Guinea pigs and hamsters are two common and popular pets that are adored by many pet lovers. They do look slightly similar and they both are rodents, but there are various dissimilarities among them too. Not many new buyers or first-time owners are aware of those differences. So we would like to discuss their dietary habits and the differences in this guide.
Contents
Can the guinea pig eat cooked food like the hamsters?
Hamsters are okay with cooked food as the meat of different kinds, including chicken and beef. But guinea pigs cannot be fed with cooked food and obviously, they do not eat the meat of any kind as they are completely herbivorous. They will not be able to digest the cooked food as their digestive system is not prepared for this.
What does the hamster usually eat?
Hamsters are omnivores and they can eat meat and greens as well as seeds, nuts, or insects. They are quite chubby-looking creatures and they can actually store some amount of food in form of fat in their body. The pet owners usually offer them commercially available foods like pellets which contain all the goodness of veggies and insects that are the natural food of the hamsters.
What are the natural foods of the guinea pigs?
Guinea pigs are herbivorous creatures and they eat a lot of vegetables along with hay, nuts, and greens. Seeds are not safe for guinea pigs and so they should never be fed with the seeds. They can get choked by eating seeds. There are also many different fruits and vegetables that the guinea pig cannot eat.
What can you feed the guinea pig if they run out of food?
There are several foods that a guinea pig can eat when the commercially available food is not available or has run out. The vegetables like cauliflower, broccoli, carrots, squash, kale, bell peppers, and romaine lettuce are such fresh vegetables that can be fed to the guinea pig at any time.
Which foods can be eaten by the guinea pigs and hamsters?
Hay is something that is beneficial for both hamsters and guinea pigs. There are two special kinds of hay-like timothy and alfalfa that can be eaten by both guinea pigs and hamsters.
Hay is also good for these two creatures. Hay contains fiber and that is how it manages the weight of these creatures. Also, the hay mentioned above helps in the digestion process and thus there will be helpful for their health.
Hay is wonderful as the bedding of both hamsters and guinea pigs as both these breeds use to eat their bedding. Thus hay can be eaten as well as sleeping on for the hamsters and guinea pigs.
Which food is not good for both hamsters and guinea pigs?
There are some common foods that should not be eaten both by hamsters and guinea pigs. Sugar is something that is totally avoidable by these breeds. Sugar, not in direct form and neither in the processed form should be fed to the hamsters and guinea pigs.
Carrot is a favorite item for both the guinea pigs and hamsters, but this one contains a good amount of natural sugar. That is why feeding carrot in large amounts is not healthy for hamsters and guinea pigs.
Should the food quantity be the same for the hamsters and guinea pigs?
There are quite a few foods that both the hamsters and guinea pigs can eat, but the amount should be restricted. For both these creatures, too much eating can cause obesity. Guinea pigs as well as hamsters are voracious eaters and they do not stop eating until the food given is finished. So as an owner, you have to be careful about the amount you are providing and each portion should be restricted.
Which nutrients needed by hamsters are also required for guinea pigs?
When it comes to choosing nutrients, you have to be conscious about the intake of vitamin C. The sources like raw spinach and parsley, tomato, and lettuce are all good sources of vitamin C, and your guinea pig, as well as a hamster, should get some of these vegetables every day.
But there are certain prohibitions as well. Guinea pigs need a good amount of vitamin C and folic acid and that amount is greater than the requirement of the hamsters. Vitamin D is not that much required by their system.
For the hamsters, vitamin C is needed but vitamin D is required in greater amounts, which is not exactly the same for the guinea pigs.
Can you give your guinea pig hamster’s muesli?
When it comes to easily available commercial foods, there are some differences between guinea pigs and hamsters. Hamsters can eat muesli but this is not much good for the guinea pigs. It is not helpful for guinea pigs and thus, hay and pellets based on grass is the only good option among commercially available foods that can be served to the guinea pigs.
Muesli can disturb the digestion and natural diet of the guinea pigs so it is better to avoid muesli in the diet of the guinea pig.
What are the benefits of feeding the guinea pig with hamster’s food?
You should only feed the food of hamsters to your guinea pigs when there is an extreme need for this. The quantity should be very limited and it should not be the full diet out of the food for the hamsters. Try to use some raw vegetables along with the food so the portion of the guinea pigs’ food gets shortened.
Why hamster’s food is not suitable in large quantities for guinea pigs?
The primary reason why hamsters’ food is not suitable for the guinea pigs is, most of the time the food for the hamsters is commercially available. The owners of the hamsters depend more on commercial foods as that does never disturb the digestion or health of the hamsters.
But guinea pigs are more dependent on natural foods like fresh vegetables and hay. That is why the owners of the guinea pigs prefer to feed them with these items and provide them with the least amount of commercial foods.
More:
