The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly of Guinea Pig Dry Food

There are tons of brands out there. Some have nuts, some don’t. Some have fruit bits, some have this hay, that hay, blue flakes, red flakes, and everything in between. After doing a lot of reading, I found the right food for my piggie.

Most of the cheaper brands are flashy. These are the foods we want to buy because they look good and taste good to the piggies, but unfortunately they are the ones to stay away from. These foods are usually a mixture of pellets, colorful pieces (flakes or pellets), nuts, seeds, and/or fruit bits.

So, what is it that guinea pig dry food should look like? A bag full of pellets and nothing else is the best way to go. The seeds and nuts in mixture foods are high in fat. Often times the mixtures include sunflower seeds. Be aware! Sunflower seeds in the shell are dangerous, not just because of high fat content, but because the shells splinter into sharp pieces that can cut and get stuck in your piggie’s mouth and throat. Sunflower seeds in the shell are often included in guinea pig treats as well, so be sure to look them over before purchase. The colorful pieces are usually just puffs, which are not nutritionally bad. However, there is the concern of artificial coloring. And, in general, when given a choice between healthy pellets and tasty fruity bits or treat-like seeds and puffs, your piggie will probably turn to what tastes best and miss out on the nutrition they need.

Last but not least, there remains the question of Ascorbic Acid, aka Vitamin C. Guinea pigs have a mutated gene that prevents them from converting glucose to ascorbic acid. Basically, like humans, guinea pigs can’t synthesize their own Vitamin C. In order to ward off scurvy, diet must provide it. Most guinea pig dry foods claim to have added Vitamin C. The problem is, it loses its potency over time. You must be careful to check the expiration date on the package, as the added Vitamin C is only active for 3 months after the pellets were produced, provided it has not been exposed to high heat or other conditions that would break it down faster. Even so, the best way to provide your piggie with their 15-25 mg per day of Vitamin C is through fresh foods. While oranges and kale are very high in Vitamin C and great for your piggie every now and again, oranges are highly acidic and kale makes gas. The best fresh veggie to keep your piggie Vitamin C’d up is bell pepper. While red, orange, and yellow peppers contain more Vitamin C than the regular green, 1/8 to 1/4 of a bell pepper per day is the perfect veggie (in addition to others such as romaine lettuce, carrots, cucumbers, or peapods!). If you feel you need a liquid or pill Vitamin C supplement, do your research. Never add it to drinking water! There is no guarantee your piggie will drink enough, and it also loses its potency fast. Still, fresh foods, if fed correctly, eliminate the need for supplements.

Never feed a guinea pig dry food made for rabbits! Though the pellets look similar, rabbits can make their own Vitamin C. Thus, the pellets do not contain any.

How can you refuse?

The good to the bad

Oxbow Cavy Cuisine

We’ll start off with my number one favorite and recommendation. Not only does my piggie love it, it’s one of the best foods out there. It’s made from high-fiber timothy hay, not alfalfa. This is a must for mature guinea pigs, ie, 9 months to 1 year and older. Alfalfa is fatty and rich, and in older pigs it leads to weight gain and health problems like diarrhea. Cavy Cuisine also does not use chemical preservatives, artificial colorings, animal fat, or corn. It has a balanced calcium-to-phosphorus ratio for a healthy urinary system. But what I like most about Cavy Cuisine is that it contains a stabilized form of Vitamin C with a 12-month shelf life. Although I still like to adhere to the “buy the freshest pellets possible because Vitamin C potency goes down”, it is one extra way to ensure that your piggie gets plenty of Vitamin C. Oxbow also makes Cavy Performance, made with alfalfa for young, pregnant, or lactating piggies.

Kleenmama’s Hayloft Timothy Choice Pellets

Another excellent food. This is a high-fiber timothy-based pellet with the correct calcium-to-phosphorus levels and a high amount of stabilized Vitamin C. This brand also contains none of the harmful preservatives or artificial colorings. From researching the website, this is a brand I would like to try in the future, as she grows and sells a variety of hays depending on the season. An alfalfa-based pellet is also available.

