cut or rolled into a roll or tied. Otherwise long wool gets tangled in hay very easily.

Green food

Green food is vital for guinea pigs, but not all greens are created equal. The basis of green food is field or meadow grass with inclusions of some spicy and medicinal herbs. Grass is the best green food of all! It is better not to collect grass along roadsides due to the deposition of vehicle exhaust gases, as well as under trees, because bird droppings there contribute to the rotting of the grass and deteriorate its quality. A good dose of fresh grass keeps your pigs healthy best condition and they love her very much. Almost all vitamins are found in the grass. In addition to grass, green food includes the greens that we humans eat. Guinea pigs will happily chew on: spinach leaves greens and dill stems parsley (can only be given as a treat) lettuce leaves, etc.

Read about what herbs are good for guinea pigs in the article "Green food". And about which ones are poisonous - in the article "Plants that are poisonous to guinea pigs"

Juicy food

Juicy food is vegetables and fruits. Berries - only as a treat. What vegetables and fruits should and can be given to guinea pigs:

Carrot
Apples
Cauliflower. Pigs really like the fresh green leaves of cauliflower, but pigs do not eat its white flowers.
White cabbage. Pigs sometimes want to eat white cabbage, but without much desire. You should be very careful when feeding white cabbage as it disrupts the intestinal flora of your pigs. For convenience, you should cut cabbage leaves into parts.
Curly chicory, also known as endive (Cichorium endivia). It enjoys well-deserved respect, contains a lot of minerals and few carbohydrates, and is very watery.
Celery;
Citrus fruits;
Green peas and beans (in very small quantities);
Bell pepper;
Brussels sprouts;
Watermelon;
Fodder beet;
Red beets (or their greens);
Cucumber;
Dandelion: is a laxative for pigs and also stimulates normal kidney function (give in limited quantities);
Sow thistle (Sonchus oleraceus) - this plant is indispensable for lactating pigs;
Shepherd's purse (Capsella bursa pastoris) - aid with diarrhea;
Pea (Vicia sativa) is a very useful plant the pigs’ diet, which they love very much, contains nitrogen, which is so necessary for the health and excellent structure of the pigs’ coat;
Ground pear (Helianthus tuberosus) - both leaves and tubers can be given;
Corn cobs.

More more information about succulent food for guinea pigs in the article "Juicy Food"

Water

Each Living being needs water, and so do guinea pigs, although there are some pig breeders who claim that if there is the proper amount of greenery, guinea pigs do not need water. This statement is erroneous and incorrect. In summer, pigs need plenty of drinking water, especially pregnant and lactating ones.

Drinking water must be changed every day. It is advisable not to use a drinking mug, as the water in it spoils faster; it is better to use drinking bottles. But on very hot days, pigs can happily stand around an open drinking bowl and dip their front paws into it. This is very refreshing and cool for our dear pets.

Feeding regimen for guinea pigs

Guinea pigs should be fed twice a day - morning and evening and always at certain hours. Pregnant females are fed 3-4 times a day. Food must be given in sufficient quantity, since small animals do not tolerate even short-term starvation. Guinea pigs must eat their own droppings to stay healthy. The amount of droppings eaten varies greatly. Young guinea pigs eat their mother's droppings to develop their intestinal flora. It is not recommended to suddenly change your diet; you should switch to new foods gradually. It is also necessary to gradually replace water with milk, otherwise the animals refuse to eat and get sick.

How to feed guinea pigs

In order for guinea pigs to make better use of feed, it is necessary to observe correct mode and feeding hygiene. Food should be given strictly at certain times established by the daily routine. Disorderly feeding disrupts the normal activity of the digestive glands, which has a detrimental effect on the digestibility of the food eaten.

When giving food to guinea pigs, you need to pay attention to its quality: are they not musty, are they good in taste and color, are there any harmful impurities in them, etc. New foods should be introduced into the diet gradually, starting with large quantity. In this case, it is necessary to monitor the state of digestion in guinea pigs (based on the consistency of stool).

