NUTRITION IN GUINEA PIGS: WHY VITAMIN C IS
ESSENTIAL
Guinea pigs
share a unique quality with human beings: the inability to synthesize (create)
Vitamin C for their bodies. Because this is true, Vitamin C must be supplied to
guinea pigs through food or supplement intake. Guinea pigs failing to receive
adequate levels of Vitamin C will develop the disease, that in people, is known
as scurvy.
What causes scurvy?
In human history, scurvy was common among sailors who travelled long distances
without access to fruits and vegetables containing Vitamin C. In 1747, James
Lind, a Scotsman, discovered that sailors suffering from scurvy were cured by
eating oranges and limes. Science has since shown that it was the Vitamin C in
the fruit that made the difference.
Symptoms of scurvy in
your guinea pig
Indicators of a Vitamin C deficiency in guinea pigs include loss of appetite,
bleeding from the gums, joint stiffness, general lethargy, weight loss, poor
tooth development and nasal discharge.
Avoiding Vitamin C
deficiency To help guinea pigs avoid a deficiency, Vitamin C is often added to food
pellets at the time of manufacture. Under normal conditions the Vitamin C in
food pellets remains active for up to three months. Under adverse conditions -
too much heat or humidity for example - Vitamin C may lose its effectiveness in
much less time. Buying food pellets one month at a time and properly rotating
fresh food into the guinea pig's diet will help ensure that the Vitamin C in the
diet is at adequate levels.
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Foods high in Vitamin
C Feeding a guinea pig a diet with Vitamin C rich fresh fruits and
vegetables is also important. The following fruits and vegetables contain high
levels of Vitamin C:
Leafy greens such as
kale, parsley, spinach and chicory
Cabbage
Red and green peppers
Asparagus
Broccoli
Peas
Tomatoes
Dandelion Greens (no
pesticides, fertilizer, or herbicides)
Kiwi
Oranges
Additional ways to provide your guinea pig with Vitamin C Some suggest adding Vitamin C to a guinea
pig's drinking water. This can be helpful, but Vitamin C in water breaks down in
less than a day. New Vitamin C and fresh water must be supplied daily with this
method.
