When you think about animals, well, immediately a lot of them are going to come to mind. It’s great that there are so many species to learn about, and we all have our favorites. Plus, you have animals that can be pets; essentially it’ll be like adding someone new to the family. There are a lot of people in the world who feel that a pet is the best way to add to the family. Not to mention that the kids will absolutely love to have one. Dogs, cats, chinchillas, and many more options can come to mind. Sometimes it’s great to start off small with a pet that everyone can get used to, like a guinea pig. Guinea pigs are actually a very popular choice in pets, especially if the kids are the ones making the decision.
Anyone can agree when you say that guinea pigs are so cute, and they really are. Every time you see one you just want to pick it up and take it home with you. There’s something about having a guinea pig at home that fills the room with love and appreciation. Owning one is one thing, but you are going to have a lot of responsibilities. You have to do everything you can to take care of them, and that means making they are eating healthy.
The main question arises in everyone’s mind, what’s the most important part of a guinea pig’s diet? It’s hay, and guinea pig hay is a must-have for them. Like many other small animals (bunnies, chinchillas, etc.) a source of high-quality grass hay is crucial.
Exactly What Is Grass Hay?
Guinea pigs find grass hay tasty, and it’s a soft hay option that a lot of small breed animals will eat pretty quickly. What’s great about grass hay is that it provides them with the perfect amount of fat, fiber, and protein. It’s everything they need for their digestive systems to run properly. It’s exactly what the high levels of fiber can do for them. Know that it’s important to remember that hay is going to be the most important part of their diet, mainly for their digestive system. The last things you want are for their digestive tract to become blocked (GI stasis). Now, you also want to keep in mind that there are different variants of grass hay. While there are many types to pick from, both orchard hay and Timothy hay are the most common of them all.
Actual grass isn’t actually the same as grass hay, there’s a difference. has to be harvested at the peak of its freshness in order to maintain its quality. At that point is exactly when its value is going to be at its greatest.
There Are Two Main Benefits
No matter what kind of pet you have, as an owner, you are always going to be curious about the benefits of what they are eating. Well, there are two main benefits:
- Help With Digestive Health – Now, high fiber content guinea pig hay helps reduce soft stools. It can stimulate the digestive system helping prevent both obesity and even bloating. Plus, it can decrease the chances of them developing GI stasis too
- Great For Dental – By constantly having hay, guinea pigs will be able to keep their chompers down. This is important because their incisors and cheek teeth are always going to grow. Overgrown teeth can cause a lot of dental problems for them, a steady diet can prevent a lot of those dental problems
You don’t have to be overwhelmed with all of the hay options available, keep things simple. As long as you keep them on a steady diet everything will be okay.