WHAT TO FEED YOUR PIGGY

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If you have noticed the cavy, it is usually munching on something all the time.  The reason is, they metabolize their food so quickly that if they don’t keep something in their stomach it will cause gas production and intestinal bloating (gastroenteritis) which can be extremely uncomfortable.  The pain can then cause guinea pigs to refuse to eat, which in turn leads to lethargy and will eventually lead to death.   Oxbow’s Cavy Cuisine It’s a timothy based pellet with stabilized vitamin C and chock full of nutrition.  It has the least amount of fat as any that I have seen on the market and better than most.  Hartz guinea pig pellet has no less than 3% fat, Mazuri has no less than 4%, while Cavy Cuisine has only 1.5%, thus your pigs will not get near as obese. Prairie Grass Hay Hay is in their cage and available for them to eat at all times because its one of the most important things in their diet.  It provides fiber to aid in the digestion of their food, helps to grind down their teeth and keeps them from getting gastroenteritis (because it always provides them something to munch on). Fruits and Vegetables Available only because they like it, not because they need the extra nutrition.  I believe that if they are fed a top of the line pellet, its like feeding them vitamins.  They love their carrots and lettuce, so they get a portion, plus a different fruit everyday. There are, however, certain vegetables that really shouldn't be fed to a pig.  When we eat foods that are high in oxalic acid, this oxalic acid connects itself to other nutrients from our bodies, such as sodium, magnesium, potassium, calcium and iron to produce what is called oxalate, (otherwise known as salt).  This is why when you sweat it tastes like salt.  High levels of oxalate in the body (from foods that are rich in oxalic acid), can form tiny crystals with sharp edges that can irritate the digestive system and kidneys (which in turn forms kidney stones - the most common type being calcium oxalate).   Too much oxalic acid in your system can also unite with other nutrients making the body unable to absorb them, thus leading to nutritional deficiencies - especially calcium.  Pregnant sows in particular are at risk for hypocalcemia so it would be best to avoid foods that are high in oxalic acid. “foods such as spinach, rhubarb, peanuts, grapefruit, strawberries, wheat bran, parsley and chives contain large amounts of oxalate and should be avoided.” (quoted directly from the USDA)