Guinea pigs(also called Cavy or multiple: Cavies) need to have hay available 24/7 (so that means at all times). There are several types of hay available for guinea pigs such as these from Amazon: Timothy Hay: https://amzn.to/3TRBfYk https://amzn.to/3IDxwey Organic Meadow Hay: https://amzn.to/4f25xBm Orchard grass Hay: https://amzn.to/44TIyUh I really like & recommend Oxbow brand, they have a good reputation that has stood the time, ingredients that are not full of filler products (like corn, artificial colors, artificial ingredients). A hay basket is a great way to feed hay & keep it off the cage floor so it stays clean & safe to eat. https://amzn.to/457gsoW or a hay ball like these: https://amzn.to/4f27uxG or a 2 pack (one for each Cavy) https://amzn.to/3IVtXAh
Pelleted food should be available at all times, unless your guinea pig is fat (ask your Veterinarian ) then 1/4 pellets 2 times a day per Cavy. Adult Cavies should be fed Timothy pellets like these from Amazon: https://amzn.to/44FEOHe or https://amzn.to/4kU0GDn Alfalfa based pellets https://amzn.to/44JYMR6 can be fed up to a year of age, but then switched to Timothy based pellets & hay.
If feed alfalfa based foods past a year old it can cause kidney or bladder stones. Please read ingredients of food, hay or treats to be sure alfalfa is not in the first 3 ingredients as ingredients are listed by the quality of the ingredient. An occasional alfalfa based treat is ok, but it also can make the urine smell more.
Treats occasionally are fine, but again read the ingredients, don’t want to give too many sweets, they are not good for you, me or our pets. Dried fruits are natural sugars, but still sugars. https://amzn.to/44JIfNb https://amzn.to/4o0eGOV
I can’t stress enough how important reading labels & ingredients on pet products are. Animals are considered property where I live & the manufacturers can sell a lot of things that aren’t healthy for your pet, so read & be informed.
Cavies should have fresh food daily: some of these are: Romaine Lettuce Red leaf lettuce Green leaf lettuce Parsley Endive Cilantro Swiss Chard Dandelion greens Yellow Clover Broccoli Radish greens Bok choy Clover sprouts Spinach (small amount) mustard greens Brussels Sprouts Celery Radicchio Kale Escarole Watercress Zucchini Bell Peppers Peas Collard Greens Carrots (small amount)
Fruits in small amounts, not more than 1 Tablespoon of the fresh food fed daily as they are a natural sugar:
Strawberries Raspberries Orange Pears Mango Apple with peel Banana with peel Papaya Plums Blueberries Grapes (small amount) Melon Peaches Blackberries Kiwi Grapefruit
1 small piece of fruit with Vit C (orange, grapefruit, or apple) daily to prevent scurvies (disease). Carrots are sweet so a small piece 3 days a week is fine.
I hope my blog is helping you with your pet care & you are learning. If you have a topic that you would like to see me post about please reach out to me at my email & let me know. My goal is to help as many pet caregivers as I can & you can help me get my blog out there by liking my posts (click at the bottom of page), subscribing to my blog, visiting often, commenting on my posts, sharing my blog with your friends & family via email or on your social media sites. I’d be interested to also hear where in the world you are reading my posts at. Thanks for visiting. echoinggreatpetcare@gmail.com Debbie
Echoing Great Pet Care 