Article: Vegetables for Happy Guinea Pigs

[PigPog]

Vegetables for Happy Guinea Pigs
Guinea pigs require vegetables as part of their daily diet for two very good reasons. Firstly, guinea pigs are herbivores and vegetation makes up a large part of their diet. Secondly, just like humans, they are unable to produce their own Vitamin C and they require certain vegetables to give them the Vitamin C they need to stay healthy.

All of the vegetables for your guinea pigs should be bought fresh from the market, wholesaler, or supermarket - not tinned or bottled - and then stored in the fridge.

Before offering any vegetables, warm them to room temperature, remember to wash them, and also remove all seeds and pips (unless mentioned otherwise in the vegetable list below). Importantly, make sure the vegetables are fresh and not withering or rotting.



The best combination you can offer is one that is varied and interesting and includes many different types of vegetable. Like humans, guinea pigs do become bored with the same diet day in and day out. As part of their daily vegetable diet, ensure you are offering one vegetable that contains Vitamin C on a daily basis.

A combination of the following vegetables may be offered to your guinea pig as part of their daily diet. Choose wisely to achieve a good balance and you will have some very happy guinea pigs!

Asparagus

Beetroot
High in Vitamin C. Remove the top and bottom of the beetroot as the roots and leaves are poisonous. Beetroot may make their urine and droppings come out purple!

Broccoli
High in Vitamin C but too much may cause gas and bloating!

Brussels sprouts
High in Vitamin C but too much may cause gas and bloating!

Cabbage
High in Vitamin C but too much may cause gas and bloating!

Carrots
High in Vitamin C.

Cauliflower
High in Vitamin C but too much may cause gas and bloating! The whole cauliflower is edible to guinea pigs.

Celery
High in Vitamin C and can be given if cut into manageable chunks. Cut off any stringy bits because they can be a choking hazard.

Coriander
Low to moderate Vitamin C, but very tasty!

Corn on the Cob
A good treat food as this is very fatty. Only offer corn on the cob that has not been buttered before packaging (check the packet for contents). Guinea pigs can also eat the leaves.

Cucumber
A good treat food. Very watery, so only offer slices at a time.

Curly Kale
High in Vitamin C but too much may cause gas and bloating!

Lettuce
A good treat food. Romaine, Little Gem, Lamb's Lettuce, Rocket, and red and green leaf may all be offered to your guinea pig. Low in Vitamin C. Do not offer Iceberg Lettuce.

Parsley
Calcium content is high and too much calcium may help to form kidney and bladder stones.

Peppers
Not the hot or chilli kind! You may offer your guinea pig the bland red, green, orange or yellow bell peppers with all stalks and seeds removed.

Spinach
Calcium content is high and too much calcium may help to form kidney and bladder stones.

Tomato
Very watery so offer occasionally (a hairless guinea pig may be given a tomato as part of their daily diet for hydration purposes). Remove the leaves first as these are believed to be poisonous. The seeds can be eaten.




Extract taken from my feeding guide at:
www.rodentswithattitude.co.uk/generalcare_feeding.html






Reason for Editing: Added curly kale to the list - PigPog

[molly]

Thanks pigpog! v. good guide

[eppingstrider]

Nice list!

We discussed elsewhere the fact the my guineas consider the seeds to be the best part of a red (or any other colour) pepper, and they just leave the stalk, so we live in perfect harmony on this! My vet also said that corn on the cob was extremely fattening and should be left out of their diet, but on the other hand the husks and tassles are a real treat, even if on the dry side (from a supermarket) - I was lucky enough to get them farm fresh (the difference in taste is amazing) and the boys just adored the tassles and greener husks.

Root vegetables you may not be so familiar with ( but I'm a veggie so its amazing what veggies I've tried recently) - celeriac - a round pale brown knobbly root, tastes like mild celery and cook like carrots (can mash with potatoes too - for you that is) - the boys love the peelings (and the flesh if I'm feeling generous); the same with kohl rabi which I stir fry, but again the boys love the peelings - they dont get the inside cos I'm too mean! I've recently discover I love kale and chard, the boys do too - but they dont like cabbage of nearly any sort although they will nibble sprouts trimmings.

Actually what my boys love more than anything else - fresh grass. Amazingly the grass is growing already and I gave them a freshly picked handful on both Thursday and Friday.

[eppingstrider]

I have discovered this week that my boys LURV celery! I'm not that keen myself, but if a recipe calls for it, I suppose I can have some occasionally. But I gave the boys the bits with leaves on and they couldnt get at it fast enough!

One day I think I'll line up their favourite veggies at one side of the cage and let them at them to see which they love most - or maybe they'll just die of indecision!

[teddypig]

That's a helpful list! Good to know what should be given in moderation rather then regularly.

I have just bought some barley grass seeds to grow in a seed tray - as my boys are going to be indoor piggies, I am going to put a tray of grass in their cage so they can enjoy grazing indoors as well. I thought it would be a good idea especially for the colder days when the weather isn't suitable for them to be outside

[PigPog]

The grass tray is a good idea. They are the world's best lawn mowers though, so you may get through a few trays!!!!

[teddypig]

I was thinking of getting about 4 trays, and rotating them every couple of days so there's always a tray with longer grass in!

Normally in ok weather they'd go in the garden for some of the day so wouldn't need to use them every day. Having guinea pigs is going to be great as it means I won't have to cut the grass as much!

[eppingstrider]

I've been developing my garden so have put a couple of turves that I lifted for veg beds into the plastic trays you get veg at the supermarket in. The boys make very short work of them (in both senses of the word!)



At the moment I pick off about a handful (a big double handful!) of grass when I come in from the garden - staving off the moment when I'll have to start mowing again. They would rather have grass than just about anything else - although I will try that taste test sometimes - choice between grass, celery, coriander, thyme and parsley will probably drive them mad

[PigPog]

Fred and George would jump into the air and go POP!

It's always grass with my lot. Everything else is ignored. The gardeners are reseeding my outdoor runs this week ready to let the lawn mowe- um, guinea pigs loose on it in a few weeks.

[teddypig]

They are adorable! It's so lovely to see them enjoying their grass trays

[eppingstrider]

Thank you! I was thinking this morning that I should take a photo of them burrowing into the mountain of grass I deposited in their cage. And then I thought later I should take a photo of them asleep all squashed up together. But I couldnt find my camera and I hadnt asked their permission to photograph them in bed and is it intrusive, do you think??!!

[PigPog]

I always lose the camera during Kodak moments.

[savvycavies]

Does anyone know if Celery leaves are ok? I read somewhere recently that they are poisonous??

[PigPog]

The leaves on the ends of the celery stalks are a delicacy in my shed and everyone really loves them. I always thought they were fine?

[pamperedpiggycavie]

I agree, celery leaves go down VERY well. It's beetroot leaves you should avoid.

Amanda