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Obesity is a common problem for cavies and overfeeding can aggravate this. When you feed your cavy pellets, put them down in the food bowl for around thirty minutes and then remove the bowl. If your pet still seems hungry, give it fresh produce to munch on.
If you have a large, dry bin in which to store pellets, then the easiest and most cost-effective way for you to stock up is to order ten and twenty pound bags of pellets using pet websites such as Pet Food Direct (www.petfooddirect.com) and PetSmart.com. The food will be delivered right to your door. If you want to buy only small amounts at a time, you can purchase a two and a half pound bag of guinea pig pellets for about five dollars at most pet stores.
Hay has to be readily available for your guinea pig at all times. (See the previous chapter where we discussed putting a hay dispenser in your pet’s cage.) Hay provides the enzymes that a guinea pig needs to digest its food properly. The hay that experts recommend is Timothy hay. You can find this at most pet stores or on the Internet. Most packages cost around five dollars. If your guinea pig is very young or is nursing, you can use alfalfa hay, but Timothy hay is best. (Alfalfa hay is too sweet).
Like you and me, guinea pigs’ bodies do not manufacture their own Vitamin C, but like us; they have to have it to stay healthy and disease free. Look on the label of your guinea pig pellets to see if they are fortified with Vitamin C. If so, then the pellets need to be kept in a dark, cool place so that the Vitamin C doesn’t become de-activated. If you would like, you can add Vitamin C to your pet’s diet by crushing a tablet sold for humans into their drinking water or adding a special Vitamin C supplement for guinea pigs into their water.
Of course, just as it is with humans, one of the best ways to get vitamin C in our diets is to eat fresh fruits and vegetables. Providing your cavy with kale, tangerines, strawberries and other fresh produce ensures that they are getting the 5 mg per pound (about 15 mg for a three pound cavy) of vitamin C that they need each day.
Guinea Pigs Previous Page (17)
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