Sweet Meadow Timothy Guinea Pig Pellets

A timothy-based pellet with an Oxbow-similar 12-month shelf life stabilized Vitamin C, this food is also a great choice. Optimum calcium for a healthy urinary system Sweet Meadow also produces a Timothy/Alfalfa mix pellet, which luckily contains for timothy than alfalfa.

Burgess Excel Guinea Pig

According to their site, Burgess Excel is the UK’s number 1 vet-recommended food for fibrevores. High in fiber (36 %), the crunchy nuggets, not pellets, come in Regular flavor and Blackcurrant and Oregano. It also has a high Vitamin C content and counts among its first 10 ingredients grass, hay, and peas. In fact, the only reason I would be hesitant about this food is that those first 10 also include lucerne (another name for alfalfa) and maize (corn). Corn in guinea pig food is just like corn in cat or dog food: a filler with no nutritional value. Regardless, reviews from users are always fantastic, speaking of its fresh scent and their healthy piggies. Plus, Burgess is an established, trusted brand.

ZuPreem Nature’s Promise Premium Guinea Pig Food

At first glace, this seems a winner: natural, made from timothy hay, and not as expensive. Unfortunately, after timothy hay the next two highest ingredients are ground corn and corn gluten meal, which as stated above are fillers and useless. Okay Vitamin C, if it is fresh. Final thought: while there is definitely worse you could be feeding your piggie, there certainly is better.

Health Select Natural Guinea Pig Diet

Though containing alfalfa-based pellets, this mixture food does contain timothy hay. Plus, it’s free from preservatives, artificial colorings, and flavors. And, though a mixture, it does not have the treat pieces found in other foods. The food provides adequate Vitamin C, so all in all, it’s a decent cheaper brand. But, because it’s alfalfa based, you’ll want to keep on eye on your piggie’s weight and feces.

LM Animal Farms Bonanza Gourmet Diet Guinea Pig Food

The Bonanza version of LM’s dry food is a nice surprise. The pellets are still alfalfa-based, but timothy hay is an ingredient. And though it does have added dried fruit and such, the ratio of treats to pellets is not that bad. Like the Health Select Natural, it would be an okay food, but recommend mixed with a higher quality like Oxbow or Kleenmama’s.

Vitakraft Menu Guinea Pig

While I am usually a fan of Vitakraft products, this guinea pig food is a let-down. Low in fiber, alfalfa-based, and containing a mixture of things including extremely hard, impossible to chew dried corn kernels and peas in addition to little treats, it’s not the food to choose. That doesn’t rule out Vitakraft in general, however, a Germany-based company that produces excellent treats, hay, and raw-based diets.

Sun Seed Sunaturals Natural Guinea Pig Food

An alfalfa-based mixture food with high corn content and relatively-low Vitamin C content.

Sun Seed Sunscription Vita Prima Guinea Pig Formula

Also an alfalfa-based mixture food with lots of corn.

Kaytee Timothy Complete Guinea Pig

A pelleted, timothy-based food with an unfortunate low Vitamin C content. While there are no treats mixed in, my worry is the preservative ethoxyquin, one of the most debated preservatives used in dog foods.

Kaytee Fiesta Guinea Pig

An alfalfa-based mixture food. Okay in fiber, but contains a whole lot of dried fruits and nuts your piggie only needs as treats. Contains ethoxyquin.

Nutriphase Guinea Pig Formula

Alfalfa-based pellet formula with high corn content and quite low Vitamin C. Contains ethoxyquin.

Nutriphase Gold Guinea Pig Formula

Pretty much the same as the non-Gold version, except it includes some timothy hay, peas, and crunchy treats. Contains ethoxyquin.

