5 interesting nutrition facts for Guinea Pig pet parents!

As a Guinea Pig pet parent, do you find it difficult to find information about Guinea Pigs? Let’s face it - not too many people have Guinea Pigs as pets, especially in India. As a result, you can find a plethora of information about dogs, cats, birds, fish and even rabbits, but not a lot about Guinea Pigs. So, here are five interesting facts that you may find useful, about your pet - although you may already know some of them:

1. Do you know which are the most important nutrients for your pet? Similar to us

humans, proteins are important for Guinea Pigs to ensure growth, along with vitamin C, niacin, riboflavin and selenium. Also, do keep in mind that too much sodium and fat are bad for your pet. And keep calcium levels low, as they can cause bladder stones in Guinea Pigs. Potassium, on the other hand, is essential to help your pet grow, and for healthy muscles, bones and heart. In fact, if potassium levels drop, your pet is likely to get constipated - you can avoid this issue by making sure that your pet gets enough fiber in the diet.

2. In case you’ve been thinking of giving mushrooms as a snack to your pet, do consider this - all mushrooms are not safe. For instance, do not experiment with wild mushrooms - they can be quite poisonous for your pet. The safe mushrooms are portobello

mushrooms, white mushrooms and button mushrooms. And although mushrooms do contain some nutrients that are good for your pet, such as protein, copper, niacin, selenium, riboflavin, potassium and pantothenic acid, they are not in sufficient quantities to justify adding them to your pets’ diet, since they can also make your pet put on weight. They have the same effect on your pet that potatoes have on us humans - delicious but fattening!

3. Guinea Pigs cannot eat cooked food - they just cannot digest it. Believe it or not, their

bodies have simply not evolved enough to handle cooked food - in fact, it will certainly

make them sick. So, do avoid giving your Guinea Pig any cooked food at all. A raw diet is

ideal for your pet, so let them munch away happily on vegetables - provided they fall in

the ‘safe for Guinea Pig’ category!

4. Fruits, you ask? Well, that really depends on which fruit you’re talking about. There are certain fruits like bananas that you may feed your Guinea Pig but do remember - in tiny

portions. Because bananas can be very fattening and lead to obesity. And so can other fruits due to high sugar content, such as safe fruits which include melons, apples, grapefruit, apricots, pears, strawberries, oranges, grapes, mangos, cherries, guavas, and more. And don’t give fruits as daily treats. But do remove all stems and seeds.

5. Vegetables that are fruits - correct, bell peppers and zucchini are fruits and very good for your Guinea Pig. They contain Vitamin C and fiber and are low in sugar. Great foods

to feed your pet regularly. And if your pet doesn’t like drinking water, you can offer cucumber which is low in sugar and high in water content.

These random facts regarding your pets’ nutritional requirements may help you to ensure your Guinea Pigs continuing good health. And their good mood with all these favorite treats!