The holiday season is a special time of year! Many of us will show our affections by giving gifts to our family and friends. Guinea pigs are no exception as they are considered a special part of the family by many pet owners, especially here at Kavee.
Check our entire entire range of Guinea Pig themed Christmas gifts for piggies and humans.
For an extra special gift, they say after all, the best way to a guinea pig’s heart is through their stomach. Why not treat them this season with a special homemade treat they’ll surely love?
Although treats are not an essential part of your guinea pig’s diet, it is a nice way to brighten up their day with the occasional treat! What better time to give them a delicious treat than Christmas!
This recipe uses only 4 ingredients: guinea pig pellets, hay, red pepper and parsley. If you do not have that handy, don’t worry, as we provide a lot of alternative ingredients in the recipe below!
So, step into your kitchen and bake with us this holiday with this simple, easy to follow, homemade Christmas guinea pig treat!
INGREDIENTS:
Yield: 6 treats
1 cup Guinea Pig Pellets
½ cup timothy hay
1 Red Pepper, thinly diced
Bunch of Parsley, thinly chopped
1/2 cup Water
MATERIALS:
1 baking tray
1 large bowl
Cutting board
Knife
Measuring cups
Parchment Paper and Cling film
Cookie cutters (we will be using a star shape for this recipe)
1 spoon
METHOD:
- Preheat your oven to 180°C / Gas Mark 4
2. Measure out 1 cup of guinea pig pellets and pour them into a large mixing bowl. Then add approximately ¼ cup of water to soften them up.
3. Thinly dice 1 whole red pepper and 1 bunch of parsley and place it into the large mixing bowl.
Note: Alternatively, you may also use green pepper, coriander, carrots, or other guinea pig safe foods that can be used in place of the ingredients above.
4. Add ½ cup of hay into the bowl. You can finely cut up the strands of hay into smaller pieces. I’ve used some readigrass which are already in fine pieces. You can also use the small pieces left over in the bottom of your hay bag.
5. Now, combine all of the ingredients together. You may find the mixture feels a bit dry when mixing. For a better consistency, add ½ cup of water to the mixture. This will help the mixture stick together.
Note: You can also use a banana or apple sauce in place of water in this step, for an extra tasty treat. If you choose to use apple sauce, please ensure that there is no added sugar.
6. Next, place a cookie cutter mold of your choice on your baking tray (we have chosen a star for our Christmas shape). Start to add the mixture into the mold of the cookie cutter. Ensure you pack in the mixture to fill it up until it is about 5 mm from the top. Use your fingers to press the mixture into the points of the star.
8. Gently remove the cookie cutter from the treat. If you have used the star cookie cutter like us, you will want to press into each point (to further pack the mixture), as you gradually lift up the mold.
9. Bake in the oven at 180C / Gas Mark 4, for 45 minutes or until the treats are dry and hold their shape.
10. Once cooked, let the treats cool down, approximately for 5 minutes. Ensure the treat has completely cooled before serving or storing in the fridge. You can store treats in fridge for up to 3 days.
Serve and enjoy watching your guinea pigs to dig in!
CONCLUSION
We hope you’ve enjoyed making our festive Christmas treat for guinea pigs! If you have followed our guinea pig treat recipe, be sure to tag us on social media @kavee_pets. Remember, the bulk of your guinea pig’s diet should consist of unlimited grass and hay, nutritionally complete healthy guinea pig pellets (with stabilized Vitamin C) and daily portion of fresh veg and fruit (in moderation).
For more gifts ideas, be sure to check out our entire entire range of Guinea Pig themed Christmas gifts for piggies and humans.
