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Can Guinea Pigs Eat Mushrooms?

Guinea pigs caretakers are happy people, indeed. Those amazing furry friends are fun to have around and take care off! They are very common as pets and not so difficult to maintain. Guinea pigs need attention and tenderness and love to be in company of humans. Those tiny rodents are known for their wheeking sound, which makes them so irresistible. They are talkative and intelligent animals. It is easy to love them. You could get informed on variety of sounds they produce and communicate with your pet in its own way!

Guinea pigs are sociable and gentle. They also show a great variety of non verbal behaviors you’ll find totally adorable. They love to run around, to play and to cuddle in your lap.

However, you must be very gentle towards them and gain their trust. Once your pet get used to you, you’ll make a wonderful new friend. Cavies live up to eight years, so they are not meant for your temporary amusement. They are sensitive little fellows that need your love. We’re sure you’ll have wonderful times with your pet, if you take all the necessary steps to provide it good life.

Guinea pigs are active animals and they need physical activity. They are very submissive to diseases such as obesity and diabetes, so you need to take extra care about their nutrition and exercise. It is recommended to equip their cage with some devices to play and corners to hide. They are prey animals, so they have a natural need to protect themselves. Their cage should be big enough for them to run around, hide, play and rest.

Feeding guinea pigs

Guinea pigs really love to eat. They eat al l the time, actually. So, you need to feed them something that is beneficial and not harmful in unlimited amounts. The very basic stuff for all guinea pigs is hay. Hay is important for their digestion and teeth. As you may already know, rodents have constantly growing teeth, so they need to nibble and chew something all the time, in order to keep their teeth on good shape. Hay is particularly good for their teeth. It promotes their digestion and it won’t make your pet gain weight and get more serious health problems.

Guinea pigs need to have fresh water all the time, as well. Check your pet bowel regularly and always supply it with fresh and pure water. As for other food, they need pellets you can buy in every pet store. Those are good source of carbohydrates and proteins. Pellets are to be served on daily basis, but in lesser amounts than hay.

Fresh vegetables and fruits are also good. Veggies are good to be added on daily basis and fruits as an occasional treat. Both contain valuable vitamins and minerals. However, fruits are sugary, so they are not meant to be given frequently. Your piggy also needs extra supplies of vitamin C. Cavies’ body can’t produce this valuable nutrient, so it must be supplies from fruits and vegetables. In addition, there are supplements to be given, as well.

Are mushrooms good for guinea pigs?

Mushrooms are specific food, indeed. We love them and commonly use in our cuisines. There are various types of mushrooms we use frequently. You may wonder if they are good for your little friend. So, can you offer it some mushrooms? Mushrooms are of poor nutritional value for cavies, actually. They are not harmful, but they aren’t useful, either. Mushrooms don’t contain any vitamin C, which is essential for your piglet’s nutrition. Food other than hay and pellets is actually meant to provide your pet valuable vitamin C, amongst other benefits. Therefore, mushrooms are not necessary at all. You can feed your guinea pig cauliflower which is rich in the necessary nutrients instead.

On the other hand, mushrooms are not bad for cavies. They don’t contain a lot of fat and sugar. You’ve probably heard mushrooms are considered extremely good viand for people on restrictive diet, because of low fat content and energy usage to digest them. As guinea pigs love to eat everything, your tiny friend would most probably like to taste mushrooms. Let us see which are safe to feed it.

Button mushrooms, white mushrooms and Portobello mushrooms are all okay to serve your cavy. There are others completely safe, as well. Again, there are not particular benefits from any of them, so they are good to be used only as a treat. Don’t ever replace your pet’s regular food with other of no nutritional value. Don’t feed it mushroom soup, risotto or any other form of cooked mushrooms. You can feed it only raw mushrooms, small portions, once in a while.

On the other hand there are far better choices to treat your pet. A wide range of fruits and vegetables would be more beneficial than mushrooms, so it is best to choose delicious fruits and veggies over mushrooms. However, they should stay away from certain food that we enjoy. For example, peanuts are dangerous to guinea pigs.