Guinea pigs enjoy chewing, and they will consume anything that comes to hand. Nothing, not even cardboard, cage bars, toys, or hiding places, can stop your guinea pigs from gnawing.
Grass and veggies are among the most obvious items they chew, but what about something more organic like branches? Can Guinea Pigs Chew Tree Branches? Just how safe is it?
Can Guinea Pigs Eat Tree Sticks?
Although they can gnaw on tree sticks, not all tree sticks are safe for guinea pigs to consume. For our guinea pigs, safe options include apples, pears, maple, bamboo cane, kiwis, etc. Avoid using woods made of apricot, almond, cedar, fig, and citrus at any cost.
The teeth of guinea pigs are constantly growing. As a result, they require something to chew on to maintain their shape.
Although hay, chew toys, and veggies are some of the most obvious options, most guinea pigs also prefer natural options like branches.
Since each guinea pig has a unique personality, you might need to try to find the right kind of branches for your pet.
You might be asking what tree branches can guinea pigs chew on now that you know they can eat tree branches. Let’s have a look at it!
What Tree Branches Can Guinea Pigs Chew On?
When maintained in a small environment, guinea pigs require more things to chew. If they are not given chew toys and branches to gnaw on, they may chew on food and water dishes, hideouts, etc.
As a result, it’s crucial to give your guinea pig the proper and safe branches. When selecting the proper wood for your guinea pig, keep in mind their personality and habits as well.
Guinea pigs resemble our children in many ways. The requirements for toys and nourishment vary from child to child, and the same is true for our guinea pigs.
For our guinea pigs, wood like apples, pears, hazel, maple, willow, etc. is a great option.
But while some guinea pigs only like apple wood, others may choose maple over other types.
In order to identify the best kind of wood for your guinea pig, you must experiment.
1. Fruitwoods
The twigs and branches of fruit trees, including apple, crabapple, pear, and hazelnut trees, are particularly appealing to guinea pigs. When fruit trees are clipped, twigs can be easily collected even when lumber from these trees is not easily accessible. However, stay away from using twigs from trees that have been pesticide-sprayed. Additionally, stay away from using any wood from trees in the Prunus family, which includes those from almond, apricot, cherry, nectarine, peach, and plum trees. Prunus trees are poisonous to all rodents, including squirrels, guinea pigs, chinchillas, and gerbils.
2. Lumber
Building a guinea pig house is simple thanks to the availability of a choice of materials in conventional sizes at your neighborhood home improvement store. Aspen, linden or basswood, poplar, and kiln-dried white pine are examples of safe woods. In general, your pig should not be exposed to any soft, aromatic, or resinous woods, including air-dried pine, cedar, eucalyptus, and redwood. Despite being advertised for use in rodent cages, cedar and pine wood shavings are not recommended by zoo veterinarians and rodent lovers because the resin contains phenols.
3. Willow
Willow twigs can be easily weaved into cozy shelters for guinea pigs. Although the majority of willow species, including pussy willow and weeping willow, are secure, stay away from using white willow twigs and branches. Salicylic acid, which makes up the majority of aspirin, is present in white willow. The majority of willow crafting materials are acceptable to use in guinea pig cages, but if your pet likes to chew on his house, you should routinely check for sharp, pointy twigs to prevent mouth and eye damage.
4. Vines
For guinea pigs, elegant woven or twig buildings and tunnels are made from grapevines, peeled, de-thorned blackberry, raspberry, and rose vines, as well as canes. Use only vines, twigs, or branches from pesticide-free plants. Your pig can get sick or perhaps die from the pesticide, depending on what it is. To prevent fungal or insect infestations from entering your home, natural materials can be sterilized. Put the woody materials on a cookie sheet after washing them with a saltwater solution. Before putting together your guinea pig house, bake the materials for 30 minutes at 300 degrees Fahrenheit and let them cool.
What can guinea pigs chew on for their teeth?
As a general rule, fruit tree branches are safe for our guinea pigs when searching for something to chew on for their teeth. There are a few exceptions, though.
The fruit branches with solid-pitted fruits are the exception to the aforementioned rule. Mango, Peaches, most citrus trees, Plums, Cherries, etc. are a few examples.
The branches of these trees contain traces of dangerous chemicals, including cyanide, which can instantly kill our guinea pigs even if these fruits make a great lunch for them.
It would therefore be better if you are cautious when selecting wood for your guinea pigs.
You might wonder which one to choose if you go to any pet stores or other pet supply businesses.
The general rule in this situation is to watch out for the label that says “safe for guinea pigs or rats.” For our guinea pigs, this kind of wood is completely safe.
Conclusion:
Here are some suggestions to bear in mind if you’re shopping for wood or branches for your guinea pigs:
- Branches from a park or forest are a good choice.
- Branches sold at pet stores under the rodent-safe label are a great and secure option.
- A branch from a tree that was cultivated at home is also harmless, barring chemical contamination.
- Avoid roadside tree branches since they tend to absorb a lot of toxins from the air.
- Avoid touching any twigs or branches from dog walkers’ paths.
- Before using, tree branches from apricot, peach, and other types of trees must be dried for at least a month.
- Sand any sharp edges after breaking the branches into little pieces.