Guinea pigs shopping list:
This list contains veggies, edible herbs and fruits you can feed your piggies,
except the edible wild plants, herbs and grasses, which are in another article. As for poisoness veggies and fruits, if it's not in the list, don't feed it!!
Golden rule: feed various veggies and fruits,
feed different types daily with moderation, feed them as many as they can eat and you can afford.
Keep in mind that fruits are fattening, so use them in lesser amounts. Dark green veggies, like parsley and spinach, in general can cause bladder
and kidney stones, so feed them in moderation. Cabbages,
broccoli and Brussels
sprouts will make your piggies gassy and can even cause diarrhea. Acidic fruits like apples, can cause mouth sores, which can make a piggie stop eating,
so it can die.
Watery veggies
and fruits, like lettuces
and watermelon can cause diarrhea.
There is also a list included
at the end, which complies
to a low calcium diet, which is preferable and advisable
for all pigs. The list contains 0.3% and less calcium
veggies and fruit. Combine
these with Timothy hay, some dried green oats as a treat,
pellets with low calcium
value (currently 0.4% calcium pellets are available).
Edible wild grasses, plants and herbs:
Sometimes, we have piggies
with health problems. In addition to what a vet decides for medication, not as a replacement, some plants can be very effective
to help the treatment. Check with the vet first.
Many plants make real good piggie food, but we have forgotten what their use is besides
nutrition.
To make sure you pick edible herbs, these pictures
will help to pick them. Make sure you know what you are picking! Only pick from places free of contaminants such as pesticides, exhaust fumes or urine.
Pick plants
that are healthy looking, without insect damage, fungus spots, breakage,
or wilting.
If you can only eat part of the plant: then it is mentioned which. If nothing
is mentioned: the whole plant can be eaten.
As for toxic herbs, if it's not in the list, don't feed it!!
Agrimony (Agrimonia eupatoria) It’s an anti-inflammatory, it reinforces the body, it sooths diarrea and liver problems,
it has lots of vitamin
B and
K and contains Iron, it’s a diuretic.
Anise (Pimpinella anisum) Useful for flatulence, helps to remove slimes
on lungs.
Basil (Basilicum ocimum) It’s diuretic, it lowers a fever,
it’s calming, it combats bacteria, it’s disinfectant, anti-fungus and sooths cramps.
Blackberry leaves (Rubus plicatus)
- pick young & tender leaves and shoots.
It helps to calm down upset stomachs.
Borage (Borago
officinalis) It dissolves slimes, it strengthens the body, it lowers fever, it
purifies blood, it’s a
diuretic, it lowers
fever, it
stimulates milk
production in lactating animals, it helps to sooth
mucosa infections.
Calendula (Calendula officinalis) - leaves
and flowers. It relieves allergies a bit, it helps healing
wounds.
Caraway (Carum carvi)
Helps to sooth cramps in the belly.
Chamomile (Anthemis
nobilis) It improves digesting food and is calming.
Chickweed (Stellaria media) It’s diuretic and mildly laxative. It's often recommended for asthma, bronchitis, or
congestion.
Cleavers / Stickyweed / Goosegrass / Bedstraw
(Galium aparine) It strengthens the heart and
arteries, it’s diuretic, helps
with UTI’s and bladder, kidney stone and skin problems.
Clover (Trifolium repens or Trifolium pratense, No yellow clover!!) It’s an antispasmic.
Coltsfoot (tussilaga farfara) Pick leaves only. It helps to sooth a URI, stomach and bowel problems, relieves diarrea and cramps, it’s rich in vitamin C.
Coriander (Coriandrum sativum) Useful for flatulence, as
an antispasmodic, as an anti rheumatic.
Cow Parsley
(Anthiscus sylvestris) Useful for flatulence.
Cowberry (Vaccinium vitis-idaeae) - berries, leaves in moderation. It enhances appetite, stimulates digestive activity, relieves gout, colds, rheumatism and high blood pressure.
Dandelion (Teraxacum officinale) Pick leaves, no roots, no stems, flowers are ok to eat. It helps to improve appetite, it’s diuretic, anti inflammatory, it
relieves gout and
is anti rheumatic, it improves
liver problems.
Dog Rose (Rosa canina)
Only the ripe fruits. It’s good to strengthen an exhausted piggie after illness or
pregnancy, helps to improve atherosclerosis,
healing wounds and fractured bones, it
improves digestion, it’s calming, relieves stomach
and female illnesses.
