Were trying to understand why they can't and really can't find anything as to why.
2007-02-17 10:22:11 · 8 answers · asked by sheltiesrus3 2 in Pets ➔ Other - Pets
lettuce is actually toxic to most animals, in it's original form it even did things to humans like inducing sleepiness and relaxing feelings - this is because it contains a narcotic known as lactucarium.
If you boil it, it apparently destroys the toxins in it, I raised some tadpoles this way.
2007-02-17 10:35:35 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 3⤋
It's not that you CAN'T give it to your GPs, it's just that you SHOULDN'T because it is rather vitamin/mineral deficient, actually. Instead, you can give greens like collards, turnip, and mustard greens. And, naturally, you can also give orange slices, small pieces of fruit and other veggies. They also like to eat dried hay.
You may already know, but GPs can't manufacture their own Vitamin C, so you must supplement this in the diet. "Vitamin C-supplemented" pellets don't qualify! The shelf-life of Vitamin C is rather short, and you don't know how long the pellets have been sitting in a warehouse/shelf before you bought them. Just be sure to offer veggies/oranges/greens high in Vitamin C daily. (you can find nutritional info for all these things on the USDA website, I believe) Vitamin C also breaks down quickly in light, so putting stuff in the water bottle doesn't do a lot of good either, unless you are changing the water several times daily.
Anyhoo, lettuce has trace amount of vitamin C, if any, so there is your reason why you shouldn't give it :) No, it's not toxic...that's just some Yahoo Answers stupidity for you!
I hope this answers your question!
amanda
2007-02-17 19:07:15 · answer #2 · answered by Amanda C 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Guinea pigs should not have iceburg lettuce because unlike other types of lettuce (romaine, green leaf, etc), it is very nutrient poor. It also has a much higher water content, which usually leads to diarrhea in small animals. So you combine basically no nutrients with a high chance of diarrhea (which can be serious in guinea pigs), and it's just not worthwhile to feed, especially when other alternatives such as romaine, green leaf, red leaf, etc, are just as easily available.
Also, in response to the poster who was concerned about lactucarium.... although it does exist in edible lettuces, it exists in such small amounts that you'd have to feed your guinea pig more than 20 heads of lettuce to have the effects you describe. The pig would be dead of dehydration from diarrhea long before any problems surfaced from the chemical. There is one species of wild lettuce in Europe known as "opium lettuce" that has a much higher concentration than our 'domesticated' lettuces, but you're not going to find it in the grocery store.
2007-02-17 19:10:36 · answer #3 · answered by Lotus Effect 4 · 2⤊ 0⤋
Well for 1 thing it can make them sick, and 2 it's something the do to the lettuce.
2007-02-17 18:31:36 · answer #4 · answered by Megan B 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
lettuce and celery and other leafy green vegetables can give rabbits,hamsters, and Guinea pigs diarrhea or it can make them really over wieght and make them die quicker so.....hope it helps
2007-02-17 20:08:58 · answer #5 · answered by john 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
it's not toxic, good greif. it just doesn't have as many vitamins as other types of lettuce.
2007-02-17 18:50:55 · answer #6 · answered by chris 3 · 2⤊ 0⤋
they can't burp or vomit so when they eat a food that causes gas it could be fatal
2007-02-18 15:05:48 · answer #7 · answered by MommyCaleb 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
no nurtitional value at all
2007-02-17 23:13:30 · answer #8 · answered by Christopher C 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