Oxbow Guinea Pig Food: Why Consider It?
Few animals out there have bigger personalities in such a small body. It’s understandable to want a cat or a dog as an animal companion. But think about it. Do you really have the free time required and the financial resources necessary to properly take care of the needs of a kitty or a pup? Can you walk your dog multiple times per day? Can you afford to buy cat litter or deal with the potential vet bills associated with the pet ownership process? For most Australians, the unfortunate answer to these questions is no. But, if you can’t realistically go for a more conventional pet, why not at least consider purchasing a guinea pig?
Social, easy-to-take care of, cheap to own, and surprisingly long-living, guinea pigs are a great choice for families with small children or for individuals living in a dwelling with strict stipulations when it comes to pet ownership. Guinea pigs are not passive. They can learn to recognise their handler’s voice, they are quite active, they are capable of forming genuine bonds with their owners, and they have a gentle temperament, which makes them a perfect introductory pet for small children.
Guinea pigs require no litter training; they don’t have to be walked, their nutritional requirements are quite straightforward, and they pretty much never bite as long as you handle them properly. But, even if they are great budget options when it comes to animal companionship, guinea pigs still require an investment when it comes to their food. Do you want to keep your pet around for many years to come? Then, you will need to invest in Oxbow Timothy hay.
What Do They Need to Eat?
I will go on a bat and say it from the get-go. Do you want to make your life a bit easier? Then, if you are worried about your pet’s nutritional intake, the best thing you can do is invest in top-shelf Oxbow guinea pig food. As rodents, guinea pigs are not exactly the pickiest eaters around. Sure, they are obligatory herbivores that spend the vast majority of their day foraging for hay. But realistically, if you give them access to an unlimited amount of it and you occasionally feed them with a vegetable or two, they should be more than happy.
Why Oxbow Timothy hay? Well, it’s a two-fold reason. Timothy hay is perhaps the best, calorically dense type of hay available in Australia. Yes, Meadow hay or Orchard grass are also good options to consider. But Timothy hay is finer when it comes to texture, it’s useful for keeping your guinea pigs’ teeth worn down and it’s also quite easy on digestion, which is a big thing, as one of the most dangerous things for a guinea pig is constipation.
What Ratios Are We Talking About?
Around 80% of a guinea pig’s diet should consist of Oxbow Timothy hay. The rest? Well, around 15% of its nutritional intake should come from fresh vegetables, while the rest of 5% should come from calorically-rich pellets and the occasional treat, such as cut-up fruits.
Vegetables are particularly important for guinea pigs, as, just like us, they are unable to produce Vitamin C on their own. Hay is not really that rich in it, so, if you want to eliminate the risks of scurvy, you should either feed your guinea pig with Romain lettuce or cucumbers, or, easier, just invest in Oxbow guinea pig food.
Why Is It Easier to Buy Oxbow Guinea Pig Food?
It’s a matter of availability and affordability. You don’t really need to invest in Oxbow Timothy hay. But it’s convenient. Oxbow guinea pig food is primarily composed of Timothy hay, high in fibre and protein. It features added vitamin C in the composition, which is crucial for the health of your small rodent, and it has no additives or colourants that could negatively impact the development of your pet.
Personally, I just found them to be a bit easier. Pellets should not account for the bulk of your guinea pig’s diet. But they are important for their protein intake, they are high in fibre, and they are useful for providing them with the daily recommended dosage of Vitamin C. The first guinea pig I’ve ever owned lived to the respectable age of 9. And honestly, I think in large part his longevity was influenced by us feeding him Oxbow Timothy hay and Oxbow guinea pig food pellets.
Is There a Difference Between Guinea Pig Food and Rabbit Food?
Yes, there is one major one. Guinea pigs cannot produce Vitamin C on their own, so they either need to be occasionally fed with vegetables rich in it, or it must be added, as a supplement, to their hay. Rabbits, on the other hand, do not need added Vitamin C in their diet, as they can produce it on their own. Rabbit pellets are optimised for a faster metabolism; they have slightly different calcium ratios, and sometimes even the consistency of the pellets can be a bit different.
That said, at least in theory, a rabbit should be fine, at least for a while on being fed Oxbow guinea pig food. The same is not true, however, for guinea pigs. They need that vitamin C, and if they don’t get it, they can develop chronic and life-altering ailments that will significantly reduce their lifespan. So, do you own both a guinea pig and a rabbit and you think you can save up on costs by feeding them both from the same pellets? Sure, temporarily, you can do so. But if you plan to do this long-term, it could be a huge mistake.
Guinea pigs, at least compared to other rodents, are quite sturdy little animals. But they are not immune to long-term health conditions, and their digestive systems are quite sensitive. Personally, when I owned guinea pigs in the past, I always went for the high-quality Timothy hay commercialised by Oxbow. Why risk it after all? I loved my little fluffball; he (probably) loved me back, and so, I wanted to give him the best of the best.
