What’s for Dinner?
Guinea Pigs love to eat, however, their eating habits don’t always coincide well with their activity level. The appetite of your piggy can vary depending on age, temperature, housing, activity, etc. Keeping this in mind, there is a simple guide you should follow in order to give your piggy the nutrition he or she needs despite the varying factors.
1 ounce, about 30 grams, of commercial pellet Guinea Pig Food per pound, or .45 kg, of the body weight for an adult. For an active, growing, or pregnant cavvy, you may have to double or triple that amount.
2 ounces, about 60 – 80 ML, per pound of body weight per day.
Here is a simple and useful guide for the appropriate vitamins your piggy will need.
5 MG of Vitamin C per pound of body weight
Between 1.5 – 6 MG of Vitamin E per day
Folic Acid – 2 to 3 MG/KG food for young guineas and 3 to 6 Mg/KG body weight for young guineas.
Do NOT feed your Guinea Pig these foods!
Type of food: Peanuts Why not: Lethargy, Obesity, and Poisoning
Type of food: Moldy hay, soiled hay Why not: Can cause disease in lymph nodes, pneumonia, and other infections
Type of food: Lettuce Why not: Diarrhea and Lethargy
Type of food: Beet tops and Spinach Why not: Can cause Urinary Tract Infections and Stones
Type of food: Potato greens Why not: Upsets Digestion and can cause Poisoning
Always, always, ALWAYS, wash vegetables to remove ALL pesticides and chemicals before feeding them to your piggy.