i feed it timothy hay and guinea food but he loves the lettuce leaves. he also hasn't drank much since i got him, is that normal. he acts really healthy i just don't want to over or under feed it. thanks.
2007-10-31 04:38:18 · 9 answers · asked by catlady 2 in Pets ➔ Rodents
if you want your guinea pig to be healthy don't feed him too much lettuce, he'll get diarrhea.
Best to buy him some guinea pig food at your local pet shop.
2007-10-31 04:46:15 · answer #1 · answered by Dream 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Guinea pigs should get about one cup of fresh veggies per day. Iceburg lettuce is not a good choice, as it is low in nutritional value and can lead to diarrhea. Choose veggies that are high in vitamin C and dark leafy greens, such as kale or romaine.
One reason why your guinea pig may not be drinking as much as you would think is because he is getting water from the lettuce. Don't add anything to the water, such as vitamin drops, as this can change the taste of the water and cause your pig to drink less. If you feed your pig a variety of veggies, he'll get all the vitamins he needs.
Please visit the website below for excellent guinea pig information!
2007-10-31 05:59:04 · answer #2 · answered by qwerty456 5 · 2⤊ 0⤋
I always considered lettuce a treat. Don't feed him too much of it (a few leaves a day). Feed him the hay and the normal guinea food and occasionally give him a vegetable treat.
2007-10-31 04:54:15 · answer #3 · answered by Due March 9th, 2010 5 · 0⤊ 1⤋
Qwerty456 gave you correct advice. I'll just add to her comments my take on proper guinea pig diet:
Your piggies should have the following each day:
1) Fresh, clean water with no vitamin drops in it.
2) At least 1/2 cup of high quality guinea pig pellets per pig.
3) An unlimited supply of fresh Timothy and/or Orchard hay.
4) One cup per pig of fresh veggies.
The pellets should be Timothy based and contain stabilized Vitamin C. You can order high quality pellets online through www.oxbowhay.com or www.kmshayloft.com
Hay is essential to a piggie's diet. It not only keeps their digestive system moving along properly, but it also helps keep their ever-growing teeth at the proper length. You can order wonderful hay from the two sources listed above. Piggies should have hay at all times.
Veggies include Romaine, curly green or red lettuces, endive, escarole, radicchio, cucumber, spinach, tomatoes, parsley, cilantro, cucumber, carrots, squash, bell pepper (any color) or cut up (one-inch) pieces of celery.
Fruits such as an apple slice, an orange slice, bits of banana, watermelon, cantaloupe, strawberries, or cut up seedless grapes can be given as an occasional treat. Do not feed these every day, as they are high in sugar.
Things NOT to feed: Potato, onion, or any type of bulb vegetable. Iceberg lettuce gives them diarrhea. Make sure all seeds are removed from any fruit given to your piggies, as they can be poisonous. Do not give them any type of dairy products or yogurt treats. Pigs are strict herbivores. No seed treats either.
Some good info can be found at these sites: www.guinealynx.info or www.cavyspirit.com regarding proper diet.
2007-10-31 07:03:47 · answer #4 · answered by Justified 6 · 2⤊ 0⤋
If you feed it lettuce it is fine to feed it Romaine or other leafy lettuces. Fresh Spinich is even better. Stay away from the heads of iceberg lettuce they are 90% water and will cause wet tail
2007-10-31 13:00:25 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
no it is not normal for them not to drink, i have two and i fill the water bottle everyday. we have the big one for rabbits. is your Guinea pig talking a lot, like it wants something? check the bottle with your finger and see if you can get water out. i can feed mine lettuce and carrots all day. but you have to be careful, cause once they like something they wont eat anything else. but everyday once or twice i give mine lettuce and carrots. they do constantly eat, so you can over feed them.
2007-10-31 05:52:59 · answer #6 · answered by swtchrissy_24 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Plain head lettuce leaves aren't really very good for your guniea pig and can lead to kidney problems.... dark, leafy green vegetables such as endive is a better choice.
i have found a website for you which give good information on a guinea pig diet.. i hope it's helpful.
2007-10-31 05:10:51 · answer #7 · answered by letterstoheather 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
You don't want to feed it too much lettuce....iceburg lettuce especially since it's not good for them. If you want to feed them lettuce, make it something dark and leafy like Romaine lettuce. It's much better for them as it contains more nutrients.
They require lots of fresh fruit and veggies to stay healthy. Definitely do your research to find out what's good for them and what's not :)
Good luck!
2007-10-31 10:47:04 · answer #8 · answered by craving_jinx 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋
i had 2 guinea-pigs, we gave the 2 for 2 guineas so you want to give yours about 1 leaf a day! and my guineas didn't drink much either or not that we saw anyway...
2007-10-31 06:34:43 · answer #9 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