Healthy food for guinea pigsGood meadow hay from dried grass with meadow flowers and various herbs should be constantly available to the guinea pig for free intake. A very good quality hay is loosely packed and rich in texture, lime green and not yellow, low in dust and smells very aromatic of hay. Nettles have a high nutritional value. Since they are only eaten dried, they can be added to hay. Do not feed hay that has become damp or smells musty during storage.
Why is good hay so important?
In addition to nutrients, hay provides important fiber, which the guinea pig absolutely needs for normal digestion. The intake of hay also takes much longer than the consumption of other foods. This will keep the guinea pig busy and not bored. In addition, the chewing of well-structured hay in particular provides the necessary continuous abrasion of the constantly growing teeth.
What else should be fed besides hay
In the warm season can additionally Fresh meadow cuttings from sweet grasses and herbs such as dandelion, plantain, goutweed, chamomile, field mint. White and red clover are also suitable, but should be fed in small quantities, otherwise there is a risk of gas formation in the intestine. In any case, the guinea pig must be accustomed to the increasing amount of fresh food over several weeks. Fresh feed that is not eaten must be disposed of after one day at the latest.
Fresh, well washed Green fodder should also supplement hay feeding throughout the year. Include lettuce, chicory (only in small quantities), carrots with cabbage, turnips, parsley (contains a lot of vitamin C) and other fresh kitchen herbs, cauliflower, kale and kohlrabi with leaves, and in small quantities tomatoes, apples, pears and cucumbers.
As a supplementary food, guinea pigs are also given a small amount of fiber-rich Green fodder pressings Based mainly on hay and a balanced proportion of minerals and vitamins. The pellets, which are fed sparingly, compensate for the nutritional value of hay and green fodder, which also varies with the seasons. Grain mixtures, also called colored food, are not very suitable for this purpose, because guinea pigs often take up parts with little structure from it and leave the "healthy" part lying around.
Guinea pigs also like to gnaw on cut twigs and shoots from unsprayed fruit trees (apple, pear), beech or hazelnut. Thus, they absorb other important nutrients, wear out the constantly regrowing teeth and are busy. Drinking water Must be constantly accessible, preferably in the nipple drinking bottle.
Recognize diseases
Good control also includes daily observation of your pet's excretions. How to recognize diarrhea or abnormal digestion immediately and seek veterinary advice. In case of diarrhea, the physiological intestinal flora can be supported with Bene-Bac, a probiotic veterinary drug, in addition to an optimal diet. Guinea pigs that are temporarily off hay and solid food due to dental or other conditions benefit from feeding Critical Care during the recovery period following veterinary treatment.