Carrots Are Fattening (for Guinea Pigs)

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I just caught the tail end of a programme on ITV about fat pets.

I must watch this episode as it features an overweight rabbit

https://www.itv.com/itvplayer/fat-pets-slimmer-of-the-year/series-1/episode-2

I know several forum members have advised not to give too much carrot to guinea pigs ( including @piggyfan ) - but it's good to see stuff on the telly which reinforces this.

The PDSA vet said that giving a rabbit a carrot was on a par with giving a human a slice of banoffee pie.
 
I just caught that end of the programmes as well- and was shocked- are they as bad for guineas as rabbits? mine love their carrot sticks they get 2 slices in the morning and 2 at night- now I'm worried - although none of mine are overweight
 
Carrots are high in vitamin A which is the link to livers.
Carrots are high in sugars - we know they taste sweet. I prefer to feed the leafy carrot tops with a tiny bit of the root attached as a treat - I have not fed the solid carrot for quite a long time. All these dietary things are a balancing act - but I would certainly treat carrots as a treat not a daily food stuff.
 
It's the sugar content that makes them fattening ( fruit is fattening too -for the same reason)

and the high Vit A content that makes carrots bad for the liver
 
It seems that the only veg that my boys will eat in any sufficient quantity is carrots. I don't know what they were fed at the rescue centre, so I don't know how much veg they've been introduced to. I keep trying to give them different things, but they leave most of it. They'll only really eat carrots, lettuce (not iceberg) and peppers. Are carrots bad for them? How often would/should you feed them a carrot? My boys had carrot yesterday and today is that bad?
 
Drezella said:
It seems that the only veg that my boys will eat in any sufficient quantity is carrots. I don't know what they were fed at the rescue centre, so I don't know how much veg they've been introduced to. I keep trying to give them different things, but they leave most of it. They'll only really eat carrots, lettuce (not iceberg) and peppers. Are carrots bad for them? How often would/should you feed them a carrot? My boys had carrot yesterday and today is that bad?
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As carrots are high in vitamin a I would not feed it more then twice a week. Vitamin a effects the liver.
 
No i never knew that either, thanks for the tip. I'll not give them any more then this week :)
 
My two aren't really that obsessed about carrot. They often leave that in favour of other veggies so don't give it to them much any more.
 
I have never given my piggies, past or present, a whole carrot of any size. They just get 3 or 4 VERY small pieces (measured in millimetres)
mixed with their other veg and greens. I read somewhere (maybe on here?) that carrot tops are not great for them either.
 
7squeakers. said:
I have never given my piggies, past or present, a whole carrot of any size. They just get 3 or 4 VERY small pieces (measured in millimetres)
mixed with their other veg and greens. I read somewhere (maybe on here?) that carrot tops are not great for them either.
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I think carrot tops are OK in small quantities as they are high in calcium
 
Hmm I give carrots pretty regularly, but only in small slices, about 2 cubic centimetres per piggy. Maybe I should cut down.
 
Oh dear. After reading through this I think I need to change my boys veggies. Their low calcium diet includes carrot daily :( What veggie combo's do you guys reccomend?
 
MissBubblegum said:
Oh dear. After reading through this I think I need to change my boys veggies. Their low calcium diet includes carrot daily :( What veggie combo's do you guys reccomend?
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I feed mine
1 slice cucumber
1 sprig coriander
1 slice green pepper
1 slice spring green
1 green bean
2 slices of celery

I feed that per piggy twice a day. It is part of the ic plan along with grainless pellets.
 
piggyfan said:
I feed mine
1 slice cucumber
1 sprig coriander
1 slice green pepper
1 slice spring green
1 green bean
2 slices of celery

I feed that per piggy twice a day. It is part of the ic plan along with grainless pellets.
Click to expand...

Thank you for the reply to my question! I actually noted down this one a long time ago, but silly me only noted the veggies and not how much or how often! Doh! Could I be a pain and ask how big of a slice of each? I don't want to end up not giving enough :(
 
MissBubblegum said:
Thank you for the reply to my question! I actually noted down this one a long time ago, but silly me only noted the veggies and not how much or how often! Doh! Could I be a pain and ask how big of a slice of each? I don't want to end up not giving enough :(
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A small slice.
 
MissBubblegum said:
Thanks! You really learn something knew everyday. I knew carrots were bad sugar wise but did not know this!
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You are most welcome. The ic plan has been devised by a wonderful woman who runs a piggy clinic. She is amazing.
 
piggyfan said:
I feed mine
1 slice cucumber
1 sprig coriander
1 slice green pepper
1 slice spring green
1 green bean
2 slices of celery

I feed that per piggy twice a day. It is part of the ic plan along with grainless pellets.
Click to expand...
Does it need to be green pepper, my girls prefer the Orange and red. I must say since reading your post a few weeks ago we have been trying this diet and it's going well so far. They still get the odd piece of lettuce as a treat.
 
Harry&lloyd said:
Does it need to be green pepper, my girls prefer the Orange and red. I must say since reading your post a few weeks ago we have been trying this diet and it's going well so far. They still get the odd piece of lettuce as a treat.
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Yes it does need to be green. The red is sweeter so likely contains sugar. The plan works only if followed so that means no lettuce. If you want to give a treat you can try different varieties of hay.
 
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