Supreme Pet Foods Gerty Guinea Pig Original Food (the real stuff)

A mixture food with tons of alfalfa (3 different forms!), low vitamin content (many users report dull coats, among other thing), and lots of treats and crunchy bits for your piggie to sift through, this food affords for a picky piggie. It also contains the preservative BHT.

Gerty Guinea Pig (the bulk stuff)

Often pet stores will buy various foods in bulk, package them themselves in plastic bags, and sell it. Guinea pig dry food is sometimes labeled as Gerty Guinea Pig. This stuff is even worse than the real stuff. From the long time it sits on the shelf and the air exposure, the vitamin content goes down quickly and the food becomes stale. It is usually full of treats. Preservatives vary.

Kaytee Exact Rainbow Guinea Pig

Instead of a pellet or nugget, this food is made up of crunchy, rainbow-colored logs and circles. That in itself is a turn-off for me as a pet food buyer. Think of all the artificial colorings! Besides that, it’s alfalfa-based and full of preservatives. Contains ethoxyquin.

Mazuri Guinea Pig Diet

Much like ZuPreem, this pelleted food looks good: no treats, and a high Vitamin C content. It even says it uses a stabilized form of Vitamin C that lasts longer. But the alfalfa-based nature of the food and the addition of animal fat preserved with BHA makes it a no-go.

8 in 1 Essential Blend for Guinea Pigs

An alfalfa and corn-based mixture food with lots of seeds, nuts, alfalfa, and crunchy treats.

8 in 1 Ecotrition Organic Guinea Pig Food

Interestingly enough, the 8 in 1 organic food would appear to be less beneficial. Though true that the alfalfa and veggies used are USDA-certified organic, the Vitamin C content is low. Regardless, it’s just another mixture food with a fancy label.

LM Animal Farms Guinea Pig Food

With alfalfa-based pellets and a lack of vegetable ingredients save soybean, there really isn’t any point to buying this food unless you can use it for crafts.

LM Animal Farms Vita Vittles Gold Total Diet for Guinea Pigs

Similar to the normal LM Animal Farms food, there’s really no reason to buy this pellet. In addition to the alfalfa pellets, it includes some veggie bits and ethoxyquin.

Kaytee Forti-Diet Pro Health Guinea Pig Food

A basic alfalfa pellet with preservatives.

Kaytee Supreme Daily Blend Guinea Pi Diet

A basic alfalfa pellet containing ethoxyquin.

The bottom line

Just as you would for any pet, be conscious of what you are feeding your piggie. Look for timothy hay-based pellets for adult guinea pigs without added nuts, seeds, crunchy bits, or dried fruits. Alfalfa for adult piggies can cause weight gain, kidney stones, bladder stones, or calcium crystals in their urine. Read the ingredients to check for preservatives such as BHA, BHT, and ethoxyquin. These may cause health problems like dry skin, allergic reactions, and dental disease, as well as stimulate harmful effects on liver and kidney functions. And even though good quality, Vitamin C rich pellets like Obxow, Kleenmama, Sweet Meadow, and Burgess cost a little more than the others, it’s well worth it for the health and happiness of your piggie.

Sugar Glider Nutrition

Sugar gliders are naturally omnivorous, meaning they eat both animal and plant products. In the wild, they feast mostly on sap and gums (from trees), nectar, pollens, honeydews and a huge variety of insects and arachnids.

In captivity, the most critical part of keeping healthy sugar gliders is to provide a balanced, varied, fresh diet. This means ensuring the correct ratio of carbohydrates to proteins and supplying adequate vitamins and minerals. 
 
Your sugar glider’s daily basic diet should include:

• A nectar mix such as Leadbeater’s mixture
  
• Vegetables
  
• Fruits
  
• Insects
  
• Commercial pelleted food for gliders, or an insectavore/carnivore pelleted food

Note: Sugar gliders can have lean unseasoned meats as a treat.

