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Can Guinea Pigs Eat Grass?

If you own a guinea pig, it can be very funny, but it is also a big responsibility. Among other things, you have to take care of your guinea pig’s diet. You have to be well informed about the foods that your guinea pig can eat, but you should also know which foods are harmful for your little pet.

In this article we will talk about grass. We all know that grass is one of the most important foods in every guinea pig’s diet. Grass is a food that is always available and guinea pigs simply adore it. They can nibble grass all day long. But, is grass safe for guinea pigs? How much grass should you give to your guinea pig? In this article you will find out more about grass and its impact on a guinea pig’s health. If you are a guinea pig’s owner, this article will be useful for you.

More about Grass

Grass is a type of a plant and it is used to cover the ground. Most grasses are short but some of them can be very tall.

There is also lawn grass that is planted usually in the area of buildings or on sports fields. Sometimes water and different chemicals are used to help lawn to grow. There are many animals who eat grass daily and it is usually the first thing they go for. But, can you feed you guinea pig grass? Read along and you will find out soon.

Is Grass Safe for Guinea Pigs?

If your guinea pig loves grass, you don’t have to worry. Grass is absolutely safe for your guinea pig. Guinea pigs should eat grass on a daily basis. Grass will make them full and it will prevent their teeth to become too long. Grass won’t do any harm to your pet, but you must be sure that the grass has not been treated with pesticides or other chemicals.

Also, large amounts of spring grass given all at once may cause gas, diarrhea or some other gastrointestinal problems with your guinea pig, so you have to be careful. It is best to introduce spring grass slowly after a winter time. Guinea pigs should get used to spring grass slowly. When your guinea pig gets use to grass, you can let him eat as much grass as he wants. Grass should be the most important part of your guinea pig’s diet. There’s no problem in eating too much grass.

You can buy grass that has been already grown in garden centres, but you can also grow your own grass for your guinea pig. You can simply get some trays and compost and then you can plant grass seeds. We recommend you to start with catgrass or wheat grass because they are a little healthier for your little pet.

You can also pick some grass up from public areas, but its is better to choose hay and fresh grass. Fresh grass is a rich source of vitamin C that guinea pigs need. High quality timothy hay is the best option for your guinea pig. Other greens like cauliflower are also good alternatives.

Many experts consider that hay and fresh grass should make the most important part of a guinea pig’s diet, but guinea pigs should avoid lawn clippings. It is known that such grass can cause digestive problems. Also, you should avoid feeding your guinea pig wet grass.

Apart from their regular diet based on fresh grass and timothy hay, guinea pigs also require large amounts of vitamin C, so it is necessary to include different supplements in their diet. Basil has vitamin C, but sadly not enough for what guinea pigs need.

Summary

As you have seen, grass is perfectly safe for your guinea pig and it should be essential part of his diet. Guinea pigs enjoy eating grass and they can eat it all day. Large amounts of grass won’t do any harm to your guinea pig. But, it is important that the grass is clean. It means that it has not been sprayed with pesticides and other chemicals.

Also, you should avoid wet grass or spring grass because this grass may cause digestive problems. Also, it is best to introduce grass slowly into your guinea pig’s diet, in order to avoid any health problems.