My friends, do you like guinea pig? These days, guinea pig was one of the most popular animal of rodent species. There are several of rodent species which already became favorite pet of many people such as hamsters, mice, gerbil, and even rat (well, for some people). Not only because their adorable appearances which is delightful and fun to watch, people pay much interest to this species because of the size of their body. Yes, for pet animals, guinea pigs are considered as smaller animal than other pet such as cats and dogs.
They easy to take care and house. Talking about the house, keeping guinea pig require a lot of preparations, like set up the guinea pig’s cage, and also provide other toys to exercise and play, such as igloos for your guinea pig, exercise ball, and other items like food and water container, bedding place and etc. However, if you really decided to bring home guinea pig into your home, all these items must be ready, my dear friends.
Furthermore, guinea pigs require some attention for the health. Like other animals and all other living creatures, they could get sick and catch some illness and diseases. Therefore, supply all their bodies nutrients are a must. As a good owner, understand the need and body’s requirement must be your first fundamental knowledge. Guinea pigs are similar to rabbits in their primarily type of foods. They mostly eat hays and grasses.
But, they do also eat other treats such as fruits and vegetables. This treat is given to them in a small amount occasionally. It might surprise you, but there are treats you can make at home for your guinea pig! Yes, for you people who love to cook and bake, you could make some of those treat recipes as snack for your animals. However, you should note this, you can give everything that you think or “healthy for human” type of foods to guinea pigs.
You need to understand that high amount of carbs for guinea pigs are dangerous. One of the example of high carbs food that is good for people but not for guinea pigs are oats. Therefore, provide all the beneficial foods are the best move you could make. Talk about beneficial foods, now, we would tell you about 3 best veggies to maintain guinea pig nutrition inside their body.
As long as you aware and always fulfill your duty to feed them with the healthiest foods you could get, then your pet would live longer and healthy for the rest of their lives.
Guinea Pig Food Requirement
Guinea pig’s diet are quite similar to rabbits, they are herbivorous species. They adore vegetables, other greens, and also fruits; yes, they really love it. Now, we would tell you several primarily type of foods ordinarily would eat by guinea pigs in general:
- Pellets: first type of food that become the most main diet is pellets. Commercial pellets mostly are formulated with ideal dosage of vitamin C and also other nutrients which are designed by the producer. All the pellets in the general markets are passed the veterinarian’s test and then approved and fulfilled all the instruction and guide that have been appointed.
- Hays: one of the most fatal diet of guinea pigs are hays. Just indeed exactly like other herbivorous species among the earth. Hays are become the common fibers supply for guinea pigs which support the proper digestion system. Why hays are so important? Hays would help to wear down the teeth of guinea pigs that are still continuously growth. Always make sure that you purchase the high quality, fresh hays which no mold whatsoever. The best hays to get for your beloved one is timothy and meadow hays.
- Fruits: fruits are the delight foods for guinea pigs. But, you should feed it less than vegetables; fruits are contained with high amount of sweetness and sugars that could harm your pet if you overdose the amount of fruits. The most favourite fruits are oranges, kiwis, peaches, apples, papayas and pears.
- Treats: yes, not only people, your lovely guinea pigs also need some snacks! The total amount of treats must be ten percent of total diet amount per-day. For the treats you could give them the most delight and pleasurable type of fruits. But, do remember to only feed the treats occasionally.
3 Best Veggies to Maintain Guinea Pig Nutrition
However, let’s move on to most the healthiest veggies for your beloved guinea pigs pets:
1. Tomatoes
Tomatoes are growth (in botanical way) similar to fruits, but it was mostly presented as vegetables. Tomatoes contained a high level of antioxidant lycopene that bring so much health benefit for the consumers. Tomatoes are believed have the ability to reduce the risk of cancer and heart disease.
- Nutrition Facts: tomatoes contained with ninety-five percent of water and five percent the rest is fiber and carbohydrate. It has eighteen calories per-tomato, 0.9 grams of protein, 3.9 grams of carbs, 2.6 grams of sugars, 1.2 grams of fiber, and 0.2 grams of fat.
- The Carbs: the total amount of carbs inside one tomato is about four percents. For a medium specimen which around one hundred twenty-three grams, tomato contained with five fewer grams of carbs.
- The Fiber: per-average size of tomato contained with 1.5 grams of fiber. The fiber type inside the tomato mostly is form as cellulose, hemicellulose, lignin.
- Minerals and Vitamins: tomatoes contained with several benefit minerals and vitamins on the inside. It contained with vitamin C, Vitamin K1, Folate (Vitamin B9), and Potassium.
2. Spinach
Spinach become one of the superfood for every single creature on earth. It contained with a lot of vitamins and minerals. This particular vegetable could reduce the risk and prevent several of disease by the combinations of perfect nutrition benefit.
- Nutrition Facts: spinach contained with high list of nutrients such as eighty-four percent of manganese, sixty-five point seven percent of folate, thirty-five percent of magnesium, thirty-five point seven of iron, twenty-three point five percent of Vitamin C, twenty-four point four percent of calcium, and etc.
3. Broccoli
Broccoli is known as the all-star vegetable that contained with all the best nutrient for body. In addition of fiber, broccoli full-contained with minerals and vitamins. Not only that, broccoli also has the anti-cancer substance on the inside called sulforophane which is already being the subject of deeper research by the scientists.
Nutrition Facts:
- Vitamin C: use as collagen builder of bones and tissues, a powerful antioxidant which help your body defense from all the free particles from the outside, and help to heal the wound and cut.
- Vitamin K: one of the main support for blood clotting and other many proteins.
- Potassium: is the essential electrolyte and mineral that support the nerve function and heart contraction.
- Fiber: known as the healthy diet that would help digestion’s system function and also help all the consumers lower the cholesterol.