How to Feed a Guinea Pig a Well Balanced Meal

Guinea pigs are very popular pets owned today. With their cute personalities, list of vocalizations, and coats of numerous colors, who wouldn't love them? People have been asking me "how do I properly feed a guinea pig, and what would you recommend?" Some people new to guinea pigs may not know exactly what they should be feeding their guinea pigs, so don't be shy to ask this question. If you are wondering how to feed your guinea pigs, you have found the correct article.

Steps

1. 1
   First you will need to select a correct brand of food for your guinea pig. If you have a baby guinea pig I suggest something much higher in vitamin and mineral content. This goes for owners of a pregnant guinea pig as well. There are many different brands of food on the market today. There's grass food, commercial branded food, colored food, and pelleted food. Pelleted foods are much healthier for your guinea pigs because they are not dyed with artificial colors and flavors like some commercial brands. It may make you dizzy when selecting your brand of food for the first time, but I suggest to look into pelleted foods.
2. 2
   After purchasing your dried food, you will need to purchase a bag of hay to feed your guinea pig. Guinea pigs need hay in order to keep their teeth from overgrowing, and the hay keeps their digestive system clean. Timothy hay is perfect for adult guinea pigs, while baby and pregnant guinea pigs will need alfalfa hay, which has a higher vitamin and mineral content in it.
3. 3
   Fruits and vegetables are needs in a guinea pig's daily diet. Fruits and veggies high in vitamin c keep them from getting scurvy, a disease that weakens the bones and causes bleeding. There are several lists with proper serving sizes on what fresh foods to feed guinea pigs.
4. 4
   Now it's time to learn how to feed your guinea pig. Every morning when you wake up, dump out leftover pelleted food in the trash can and throw away any leftover produce. Wash the bowl out with soap and set to dry. Change water and refill bottle. Take 1 cup and dump it into your guinea pig's bowl and place it into his cage. Give your guinea pig one handful of hay daily, and provide fresh greens and fruits daily as well. Make sure your guinea pig always has water.
5. 5
   Make sure to exercise your guinea pig daily. As long as getting enough exercise, your guinea pig will not get fat.

Tips

• If your looking for fresh fruits high in vitamin c content, give your guinea pig strawberries. Strawberries have higher vitamin c content than oranges do.
• Store your guinea pig's food in a cereal container. Clean the container out every time it's empty to cut back on bacteria.
• Make sure to exercise your guinea pig daily so he will not become overweight. Most people just put their guinea pig outside in the grazing ark, but at the same time they are eating, not exercising, so they will not burn any fat. Instead, put the grazing ark in the house and provide nothing but water and fun toys to play with.
• Use a ceramic glass food dish to feed your guinea pigs. The ceramic glass bowl is much harder to tip over than a plastic bowl, so there will be less wasted food on the cage floor.

Warnings

• Feeding your guinea pig TOO MUCH veggies high in vitamin c content might make him sick. Try not to feed him TOO MUCH of those veggies.
• Purchasing Fiesta Max is a danger top your guinea pig's health. Fiesta Max contains nuts, shells, and seeds, things your guinea pig cannot eat.

Things You'll Need

• Timothy hay
• Pelleted food
• Water bottle
• Ceramic food dish
• Vegetables and fruits with high vitamin C content