Guinea Pig Treats
Safe Guinea Pig Treats
If you were wondering how you can make your guinea pig happy, you can start to give it guinea pig treats. These animals enjoy eating and this is probably why they are referred to as pigs. To keep them healthy, you probably already have bought them specific pellets for feeding. But it can also be a healthy habit to introduce guinea pig treats to the animal for a more balanced diet.
Before you start giving out the guinea pig treats, you should find out what an acceptable treat is. Never give a guinea pig candy or any other type of processed food. Sugar and too much fat can make the animal obese and this can lead to many other problems like heart damage and diarrhea. Both of these diseases can shorten the life of these creatures considerably. Do not give any type of meat or diary products as guinea pig treats. These things can cause gastrointestinal problems that can sometimes be fatal to the animal. Any type of potato, cabbage, beans or onions should not be given to the animal because they too can cause stomach trouble.
Guinea pigs are extremely cute animals and they also pretty smart. They can turn begging into an art form and may start to realize how they can get more food by making certain gestures or by giving you a sad look. You can not be taken in by these pitiful looks and over feed the animal. Veterinarians recommend that guinea pig treats should only equal out to 20% of the overall diet. This means that most of the time the guinea pig should only receive the pellets as food. Treats should only be given on special occasions around 2 to 3 times a week.
Carrots are known to be one of the guinea pigs favorite treats. They should be cut in very small sections because of the risk of the animal choking on them. Only place a few of the pieces in the cage at a time and wait for the guinea pig to eat all of them before you give them more. They also love green, leafy vegetables. You can tear them into small pieces and feed them to the guinea pig. Always remember to wash all the vegetables thoroughly before you feed them to the animal.
Any kind of fruit can be given as guinea pig treats. Apples, cherries, blueberries and grapes are some of the most commonly liked favorites and they are also healthy for the guinea pig. Make sure to chop the fruits into sections and remove any seeds, stems or tough skin that surrounds the fruit.
Guinea pig treats can also be purchased at your local pet store. Make sure that they are different from rodent treats because they contain different things that may not be healthy for the guinea pig. These treats usually contain a mix of fruit and peanut butter. Honey and nuts are also used in the mix. It is better to buy the brand that can be attached to the side of the cage. This can keep them off the bottom of the cage and away from the bedding.
If you want to purchase an item that helps the teeth, you can buy alfalfa or wood cube. Guinea pigs enjoy chewing alfalfa and a wood cube can wear down incisor teeth. They can be attached to the side of the cage or placed on the bottom of the cage and they present no health risk to the guinea pig.
When you place any guinea pig treats on the bottom of the cage, do not let them sit there for very long. Guinea pigs are known to be picky eaters at times and they may not want the treat you have given them. They can also become full and not want the food. You never want any food to sit on the bedding for long periods of time because it exposes the food to the urine and feces in the bedding.