Feeding Guinea Pigs – Things to Avoid

In a previous post, we discussed some of the essentials of a Guinea Pig Diet. In this article, we will talk about some other things to consider when feeding Guinea Pigs. There are some foods that should never be fed to your piggie.

If your guinea pig does accidentally ingest some of these foods, you will need to watch your piggie very carefully for a while. If you observe any signs of illness, you should contact your veterinarian. Some signs of illness might include: vomiting, diarrhea, lethargy, just not looking like himself (or herself).

Here are the items that your guinea pig should never eat:

1. Guinea Pigs should never have diary items. They are lactose intolerant and also excess calcium can be harmful to them. So, no milk, yogurt, cheese, etc.

2. Because of the long stringy pieces on the stalks of celery can cause digestive problems, you really should not be feeding guinea pigs celery. If you must, then cut it into very small pieces, so that the strings are not long.

3. Another veggie that should be avoided is iceberg lettuce. You should opt to feed your guinea pig cabbage instead. Iceberg lettuce has such a high water content, that it can cause diarrhea. This can cause your guinea pig to get dehydrated very quickly.

Dandelion

4. If your guinea pig likes to go outside, be careful that he does not ingest plants and/or flowers. Some can be very dangerous. Flowers like daffodils, buttercups and hyacinths can be very harmful.

Others, like clover and dandelions are okay, but it’s best to avoid all flowers, since you won’t know which ones are okay.

5. A few more vegetables to avoid are things are beans and potatoes with with any rotted or green areas. You also want to avoid rhubarb.

To be on the safe side, watch your guinea pig’s eating habits carefully. If he (or she) should get into one of these things that can be harmful, give your veterinarian a call just to be sure.