Good or Bad....explain why please!

  • Thread starter Thread starter Abby'sMom
  • Start date Start date
Status
Not open for further replies.
A

Abby'sMom

I believe that i have heard on here before that seeds/honey are not good for guinea pigs? Oh and yogurt type treats aren't good either?

Then why do they make these items for guinea pigs? On the label it says for rabbits and guinea pigs....i just realized that my girls have been eating and Loving...just that very thing.
Can you explain why they arent good. I'd love to hear your information.
I have included a picture and here it the Statement from the package:
The widest variety of nutrients available in any treat bar
Select seeds, nuts, garden vegetables, and honey in a highly nutritious treat bar which your pet will love
Fortified with vitamins and minerals
Offered in a variety of flavors
 

Attachments

  • Treat Bar.webp
    Treat Bar.webp
    4.6 KB · Views: 61
yah, i would want to know too. i used to buy those things for gilbert and he ate them. but i have stopped buying it just because he started ignoring it after awhile.
 
Its just hard for a new guinea owner like myself to know what I should or shouldnt buy for my girls. There are also these little 'wooden' treats, shaped like veggies for them to chew on....are these ok? I think that they package these things and put a guinea face on them and hope we will buy them...i dont know....i'm just confused! pow-pow
 
A lot of companies either don't have a clue or don't care and just want to sell their items. For example some places sell those hamster balls as being suitable for piggies when they can damage their backs.

Usually those types of treats have a lot of sugars and preservatives that are not natural. As well as being bad for them they can also lead to fat piggies. I've seen people mention naturals range which are meant to be quite good. Someone who uses them will probably be able to tell you more.
 
The problem is that some of these bars contain lots of sugars (honey!) and fattening seeds - the equivalent of human junk food! The yoghurt stuff contains sugar, too; I tried it once, and my piggies wouldn't touch it.

Too much sugar in their diet can trigger diabetes (and inoperable cataracts because of diabetes).

I have no problem with natural herbs, provided they do not contain anything artificial and too much honey.
 
Abby'sMom said:
Its just hard for a new guinea owner like myself to know what I should or shouldnt buy for my girls. There are also these little 'wooden' treats, shaped like veggies for them to chew on....are these ok? I think that they package these things and put a guinea face on them and hope we will buy them...i dont know....i'm just confused! pow-pow
Click to expand...

I am so glad this topic was started - it is confusing for me too! There are so many products out there with "guinea pig" or a picture of a guinea pig in front, implying they are suitable or good for cavys. It's frustrating to discover that, actually, the products aren't really good for them!

Thank goodness for forums like this one!
 
The seeds contain starch. This starch will be reduced to glucose during the digestive process. While reducing the glucose bacteria will also build acid and this acid will postpone the ph-value. If this happens the bacteria which the guinea pigs are needing for their digestion will die and the digestion will not work properly.
That is the reason why guinea pigs often get diarrhoea when they don't get the right food.

I hope this was understandable. It's hard to explain if you aren't a native speaker.
 
Katinchen said:
The seeds contain starch. This starch will be reduced to glucose during the digestive process. While reducing the glucose bacteria will also build acid and this acid will postpone the ph-value. If this happens the bacteria which the guinea pigs are needing for their digestion will die and the digestion will not work properly.
That is the reason why guinea pigs often get diarrhoea when they don't get the right food.

I hope this was understandable. It's hard to explain if you aren't a native speaker.
Click to expand...

Hey, your English is excellent!
 
Thanks Vickyt")

@Abby'sMom

You also asked why such companys sell this food: It's because they don't have a clue but they are really clever.
Guinea pigs like seeds, honey or yogurt drops (even if they aren't good for them) and the companys know this. So they deliberately put these ingredients in their products to make them more tasty and so getting the animal husbandman (right word?rolleyes) to buy more of this stuff because their piggies like it.
It's the same here in germany.
 
