Vitamin C
Vitamin C is of utmost significance to guinea pigs, as they’re unable to manufacture their very personal (very like folks). With out adequate vitamin C of their diets, guinea pigs can flip into very unwell with scurvy. The amount of vitamin C required varies significantly counting on the reference provide used, nevertheless most guinea pigs possibly need about 10–20 mg/day. Pregnant, nursing, youthful, and unwell guinea pigs need further.
- Within the occasion you feed all kinds of greens extreme in vitamin C along with an excellent, latest guinea pig pellet, you can possibly meet the vitamin C desires of the frequent guinea pig.
- Many guinea pig pellets have vitamin C added nevertheless, sadly, vitamin C is type of unstable and may degrade over time. Conserving the pellets in a cool darkish place helps shield the vitamin C. You possibly can even get pellets with a stabilized sort of vitamin C.
- One of many easiest methods to enhance with additional vitamin C is to utilize vitamin C tablets. You can purchase vitamin C tablets notably for guinea pigs (e.g. Oxbow’s GTN-50C) or human chewable 100 mg tablets (bear in mind: make sure you are getting merely vitamin C barely than a multivitamin parts). 1 / 4 of a 100 mg capsule every day is a very helpful dose for a lot of grownup guinea pigs. The guinea pig tablets are 50 mg, nevertheless since vitamin C is a water-soluble vitamin, small excesses over that every day requirement are merely excreted. Many guinea pigs will take the tablets like a cope with and eat them, or they’re usually crushed and sprinkled on greens or pellets.
- Vitamin C could also be added to the water, nevertheless there are points with this method. The vitamin C shortly loses its effectivity in water (a latest present needs to be made a minimum of every day, if not twice). Moreover, guinea pigs may refuse or reduce their consumption of water with added vitamin C on account of type, and this will often lead to totally different nicely being points. It is also very laborious to know in case your guinea pigs are getting adequate vitamin C using this method of supplementation. Feeding various latest veggies extreme in vitamin C and/or supplementing straight with capsule forms of vitamin C are larger selections.
Pellets
Enterprise guinea pig pellets must be fed every day. Most guinea pigs will not overeat (usually eat about 1/8 cup per day) nevertheless the number of pellets may have to be restricted if a guinea pig turns into obese. Choose an excellent prime quality pellet designed for guinea pigs. As a result of the vitamin C in pellets moreover loses its effectivity over time, seek for pellets that use a stabilized sort of vitamin C or a minimum of one with a “use sooner than” date assure freshness, buy in small parts, and retailer in a cool darkish place.
For rising guinea pigs, alfalfa-based pellets are constructive, nevertheless for adults, it might be larger to go searching a Timothy hay-based pellet. Just a few fantastic Timothy-based diets embrace Oxbow Hay’s Cavy Delicacies and KM Hayloft’s Timothy’s Different.
When choosing a guinea pig weight reduction plan or pellet, steer clear of these with nuts or seeds, dried fruits, corn merchandise, animal by-products, beet pulp, or totally different fillers. Moreover look ahead to prime sugar content material materials (sucrose, fructose, corn syrup, and so forth.) and meals with a variety of preservative or added chemical compounds.
Hay
Hay must be a staple inside the weight reduction plan and a latest present obtainable all the time. Grass hays akin to Timothy hay or orchard grass are the perfect for grownup guinea pigs. Alfalfa is richer and higher in calcium and is an environment friendly complement for rising guinea pigs along with pregnant or nursing guinea pigs, nevertheless won’t be an excellent staple for a lot of grownup guinea pigs.
Up to date Greens and Fruit
Together with the hay and pellets, various latest greens (notably leafy greens) and some fruits must be equipped every day. Leafy greens should make up nearly all of the vegetable supplementation. Fruits and totally different greens could also be equipped in small parts. Stay away from iceberg (head lettuce) as a result of it has little or no dietary value. Good choices embrace kale, spinach, turnip greens, parsley, romaine lettuce, and dandelion greens. Stay away from or limit cabbage, broccoli, cauliflower, collards, bok choy, and totally different cruciferous greens as they’re going to lead to gasoline manufacturing inside the digestive tract. Moreover, steer clear of starchy greens akin to potatoes. Carrots, carrot tops, inexperienced and pink bell peppers, apple, apricots, bananas, blueberries, cantaloupe, grapes, oranges, strawberries, and tomatoes will be fed. In case you’ve a assured pesticide-free provide, grass, dandelions, clover, and chickweed will be equipped, notably new progress which is tender and basically probably the most nutritious.
Any greens, greens, or fruits must be launched usually or a digestive upset may finish end result.
Further About Guinea Pigs
- Cages for Guinea Pigs
- Introduction to Guinea Pigs