Vitimin C?

[Guineapigluver2]

About a week after I adopted my guinea pig I took him to the vet just to make sure he was healthy. They told me to use the oxbow vit c supplement. I'm not really sure why but they said they recommended it to everyone. I have since been wondering if I should still be giving fresh veggies. I decied to keep going but my first qustion is is it bad to give guinea pigs to much vit c? Also I just found Ly's veggie chart which I find verry helpful with all of the colors. The only problem will be getting my parents to the store to get a nice varitey of veggies. I really dont have the opportunity to go because my parents usually go on there way home from work. My second question is should I stick with the supplement or go for fresh veggies. My vet said that dandilion greens and red bell pepper were really good if my piggy didnt like the suplement. She also said give 2 servings a day about the size of his head which I know does not meet the 1 cup daily requirements. My guinea pig loves baby tomatoes, carrots(limited), dandilion greens and cucumber(limited). He will eat red bell pepper but only if its just a little and if its one of the only things I give him. So is it better to go fresh or supplement or can I do both?

[lizo72]

That's a good question actually. My vets also suggested that I give the supplements (I guess just in case?). From what I understand is that as long as you give around a cup of a variety of fresh veggies then you should be fine. If you are worried that your piggie is not getting enough then you can always add the supplements, since I don't think it would hurt (I mean even we take vitamin C tablets just in case we aren't getting enough daily). I think you might want to give a bit more veggies and try green peppers since they are good for vitamin C.

[pigsforlife]

I always thought that you could not overdose on vitamin c and that any unwanted vitamin c is excreted through the urine until recently when I found out through this forum that it is possible to overdose. You only need to supplement his diet with vitamin c if he is not getting enough through what you are giving him or if he is sick.

To answer your 2nd question, your guinea pig should always get fresh produce, a supplement is, as its name suggest a quantity that is added (for eg. to make up for a defiency).

You really need to add more variety to his diet, leafy greens like cos lettuce, parsley, bok choy, cilantro etc would be a good start. Once a week I go to the market, I buy rocket, cos lettuce, parsley, bok choy, baby carrots, cilantro, 2 different kinds of capsicum, celery and on occasions a piece of fruit separately to what I buy for myself. All up it costs me approximatley AU$6. My point is, it is really cheap and is essential in your guinea pigs diet.

[rabbitsncavyluv]

You shouldn't be eliminating fresh veggies from your pig's diet.

[Guineapigluver2]

The supplement is a full 50mg of vit c. How much vitimin c is to much?

[Piggersrule]

Because Guinea pigs can't manufacture Vit. c, it is important to provide it through their diet of fresh veggies. A good variety of veggies will provide your pigs with the vit. c needed for their health. It's best to provide the veggies twice a day rather than once. Offer 1/2 cup in the morning and again in the evening. Supplimenting the diet with Oxbow vit. c tabs won't harm your pig. You can offer a 1/2 tab with each feeding.

[TX_2_Pigs]

You can give your pig too much Vitamin C. It is fine while you are giving it, but if you ever reduce the amount that you are giving they can develop scurvy even if they are getting what would normally be enough.

this was copied from GuineaLynx.com
[SIZE=2]Extremely high doses of ascorbic acid can cause poor growth and can result in a susceptibility to scurvy if the amount is dramatically reduced, even to doses considered adequate for a normal cavy. [/SIZE]

Someone mentioned (one of the mods I think) pretty recently how much you should supplement and how often if at all, but I can't find it. I have been looking for 30 minutes.

If your mom and dad do the shopping just make sure to let them know to always pick up things like cilantro, bell peppers, red or green leaf, and romaine every time they go to the store. Or if your mom keeps a grocery list on the refrigerator, just add it on. Or stick a note on the refrigerator letting her know you need this veggie or that veggie. Talk to them and find out when they go to the store. Maybe ask sometimes to go with them if they go on weekends or at night. The main thing is to communicate. Ask them when they are going, ask them if you can go, or at least tell them that you need them to pick specific things up.

[Ly&Pigs]

Cavies require 10-30mg/kg of C per day. They normally get what they need through the minimum of a cup of veggies per day. Giving them veggies and a 50mg supplement per day would be a bit too much. I only recommend a supplement for pigs who won't eat a good variety of veggies (meaning pigs who only eat one or two types of veggies), pigs who won't eat veggies at all and ill pigs who aren't eating like they normally do.

If you aren't feeding leafy greens such as lettuces (no iceburg) and cilantro, I highly recommend adding those to the diet.