Guinea Pig and Vitamin C question! Thanks!?

Question

Ok, so, my guinea pig doesn't seem to like orange slices, which, we all know, has Vitamin C in them. We have tried these pill looking things, but, my guinea pig doesn't like those, either! We also, have tried the drops for water, which, my guinea pig didn't mind, but it made the water bottle very dirty! Also, our vet said that they weren't the best. Our vet said that our guinea pig needs Vitamin C, since his coat isn't soft, and because they can't produce it themselves! But, my guinea pig doesn't like any of the options! Does anyone have any other ideas? I would really appreciate any guinea pig experts! Thank you SO much!

Answer 1

Your vet is correct about the Vitamin C drops in the water, the vitamin breaks down and isn't as good. Plus, you have no real way of knowing how much the pig is getting.

Many pellets are fortified with Vitamin C. This helps some.

Generally, a well-balanced diet with a variety of fruits and veggies (not just oranges) will provide the guinea with all the Vitamin C he needs. You can supplement him by giving him a quarter of a 100mg chewable/plain Vitamin C tablet, found at a pharmacy or health food store. Liquid Vitamin c drops also work. A pig needs about 10-30 mg/kg a day to prevent scurvy.
http://www.guinealynx.info/diet.html

For a list if fruits and veggies pigs like see:
http://www.guinealynx.info/fave.html

This is a helpful chart, it list what fruits/veggies have the highest amounts of Vitamin c in them!
http://www.guinealynx.info/diet_order-c.html

Answer 2

There is a syrup (made for kids) available which does the same sort of trick as a tablet, you will need an eye dropper or a syringe with the top cut off, place it just behind the front teeth and work your way back until you hear a grounding sort of noise (the back teeth chomping). The guinea pig may oblige so it may be a 2 person job.

Alternatively the different vegetables you use can determine the vitamin c intake. Guinealynx has a great site with all of the vegetables and fruit and the amount of vitamin c which is in each fruit. From memory red bell peppers, parsley and spinach are the top 3.

http://www.guinealynx.com/diet_order-c.html

You will need to scroll down to the list which is quite long and very detailed. Another great site is aracnet. This site has a chart which too has a list of vegetables, it includes how much of each vegetable you need to get the 10mg a day that you need:

http://www.aracnet.com/~seagull/Guineas/VitaminC.html

I would stay away from the drops in the water, not only do they affect the taste of the water but the vitamin c disintegrates in the water so you do not know how much vitamin c your guinea pig is getting.

Good Luck!

Addition:
Another post suggested yoghurt drops. Avoid these at all times, guinea pigs are strict herbivores and meat, dairy and seed products should not be fed, for the saftey of your guinea pig stick to vegetables and the occasional fruit.

Answer 3

hey :) Well I'am glad you are so aware of the importance of getting your guinea pigs some vitamin C ! My guinea pigs are very healthy, and their diet consists mainly of carrots celery and cabbage. However they also get specialised guinea pig "nuggets" daily. Most kinds of cerals or nuggets that are made specially for guinea pigs will contain vitamin c, but just check the label. If you are really worried they aren't getting enough then broccoli is a very good source. You can also buy vitamin c drops to put over their food if needs be. =D ps, it might be tempting to give them loads of fruit, but the acidity can harm their mouths, and so fruit should only be given now and again as a treat!

Answer 4

It is extremely important to add Vitamin C to a guinea pigs diet. The Vitamin C they add to the pellets is only good for 90 days after milling, and who knows how old those bags of pellets are??? Use pediatric vitamin C syrup. You can get it at most pharmacies or ask the pharmacist to order it for you. Most Vitamin C pediatric syrups for children come 500mg per teaspoonful. Give 25mg, or ¼ dropperful or 0.25mls from a syringe once a day. My guinea pigs have always loved the taste, and after a few days will run to grab the dropper from my fingers! Many health problems can be avoided in guinea pigs just by adding Vitamin C to the diet. Feeding fresh vegies high in C is also a good idea, but many pigs won't eat enough every day to get what they need. Some good vegie choices are bell peppers (any color), tomato, and oranges.

Answer 5

Hello I have found that Guinea Pigs also like Kiwi,Grapes, Apple Slices and strawberry's they all have vitamin C. I would also try this too if the other is not enough take orange juice with 100% Vitamine C and mix it with the water it seems to be better than the drops but remember to change it every day. I would try half and half. Also when it is hot out if you use juice from the frigerator and cold water it will help keep them cool. But remeber too much is just as bad as not enough. Good Luck I Hope this helps you.

Answer 6

Please, please, please ~ don't give your guinea pig vitamin or mineral drops in the water ~ and also no orange juice!

Green and yellow bell peppers are great sources of vitamin c, as mentioned above. Red are, too, but they're higher in sugar. One to two cherry tomatoes per pig a day is O.K., also. Carrots are not a good source of vitamin c for them, and really don't have much in the way of nutrition at all for guinea pigs. They can be given carrots the size of a baby carrot once a day.

Fruits should be given in moderation as they're high in sugar, and many piggers are predispositioned to diabetes.

Kale, spinach, collards, and mustard greens should be given sparingly and in small portions as they're high in calcium, A, and oxalates.

Answer 7

We give our guinea pigs, Kale, red pepper and green pepper, oranges and carrots. All of which have vitamin C in it, also apple as well sometimes, I'm not sure how much vitamin C it has though..

Answer 8

Small amounts of fresh vegetables (about a cup a day) are an important additional source of vitamin C and other nutrients. Parsley, romaine lettuce (rather than iceberg, which has less nutritional value and may result in loose stools if given in excess), a small piece of carrot, tomato, green or red pepper, spinach, and cantaloupe are popular choices. And clean, pesticide-free grass, clover, dandelion greens, corn husks and silk, will be appreciated by your pet. Rinse vegetables thoroughly. Do not feed wilted or spoiled food. Vegetables must be introduced slowly, to avoid digestive upsets. Once introduced, you can supply a variety of them to your pet. Variety is the key to maintaining your pigs' health. Be creative.

Answer 9

go to the pet shop and try sampling small guinea pig treats they are called Drops it is not a liquid so it might help

Answer 10

It is very important that your guinea pig gets its vitamin C, try feeding it a premium pellet mix like Fiesta from your pet store, otherwise any of your veges like carrots, etc has traces of Vit C