Vitamin C

[Miah]

I have to fight with my piggies every time for them to eat their Vit C. When I can't get them to eat it I just end up putting it in their food bowls, but then there is no way for me to know if they are both getting the full amount... What are some other forms of Vit C that I can try, any pig favourites?

[rjespicer]

Our 3 love Green and Red peppers.

There is an online list here that you can sort by Vitamin C content that might help. Just keep an eye on the amounts of Sugar and Calcium too

https://www.guinealynx.info/chart.html#chart

[ItsaZoo]

What kind of Vit.C are you feeding? I have been using the Oxbow Natural Science Vit. C and my piggy loves them. She starts wheeking as soon as she hears the jar I keep them in.

[GrannyJu1]

Mine start wheeking as soon as I walk to the end of the cage where I store it.

[CavyQueenie]

My piggy loves bell peppers, as well as small servings of orange. Also, orange peels have LOADS of Vitamin C without the sugar of the fruit. However, they still shouldn't be fed in excess due to high levels of acid.

[Lynx]

I don't think anyone on this board has ever recommended feeding orange peels to guinea pigs. It is not a food I would ever recommend.

[Waddles]

I read recently that orange trees are often sprayed with not only pesticides but antibiotics to curb certain diseases.

[Sef]

i'd definitely go organic if I were to feed orange peels, but ditto -- I don't recall anyone here ever suggesting that.

[pigjes]

Orange peels contain alkaloids, saponins, terpenes, resins, flavonoids, phenols, tannins, sugars, proteins, and water. Alkaloids, saponins, terpenes, resins, flavonoids, phenols, and tannins all have a level of toxicity, which is far too high to give to a small animal like a piggie. It will not kill them acutely, but in the long run.

[Lynx]

Thanks for a more complete explanation!

[Sef]

Interesting. Are apple peels iffy, too, since they also have tannins? (I don't feed apples, but just curious).