All foods should be fresh or frozen. Fresh vegetables and fruits should be washed thoroughly to remove pesticides, and frozen foods should be thoroughly thawed. Insects can be live or canned. Pelleted food should be fresh — do not feed food that has been stored for more than two months. Nectar mixes should be refrigerated and thrown out after three weeks.

If you are giving your sugar glider enough food at night, you should find a little left over in the morning. All uneaten foods should be removed to prevent spoilage, and all dishes should be washed with biodegradable soap and hot water. 
 
Treats can be used to help tame and bond with your sugar glider, but should not make up more than 5 percent of your sugar glider's total daily intake of food. Healthy treats include very small pieces of cooked (not fried) lean unseasoned poultry or beef. Some sugar gliders also like tofu.
 
Make a Leadbeater’s mixture for your sugar glider by following this recipe:
 
Modified Leadbeater's Mix Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons warm water
  
• 1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons raw honey
  
• 1 shelled hard-boiled egg
  
• 1 teaspoon vitamin/mineral supplement (designed for sugar gliders, reptiles or small pets)
  
• 1/2 cup high-protein baby cereal

Directions:
Mix the first four ingredients in a blender, and then gradually add the baby cereal, blending until smooth. Refrigerate or freeze unused portions. Discard any unused refrigerated portion after three days.

Note: This recipe appears in the book, "Sugar Gliders - A Complete Pet Owner's Manual" by Caroline MacPherson.

Commercial sugar glider food should be prepared and stored as directed on the manufacturer’s packaging.

Freshly prepared Leadbeater's mix can be refrigerated in plastic or glass airtight containers for up to three days. The mixture can also be frozen in airtight packaging for up to six months.

Your sugar glider cage should contain several food dishes and at least two water bottles. Food and water containers should be placed high up in the cage because this is where sugar gliders naturally feed.

Daily fresh water is critical for sugar gliders because they can become dangerously dehydrated without it for even a day. Small mammal water bottles can be used to provide water to sugar gliders as they are less likely than a dish to be contaminated with urine, feces or food. The bottles should be routinely inspected for leakage and should be cleaned with biodegradable soap and hot water at least once a week.

At least two water bottles should be provided in the cage.

Water bowls are less prone to leaking and are more natural and more easily accepted. They allow water to get soiled easily, however, and require frequent cleaning.

Give your glider the following portions of food each day:
 
Food Portion 1: One tablespoon of fresh fruit, such as apple, kiwi, pear, banana, honeydew, papaya, grape, cantaloupe, watermelon, mango or blueberry. Wash fruit thoroughly to remove dirt and pesticides before offering them to sugar gliders.

Food Portion 2: One tablespoon of fresh or frozen vegetables, such as tomatoes, sweet potatoes, green beans, shredded carrot, squash, or pumpkin, mixed sprouts, lettuce (not iceberg), broccoli or parsley. Wash vegetables thoroughly to remove dirt and pesticides before offering them to sugar gliders.
 
Food Portion 3: One tablespoon of nectar mix (i.e. Leadbeater's mix or other commercially prepared nectar mix for sugar gliders)

Food Portion 4: An unlimited amount of commercial pelleted sugar glider diet or insectavore/carnivore diet, available at all times. 

Food Portion 5:  Insects such as mealworms or other feeder worms, like earthworms or Phoenix worms, available at pet stores. Feed 10 to 12 small, 7 to 10 medium, or 3 to 5 large worms, 3 to 5 gut-loaded crickets per sugar glider per night. Sugar gliders also enjoy other insects such as beetles and grasshoppers. (Only gather insects from outdoors if you are completely certain no insecticides have been used in the area.) Uneaten insects that are still alive in the morning should be returned to their containers.

Feeding a good quality, commercially prepared balanced diet made specifically for sugar gliders is the best way to ensure your small pet is getting the correct ratio of protein, carbohydrates, vitamins and minerals. You should also add insects, fresh fruits and vegetables daily. To be safe, add a vitamin and mineral supplement to your sugar glider’s diet.

