21 Low Calcium Foods For Guinea Pigs
Guinea pigs benefit from low-calcium foods for many reasons. First of all, it’s crucial to balance your guinea pig’s diet. If you’re feeding a lot of nutrient-rich, leafy green foods that are high in calcium, you’ll want to balance that with a variety of lower-calcium veggies.
If your guinea pig is prone to bladder stones or sludge, you’ll also want to feed them a low-calcium diet. It’s also a good idea to choose vegetables that are high in Vitamin C.
If you find dried white pee marks in your guinea pig’s cage, this can be a sign that they have too much calcium in their diet.
To prevent stones from forming, it’s a good idea to feed low-calcium veggies from this list and increase your guinea pig’s water intake.
You can also find a helpful list of fruits and vegetables for your guinea pig, including calcium levels, on our Guinea Pig Food Chart.
High Calcium Foods to Avoid
If your guinea pig has too much calcium in their diet, you’ll want to eliminate or decrease a few foods in their veggie rotation.
Most leafy greens are very nutrient-rich, often containing very high levels of calcium.
Some popular high-calcium foods include kale, arugula, mustard greens, spinach, collard greens, turnip greens, watercress, spring mixes, broccoli, and bok choy.
Most guinea pig safe herbs have very high amounts of calcium as well. This includes parsley, cilantro, thyme, oregano, mint, and others.
Most guinea pig safe fruit is low in calcium, but most types of fruit should be restricted to small amounts due to their high sugar content.
If you notice some powdery dried white urine marks in the cage, you should cut down on any calcium-rich foods until your guinea pig’s pee is normal again. However, it’s a good idea to re-introduce them in small amounts again later. These foods contain high levels of vitamins and nutrients, so only eliminate them permanently if it’s absolutely necessary.
21 Best Low Calcium Veggies for Guinea Pigs
Without further ado, here is a list of the best low-calcium veggies you can feed your guinea pig.
1. Sweet Bell Peppers
Also known as capsicums, sweet bell peppers are excellent vegetables for guinea pigs.
They are low in calcium while providing a high source of Vitamin C. You can feed all colors of bell peppers, including green, yellow, orange, and red.
Orange bell peppers contain the highest amounts of Vitamin C, at 158mg Vitamin C per 100 grams.
Bell peppers are not overly high in sugar, so you can feed them regularly to your guinea pig without weight concerns.
Out of all the colors, red bell peppers are the highest in sugar, so it’s a good idea to feed them no more than 3 times a week.
It’s a good idea to feed different colors of bell peppers to your piggies, as each color contains different types of antioxidants.
Green, yellow, and orange bell peppers are excellent staple veggies and can be fed to your guinea pig every day.
2. Lettuce
All varieties of lettuce are relatively low in calcium at about 35mg of calcium per 100 grams. In comparison to high-calcium greens like kale which comes in at 254mg per 100 grams, lettuce is very low in calcium.
However, lettuce is also low in essential nutrients such as Vitamin C, so make sure you’re feeding it along with other veggies that are high in Vitamin C.
Lettuce also has a relatively high water content, so it can be good to keep your guinea pig hydrated and help flush out their bladder.
However, this means it can also cause diarrhea if fed in excess, so don’t go overboard when feeding this one.
3. Fresh Grass
Fresh grass is great to harvest and feed to your guinea pig, as long as it is hand-picked and pesticide-free. Grass can also be an excellent temporary replacement for hay if you ever run out of food for your guinea pig.
Avoid feeding any grass clippings from the lawnmower, as these can ferment in your guinea pig’s stomach and cause bloat.
Pick grass from areas that you know are free from pesticides and not soiled by other animals. Avoid picking unknown weeds along with the grass, as certain kinds can be poisonous to guinea pigs. Dandelion and clover are safe for piggies, but they are also quite high in calcium.
You can also grow wheatgrass inside for your guinea pigs. This can be a great option in the winter months. It can also be an excellent option for apartment dwellers who don’t have a safe yard to pick their own grass.
You can purchase wheatgrass seeds or buy a wheatgrass planter kit for this purpose. Wheatgrass is very easy and fast-growing, and most guinea pigs love it!
4. Cucumber
Cucumber is also low in calcium. It’s very high in water content, which can help flush out the bladder and get more water in your guinea pig’s system.
However, don’t go overboard, as too many watery veggies can cause diarrhea. Cucumber is also not the most nutrient-rich food, so be sure to supplement it with other guinea pig safe fruits and vegetables.
5. Tomatoes
Tomatoes are full of nutrients while remaining low in calcium. They are also a good source of Vitamin C, which is an essential vitamin for guinea pigs to get in their daily diet.
Tomatoes are a bit acidic and can cause digestive upset or sores in your guinea pig’s mouth if fed too much.
However, one cherry tomato or an equivalent amount of a full-sized tomato every other day is perfectly safe for guinea pigs.
Avoid feeding unripe tomatoes and any parts of the tomato stem or leaves, as these are all poisonous to guinea pigs.
6. Carrots
Carrots also contain many great nutrients. They contain some calcium but fairly low amounts. Carrot tops are much higher in calcium, however, so be sure to discard these if your guinea pig is on a strict low-calcium diet.
Carrots are high in Vitamin A, beta carotene, and fiber while also providing some Vitamin C. Most guinea pigs love carrots as well.
Carrots can be fed frequently but in small amounts. They are relatively high in sugar compared to other vegetables. This can cause guinea pigs to put on excess weight if they are fed in large amounts.
7. Radicchio
This round, red cabbage-looking vegetable is quite popular with many guinea pigs. Radicchio also contains a fairly small amount of calcium, making it a safe choice for most piggies.
However, it provides a pretty insignificant source of Vitamin C, so it should be fed alongside other veggies that are high in Vitamin C.
Radicchio contains a few other nutrients, such as Potassium and Vitamin K. It’s also high in fiber and water content.
In addition, it has a low calcium-phosphorus level, which is excellent for stone-prone guinea pigs. Overall, it’s a good veggie to feed your guinea pig a couple of times a week.