Caring for your Guinea Pigs

Caring for a guinea pig is very similar to caring for a rabbit.  Fibre and good nutrition will in most cases determine how healthy your guinea pig is and how long your her/she lives. Because nutrition is such an important factor in your pet’s life, it can be beneficial knowing the do's and don’ts of feeding.  Listed below are a few bad feeding habits that you must avoid.

·       Feeding your guinea pig “gourmet” pellets.  Many food brand companies want you to think that a gourmet pellets filled with additives such  as peanuts and cereal are actually better for your pet and some will claim that their pelleted food is "Complete".  This is not true.  A pellet made of timothy or alfalfa will be the best option for your pet and all pellets, regardless of brand, should be fed in addition to plenty of hay.

·       Feeding your guinea pig ONLY pellets.  This is a bad feeding habit that you want to avoid.  Your guinea pig's diet should be made up of a variety of different foods with the main element being hay and barn dried grass, which are fibreous, keep their digestive system moving and help to keep their teeth in good shape. When shopping for guinea pig food make sure you buy a product formulated just for guinea pigs; rabbit food will not do becuase guinea pigs lack Vitamin C and therefore need their food to be enriched with this vitamin,

·       Feeding the guinea wilted or spoiled food.  Another mistake that many guinea pig owners make is feeding the animal spoiled food.  When it comes to fruit and vegetables, if you wouldn’t eat it, then don’t feed it to your guinea pig.  Feeding spoiled food can cause your pet to have loose water stools that can lead to dehydration and an unbalanced digestive system. You should also avoid feeding your guinea pig grass clippings from your lawn. 

·       Not giving a fresh supply of water daily.  Water is crucial to your pet’s diet.  For a healthy guinea pig, ensure that your pet has a never ending supply of fresh water.  Keep in mind, however, that when your guinea pig eats fruits and vegetables, it may drink less water.  These tasty treats are full of both vitamins and water! 

For your guinea to have the best health possible, you must feed it a healthy diet.  Listed above are a few bad habit that many pet owners develop over time. Do your best to avoid feeding gourmet pellets or using pellets as a sole food source.  Fresh fruits and vegetables are important to your guinea pig’s diet but need to be washed and checked for spoilage before feeding.  Complete daily feedings with a fresh supply of water and your pet will live a long, healthy life.