Dill is a less common herb than some others such as basil or coriander and you may not have tried feeding it to your guinea pigs but it is definitely a good food to include in their diet. Our guinea pigs really enjoy eating dill but let’s see what nutritional benefits it has for them.
Vitamin C
Dill is rich in vitamin C and is one of the top foods for this nutrient. It actually contains a little more vitamin C than green peppers. Guinea pigs need this vitamin in their food every day and although some pet stores might try and sell you vitamin C drops, it is much better for your pets to get this vitamin where it occurs naturally, in their fresh food.
Fibre
Dill has just over 2g of fibre per 100g which is a reasonable amount although it’s not as high in this roughage as some other herbs or vegetables. Thyme and mint have very high amounts of fibre and many green leafy vegetables are considerably higher in fibre too.
Calcium
Although not as rich in calcium as kale or collard greens, dill does contain high amounts of this mineral.
You may have heard that a diet rich in calcium may cause bladder stones in guinea pigs and many people will feed a low calcium diet because of this.
However, calcium is essential for strong bones and teeth and it’s important that you make sure your guinea pigs get a good range of all vitamins and minerals rather than focusing on cutting down drastically on any nutrient.
Sugar
Too much sugar is bad for guinea pigs so you should take care to ensure they don’t have too much on a daily basis. Even vegetables contain certain amounts of sugar and some are surprisingly high.
But dill contains no sugar which makes it a really good food for your guinea pigs.
How often can guinea pigs eat dill
Dill can be fed a couple of times a week as part of your guinea pigs fresh vegetable portion.
Make sure you mix it in with other fresh green leaves and vegetables so they get a good balance of nutrients. A good range of fresh food should give moderate amounts of many different essential vitamins and minerals.
A wide range of nutrients will work together and help keep your guinea pigs healthy.
Nutritional information for dill
Below is the nutritional value per 100g of dill
- Vitamin C: 85 mg
- Calcium: 208 mg
- Phosphorous: 66 mg
- Fibre: 2.1 g
- Sugar: 0 g