San Francisco, CA -- (SBWire) -- 07/01/2013 --Guinea pigs are among the most popular household pets in the world. They are small, gentle, and easy to care for, which makes guinea pigs ideal pets for children. However, first-time guinea pig owners are often surprised at the number of things they have to learn about their new pet.

No living creature can survive long without food, which is why one guinea pig fan created WhatCanGuineaPigsEat.com. The website features detailed descriptions of an average guinea pig’s diet as well as specific foods for guinea pigs to avoid. Since guinea pigs can eat some fruits and vegetables, but not others, it’s important for new guinea pig owners to know exactly how to feed their guinea pig.

A spokesperson for What Can Guinea Pigs Eat explains why the site is such a valuable resource:

“Guinea pigs are often the first pets that children care for. Some families have dogs and cats, while others have guinea pigs. If a guinea pig isn’t fed proper food, then parents are left explaining the circle of life to their children – and that may not be a fun conversation to have with a grieving ten year old.”

The WhatCanGuineaPigsEat.com website is designed to make guinea pig diets as easy as possible for visitors to learn. Those interested in learning general facts about a guinea pig’s diet can read through the information on the WhatCanGuineaPigsEat.com homepage, which explains that hay should comprise the bulk of a guinea pig’s diet. The homepage also lists fruits, vegetables, and pellets as other cornerstones of a guinea pig’s diet.

Meanwhile, there are some foods that a guinea pig should avoid. Fruit – while good for guinea pigs in small quantities – can be harmful to guinea pigs in larger quantities:

“Guinea pigs love fruit. Unfortunately, too much fruit can make a guinea pig very sick. Fruit contains lots of sugar, and the guinea pig’s unique metabolism converts fructose to glucose in the body – something that humans cannot do. As a result, too much fruit sugar will make guinea pigs overweight. Since guinea pigs are naturally herbivores, we also encourage guinea pig owners to feed vegetables like spinach and broccoli to their pets.”

Guinea pigs – also known as cavies – require specific types of food in order to stay healthy. Some parents buy guinea pigs to teach their children how to care for a living creature, while others purchase guinea pigs simply to have a friendly, loving pet in their home.

About WhatCanGuineaPigsEat.com
WhatCanGuineaPigsEat.com is a guinea pig information website that features detailed descriptions of guinea pig diets. The website includes a list of which foods are safe for guinea pigs to consume and which foods they should not consume. For more information, please visit: http://whatcanguineapigseat.com