Best Microgreens for Guinea Pigs

Guinea pigs are herbivores. Their diet consists of plants like fresh hay, leafy vegetables and fruits. They can eat quite a wide variety of foodstuffs, and microgreens can quickly become an unexpected favorite of your pet.

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What do guinea pigs eat?

Feeding your guinea fresh hay and leafy vegetables is a great way to keep them healthy. Microgreens such as lettuce, broccoli, kale, cilantro and cauliflower are a good way to start.

A moderate amount of fruits high in Vitamin C and low in sugar are suitable for guinea pigs to prevent scurvy. And avoid those high in sugar because they can cause stomach imbalance.

Why Grow Microgreens For Guinea Pigs

Microgreens are packed with nutrients. Research indicates that microgreens are more nutritious than their grown counterparts. They contain a bunch of vitamins that are beneficial to your guinea pig such as vitamin A, C, D, oxalate acid, phosphorus and iron. These nutrients help your guinea pig promote an overall healthy growth, bone growth and better digestion. Vitamin C content in specific, aids in preventing scurvy which is a common problem for guinea pigs.

Microgreens are also low in sugar, which means that eating microgreens can help control their blood sugar and avoid diabetes. And although microgreens offer a range of benefits, it is important to note that you should not give your guinea pig large quantities of microgreens as it can cause upset stomach or flatulence problems.

Best Microgreens for Guinea Pigs List

A list made by Green Experiment Corner summarises some of the best microgreens for your pet including the type, difficulty, care and time it takes to harvest:

Microgreen	Maximum Feeding Frequency	Growing Difficulty	Presoak Seeds?	Preferred Growing Medium	Harvest Time
Basil	Weekly	Difficult	No	Hydroponics	12-16 days
Beet	1-2 times per month	Easy	Yes	Soil	10-12 days
Broccoli	2 times per week	Easy	No	Hydroponics	7-14 days
Carrot	1-2 times per week	Intermediate	No	Soil	14-28 days
Cilantro	3-4 times per week	Difficult	No	Soil	21-28 days
Collard Greens	Weekly	Easy	No	Hydroponics	10-12 days
Dandelion Greens	2 times per week	Easy	No	Soil	12-25 days
Endive	3-4 times per week	Intermediate	No	Soil	8-15 days
Kale	Weekly	Easy	Yes	Soil or Hydroponics	8-12 days
Parsley	2 times per week	Intermediate	Yes	Soil	21-30 days
Radish	1-2 times per month	Easy	No	Soil or Hydroponics	6-12 days
Watercress	Weekly	Difficult	No	Hydroponics	8-12 days

Microgreens Guinea Pigs Should Avoid

Guinea Pigs should avoid consuming too much calcium as an excess can cause bladder stones. Because microgreens contain several times more nutrients than their mature versions, it is recommended to only feed small quantities of microgreens to your guinea pig.

Kale, broccoli, red cabbage, amaranth or sunflower microgreens are known to be good sources of calcium, so regulating their quantity is advised. And that’s all for now, if you are interested in growing microgreens don’t forget to check out our website.