If you prefer to give your sugar glider a homemade diet, a vitamin and mineral supplement is a must. Use vitamin and mineral supplements made specifically for sugar gliders, or you can offer a cat, dog or reptile multi-vitamin with minerals, including calcium but no phosphorus.

Nibble nibble NIBBLE: What to feed your hamster (part 1)

There's a difference between overweight and large in hamsters. A normal-sized Syrian isn't fat, he's just big in size. But a chubby hamster that looks plump even when on his hind legs or stretched out will need some help with his eating issues! Not only can your hamster get very fat, he can also get sick from the food he is fed, so it's important to choose food carefully.

For the pellet diet, feed your hamster good, healthy pellets. OXBOW is a great food for my hamster, but there are several healthy choices out there that don't cost a lot. When you clean out the cage once a week, fill up the hamster's food bowl. Unlike a dog or cat, they don't need to have their bowls refilled every day. Even when it's empty, they still have stashes in their hiding places.

Other foods

For the occasional treat I might slip my hamster a lick of yogurt, cottage cheese, crumble of bread, cracker, or small human treat. I give him a new nibble once a week. Some hamster enthusiasts say hamsters will eat pepperoni or bacon, but this can cause sometimes cannibalism and even cause your hamster to go crazy when they smell any other living flesh (which can be possible).

For a wild treat, instead of giving your hamster meat, give him mealworms. Yep, they come in a can at your pet store. of course, they are sterilized, so don't try picking up one if those under a rock or in the ground. Fresh veggies are a better choice, and can be offered more often. My hamster really loves a baby carrot, but those things can still pack in the pounds. I cut them up in halves and store them back in the fridge. Slices are always better than the whole thing.

Hay?

Hamsters like hay to burrow in, but they don't eat it. IF you have other animals that need Timothy hay, go ahead and give some to your hammie, but guaranteed he won't like it. Hamsters in the wild never ate grass or hay, and domestic hamsters have no need for it.

Stay tuned on

Monday for some more hamster food facts!

Betta-Fish Feeding 101

I know I haven't been talking about my fish lately, so I'd better put him in the spotlight today! When I had written my second post a while back, I realized that I hadn't talked a lot about betta-fish feeding and nutrition, but don't worry. I will educate you about that topic today!

A main diet for your betta(s) varies in size and color. The best recommended food for your betta is BettaMin. It is featured in the picture below.

Bettas all have different tastes. Some prefer a certain flavor or color of food.

Other bettas don't like flakes that slowly fall to the ground. My past betta, Starburst, loved a kind of food called Floating Fish Pellets rather than the other brand. 

Once you have chosen the food, you can now go on and pick some treats, if you like. There are many different treats. Most of them are much bigger than normal food, and they float in the water. One I came across was shaped like a log, and was called Floating Log Nibblers. The fish didn't chow down on it all at once, but they could swim up to it whenever they wished and nibble on it.

Treats don't have to be store-bought to be yummy! Bloodworms and brine shrimp are a nice little snack from time to time. Two bloodworms or one brine shrimp once a week is a good amount for your little betta fish.

Jaws enjoys feeding time!

A small mount of food is just enough.

This food has bits of shrimp in it and has a bright orange color that attracts fish.

The Big O

A problem pet owners face is the daily treat consumption of their small animals--and this can lead to a very, uh, heavy pet. Treats bought in the store cause most of the trouble because owners think that whatever the package says is OK. For example, A mistake I made once was to get the so-called "healthy" treats and follow what the back said was fine to do. Feed up to 4 per day, blah blah blah. I was feeding my bunny treats every day--when they were just meaning in a whole day, not every single day like vitamins or something. But even healthy treats like carrots, apples or celery can make your pet obese. "It isn't always  based on if the food is healthy or not, it's the amount of food you give the pet that counts." a rabbit magazine says.


