Gastrointestinal ileus (malfunction of the digestive tract due to gut slowdown) is commonly seen in guinea pigs on low-fibre diets. Many times pet owners do not notice the signs associated with gastrointestinal slowdown until it is too late. Decreased appetite, a bloated or tense abdomen, along with lethargy and a decrease in the volume and size of faeces passed are all signs of gastrointestinal ileus. You can effectively give an unlimited amount of natural hay each day without it leading to illness or overfeeding. If your guinea pig is putting on weight, it is more likely to be the pellets or the vegetables and treats that you are feeding. Vegetables Guinea pigs are typically considered adults from 6 months to about 5 years of age . Adults are no longer growing but still require macro-nutrients like fiber and protein, as well as micro-nutrients like the vitamins and minerals that are found in a timothy hay-based, uniform fortified food. Essentials Senior Guinea Pig is specially formulated to support your aging guinea pig’s needs. We start with 6 high-quality fiber sources to support the aging digestive system and add natural antioxidants to help maintain physical and mental sharpness and activity. Essentials Senior Guinea Pig includes natural plant-based herbal ingredients like ginger root, turmeric and chamomile and provides 100% of your pet’s daily recommended vitamins and minerals with no artificial preservatives, colors, or flavors.

You should increase the amount of new food over a 7 to 10-day period or even longer, but do so gradually. Learn More About the Importance of Fiber for the Digestive Health of Small Pets Prebiotics For a Healthy Microbiome Not only are bananas considered safe for guinea pigs but because they are rich in fibre, vitamin A and vitamin B, and contain some essential vitamin C, but they are considered a somewhat healthy treat to feed. However, they are high in sugar, so should only be given sparingly and only fed as a treat rather than as a staple part of their diet. Can Guinea Pigs Have Cucumbers? Whole Yellow Pea: Whole yellow pea is not only a rich, wholesome source of fibre but it also contributes important protein, vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants as well ( featured in all Garden Select varieties).The most important things to look for when selecting a guinea pig food is to make sure the food is designed for guinea pigs and that the date of milling is as recent as possible. Foods that are milled more than a few months ago will begin losing their vitamin C, and foods that are not designed for guinea pigs may not have as much as a guinea pig needs. Next, avoid foods that are high in fat and calories like seeds and sugary treats as these will contribute to obesity and health issues. Feed guinea pigs foods rich in fibers and vitamin C, as well as fatty acids, antioxidants, prebiotics, and probiotics. Enteritis (intestinal inflammation associated with toxin production) is a problem commonly associated with diets that contain high levels of energy (starch and glucose). A low-fibre, high-starch diet promotes gut hypomotility and changes the intestinal pH and microbial population which allows pathogens (bad bacteria) to produce toxins that can be fatal. A guinea pig should only be given fresh, clean water, and this should be always available so they can drink whenever they want. Guinea pigs should not be given excess sugar, salt, or fat, and these are often found in soda, juice, and other drinks. Can a Guinea Pig Eat Bananas?

Probiotics are living bacteria designed to help repopulate the healthy microbiome; Prebiotics are ingredients designed to feed and strengthen the good bacteria in the large intestine. A guinea pig’s diet has to be high in vitamin c because guinea pigs cannot synthesize it on their own.Oxbow’s Adult Guinea Pig Food provides the mature guinea pig with the proper calcium to phosphorus ratio and appropriate levels of vitamin D and magnesium. Oxbow Essentials – Adult Guinea Pig Food Experts generally recommend a diet consisting of 18%-20% protein and 10%-16% fibre. A little higher or lower than this should be safe for a healthy adult, and if your vet has advised a high or low fibre diet, you should follow these recommendations to ensure good health. The Importance of Vitamin C Dr. Peter Fisher is owner and director of the Pet Care Veterinary Hospital in Virgina Beach, Virginia. The best guinea pig food is the right combination of grass hay (timothy or alfalfa meal, depending on your pet’s nutritional needs), fresh fruits and vegetables, and all that combined with commercial guinea pig food. Adult Guinea Pig Food is specifically designed to meet the maintenance nutritional needs of the adult guinea pig. The first ingredient in Adult Guinea Pig Food is timothy hay, which veterinarians recommend for improving the nutritional health of guinea pigs. Timothy hay mirrors the proper calcium to phosphorus ratio found in natural forages, stimulates gastrointestinal motility, and aids in the prevention of obesity.

It contains a proper ratio of the stem, seed-head, and leaf, and provides a really good balance of nutrients.Guinea pigs are well developed at birth and within a few months are able to eat an adult diet. They are strict herbivores, that eat only plants, and like rabbits, are hind-gut fermentors that practice coprophagy (ingestion of one’s own faeces). Digestive System The cost of quality guinea pig food will decrease if you buy it in bulk, so a 25-pound bag of Blue Seal Furry Friends guinea pig pellets is a great option if you are on a budget. However, 25 pounds of guinea pig food is more than a two year supply of food for one cavy, and since the vitamin C expires after four months from the date it is milled, much of the food will be wasted if you have less than six cavies. Because of this, this large bag of food is not a good choice if you only have a few cavies. However, Blue Seal food is “tried, tested, and true,” according to Schubert. Blue Seal does offer a 5-pound bag of this food but it may be more difficult to find. Other quality foods including Oxbow also offer 25-pound bags of food, which will be more cost-effective per pound as well.

Chelated minerals can typically be identified by the suffix following a mineral’s chemical name (e.g. copper chelate, zinc proteinate, etc). Prebiotics Thus, when buying hay, make sure that it’s dust-free and that hay straws are longer and not quite hard. Vitamin C Obesity not only leads to the previously mentioned health problems, but can also prevent coprophagy, which is necessary for the maintenance of normal gastrointestinal health. Oxbow’s Adult Guinea Pig Food was designed to prevent obesity by adding sufficient fibre, while at the same time eliminating grains that raise fat content. This combination of high fibre and low fat aids in overall digestion.Guinea pigs are becoming a more valued, loved and cared for pet in the eyes of their owners, and as a result, veterinary care for guinea pigs has increased. Veterinarians seeing guinea pigs are noticing several health problems attributed to nutrition: vitamin C deficiency, gastrointestinal ileus, obesity, enteritis and urolithiasis. Vitamin C Deficiency