Overeating can cause acute indigestion. It is also dangerous due to long-term consequences - obesity and related diseases. By the way, it is not at all necessary to feed the animal every time it starts squeaking and standing up on its hind legs. Maybe he's bored. Sometimes it is enough to take the pig in your arms or let it run around on the floor, or give it some blank piece of paper to play with.

Usually it is recommended to feed pigs 2-3 times a day at the same time, focusing on the norms already given. The well-known saying “give dinner to the enemy” does not apply to pigs, who are very active at night. Evening feeding should be complete (about 40% of the daily diet). Some experts recommend feeding animals often, but little by little (5-6 times), giving such an amount of food that they eat immediately without leaving anything.

Grains, bran, root vegetables, hay, fresh grass, even mushrooms and kitchen vegetable waste are eaten by guinea pigs. But all food must be good quality and fresh. Musty grain, rotten root crops, warm grass inevitably cause gastrointestinal diseases, often with fatal consequences.

The best food for guinea pigs is considered to be wheat bran, oats, carrots, beets and good hay, and in summer freshly cut grass replaces root vegetables and hay. The bran should be given slightly damp, moistened with water or skim milk.

One adult guinea pig in the summer should be given an average of up to 0.5 kg of green food (fresh grass), 50 g of oats or bran. It is advisable to add salt and bone meal to the bran at the rate of 0.3 g of salt and 0.2 g bone meal. It is useful to give milk to pregnant and lactating pigs, as well as young animals up to 3-4 months: adults - 20 g, youth - 10 g.

Green food is replaced with root vegetables up to 100 g per pig and hay up to 60 g. When feeding guinea pigs, two times a day feeding should be used: morning and evening. In the morning they give juicy and nutritious food - carrots, cut beets (pieces), oats or bran, etc. In the evening, hay is given and fresh drinking water, and females with suckling young animals- milk. In summer, root vegetables and hay are replaced with fresh, good grass, which is given at least three times a day. In winter, it is extremely useful to give animals sprouted grain (wheat, oats) and other vitamin-rich foods, in the form of carrots, vitamin-rich hay, dried nettle etc.

Rules for feeding guinea pigs

Feed at the same time, which the animals quickly get used to.
Do not give too much food; remove any leftover food from the cage (except hay).
Green food, vegetables and fruits must be fresh.
Always provide hay and green food in a feeder.
Wash fruits, cucumbers and tomatoes thoroughly, but do not peel them. It is better to peel sweet peppers, as the skin is difficult to chew.
Lettuce leaves absorb harmful substances, so it is recommended to rinse them thoroughly and dry them.
Fill the drinking bowls with new, settled water twice a week.
From time to time, put something in the cage to chew on.

Guinea pigs are animals that can eat food without paying attention to poisonous and incompatible plants. Natural instincts can only work if there is a wide choice of food. And if you feed your pet monotonous food, then this ability is lost, and your pet may become poisoned. Therefore, be very careful about the food in your animal’s diet, because its health will depend on it. So what should you not feed your guinea pig? Let's figure it out.

Below we provide a list of products, most of which are harmless in small quantities and do not contain much nutrients. And if you consume a large amount of such products, your pet may experience health problems.

Vegetables

Cabbage, namely white cabbage, Brussels sprouts and red cabbage. If you overfeed this product, your animal may experience severe flatulence and diarrhea.

Bulbs (green onions, leeks) are poisonous to guinea pigs.

Legumes can cause bloating in rodents, and in large quantities these products are toxic to pigs. But you can offer your pet some raw and fresh sprouts.

Potato. The tubers contain a large amount of starch, which is poorly digestible in its raw form, and the tops are poisonous.

Radishes and radishes have a strong taste and can cause irritation to the mucous membranes, so they are undesirable for these rodents.

Rhubarb contains a large amount of oxalic acid, which is poisonous for pigs.

Stone fruits - peaches, cherries, apricots, and plums contain large amounts of sugar and consuming them in large quantities can cause severe diarrhea.

