How Long Is A Baby Guinea Pig Considered A Baby & How Does That Affect The Diet?

[Redwinger]

After I lost my Amelia last week, I went to the Humane Society for a baby guinea pig who I have named Pippa. She is 9 weeks old and weighs about 2 lbs. I have baby guinea food pellets, and I have given her some shredded carrots and Romaine lettuce. I have dried fruit and veggie treats plus some honey, seeds, etc. bars for chewing. At what age can she have these treats? Any other hints for baby owners - I've always had older rescue guinea pigs. Thanks in advance! Here is a picture of Pippa:

 

[AuntyC]

Hello, and what a cute little guinea pig you have in Pippa. Sweet treats should be strictly rationed and are not very good nutritionally. Nice fresh natural veg like Broccoli, Celery, Capsicum, Parsley, Water Cress etc. will be better than sweet dried fruit. Lots of good quality hay as forage makes up the bulk of their diet. Introduce new food items a little bit at a time so as not to upset her tummy. Any loose poos or diarrhoea means you have gone too much too soon! If you can weigh her weekly at the same time of day you will get a good idea of her growth rate. Wishing you all the best, she is gorgeous

 

[Drezella]

Hi, she is lovely.

She'll need access to Meadow or Timothy hay all the time, some pellets and fresh vegetables every day particularly ones that contain vitamin C as guinea pigs can't produce this by themselves. Check out the Food/Diet forum on here for tips and advice about types of hay, pellets and what veg to feed, there is some good advice on here, including a list of what not to feed.

I feed my boys Burgess Timothy hay mixed in with Meadow hay from the Range, Burgess excel pellets mixed with Vitakraft pellets (as I'm transitioning them from one food to another) and I feed them the following veg per pig in their own bowl:

1 slice of cucumber
1 slice of celery
2 slices of green pepper
Half a spring green cabbage leaf
1 green bean
1 sprig of coriander

And as a treat they have 1 lettuce leaf (usually lambs lettuce or little gem but never iceberg lettuce as this is bad for them) or a cabbage leaf ripped up (usually Cavolo Nero or tenderheart). They occasionally have Vitakraft chew sticks, a carrot topped cottage, a Naturals range carrot filled log or a Naturals carrot and parsley chew. I would give these round once a month and at a maximum of two at a time, but this is just my personal routine with them.

 

[Redwinger]

Hello, and what a cute little guinea pig you have in Pippa. Sweet treats should be strictly rationed and are not very good nutritionally. Nice fresh natural veg like Broccoli, Celery, Capsicum, Parsley, Water Cress etc. will be better than sweet dried fruit. Lots of good quality hay as forage makes up the bulk of their diet. Introduce new food items a little bit at a time so as not to upset her tummy. Any loose poos or diarrhoea means you have gone too much too soon! If you can weigh her weekly at the same time of day you will get a good idea of her growth rate. Wishing you all the best, she is gorgeous

Thank you so much for the help! That dried fruit was one thing that my Amelia loved to eat during her last days, so I bought a few packages, not knowing she was so sick. Could you tell me more about what Capsicum is? I'm from the States and it doesn't sound familiar to me at all.

 

[Redwinger]

Hi, she is lovely.

She'll need access to Meadow or Timothy hay all the time, some pellets and fresh vegetables every day particularly ones that contain vitamin C as guinea pigs can't produce this by themselves. Check out the Food/Diet forum on here for tips and advice about types of hay, pellets and what veg to feed, there is some good advice on here, including a list of what not to feed.

I feed my boys Burgess Timothy hay mixed in with Meadow hay from the Range, Burgess excel pellets mixed with Vitakraft pellets (as I'm transitioning them from one food to another) and I feed them the following veg per pig in their own bowl:

1 slice of cucumber
1 slice of celery
2 slices of green pepper
Half a spring green cabbage leaf
1 green bean
1 sprig of coriander

And as a treat they have 1 lettuce leaf (usually lambs lettuce or little gem but never iceberg lettuce as this is bad for them) or a cabbage leaf ripped up (usually Cavolo Nero or tenderheart). They occasionally have Vitakraft chew sticks, a carrot topped cottage, a Naturals range carrot filled log or a Naturals carrot and parsley chew. I would give these round once a month and at a maximum of two at a time, but this is just my personal routine with them.

Thank you for the help! I'll have to print this out. Both of my girls have their pellet food and Timothy hay available to
them all day. I give them Romaine lettuce for dinner - less than half of a leaf each (much more gives my other girl, Pearly, diarrhea. At night, they get a few baby carrots as a treat. I also started to put Vitamin C drops in their water. I've had Rescue Guinea Pigs for about 13 years and love them to bits!

 

[Tomsmum]

Thank you so much for the help! That dried fruit was one thing that my Amelia loved to eat during her last days, so I bought a few packages, not knowing she was so sick. Could you tell me more about what Capsicum is? I'm from the States and it doesn't sound familiar to me at all.

Bell peppers

 

[Redwinger]

Bell peppers

Ahhhh! Ok, I've heard of those. :>) Thanks!

 

[Shades]

I also started to put Vitamin C drops in their water.

Someone with much more experience than me will be along in a minute to explain why this is a big no-no...

That aside, welcome to the forum. I'm relatively new here too and everyone has been really helpful and friendly. This is a great forum!

 

[Redwinger]

Someone with much more experience than me will be along in a minute to explain why this is a big no-no...

That aside, welcome to the forum. I'm relatively new here too and everyone has been really helpful and friendly. This is a great forum!

Really? I only used them once. I read about it on a blog from here in the States. I also think the volunteer at the Humane Society told us about it. I never used them before this. Oh, wow!

 

[Shades]

There's a gamut of info on the food forum. @Redwinger

 

[7squeakers.]

Hi, @Redwinger , what an adorable little Coronet you have there! Soooo cute! Will you be getting her a companion soon?

Vitamin C drops in the water are not recommended because, a) you cannot monitor the dosage and, b) it may put the pig off drinking altogether.

 

[Redwinger]

There's a gamut of info on the food forum. @Redwinger

Thank you! I am still learning all about negotiating this site. I'll be studying that for sure!

 

[Redwinger]

Hi, @Redwinger , what an adorable little Coronet you have there! Soooo cute! Will you be getting her a companion soon?

Vitamin C drops in the water are not recommended because, a) you cannot monitor the dosage and, b) it may put the pig off drinking altogether.

Hi!
Thanks for letting me know! It didn't seem to bother them, but I'd rather not risk it, so that's the end of that. I didn't know what a Coronet was. We were told she was a Silkie. I feel honored that she is a rare one. Her mother had a litter of three and each one was a different type of guinea pig! Pippa has a "sister," Pearly, also a long hair. I got her shortly after I got Amelia (the one I lost about a week ago). Pearly was supposed to have had a neck injury and she traveled only in circles. I gave the girls a lot of floor time in the kitchen (due to the flooring) and she runs straight now. She goes in circles when she's upset. They are slowly getting acquainted and it looks like they like each other. I'm so happy about that!