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Basic principles of nutrition of guinea pigs – what to avoid?
Remember that guinea pigs are strict herbivores. Their body is not adapted to digest animal protein or lactose. Therefore, all animal products are absolutely prohibited: Meat, fish, eggs, as well as milk and its products (cheese, yogurt, cream, and even special “yogurt drops” for rodents, which, unfortunately, can still be found in pet stores).
Another group of dangerous products are processed human foods. These include sweets (chocolate, cakes, candies), salty snacks, jams, jellies, fruit juices with the addition of sugar, as well as all cooked, fried or marinated dishes (e.g. canned cucumbers, sauerkraut). Bread, both fresh and dry, can cause improper fermentation in the digestive tract. For drinking guinea pigs, we serve only clean, fresh water – colorful drinks, juices or carbonated drinks (like cola) are absolutely unacceptable.
Vegetables and fruits – not everything is safe
Although fresh vegetables and fruits (always raw, thoroughly washed or peeled) are an important element of the diet, some of them are harmful:
- Potatoes (raw and cooked) – pigs do not digest potato starch;
- Onions, garlic, leek, hot pepper (chilli), horseradish – these sharp vegetables are irritating and harmful;
- Butter and iceberg lettuce – accumulate a lot of harmful substances (e.g. heavy metals, pesticides). Roman lettuce is a safer choice;
- Rhubarb and leaves and peduncles of tomatoes – They are poisonous for pigs;
- Avocado and coconut – due to the high fat content, they can seriously harm the pancreas and liver;
- Green beans, green peas, bean beans – they are inedible for pigs and can cause digestive problems;
- Mushrooms – they are hard to digest and can be toxic;
- Citrus (oranges, mandarins, grapefruit) – They should be limited because the acids they contain can irritate the mouths of the mouth.
Ready foods and delicacies – read warehouses!
When choosing ready -made foods, you should be particularly careful. Not all products marked as “for guinea pigs” are suitable. Manufacturers often add dyes, preservatives and even prohibited ingredients such as milk or eggs for drops, cookies or colorful flasks. The Association of Help of Morskie Street points out that such products often please the guardian’s eye than serve the animal’s health. We also avoid limestone and salt cubes, which in a condensed form can lead to kidney stones, to which pigs are susceptible. Kolby and drops are often unnecessary calories and a potential threat.
Foods that are not recommended or requiring caution
Some foods, although theoretically, you can feed them with a guinea pig, they are not recommended or require special care. Among them are:
- Cabbage – can cause bloating; If so, then in very small quantities and only some species;
- Seeds (sunflower, pumpkin), nuts – They are very fat and caloric, and the pig can choke them;
- Decorative flowers – They can be contaminated with fertilizers and pesticides. Only flowers (e.g. marigolds, pansy, daisy, chamomile) are safely picked from your own clean garden.
Let us remember that the health of our pets depends on our knowledge and responsibility. In case of any doubts about the diet, it is always worth consulting a veterinarian specializing in the treatment of small mammals. If we are not sure if the food is safe – it is better not to serve it. It is also worth visiting the website of the Sea pig help association, because there is a lot of extremely valuable information about these small animals.
