What To Feed Baby Guinea Pigs? And 2 Best Baby Guinea Pig Food
Do you get worried about how you would take care of a baby guinea pig and fulfill their food requirements?
Many pet owners want a complete guide to feeding the right type of food to their baby guinea pigs as they are not sure what the baby piggies love to eat.
Today we will discuss the best baby guinea pig food and how often they need it. You will also get to know some important information like how to feed your baby guinea pig and what should be the quantity.
Do Guinea Pigs Nurse their Young?
Yes, female guinea pigs start nursing their young in 24 hours for at least two weeks. The mother guinea pig nurses her young until they are apt to feed themselves.
It is important for baby guinea pigs to have the milk of their mother for survival. It is advisable to not separate baby guinea pigs from their mother until they are two weeks old.
What To Feed Baby Guinea Pigs?
Adult guinea pigs and baby guinea pigs both need the same level of care but there are a few things that have exceptions.
The diet of baby guinea pigs should have a little bit more calcium in it, especially when they are in the first few weeks after their birth.
The extra calcium is needed to make the bones of baby guinea pigs strong and stable. Alfalfa hay and alfalfa pellets are high in calcium so it is good to give them to baby piggies.
Timothy hay and pellets should be the major part of their diet along with fresh fruits and vegetables with vitamin C.
Oranges and melons are rich in vitamin C but you need to make sure the fruits and veggies are safe for your baby guinea pig. You should add slowly, 2-3 times per week. Absolutely do not feed melons or sugary fruits every day.
At about 4 weeks old, guinea pigs will have a stable digestive system, and they will be able to munch a small amount of vegetables each day.
Guinea pigs love berries, raisins, beetroot and carrots but their body can not tolerate complex carbohydrates. You should pay attention to the dosage, feed them 2lbs of their body weight.
You should offer treats to your baby guinea pigs occasionally, especially fruits. Avoid giving watery veggies like cucumber, zucchini or iceberg lettuce to your baby guinea pig as it will cause them health issues.
2 Best Baby Guinea Pig Food
After being nursed for two weeks, baby guinea pigs become capable of eating solid foods. When baby guinea pigs turn three weeks old they stop drinking mother’s milk and you can start serving them what other guinea pigs are eating but in small quantities.
If the guinea pig gets abandoned after its birth then you can feed him/her goat milk as it is digestible compared to cow milk. Goat milk has less fat and protein but it should be given only in limits.
Mother’s milk is important for baby guinea pigs but if under any circumstances they do not get nursed then they should be fed with healthy and nourishing alternatives.
Wombaroo guinea pig milk is a nutritionally balanced milk replacement for guinea pigs. You can use it for orphaned pigs, or when mother’s milk is not available or limited.
Wombaroo Guinea Pig Milk
Wombaroo guinea pig milk is rich in vitamin C which is the most essential nutrient for young pigs. It is also high in protein content that helps in the growth of pigs.
It is the best milk replacer that comes as a powder and it can be mixed with warm water to make the milk and feed babies.
Oxbow’s Essentials – Young Guinea Pig Food
Oxbow’s Essentials is food mainly for young guinea pigs. This bag of food contains all of the vitamins and minerals and fulfill the nutritional needs of young, pregnant, and nursing guinea pigs.
It also provides healthy digestion as it contains Alfalfa hay that provides optimal energy and fiber. Guinea pig’s diet should contain 70% of grass hay.
Oxbow is best to provide high-fiber hay to improve the life and health of your guinea pig.
Also read: Guinea Pig Hay: Everything Need to Know and 4 Top Picks
Oxbow Essentials Young Guinea Pig Food – All Natural Guinea Pig Pellets – 5 lb.
How to Feed a Baby Guinea Pig
Young guinea pigs can not feed themselves and should be nursed for a minimum of 5 days. Mother guinea pigs feed their young ones but if the piggy is orphaned or their mother is not available then you can use a syringe to feed them.
To feed with a syringe, give food and water to the mouth of your guinea pig with the use of it.
Do not try to put the food and water in the mouth of the baby pig at once, allow your pig at least 15 to 20 seconds to chew and swallow. Make sure you are holding your pig rightfully while feeding him with a syringe.
Things to keep in mind while feeding baby guinea pigs with a syringe:
Make sure to wash all your syringes before use.
Baby guinea pigs jump suddenly so make sure you are sitting in a safe environment while feeding them.
Be gentle and hold the baby pig with one hand and the syringe in the other.
Take time while feeding with the syringe and do not squeeze too much formula in the baby guinea pig’s mouth.
Also read: Syringe Feeding Guinea Pig: The Most Complete Guide
How often Do Baby Guinea Pigs Eat?
If you provide a proper diet of hay, fresh vegetables, and pellets to your baby guinea pig then the problem of overeating won’t happen.
Feed your guinea pig twice per day but make sure the quantity is small. You need to be very careful in handling baby guinea pigs and it is advisable to not separate them from their mothers for at least a month.
Mothers start nursing their baby guinea pigs immediately after their birth. After a few weeks, young pigs start eating solid foods and they also learn to urinate and defecate while cleaning their bottoms during this period.
Lixit Oral Syringe and Medicine Dropper Combo Pack
Final Sentences
The conclusion is you need to take care of your baby guinea pigs the same way you do for an adult pig. But there are a few things that need to be kept in mind as a baby guinea pig is more delicate and needs to be handled more gently.
The diet of baby guinea pigs requires more calcium, especially in the initial weeks. You need to keep in mind all the things we mentioned to add to your baby guinea pig’s diet.
We advise you to build trust with baby guinea pigs by offering them food and treats. Do not try to scare them by hovering over their cage, just be careful while handling them.