You should also not feed your pet exotic fruits, as this will lead to digestive upset for the animal.

Animal products

Products of animal origin are contraindicated - milk, cottage cheese, butter, cream, meat, eggs, fish - since guinea pigs are vegetarians and do not eat such food in their natural habitat.

Herbs

- nightshade,
- dope,
- St. John's wort,
- belladonna,
- celandine,
- wolf berries,
- spurge,
- hemlock,
- night blindness,

If you doubt what species a plant belongs to, then you should not risk the health or even the life of your pet; do not give it an unknown type of grass.

Indoor flowers

If you have a lot of flowers at home, then read the list of indoor plants that are poisonous to guinea pigs and put them away so that the animal does not get to them.

Poisonous indoor flowers for guinea pigs:

- cyclamen,
- anthurium,
- azalea,
- all types of milkweed,
- ivy,
- fatsia,
- Schefflera,
- alocasia,
- Dieffenbachia,

- calla,
- zamioculcas,
- monstera,
- syngonium,
- spathiphyllum,
- caladium,
- philodendron,
- scindapsus,

As you can see, most popular houseplants are poisonous to pets, so always make sure your pet doesn't accidentally eat any of the leaves growing on the windowsill.

Other

You should not feed your guinea pig sugar, chocolate, candy, honey, ice cream, cookies, marshmallows, marmalade and other sweets.
Table salt in pure form A rodent is not allowed, it is better to offer a guinea pig or a salt stone.

Also contraindicated for use bakery products(bread, rolls, etc.), fried, salted, pickled, smoked, as well as boiled and baked products.

Branches, leaves and fruits of cypress, buckthorn, thuja, robinia, and yew are poisonous to guinea pigs.

Walnut branches can be given with leaves, but rarely, and the nuts themselves cannot be given.
The situation is the same with chestnuts - branches can be offered to your pet occasionally, but chestnuts should never be given, they contain tannin.

But regarding oak, opinions differ - some believe that the branches of this tree should absolutely not be given to pigs, while others believe that it is possible, but rarely and in small quantities. But these rodents definitely can’t eat acorns because of the tannin they contain.

Also, you should not feed your guinea pig mushrooms, onions, garlic, sorrel, spinach, horseradish, salad mustard, raw or boiled cereals. Store-bought watermelons, cucumbers, herbs and tomatoes should not be used as pet food.

Regarding citrus fruits, there is an opinion that they can be given, but in very small quantities. Oranges, tangerines and grapefruits are peeled and filmed and given to the animals.
Guinea pigs should not be given paper or foil.

Everyone who wants to have a pig as a pet first of all has the question of what to feed the sea pig at home? In the wild, such animals feed only on plant foods - grass, leaves, hay, berries, roots, bark. Domestic guinea pigs are also vegetarians, so when preparing a diet for a rodent, you need to take this into account. The diet of a guinea pig must be compiled in such a way that the foods consumed fully provide the animal with the necessary minerals, proteins, fats, carbohydrates and vitamins, promoting normal growth and restorative wasted energy.

For normal functioning digestive system, the pig needs to eat constantly and consume large amounts of fiber. And the constantly growing teeth of rodents require regular grinding.

feed your guinea pig correctly

Adults need to be fed two to three times a day. If you feed your pig three times a day, then the portion of food should be 2 tablespoons of food, if two, then increase the portion to 3 tablespoons. The guinea pig must always have access to a feeder and water bowl. The animal may not eat the food right away, but a little later, so there should always be food in the feeder, as well as clean water. The pig should not be left hungry - this may affect its health.

There should also be hay in the guinea pig's cage, and fresh grass in the summer. Your pet should choose for himself what to eat. In the summer, you can feed your rodent green food every day, gradually accustoming it to fresh grass, and then give it in unlimited quantities. You cannot feed the animal spoiled vegetables or limp greens from stores.
Now let's take a closer look at each type food to determine for yourself what to feed your guinea pig, in what volumes and proportions.