Processed treats like "Yogies!" or those pet granola chew things are a big no-no for a pet who likes to eat a lot because they just can't say "I'm full". These treats aren't satisfying enough for your small animal to not want to eat anymore and still not be "stuffed". Herbivore's stomachs, especially rabbit's, digest food slowly and sometimes they can become very constipated--that's why hay and grass is vital to their systems. These "junk food" treats can ruin that natural flow that hay supplies, and that leaves the pet with a big stomach-ache. Some pet owners don't even offer treats to their pets--they only give them fresh pellets and hay. Most pet owners I know are curious about those cool-looking treats in the food aisle, and they might try them out once, and even just once is too much. Pets who have never eaten treats before have always been thinking there was was nothing better tasting than good ol' hay and dry pellets, but when the owner introduces treats, the pet could neglect his daily diet and just want treats.

To avoid making that mistake that many owners make, don't give treats that are fatty to your pet, because you'll be left with wasted money and a very chubby small animal on your hands!

Guinea Pig Nutrition and Diet

    If you've been thinking about getting a furry friend to add to your family that doesn't need a lot of exercise, is cuddly and friendly, and will be exciting to take care of, choose a guinea pig!! These adorable little guys are unlike other rodents that climb and run around the room, but they are more likely to want to sit in your lap while you read a book or watch TV. If you already own one, or are going to get one soon, read this post all about food and nutrition!

Main Diet

Guinea pigs mainly eat dry guinea pig food, the best kind is usually Oxbow because they don't have any unhealthy colored dyes that some brands use to make the food look more interesting. Oxbow also offers hay, and some healthy, natural hay-based treats for guinea pigs. Never buy treats that say "for rabbits, guinea pigs, gerbils and hamsters", only buy the ones that are specially for guinea pigs, because they have different needs, so therefore, they eat different things.

What Can and Can't I feed my Guinea Pig?

Fresh food is a must in your guinea pig's health, but sometimes we don't know exactly what is OK for them. In a book, they say cauliflower is okay, and another unknown resource states it isn't. Here is a list of the Do's and Don't's of what you should avoid and what you should feed your guinea pig. Don't worry, the research I did was completely safe and perfectly fine for your piggie.

                                                                                               Yuck!:

                                                                                                 

                                                                                               Iceberg Lettuce

                                                                                               Cauliflower

                                                                                               Potato Skins

                                                                                          Raw Beans(dry kidney beans..pinto beans...)

                                                                                           Potato Chips or other processed human food

                                                                                            No store brand Yogurt treats like "Yogies!"

                                                                                             (guinea pigs cannot digest dairy)

                                                                                             Any Non-Guinea pig food (like 

                                                                                              hamster food, gerbil food, rat food...etc...) 

                                                                                                 Any type of meat--raw or cooked

                                                                                                Popcorn--it can get stuck in the pig's throat

                                                                                                 Cheese

                                                                                                    Sugary Foods

                                                                                                      Coffee, chocolate, tea, or alcohol 

                                                                                                         Onions

                                                                                     
                                       

 

      Yum!:                                                                             

Semi-Sweet Peppers 

Cucumbers

Spinach-3 leaves maximum

Bananas

Parsley--If you tear it up near your guinea pig's

cage, he'll love the smell!

Carrots

Apples--just be sure there isn't any seeds in it!!

Broccoli--A small piece

Banana Slices

Dandelion Greens

Cherry tomatoes--don't give him too many, 

they have a very large amount of citrus in them!!

These lists cannot cover even half of what a guinea pig can and can't have. Go to Smallanimalchannel.com/guinea pig nutrition to see a bigger list of foods for guinea pigs!

Daisy's Fun Facts:

Hey, did you know that guinea pigs' ears turn reddish-pink when they are hot?

That's my fact, folks, and I am Daisy the Rabbit signing out. Goodbye!!!