Treat Ideas

[CaliGirl]

I want to find a treat that my guinea pig likes. I know that Rocky doen't like the wood treats or the hard cookies that are suppose to be good for there teeth. What kinds of treats do your guinea pigs like?

 

[Piglet]

I suppose fruits can be given as treats.

 

[loves2travel]

yes i was wondering what type of treats most piggies enjoy. something not too fattening

 

[Treen]

Just use veggies - it's exciting for them and great for their health too. They all have favourites and even if it's something they get every day, they'll still be excited! Mine are most partial to a slice of cucumber or a few sprigs of parsley. Dandelions and freshly picked grass are great too.

Don't bother with anything you get from a pet shop - they aren't good for them as they introduce things like sugar and hydrogenated fats in to your guinea pig's diet. They aren't designed to eat cruddy food so don't digest it well.

Their front teeth actually mainly get worn down by the opposing action as they chew with their back teeth, so although they love having something like an untreated apple branch to chew on, you don't need to buy special things from the pet shop for their teeth.

 

[CaliGirl]

Question...

Just use veggies - it's exciting for them and great for their health too. They all have favourites and even if it's something they get every day, they'll still be excited! Mine are most partial to a slice of cucumber or a few sprigs of parsley.

Is it true that Iceberg Lettis is not healthy for guinea pigs? I think I heard it from here that its mostly water and fiber. Are there other veggies that aren't as "healthy" as others are for guinea pigs.

You dont have to give guinea pigs dairy products or meat, do you? When I had a hamster, it said in a book about them that you should give them some meat, cottege cheese, or yougert every now and then for protein. It sounded kind of wierd to me because they cant find that in the wild.

 

[Piglet]

No! Don't give them any dairy or meat products. They're herbivores. Iceburg lettuce isn't too good because of the high water content. Its not that some vegetables are healthier than others, its just that some have a higher vitamin C content. I would say that ball peppers, kale, parsely and romaine lettuce are good veggies for pigs.

 

[LiciaMommycott]

My pigs favorite foods are green bell peppers and cilantro.Also this is from previous post I made, although I have not yet tried it...

This is a recipe I found on Seagull's and I've been wondering if it's really OK to give them. I'm curious as to the wheat flour and honey since those are not normal pig food.

(broken link removed)

• 2 cups whole wheat flower (sic)
• 1 cup shredded carrot
• 1/4 cup shredded apple
• 1 cup warm water
• 2T. honey

Mix into a fairly stiff dough...if the mixture is not firm like a bread dough..add some more whole wheat flower. Roll to 1/4 inch thickness on a lightly floured surface and then, using a cookie cutter or a small paring knife...cut into shapes. I use a carrot shape. Bake in a 350 degree oven (farenheit) for 9-12 minutes..until edges are crispy. Let them cool and store in an ait-tight container. These cokies (sic) will last about 2 weeks. You can also freeze them for longer storage.
​

 

[CaliGirl]

• 1 cup shredded carrot
• 1/4 cup shredded apple
• 1 cup warm water
• 2T. honey

The huney worries me a little... can guinea pigs eat stuff with honey? It seems kind of sweet.

 

[mncavylover]

I'd just give them the fresh foods, not the baked "biscuits." They probably like the fresh stuff better, and then you KNOW it's good for them. =)

 

[LiciaMommycott]

[/list][/indent]The huney worries me a little... can guinea pigs eat stuff with honey? It seems kind of sweet.

That was my thought exactly as I don't think that GPs eat honey when living in the wild. I don't think they eat wheat either. Just passing along what I found on Seagull's (usually a reliable source). I think I've never made these because they don't seem anything a piggy would care about eating and the nutritional value is questionable.

However, if someone feels compelled to feed their GP "treats," these would be far better than what I've seen commercially prepared. Some of the so called guinea pig treats in petstores and online are full of honey and also sunflower seeds in the shell, which are a complete no-no. They also often have dyes in them (why?).

Like I said in my previous post, cilantro and green peppers are their favorite treats and I also give them apple and orange slices that they love. For gnawing, I've given them pineapple core as well, which they seemed to like. Thanks for your post and I tend to agree.

 

[CaliGirl]

Some of the so called guinea pig treats in petstores and online are full of honey and also sunflower seeds in the shell, which are a complete no-no. They also often have dyes in them (why?).

I agree, I went shopping yesterday and all I saw were these treats that look so sweet and fruity ( I didn't want to risk it with my guinea pig). I finally found one that looked healthy, its called "UltraVite Multi-Vitamin". It has a list of ingrediants on the back, it had dehydrated alfalfa, ground corn, soyabean meal, and a bunch of vitamins. No artifishal flavore or color. Rocky seems to like it and it looks like it can help keep his teeth short.

 

[My Baby Mu]

My pigs favorite foods are green bell peppers and cilantro.Also this is from previous post I made, although I have not yet tried it...

This is a recipe I found on Seagull's and I've been wondering if it's really OK to give them. I'm curious as to the wheat flour and honey since those are not normal pig food.



(broken link removed)

• 2 cups whole wheat flower (sic)
• 1 cup shredded carrot
• 1/4 cup shredded apple
• 1 cup warm water
• 2T. honey

Mix into a fairly stiff dough...if the mixture is not firm like a bread dough..add some more whole wheat flower. Roll to 1/4 inch thickness on a lightly floured surface and then, using a cookie cutter or a small paring knife...cut into shapes. I use a carrot shape. Bake in a 350 degree oven (farenheit) for 9-12 minutes..until edges are crispy. Let them cool and store in an ait-tight container. These cokies (sic) will last about 2 weeks. You can also freeze them for longer storage.


​

I made those cookies and my piggy loves them. I didn't put 2T of honey i put probably about 3t and half of the batch i added kale for extra vitamin C this is what they looked like

 

[mncavylover]

Cute! They turned out really well. Do they like those?

 

[LiciaMommycott]

I made those cookies and my piggy loves them.... this is what they looked like

Hilarious!! I love the letters. What is kale? Is it a leafy plant? If so, how did you add it? Chopped?

 

[mncavylover]

Kale is a type of green, yes. Here are some pics: (broken link removed). I get the lower right kind. =)

 

[My Baby Mu]

I just ripped it up and put it in. I have no idea what kind of kale I got. I got it at Walmart and there was only one kind there so that was the kind I used. I added a little bit more of carrots cause my piggy loves carrots he'll try to rip them out of your hand it's funny.

 

[NoVeil]

My girls love jicama, apples and blueberries as treats. I put frozen blueberries (fresh ones I have frozen) in and they love them.