nothing bad.......was just wondering

Question
hi,

i was wondering if you could give me a list of fruits that good for guinea pigs and whats fruits not to feed to guinea pigs.

i was alos wondering if its a bad thing if my guinea pig licks me. she seemed really interested in sniffing and licking my hang, and she has never ever bitten me and she wasnt even showing signs of wanting 2 bite me when she was licking me, i just thought i would ask since i am already asking another question.

thanx,
becca  

Answer
Hello Becca,

Fruits shouldn't be fed too often. They are high in water (too much can lead to diarrhea), acid (can cause mouth sores and upset delicate tummies slightly) and sugar (can lead to the onset of diabetes).

Aim to feed vegetables instead of fruit.

Variety is good when it comes to a piggy's daily veggie plan. You should aim to offer a minumum of three different veggies with each salad - and preferably two salads every day. Overall, each cavy requires at least one handful of mixed veggies per day.

This list of safe fresh fruits and vegetables and how often to feed them gives you a good idea of a well balanced eating plan:

Daily :-

Lettuces -
endive, escarole, radicchio, romaine, green leaf, red leaf, lollo rosso, apollo, little gem, boston/bibb/butterhead, mizuna, red batavia, rocket, lamb's lettuce etc.
Not iceberg as it is mostly water.

Coriander
Also known as cilantro

Bell peppers
Also known as sweet peppers and capsicum.
All colours - red, green, orange, yellow - are safe, but avoid the seeds.

Chard
Red and swiss most common.

Cherry tomatoes
The whole tomato is safe - but remove the green heads first.

Courgette
Also known as zucchini.

Carrot
Restrict the amount fed; a baby carrot or a few small slices of carrot per day is fine.

Corn husks and silks
The green wraparound and strings surrounding a corn-on-the-cob.

Cucumber
Limit the amount fed as it is high in water. Small chunks or slices per day is enjoyed.


2-4 times per wheek :-

Fruits -
Grape, Strawberry, Melon (watermelon, honeydew, cantaloupe), Apple, Plum, Apricot, Peach, Orange, Blackberry, Kiwi, Pear, Cherry, Pineapple, Pumpkin, Squash etc. Remove all thick skins/peels.

Herbs
Dill, Chives, Mint, Thyme, Parsley, Basil

Broccoli & Cauliflower
Leaves favoured in particular. Can be quite "gassy" so limit the amount fed.

Celery
Chop the stalk up into small chunks to prevent choking on the strings. The leaves are a favoured part.

Cabbage & Kale
Cabbage is another potentially "gassy" veggie. Kale is high in calcium.

Chicory
The leaves are enjoyed well.

Parsnip, Turnip, Swede

Spinach
High in calcium so limit how much and how often you feed.

Sweetcorn
Babycorn and corn-on-the-cob.

Watercress

~

It's not a bad thing if your piggy licks you, no. When mine lick me I see it either as a sign of affection or a sign that I have traces of veggies on my hand!! Some say it's them tasting the salt on your hand, in the same way that dogs lick you for the salt. It doesn't mean they need extra salt in their diet though so don't bother with salt/mineral licks/wheels.

Best Wishes,

- Laura
www.cavy-care.com