Duckweed (Lemna
minor). It’s found in ponds. Rince very well to remove
possible botox liver damaging becteria. Feed in moderation: it contains
more protein then Soya! It’s laxative.
Field Violet / Wild Pansy (Viola tricolor)
It’s helpful for cystitis, good for epilepsy and is anti rheumatic.
Goat's Rue, French Lilac, Italian Fitch or Professor-weed (Galega officinalis) It stimulates development and increases the amount of
milk, it’s diuretic. It lowers
the blood sugar amount,
so don’t feed to piggies with diabetes.
Groundsel (Senecio vulgaris) It’s helpful for healing internal injuries after surgery.
Lavorge (Levisticum officinale) It relieves digestion problems.
Lemon Mint / Melissa (Melissa officinalis) It stimulates digestive activity.
Linden / Lime Tree (Tilia cordata
or Tilia platyphyllos) Flowers with pale yellow
leaflets. It’s an anti depressive.
Miner's Lettuce (Claytonia perfoliata) Contains enormous amounts of vitamin C: good for scurvy treatment!
Narrowleaf plantain (Plantago
lanceolata L.) Pick the leaves only. It decreases tingly feelings, it’s a natural antibiotic, it can be used extra for a cough or a cold.
Nettles
(Lamium: all types) Of course it’s best to dry the stingy nettles,
but the ones that don’t sting can be fed, all types of
them (yellow, white or purple flowers).
Nettles should not be fed to piggies
with kidney and bladder
stone problems, as nettles increase the intake of calcium.
It’s a diuretic,
anti-inflammatory and have natural antihistamines to relieve allergies. Nettles with white flowers work as an
anti-depressant.
Oregano (Origanum
vulgare) Desinfects wounds and the intestines. It’s anti-inflammatory, dissolves slimes on the
lungs, it’s a diuretic, it sooths belly cramps.
Peppermint (Mentha
piperita) Helps to sooth cramps in the belly.
Plantain (Plantago Major) It’s antiviral, diuretic, helps stomach problems, relieves itching and swelling from insect bites and
allergies, helps to heal wounds. It does lower blood sugars, so it should not be given to piggies that are diabetic.
Purple Coneflower (Echinacea augustifolia) Pick the root only. It is an antibiotic, it stimulates the immune system and improves
the lymph node system.
Raspberry leaves (Rubus idaeus) Pick young & tender
leaves and shoots.
Good for curing rashes, belly aches, helping to cure URI’s and is diuretic.
Shepherd's Purse (Capsella bursa-pastoris) It’s
anti-inflammatory and
diuretic,
it
has
an
anti-cancer
effect.
This plant should
not be used by pregnant
piggies as it contracts the uterus.
Silverweed (Potentilla anserina) It helps sooth cramps in
the belly, it helps to heal skin
wounds, it’s anti epileptic.
Smooth sow thistle (Sonchus Oleraceus) It improves
liver problems, URI’s,
sore
throat.
Don’t use for pregnant pigs.
Stinging Nettle (Urtica
dioica) It’s used to stop bleeding, it’s diuretic.
Thyme (Thymus vulgaris)
It’s anti-inflammatory, antifungal, dissolves slimes on the lungs, reduces cramps, opens up the lungs, stops bleeding, improves the digestive system, reduces urinary infections.
Wood Avens (Geum urbanum)
It helps
to stop
bleeding, it’s anti- inflammatory, it
reinforces the body, it’s helpful
at stomach and intestine problems.
Whortleberry / Heidelberry (Vaccinium myrtillus) Pick berries, leaves in
moderation. It’s an anti-inflammatory, has a weak anti-diabetic activity.
Wild Chamomile (Matricaria chammomilla) It
helps against bloated belly’s, stomach problems,
URI’s, it’s anti inflammatory.
Wild Strawberry (Fragaria vesca) Pick berries and leaves.
It helps against stomach and belly
problems, UTI’s, kidney and
bladder stones, it’s diuretic, anti rheumatism, anti gout.
Willow (salix) Pick leaves and branches.
It has a pain relieving capacity, it’s calming and helps to stop
bleeding, it lowers fever.
