Guinea Pig Diet

Your guinea pig diet is a particularly vital facet of your overall care program, and it is something you should try and understand meticulously.

As much as there are a couple of things your guinea pig wishes in their diet, there are some that shouldn't be provided. It is as, if not more significant, to grasp what these are.

You should generally avoid cereals, nuts, chocolate, candy, biscuits, peas, beans, bread, and sugar. Also be cautious that when you're providing your pet with pellets from the store or pet food provider, that they don't seem to be rabbit or rodent pellets.

The significance of providing an acceptable and balanced diet is if the opposite is true, your bushy tiny chum could develop a Vitamin C deficiency, with symptoms showing only after 2-3 weeks of contracting the sickness. Your pet will become dozy, lose his appetite and become tiny. He will be able to eat less and there'll be a loss in his weight, all of which might end up in death inside 3-4 weeks.

Guinea pig diet must include Vitamin C as the Cavy can't produce his very own. They'll require between ten and 30mg a day to stop scurvy. There are numerous supplemental methods to introduce more Vitamin C to your pet's diet but naturally the best strategy is always by ensuring they eat plenty of green leafy veggies, and fresh fruit.

A quarter of a 100mg Vitamin C chewable tablet could also be introduced into their food, if you believe they would need a lift.

Fresh cold water is an absolute must to incorporate in your guinea pig diet, and it must always be clean. Ideally provide this in a drip bottle, and change it daily. It's critical to NOT add additions, or vitamins to the drinking water. Keep it pure and cold.

Top of the range, plain pellets, designed with Vitamin C can be supplied as a break for them to chew on when the need takes them in the day. The proper amount would be somewhere in the region of a quarter cup a day. Keep them in a cool dark place, and always check the use-by date.

Prime quality grass or hay on an unlimited supply will make sure that their bowels work typically. Feeding your guinea pig can principally be an automatic process, with the provision of food being available when your pet becomes peckish, mixed with their common daily meals as offered by you.

Your guinea pig diet must always contain Veggies and fresh fruit. About one cup a day of either a mix of this stuff, or individually is sufficient to satisfy your guinea pig. Offer a variety so that there's usually good balance in their diet, providing great health.

As a further treat that's basically good for them in small batches is unsweetened, watered down cranberry juice. It isn't only a useful source of Vitamin C; it can help stop urinary tract infections. Just make efforts to change this a couple of times a day, to avoid it going off.

Guinea Pig Health Check

When in the wild guinea pigs mastered to never appear sick, as this could mean early end. As an owner, you need to be aware, so that you can notice any signs of illness in your pet guinea pig.

A great opportunity to look for any subtle signs of illness is to inspect your guinea pig during normal routine care, such as regular grooming. After getting your piggy safely into your lap for regular brushing here are some things to be on the lookout for:

Overall appearance: Is he happy an alert to see you or does he seem to be off in his own world? An un-energetic guinea pig could be sick or just bored. Try to determine which one. As well you will need to check out his weight each time you groom him. If you do notice a change in his behavior or appearance then you will need to speak with you veterinarian.

Eyes: Take a good look at your pets eyes when you are grooming him. A guinea pigs eyes should be bright and have moisture, with very little fluid around the lower lid. If there is fluid make sure it is clear and not cloudy looking. Unreasonable discharge this could be an indication that he has a cold or possibly pneumonia, or an allergic reaction to something. Normally an allergic reaction is caused by his bedding or even simple household dust.

Nose: Be sure and check your guinea pigs nostrils and nasal area for any dried discharge as they are more prone to colds and pneumonia. Any nasal discharge this could also be a sign of sickness.

Ears: Inspect for signs of wax build up. If this is the case then the wax is easily removed with cotton swabs.

Check their bodies for any injuries if you have two or more that play and or live together, to make sure that there are no injuries from fighting between them.

Stomach: If your guinea pig spends to much time laying in his own urine it could cause him to have blistering on his stomach. It would look about the same as a babies diaper rash and must be taken care of in the vets office.

Examine you pet for swelling around his anal opening. Check their feces, if they are larger than normal and or is unformed in shape. Contact your veterinarian..

Nails: Trim the nails or have your Vet trim as they grow quickly and need to be manageable for your guinea pig.

Teeth: This can often be somewhat difficult to check but needs to be done. Part your guinea pigs lips and check his front teeth, look for any chips or broken teeth. This could lead your guinea pig to having problems eating.

Feeding The Guinea Pig

Guinea pigs are considered to be one of the most domesticated rodents that we may have known of. Records show that as early as 5000 BC the mountain tribes of Ecuador and Peru have domesticated these animals for food. Guinea pigs were brought to Europe by the Spanish, Dutch and English traders where accounts date back as early as 1547. The rodents became popular exotic pets by the upper class men of society. Guinea pigs which are popularly known as cavies may weigh between 1 to 2.25 pounds and may grow in length from 8 to 10 inches long. A typical life span of these rodents may last up to four years and some even reach until seven years. Guinea pigs, like any other pet would need the proper essentials to be healthy and happy. Care, attention and a proper amount of play and socialization are only a few essentials to mention for the proper cavy care. Feeding One of the most important aspects of raising your pets would be the feeding process. You must know what and how to feed your pets to make them end up as healthy as possible. Forages, hay and pellets are the ideal food groups to give to a guinea pig, as much as possible, it should be a mixture of the three since each kind of food has its own nutritional values. Forages and fresh vegetables will contribute a lot to the health benefits of a guinea pig. Not only will it add interest to the pet but also contain vitamin C and minerals. Grass should be selected carefully before giving it to the pet. It should be important to know where it comes from. If it's gathered personally, the pet owner must make sure that the grass has not been treated with pesticides, does not have molds and do not grow near roadsides with a lot of traffic. If the pet owner gives the guinea pig forages for the first time, the process must be gradual; the amount of forages should increase through time. Hay is another essential for the pet guinea pig, this type of grass helps the growth of the teeth of the guinea pig to be limited to a certain ideal length. The constant gnawing of the guinea pig helps the teeth to be maintained. Hay can be given as part of the daily diet of the guinea pig. Excess hay may also be given to be used by guinea pigs for nesting purposes. Pellets are customized to contain nutrients for the pet but it is advisable to mix them with the other food types to compensate on what the pellet lacks. Feeding is good, over feeding is another story. The amount of food should be cautiously taken into consideration to have a healthy pet.