Green food

The healthiest food for domestic guinea pigs is wild meadow greens. For guinea pigs, green grass is a source of vitamin C. In addition, herbs and plants contain almost all the beneficial nutrients this rodent needs. But not all plants contain the required amount of nutrients, so the pig needs to be given a variety of herbs. Green plants contain fiber, which has a beneficial effect on the intestines. Green grass and plants can be given to your pet in unlimited quantities only after gradual habituation.

Sudanese grass, corn, sweet clover, clover, alfalfa, sainfoin, lupine, and china are suitable as green food for guinea pigs. In early spring you can give burdock, wormwood, winter rye, young shoots of willow or willow. At the beginning of summer, you can collect various herbs - nettle, wheatgrass, dandelion, plantain, knotweed, tansy, burdock, camel thorn, yarrow, sage, chamomile. You should not often give rodents wormwood and dandelion.

Nettle leaves are very beneficial for guinea pigs as they contain many nutrients. Nettle is used for the prevention and treatment of vitamin deficiency.
Be careful when collecting grass for your pet. Celandine, sow thistle, fern, marsh wild rosemary, night blindness, marigold, borer and other herbs are poisonous to guinea pigs.

In winter, you can offer the animal greens of sprouted cereals and seeds. You need to gradually accustom your pig to such food. If during cultivation the seeds become moldy, then the green part should be cut off and the rest should be thrown away.
You can also offer your pet branches of trees and shrubs along with leaves and flowers. The bark contains many minerals and other substances that have a beneficial effect on the animal. Eating twigs also helps massage the gums and wear down teeth. Twigs of acacia, birch, maple, poplar, willow, hazel, aspen and fruit trees are suitable as such food. But the branches of lilac, thuja, yew, and cypress are poisonous to guinea pigs.

Hay

Many animal owners have a question about what to feed their guinea pigs in winter when there is no fresh food. grass and can a guinea pig have hay?? The answer to this question is very simple - Guinea pigs can and do need hay.
Hay is a very important type of food for guinea pigs, thanks to which digestive the animal's system functions correctly, and the teeth are ground down. Hay contains many useful nutrients, so this food should be in unlimited access to your pet's diet. Give your pet fresh hay every day, do not leave it in the cage the next day if the animal has not eaten everything. After all, stale hay can develop bacteria that are harmful to a small organism.

The most valuable is considered to be hay made from legumes, cereals and leguminous plants. There are also many vitamins in clover, alfalfa and nettle hay.

You can make hay yourself or buy it ready-made in the store. When purchasing, pay attention to the smell, it should be fresh and pleasant. If there is a musty smell or the hay is wet, you should refuse such a purchase.

If you make your own hay, then make it from forbs. Do not collect grass near roads or in polluted areas. Include hay in your pig's diet only one and a half to two months after haymaking, when it is well dried.
Another important point. Hay should always be in your pet's cage, even if your pig has unlimited access to fresh grass.

Vegetables, herbs and fruits

Since guinea pigs cannot graze on fresh, high-quality forbs all day long, they need to be given a choice of vegetables and herbs every day. The daily amount of succulent food should be 20–30% of the animal’s body weight, or 200–300 grams for an adult.

Juicy food should be given to guinea pigs more than twice a day. Before feeding, vegetables and herbs must be washed thoroughly. Uneaten leftovers should be immediately throw out of the cage, preventing the formation of mold and the development of bacteria. Variety is very important for rodents, so just carrots and cucumbers will not be enough.

When feeding vegetables, it is necessary to take into account that the animal must eat most of the vegetables before the next feeding. A pig's daily diet should include at least five different types of vegetables and herbs. Rodents will eat what their bodies require, replenishing essential nutrients.

In summer, with unlimited feeding of fresh grass, the amount of vegetables in the diet can be reduced. Not all foods can be given in large quantities; the animal should be accustomed to them gradually. Guinea pigs with a varied diet do not need additional vitamins and minerals.

