What to Feed Your Guinea Pig

If you have a guinea pig and are in doubt about what to feed it, the four basic "food groups" for guinea pigs are:

Water- Obviously, all living things need water. The best way to serve water to your pet is to hang a regular pet water bottle (available at most pet stores) on the side of the cage. Though it might work for food, you cannot serve water in food dishes to guinea pigs because they will often play in the water, kick bedding into it, and defecate in it. Also, though recommended by some, you should not put vitamin drops in their water, because not only do they contain very little vitamins, the vitamins that are in there dissolve very quickly and often before they are drank. And some guinea pigs won't drink it because they dislike the taste.

Pellets- These should be the main staple of you pets diet. There are many kinds to choose from, and though very popular, you should avoid the bags of pellets that contain fillers like nuts, seeds, and berries. You can feed these to your guinea pig as an occasional treat, but they should not be doled out daily, especially since many guinea pigs will pick out these treats and leave the pellets uneaten. Before you purchase any pellets, check the label. Good quality pellets are free of animal byproducts, and have a low corn content. Though most pellets have a high alfalfa content, which is fine for young, growing, and pregnant guinea pigs, it is best to get timothy based based pellets for fully grown adult guinea pigs. As for how many pellets you should give to your pet, 1/8 cup of pellets per day is sufficient, though the amount that you give your guinea pig may vary, depending on their age and size.

Hay- Hay is needed daily by guinea pigs to keep their teeth worn down. It is also very good for their digestive system. As with pellets, adults need timothy hay, and the younger and pregnant need alfalfa hay. You can attach a hay rack to the side of the cage so that your guinea pig can access fresh hay whenever it needs some. However, though most don't, some guinea pigs will only eat their hay and refuse anything else, or they will overeat. If this is the case, you should feed your pet a handful of hay daily.

Fruits and Vegetables- Since these animals cannot synthesize their own vitamin C, they need to be provided with adequate amounts daily, or else they may develop scurvy. They get much of their vitamins from their fruits and vegetables, so it is important to feed them the right amount of them each day. They need one serving of each every day. Here is a list: (use only one serving of veggies and fruits a day- this is how often they can have them, and the correct serving size)

Vegetables= Once a day= Baby carrots, 1 per day. Cherry tomatoes, 1-2 per day. Every 2-4 days= Edible-podded peas, 1-2 pods per day. Celery, small pieces, remove strings. 1-2 times a week= Pumpkin, small pieces, DO NOT SERVE PUMPKIN SEEDS EVER. Corn on the cob, 1 medium ear.

Fruits= Once a day= Rasberries, 25 grams. Strawberries, 3 small. Every 2-4 days= Grapes, 25 grams, red or green, seedless. Blueberries, 25 grams. 1-2 times a week= Apple, 1/5. Orange, 1/5.

Chewsticks- Technically, these are not one of their "food groups", but they are included here because they are necessary for your pet because they need to chew constantly to wear down their teeth. It is best to leave three or four chewsticks in their cage, and replace them when needed. Chewsticks are available in nearly every petstore. If you desire to get your own chewsticks from a tree, only use twigs from fruit trees that have not been sprayed with pesticides.

Roger enjoys writing and has a variety of animals at home. He also enjoys reading and studying the Bible. You can visit his website over at www.biblestudybooksreview.com [http://www.biblestudybooksreview.com/] and check out the Christian Bible Studies [http://www.biblestudybooksreview.com/Christian-Bible-Studies.html].