When you are one of the owners of a charming guinea pig, you perhaps feel much of your concern at the time of feeding the guinea pigs. As a good parent of guinea pig, you have to be always careful about your pet’s eating habit. It seems that vegetables or fruits may be beneficial to its body. That is why celery is often included into the diet plan of guinea pig.
Obviously, celery possesses a number of attractive traits, like filling and crunchy. Guinea pigs like to masticate the leaves of celery, while some of them also prefer to crunch the stalks of celery.
If we see the celery from the standpoint of our body, the vegetable is very low-caloric food, with full of essential vitamins and antioxidants. This is not only delicious but also a nutritious snack. However, what you are truly thinking now is that- Can the cavy consume celery? Obviously, they may eat them. It is a general issue among many guinea pig owners. Celery has turned out to be a very popular food for any sort of guinea pigs. But there are a few things that you must know prior to your feeding the pet the celery stalks.
What Does Celery Contain?
All of us know the fact that celery can be included as one of the nutritious vegetables, which we often grow in our garden. The vegetable is truly very healthy for the guinea pigs because, there is no trace of cholesterol. At the same time, saturated fats are also not present in the celery. In addition to it, the celery may also be the best source, from which one can get Riboflavin as well as some other dietary components, which may improve the health-
- Magnesium
- Calcium
- Vitamin B6
- Vitamin K, A, C
- Pantothenic acid
- Potassium
- Folate
- Manganese
The Amount of Celery that Seems to be Excessive
You have to see that celery contains an amount of fiber, which is not higher than that of the spinach or the apples. For every stalk, there is almost a half gram nutritional fiber. It indicates that this vegetable is quite suitable to add to the guinea pigs’ diet a number of times every week or somewhat more than that, on the basis of how the pet is reacting to it.
Though it is not a pleasant job, as an owner, you must try to watch the stool of the guinea pig. It can help you to know whether any food is affecting the digestive system of your hairy friend. When you make out diarrhea or wet stool, you must stop providing the pet with the celery. Rather, you may raise the consumption of the Timothy hay, which is excellent for the digestive organs and is relatively efficient at combating the possibilities of the disease, like diarrhea.
There is a huge amount of water in every stalk of celery. In fact, almost ninety five percent of this celery consists of water. Thus, due to such high proportion of water, this vegetable may at times cause the excessive urination of the creatures.
Things to Take Into Account While Feeding Piggy
Always try to know whether the taste of the vegetable is acceptable to the guinea pig. Do not simply toss a stalk of celery into the cage of the guinea pigs and expect that that they may eat them without any hesitation. Your pet may take some time in order to get accustomed to any fresh treat, particularly if it is your newborn guinea pig.
The main reason for which we call the vegetable as the celery stalks is that they are basically extensive strings. While you have made a decision to feed your piggy with green celery, you have to ensure that you have cut it up into small parts perpendicularly. It may be difficult for your pet to grind the stalks efficiently with the help of the little jaws. Moreover, while they do not so, it may be tricky for these animals to take in vegetable or digest it.
While feeding the piggy any kind of vegetables, such as, celery, you may include it as an occasional treat, instead of the everyday food meal. The diet of any species of guinea pig must not be made of most of the vegetables. Rather, food supplements and Timothy hay that is already mentioned should be included. If you have given a large number of celery stalks to the pets, they may suffer from diarrhea that will be fatal while the symptoms remain for a very long time.
What to do When the Guinea Pig Dislikes Celery
Though it is said that most of the guinea pigs like celery, your pet one may not be the lover of this vegetable. It may not prefer it or turn down the vegetable. You may try to give it after some time. However, if it doesn’t work, then there are some other ways to try.
When you see the celery long cannot satisfy the guinea pig of a particular breed, you may plan to blend some other popular of vegetables and fruits in order to prepare the celery salad, and this is the right option. Obviously, salad means the combination of the various vegetables.
A number of green vegetables that you may choose to make the salad are- spinach, baby carrots, tomato pieces, apple pieces. Besides, you may also plan to add the celery leaves and lettuce, if these are available. Try out diverse blends to find out the one that is most enjoyed by your guinea pig. Hearing the positive sound of guinea pigs, such as, wheeking, you may understand the mind of the furry animal. Give high focus to the sound volume that they produce. When they are pleased, they definitely show this.
But, it is essential you carry out some research before including any component to the celery salad for the pet. In fact guinea pig is not able to consume every variety vegetable or fruit, which we can easily. For instance, try to avoid the use of iceberg lettuce leaves as major item of the salad. Make certain all the time to slash things into tiny pieces for the easy chewing and the digestion. Moreover, you should serve no salty or sugary foods to the celery.
Thus, whether you give them celery leaves or celery stalks, you must add some other healthy foods to the regular diet. Besides, you should be careful if there is enough water in the cage of your guinea pig. You should also follow all the above tips. Read about feeding guinea pigs peaches next.
