1.08.2012

Corn husks, a guinea pig favorite!

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Morry, Sharky and Coppy eating happily in a large pile of corn husks

Many people have let their cavy nibble the occasional ear of corn (fresh and uncooked of course), but what they don't know is that guinea pigs can also eat corn husks. As much as we guinea pigs enjoy eating corn itself, we love the corn husks even more! It is one of our most favorite foods, next to fresh grass.

Guinea pigs can eat both the corn husks and corn silks. Our humans get these for free from local produce stands and farmers markets. They always shuck off the outer leaves and discard exposed parts to ensure we don't ingest anything that could have been contaminated by pesticides or chemicals.

Best of all, corn husks are similar in nutrient content to grass and hay (high in fiber, low in protein) - making them a healthy treat. We can't wait until they are back in season so we can have our favorite snack again!

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Note: the corn husks in these pictures have been hand shredded and dried so we pigs can enjoy our favorite treat even when corn is out of season. We will write a separate how-to post about this when corn becomes available again.. er... which might be quite a while since it is currently the middle of winter.

Edit: How to Dry Corn Husks tutorial.

Source
Guinea Lynx - Cavy Chat Corn Husks

4 comments:

  1. Lovely photos, the pups all love cornhusks here- I must make a trip to the market and get some.

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  2. Shredded corn husks? I've never seen such a thing. They look dried?

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  3. Looks kinda like hay. I've never tried giving them to my piggies, but might consider it. How did you prepare them, besides peeling away the outer leaves and washing? Do you shred them as well, and if so, how? Thanks, and Happy New Year to you and yours. :o)

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  4. PaintedThread, yes the corn husks in the pictures are shredded and dried so piggies can enjoy their favorite treat even when corn is out of season.

    During the summer months when corn is in season we peel extra husks at produce stands and lay them out to dry - similar to how home grown herbs can be harvested and dried for later use. We shred them by hand to speed up the drying process since thinner pieces dry more quickly than large whole pieces.



    Pencils and Paint, we bet your piggies will like it! Preparation is very easy, just peel away the exposed outer leaves and discard them. The remaining husks and silks can then given to the pigs. We shred them lengthwise into smaller pieces by hand, but that isn't a necessary step - one of our pigs was picky and just preferred them that way. All the other pigs are perfectly happy devouring them whole.

    Hope your piggies will enjoy trying corn husks! It's always fun seeing them discover a new food to love :)

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