Yarrow (Achillea
millefolium) It stimulates digestion and helps against bloated belly. It’s a natural antibiotic, anti-inflammatory, antispasmodic, it’s good for the cardio-vascular system.
HIGH Level Vitamin C foods
Beet greens
Bell / Sweet Peppers/ capsicum /paprika - red, green, yellow (not hot or chili)
Broccoli Rabe / Rabe / Rapini (feed in moderation: high in calcium, gassy)
Broccoli, Broccolini (feed in moderation: high in calcium, gassy)
Carrots (also tops / leaves
) (feed carrots
in moderation, vitamin A in carrots can cause liver problems)
Cauliflower / Broccoflower / purple
cauliflowers (caution: gassy: leaves only)
Celery
Cilantro / Chinese
Parsley / Coriander
greens
Collard greens
Cress: watercress / garden cress
Currants - yellow, red or black (leaves
also edible)
Feijoa / Pineapple
Guava
Gooseberries (caution
– mouth sores can develop)
Grapefruit (caution – mouth sores
can develop)
Kiwi Fruit
Kohlrabi (leaves too)
Mango
Melons: Cantaloupe Melon / rock melon, Gallia,
honeydew
Mustard greens
/ Leaf Mustard
Orange (caution - sores around
lips can develop)
Papaya / Paw Paw / Tree Melon
Parsley - curly or plain cilantro (feed in moderation: high in calcium)
Peas in pods, peas, pea Shoots
(not dried): (fattening)
Persimmon - american
or oriental
Rosehip
Spinach (feed in moderation: can cause kidney & bladder
stones, slightly
toxic too)
Strawberries
Swiss Chard, Red Chard
Tamarillo (leaves poisonous)
Tangerine / Mandarin (caution - sores around lips can develop)
Tomato (sores around mouth can develop;
leaves poisonous; artificially grown can be low in vitamin
C)
LOW Level Vitamin C foods:
Anise (not Japanese: toxic)
Apple (avoid seeds; can cause sores around
lips & mouth can develop)
Apricot
Artichoke
Arugula / Rocket
/ Roquette / Rucola
Asparagus
Banana (feed in great moderation - can cause constipation)
Basil
Bilberries
Blackberries
Blueberries
Celery Root / Celeriac
Cherries (remove core)
Chicory / endive
Corn on the cob (strings, leaves &
stalks are edible too)
Crabapple
Cranberries (whole fruit, not concentrate or juice)
Cucumber (fresh only, not pickled,
caution: can cause runny poo: feed in moderation)
Dates (don’t feed dried ones: high in sugar)
Dill
Endive (Belgian, green, curled)
Fennel (excellent for bowel problems)
Grapes (in moderation, high in sugar)
Lettuce (Frisee
, Romaine, red, green,
oak, butter, Boston, no iceburg lettuce)
Mint
Nectarine
Paksoi
Parsley root
Parsnip
Peach (caution: gassy)
Pear
Pineapple - fresh (sores
around lips & mouth can develop)
Plum, Prune (dried high in sugar - as treat only, caution:
gassy)
Pumpkin (no seeds)
Radicchio / Italian
Chicory / Treviso
Radicchio
Radishes
Raspberries
Red beets
Rutabaga
Squash - acorn, banana, butterhorn, spaghetti, and others
(feed in moderation)
Thyme
Turnip
Watermelon (red and yellow, can cause diarrhea
- high water content)
Yam / Sweet Potato
(high in vitamin
A - leaves edible, avoid potato skin - fattening)
Zucchini
Low calcium vegs and fruits (feed fruits as treats only):
Sweet Potato
Parsnips
Squash
Turnip
Green Beans
Lettuce types (no iceberg) Parsnips
Squash
Turnip
Carrots(feed moderate, can cause liver issues) Kohlrabi
Cauliflower
Asparagus Pumpkin
Endive,Belgian Raisins(seedless) Orange
Blackberries
Kiwi
Papaya
Raspberries Beets
Cucumber Cherries Strawberries Tangerine Apricots Grapefruit Pear Cantaloupe Grapes
Mango
Mango
Bell Peppers (GPCC Note: Great source of Vitamin C low calcium and oxalic acid, so we feed daily
Tomato
Watermelon
Persimmon
Pineapple
Apple
Cranberries
Banana
Blueberries
Melon- all types
Nectarine
Peach
Plum
Corn, White and the pale husk leaves.
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