You’ve probably heard that guinea pigs enjoy eating the spring mix.
The stuff found in those mixes only depends on what you prefer to put in them. Before putting some ingredients in them, it’s wise to consult with your local veterinarian if something is good or bad to add to spring mixes.
The most important part is picking the suitable lettuce for the mix. As Boston lettuce is one of the most popular veggies, the question “Can guinea pigs eat boston lettuce?” is trending these days all over the internet.
Let me save you some time and money by telling you that boston lettuce is a good veggie for your guinea pigs!
Where can you buy some fresh boston lettuce? How can you properly introduce it to guinea pigs? Are there any risks in offering them more than they should eat at a time? How do cavies benefit from eating this plant?
The above questions are answered in the article below – don’t be shy and help out your guinea pigs!
Where Does Boston Lettuce Fit Into Guinea Pigs’ Diet?
We all fell in love with guinea pigs rather quickly when we first saw the unique smile that they have from time to time. They won’t smile for everyone – that’s only reserved for the chosen ones. We have to provide cavies with all of the necessary stuff for them to consider us worthy of their unique smile!
To ensure that guinea pigs are happy all the time, they will first and foremost need a spacious cage filled with toys. You should consider buying them toys that resemble various obstacles for them to overcome daily. They’re not that expensive; visit your local pet shop to find some!
As you start to equip the cage of guinea pigs with toys, you should pay close attention to the location where you want to put their feeding bowls. Guinea pigs sometimes tend to run fast, and that can lead them to bump right into those bowls.
It’s recommended that you put them in a safe spot that makes them impossible to spill out any content present inside the bowls. It can get messy if any water or food is mixed with guinea pigs’ hay – be considerate and put them in the corner of the cage to prevent cavies from rolling them over.
Most importantly, without a proper diet for guinea pigs, they won’t have a good base for their daily activities. I’ll just briefly touch on their diet – it should mainly consist of fresh hay, fruits, vegetables, and occasional snacks.
If you want an in-depth article regarding guinea pigs’ diet, I’ve got you covered – just click on the link here!
As long as you follow the general guidelines for cavies food regime, nothing terrible will occur in the long run. Some mistakes can happen from time to time, and most of them manifest when people want to implement some kind of new type of food in guinea pigs’ diet.
Before you do that, you should always visit your local veterinarian and ask them whether that thing is good or bad for cavies. Luckily for you, I’ve got you covered regarding Boston lettuce for guinea pigs.
Many people pass on this lettuce in the market, not even knowing what it is. Next time you read Boston lettuce, butterhead lettuce, or butter lettuce – remember that they are the same thing! And be sure to buy some for your beloved furballs!
The main thing to keep in mind when offering them some boston lettuce is that although it’s a veggie, only offer them this plant as a treat. Boston lettuce is healthy for guinea pigs, but only in small amounts – give cavies one-half of a single leaf once per week.
Don’t be surprised if your guinea pigs refuse the boston lettuce when you offer them some for the first time. They know what’s best for them – if they reject it, don’t force them to eat something that isn’t appealing to them. That can change with time; just be patient.
Offer them some from time to time, and if that doesn’t work, you will have two options:
- Give up on trying to give some boston lettuce to guinea pigs
- Try mixing this lettuce with other vegetables that you regularly offer for your guinea pigs
One of my guinea pigs didn’t want to eat the boston lettuce at first, but it began to show interest in this plant as time passed. Never rush them into something that they don’t want to do, and give them free space to think about whether something is good for them or not!
Wash The Boston Lettuce Before Offering It To Guinea Pigs
Many people will inevitably target many types of foods that are put on sale before you stumble upon that exact food. That means that some people will pick the vegetables and fruits to check the freshness it provides. You can’t guarantee that their hands will be clean at all times!
As soon as you buy some boston lettuce, head home to wash that plant thoroughly. Before you start to wash this plant, make sure that you peel off the first layer of the leaves. Those leaves have been sprayed with some kind of toxins, most likely pesticides or insecticides.
Guinea pigs can’t tolerate those toxins in their food, so be sure to remove the first layer of leaves! After that, wash the boston lettuce without missing a single part of it. When you are done, put the plant in a sun-exposed area so that all of the moisture evaporates from the lettuce.
Take a plastic box and fill it with the cleaned boston lettuce before putting it in a refrigerator. The fridge will keep the lettuce safe for consumption for a couple of days, so make sure that you and your guinea pigs eat it before it rots away.
What Makes Boston Lettuce Good For Guinea Pigs?
To fully understand why you should offer boston lettuce to guinea pigs, you will need to read through the macros of this plant first:
| Calories | 13 |
| Water | 95 % |
| Protein | 1.35 g |
| Fiber | 1.1 g |
| Sugar | 0.94 g |
| Fat | 0.22 g |
| Potassium | 238 mg |
| Calcium | 35 mg |
| Phosphorus | 33 mg |
| Vitamin C | 3.7 mg |
| Vitamin E | 0.18 mg |
Having only 13 calories is a double-edged sword:
- On one hand, having a food source with a small number of calories as boston lettuce, is ideal for keeping track of how many calories you take into your organism.
- On the other hand, veggies with a small number of calories are a weak food source for guinea pigs. They need to eat stuff that has more calories in them to sustain themselves properly throughout the day!
Let’s take a look at some health-related stuff that boston lettuce offers to guinea pigs:
Antioxidants
Guinea pigs tend to remain on their feet all day long, and to do so, they will need to eat appropriately multiple times a day. You will need to provide them with a constant supply of fresh hay so that they can munch on it whenever they feel like doing so.
Sadly, some strings aren’t as good as the others, and in a batch of fresh ones, sometimes there can be found a single old hay string. Any old food that is digested poses several health-related issues in the organism, especially for guinea pigs.
Make sure to keep your cavies healthy and offer them some boston lettuce from time to time. That plant is an excellent source of antioxidants that will protect the cells of guinea pigs from any free radicals present inside them!
Enhances The Eyesight Of Guinea Pigs
Cavies are, unfortunately, famous for having bad eyesight. Many accidents will occur because they can’t see some stuff that is near them. Luckily for guinea pigs, this problem is, to some extent, fixable.
The vitamins present in boston lettuce will help the guinea pigs’ immune systems, especially vitamin A, C, and B-6. Most of them even enhance the eyesight of your beloved furballs!
Diarrhea And Bloating
If you provide too much boston lettuce to your guinea pigs, there will be a big chance for them to manifest some illnesses like bloating and diarrhea. No one likes those, especially cavies – so be sure to provide them with this veggie in moderate amounts!
Can Guinea Pigs Eat Boston Lettuce? – To Sum Up
Guinea pigs need to have a diverse diet. Before adding any new stuff to their diet, make sure to educate yourself if it’s safe for them or not. On that note, if you are still wondering can guinea pigs eat boston lettuce, let me briefly explain it one more time:
- As long as you offer boston lettuce to guinea pigs once per week, there won’t be any problems in the long run. Make sure that you only offer them a single leaf that is cut in half.
- Boston lettuce is an excellent source of vitamins, such as vitamin A, C, and B-6, which all aid in cavies’ overall health. Rich in antioxidants, it improves eyesight and keeps the immune system of guinea pigs healthy at all times.
- Remember to offer them only a tiny amount of this veggie as it has high calcium levels present inside it. That can cause some intestinal problems, like bloating and diarrhea.
Be considerate towards your guinea pig and offer them some boston lettuce. They might not like it at first, but they will undoubtedly learn to love the taste of this vegetable with time!