Hi kelticrose,
I'm sure that avacodo is gone by now, but there's a lot of information
here that will make your pets happy. There's a LOT of safe foods that
they can eat!
I could find no specific warning about avacado for guinea pigs, but
the site below warned against avacados for rabbits.
You must be sure your pets get enough vitamin C and water, regular
pellet or hay type food, and give fresh foods as treats, that animals
will love you for it as they get bored with pellets and hay all the
time.
Both these links are fabulous sources of information:
Caring for Guinea Pigs and Rabbits
http://www.klsnet.com/rabbit.html
RABBITS: Some recommended treats include mustard greens, dandelions
(chemical free), pumpkin, carrots, papaya, and raisins.
There are a considerable number of foods to be avoided or greatly
limited, including corn, wheat, oats, and cabbage. Iceberg lettuce,
avocados, raw beans, rhubarb, house or garden plants, and any food
that may be rotten or treated with chemicals should never be fed to
your rabbit. When in doubt, leave it out.
GUINEA PIGS: Proper feeding and nutrition
http://www.aracnet.com/~seagull/Guineas/feeding.html
Linked topics: Water
Hay: the basic food
Guinea pig pellets
Vitamin C requirements
Fresh fruits and vegetables
Fresh food choices
Treats
Here's a chart of how much vitamin C is in fresh foods and how much to
serve to obtain roughly 10mg of vitamin C:
http://www.aracnet.com/~seagull/Guineas/VitaminC.shtml
..."Also, be aware that many fresh greens are laxative in action,
which means that you run the risk of giving your guinea pigs loose
bowels, or even diarrhea, if you feed them too much at one time. If
you notice runny droppings, immediately cut fresh greens out of their
diet and feed dry foods until the feces returns to normal. Vegetables
that are not laxative (such as carrots) may still be fed..."
..."Guinea pigs will not eat what they don't like: some cavies have
very discriminating tastes, while others will eat anything that you
put in front of them. Each pig has it's own preferences, and it may
take some time to figure out what he or she likes best. Given below is
a list of foods that guinea pigs can/will eat.
This list is neither comprehensive nor complete.
apples, bananas, bread (slightly stale & crunchy, but not moldy),
broccoli, carrot greens, carrots and baby carrots, celery (cut into
small pieces first), cilantro, cucumber, dandelion greens, grass,
green & red bell peppers, green leaf & romaine lettuce, kale, kiwi,
mustard greens, oats, oranges, parsley, raspberries, spinach, tomatoes
When feeding "wild" greens, such as grass and dandelion greens, make
sure they have not been sprayed with chemicals, or contaminated by
droppings or urine from other animals, such as cats, dogs and birds.
The dangers of pesticides are obvious, and feces can carry any number
of parasites which can be transmitted to cavies eating contaminated
greens. Even if dogs and cats are dewormed regularly, their feces can
contain protozoa/bacteria which can cause debilitating diarrhea in a
guinea pig.
Some foods to avoid are listed below:
long celery stalks (the "strings" in celery are difficult to digest);
cut them into small pieces
iceberg lettuce (high in nitrates, no nutritional value)
any shelled nuts or seeds (guinea pigs can choke on the shell fragments)
raw beans (poisonous)
rhubarb (extremely poisonous)
There is some confusion as to whether or not potato peelings are good
or bad: some books indicate that they are poisonous to guinea pigs,
while others say that they are okay in small amounts. The truth is
that potatoes are okay, however, any green in a potato is poisoinous.
So, if you do give potato or peelings, make sure there are no green
spots anywhere in the portions.
Also, some people may recommend yogurt in small amounts, for it's
bacteria-growing properties (to aid the digestive system). Instead,
look into acidophilus powders or liquids: acidophilus is also a
bacteria growing culture, and it';s likely to give better results
since less of it needs to be fed..."
Good luck, and I hope this helps you prepare delicious treats for your pets!
~~Cynthia
Search terms used at Google:
"guinea pigs" rabbits safe food list |