Well I for one totally appreciate all of the great information about these treats. mallethead I didnt know, I promise I didn't. mallethead
:{:{I will not buy them anymore...maybe thats why my girls are getting fatter...lol Poor things, its like hanging a Snickers Candy Bar in their cage...they cant help but eat it! I'm a bad mommy :(
 
The Naturals range by Boredom Breakers is good for little treats and things to keep your guinea pigs amused. My lot love the Parsley Bell and they sell things like carrot chewy sticks which are good for gnawers too :)
 
Abby'sMom said:
Well I for one totally appreciate all of the great information about these treats. mallethead I didnt know, I promise I didn't. mallethead
:{:{I will not buy them anymore...maybe thats why my girls are getting fatter...lol Poor things, its like hanging a Snickers Candy Bar in their cage...they cant help but eat it! I'm a bad mommy :(
Click to expand...

its fine! you're not a bad mommy. as long as you now know. you were just trusting yourself and wanting the best for your guinea pigs...atleast now your piggies wont have the temptation of eating something equivalent to ice cream for us humans:)):))
 
Katinchen said:
Thanks Vickyt")

@Abby'sMom

You also asked why such companys sell this food: It's because they don't have a clue but they are really clever.
Guinea pigs like seeds, honey or yogurt drops (even if they aren't good for them) and the companys know this. So they deliberately put these ingredients in their products to make them more tasty and so getting the animal husbandman (right word?rolleyes) to buy more of this stuff because their piggies like it.
It's the same here in germany.
Click to expand...

It's the "owner" of a pet - husbandry is the breeding of animals, especially horses. Sorry; if I'm correcting you too often; but you will pick up the vocabulary soon! We do value your knowledge and input.
 
Last edited:
Vickyt said:
It's the "owner" of a pet - husbandry is the breeding of animals, especially horses. Sorry; if I'm correcting you too often; but you will pick up the vocabulary soon! We do value your knowledge and input.
Click to expand...

No that's absolutly fine with me. I am really glad that you are helping me. xx>>>
 
so clear this up for me please. I buy naturals strawberry and dandielion stick thingies like these! they are natural but are they still bad (feels very foolish if they are) my gang love them and also the vitakraft hair ones they sell at p@h :( I feel really bad getting these for them now if they are! I also have the parsley bells too
 
Just have a look at all the ingredients listed. Personally, I have stopped buying vitakraft products years ago.

I have started out where you are, so don't beat yourself up over it! I'm too tired to do it for myself...

Pet owning is a learning curve - not a do-it-right-from-the-beginning thing!
 
Yeah they are still not good for the piggies cause there are still eggs and seeds in it.

Don't let this discourage you there are still so many possible things you can feed your piggies and they will love them.
For example: dried herbs, dried vegetables, leaves of hazelnut, leaves of strawberry (even the fresh berrys but not very often)...
 
I buy the naturals one and I had a parsely bell but mine finished that off (took them a month though).
 
I personnally look at this way. I am quite particular about my own diet, I watch what I eat and like to think I eat healthy. But every now and then I like to have some chocolate as a little treat nom nom nom drooldrool

Or something equally yummy! surely as long as we are very sensible and our piggies have a healthy diet of piggie pellets and the right amount of fruit and veg a little treat now and then can not be of too much harm ?/

I mean i wouldnt eat McCrap all the time for example but I have had one once or twice before and I did enjoy it! :))

Am I wrong? x
 
Scrappy said:
I personnally look at this way. I am quite particular about my own diet, I watch what I eat and like to think I eat healthy. But every now and then I like to have some chocolate as a little treat nom nom nom drooldrool

Or something equally yummy! surely as long as we are very sensible and our piggies have a healthy diet of piggie pellets and the right amount of fruit and veg a little treat now and then can not be of too much harm ?/

I mean i wouldnt eat McCrap all the time for example but I have had one once or twice before and I did enjoy it! :))

Am I wrong? x
Click to expand...

No - as long as it is an occasional treat.

I let my guinea pigs have a little snaffle at some of the bird seed mix as a VERY special treat on a dull day when they are bored and squabbling, for example; but I'm watching carefully as the husks can get stuck in their teeth!
 
PS: Instead of spending a lot of money on guinea pig treats, you can make them just as happy by making them work for their food, either by suspending a grass or hay filled toilet roll, hiding carrot skins all over the place, letting some bird seed sprout in a pot or tray outside over winter (cover seeds with clingfilm until they have sprouted) or bring in an untreated rose stem (de-thorned) for them to happily take apart!
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top