Fruits

Fruits can be given to guinea pigs as treats. They are given in small pieces no more than two to three times a week. If the pig does not have a tendency to cheilitis, then fruit can be given up to four times a week.

Do not feed large quantities of fruit at one time. Despite the huge amount of vitamins contained in fruits, they also contain fruit acids that cause fungus on the lips and teeth - cheilitis. And large amounts of juice and sugar can lead to bloating and diarrhea.

If the rodent's diet is replete with vegetables and fruits, and in addition you give poor quality hay, then such nutrition will lead to fermentation in the intestines.

You cannot give the entire daily allowance of vegetables at once. Divide the portion into several parts, so your intestines pet Not will overloaded. If same You give it back All vegetables behind once, That maritime piggy will greedily swallow long-awaited treat together With big quantity air, What Maybe bring To fermentation V intestines.

Except Togo If piggy big Part day eating one hay, That big quantity vegetables V one reception Maybe bring To failure work intestines.

Vegetables

You can feed your guinea pig the following vegetables::

You you can offer greenery his piggy – celery, dill, spinach or parsley. Only costs know, What pregnant piggy parsley it is forbidden.
From fruit sea pigs Can apples And pears V small quantity. Also Can offer pet dried berries rosehip, blueberries And black currants.

Nuts, seeds

Nuts contain big quantity oils And fat, That's why their Can feed only those animals, which constantly moving, And V diet which No dry feed.

If at Your his pet disheveled wool, dry flaky leather, A Also piggy actively sheds, This indicates on flaw fatty acids. For replenishment needs body these substances, animal Can give peeled seeds sunflower or mixture seeds dill, sesame, flax And anise By floor tea room spoons V a week. If You feed his pet fresh or dry grass With seeds, That like this feeding Not required.

Water

For nautical pigs, How And to another anyone home pet, necessary water. Need V water determined from calculation 10 ml on every 100 gram weight. At use big quantities juicy stern, need V water decreases, And some pigs at all can Not drink water. How would there neither was, A fresh water Always must be at Your his pet V unlimited access.

IN body nautical pigs vitamin WITH Not is being produced, That's why V water pet Can add ascorbic acid acid. IN winter period necessary give more vitamin A WITH, to to avoid vitamin deficiency.

Not costs forget O salt, daily allowance norm which amounts to 1 -1 ,5 G For adult individuals And 0 ,5 G For young animals. Put piggy V cell mineral-saline stone, she will gnaw his at necessity.

Other products

Marine pigs – herbivores animals And them contraindicated products animal origin. Milk consume only newborns animals before one month age, A Then eat only vegetable food. If You want to feed pet dry mixtures For rodents, please pay attention attention on compound. For hamsters, rats And others rodents V compound included granules from animals fat, bone flour And fish fat. Naturally, like this mixtures feed sea pig it is forbidden.

Treats For nautical pigs

Which master Not wants pamper his pet delicious. But That, What For person is delicacy, For animal Maybe turn out to be destructive. Let's let's figure it out, what kind of delicacy can you feed the guinea pig.

IN quality goodies For these rodents fit:

tomatoes,
strawberries,
grape,
pears And apples.

A Here dried fruits give Not recommended, because the V them contained a lot of Sahara.
It is forbidden feed marine pigs sweets, honey, chocolate, sugar, bakery And dairy products, A Also others products animal origin.

IN ready-made delicacies, for sale V stores, contained a lot of harmful to rodentssubstances – Sahara, molasses, molasses And T.d. Not costs often buy pet such treat, suggest better piggy a piece apple or carrots.

Results

Let's let's summarize All the above. Hay, grain feed And fresh water constantly must be V cage rodent. Juicy feed fed small in portions some once V day. IN diet pigs ratio products must be next: hay – 60 %, juicy feed (vegetables, greenery And fruits) – 30 %, dry grain feed – 10 %.

Pregnant, nursing females And individuals breeds need to increase norm stern And water V 1 ,5 -2 times.
Neither V whom case it is forbidden feed

What to feed your guinea pig

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