Guinea pig should receive food 2-3 times a day. The correct answer to the question of how to feed a guinea pig will be as follows: the diet of an animal must include vegetables, grain feed, green grass or hay. In no case should you feed him only with grain or vegetables - from a poor diet, a pig can get sick and even die.
The intestines of the guinea pig are relatively long relative to its size and body weight. To fully utilize it, the animal must receive enough plant fibers - fiber. The pig rich in fiber first bites off with the help of incisors, and then grinds with molars, moistening it with saliva. The process of digesting food, therefore, begins already in the oral cavity, since saliva contains secrets that facilitate it. Poor plant fibers and at the same time too soft food are not chewed by the animal sufficiently, therefore, it is not wetted by saliva. The abundance of such food in the diet leads to digestive disorders, so those who are interested in how to feed a guinea pig so that it is healthy should be aware of the importance of fiber-rich foods.
The next important point that must be taken into account by the owners of these cute animals: guinea pigs cannot produce vitamin C in their bodies, so they should get it with food. Those who want to know how to feed a guinea pig should take into account their daily need for this vitamin: about 16 mg. Moreover, during pregnancy, as well as in stressful situations and with the danger of infectious diseases, it increases significantly.
Hay and green food should make up most of the animal’s diet. Pig eats the grass of dandelion and plantain, alfalfa, clover with pleasure. Collect plants should be away from roads. Before giving the animal grass, it must be washed. To the question of how to feed a guinea pig, if there is no way to get fresh grass, the answer will be as follows: it will be successfully replaced by various varieties of lettuce or parsley. Fresh tops of garden crops are also suitable. As for hay, it should be well-dried, without mold and an unpleasant, musty smell. In no case should guinea pigs give spoiled hay - just like freshly dried: at least one and a half months must pass before eating it. Hay in the cage of the animal must be constant - it can also be used as bedding. Chewing it, the pig grinds his teeth. Otherwise, they grow, and the animal will continue to experience discomfort during eating.
The guinea pig can also get the required amount of fiber and vitamin C from vegetables and fruits: cabbage, apples, carrots. She can also be given pears and melons, but only ripe and in limited quantities. To the question of how to feed guinea pigs, the weight of which is significantly higher than the norm, some publications answer as follows: low-calorie cucumbers consisting of almost 90% of water are the ideal vegetable food for them. At the same time, many experts categorically do not recommend giving these vegetables to pigs. Therefore, the choice remains with the owners of the animals.
Of all the types of cabbage, broccoli is ideal for feeding the animal, much less - cauliflower and white cabbage, from which the guinea pigs are puffed. Those who want to know how to feed a guinea pig and what products are undesirable for it should consider this fact. Red cabbage from the menu of guinea pigs should be excluded altogether: it is most difficult to digest.
Cereals in the diet of guinea pigs should not exceed 30%. Oats are more suitable for it than other cereals. You can mix wheat, barley, peas, lentils, corn grains, sunflower seeds, etc. to it. The easiest way is to buy a ready-made grain feed - a mix. As for drinking, in the pig’s cage there should always be a drinker with water - filtered or thawed, perfectly clean. Its deficiency leads to serious problems with the health of the animal. The result of following all the recommendations on the rational nutrition of guinea pigs will be the excellent health and cheerful mood of your beloved pet.