As Guinea Pigs are herbivores, you must take care of nutrient availability in their daily diet before feeding them food items like Barley Grass.
Feeding Barley grass can greatly help your Guinea Pig’s dental health, as chewing this grass can reduce their growing teeth.
So, go through this article to know if Barley grass is really suitable for your Guinea Pigs and tips to grow them.
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What Is The Best Grass For Guinea Pigs?
Guinea Pigs eat many types of grass hay, but the best grass to feed them is Timothy hay. You can prepare this hay after drying Timothy’s grass.
One of the reasons why this grass is best for these pigs is that grass is very low in calories and protein. It prevents the pigs from unnecessary weight gain.
You can feed this grass to pigs of all ages as it is very safe and has a balanced ratio of nutrients like protein, calcium, fiber, etc.
It’s not a big deal if Timothy Grass is not available. You can also feed Orchard grass hay to your pigs.
Orchard grass hay has nutrients similar to Timothy grass with a sweet aroma. However, it may not be suitable for those pigs who don’t prefer aromatic grass.
Other grasses suitable for Guinea Pigs include Bermuda, Rye, Wheat, Meadow, Blue grasses, etc.
Is Barley Grass Good For Guinea Pigs?
Barley grass can be a good addition to your Guinea pigs if you feed them in a limited quantity.
However, it’s not a good idea to feed them just grass hay as Barley grass hay contains high calcium that is not good for this animal.
Moreover, this grass does not have balanced nutrients like other high-quality grasses.
But Barley grass can be perfect for your Guinea pigs if you feed the grass with vegetables, pellets, and other food sources. Make sure you feed them when the grass is young.
Feeding Barley grass with these food items can enhance the taste of your pig’s diet, making them full and healthy.
How To Grow Barley Grass For Guinea Pigs?
To grow Barley grass for Guinea Pigs, it’s vital to choose high-quality Barley seeds. Low-quality seeds may not germinate, wasting your time and efforts.
Moreover, choose the finest, well-draining soil to start the seeds. It’s good to amend the potting mix with organic compost.
Additionally, use a terracotta container with enough drainage holes to avoid any fungal infections in the soil.
- Prepare the planting container and place the potting mix evenly. Don’t make the soil too compact.
- Sow the seeds evenly on the soil’s surface and water the soil to make it moist.
- Cover the seeds thinly with soil and place the container in the bright, indirect light.
- Water the soil regularly whenever the soil feels 1 inch dry.
- You can see the seeds germinating within a week.
- After the seeds germinate, don’t miss watering and check for pests and pathogens until they grow about 3-5 inches.
- Your Barley grass is ready to harvest and will continuously regrow till the growing seasons.
From Editorial Team
Don’t Miss This!
Never feed your Guinea Pigs with unknown grasses and grasses that have sharp seeds and hairs. Your Pigs may face dental issues with internal cuts.
Moreover, wash the grasses properly before feeding your pigs. Never feed your pigs with grasses treated with pesticides and fungicides.
Additionally, the grasses from the areas where your pets urinate or defecate are also unsuitable for feeding your pigs.
