Is Guinea Pig Poop Good Fertilizer? The Benefits and Proper Usage Explained
As a gardener, I’m always looking for ways to nourish my plants and improve my soil organically. Lately, I’ve been experimenting with using guinea pig manure as a fertilizer in my vegetable garden and flower beds But is guinea pig poop actually good for plants? In this article, I’ll explore the benefits of using guinea pig manure as fertilizer and provide tips on how to use it safely and effectively
What Nutrients Does Guinea Pig Poop Contain?
Guinea pig droppings contain beneficial nutrients like nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium and micronutrients. The exact nutrient levels can vary based on the guinea pig’s diet, but generally the nitrogen and phosphorus levels are quite high. This is great news for gardeners, as nitrogen promotes healthy leaf growth and phosphorus aids root development and flowering. The nutrient content of guinea pig manure is comparable to rabbit manure. One key benefit is that guinea pig poop consists of tidy little pellets, making it easy to handle.
Is it Safe to Use in the Garden?
Fresh guinea pig droppings can potentially harbor pathogens like giardia. Therefore, proper composting is essential to avoid any disease risks. Allow the manure to compost for at least 6 months before using in the garden, especially for edible crops. The composting process kills off pathogens, making the end product safe to handle. Well-composted guinea pig manure is mild and won’t burn plants. However, urine-soaked bedding can make the manure “hotter” with higher nitrogen levels.
How Should You Compost Guinea Pig Poop?
Composting guinea pig manure separately from your main compost pile is recommended. Start by layering coarse materials like sticks or wood chips at the base for drainage. Next, add a layer of guinea pig pellets and bedding such as straw or hay. Cover this with carbon-rich “brown” materials like dried leaves to balance the carbon-to-nitrogen ratio. Keep the pile evenly moist but not soaked. Turning the pile to introduce oxygen will speed up decomposition. After 6 months to 2 years, the compost should be dark, crumbly and earthy-smelling – a sign it’s ready to use.
Making Guinea Pig Manure Tea
Another preparation method is to make a manure “tea” by soaking the pellets in water. Use roughly 2 cups of water per 1 cup of guinea pig manure. Allow to steep overnight, then strain the liquid into a watering can or spray bottle. Dilute the tea before applying it to plants as a nutritional boost. Using manure tea provides immediate access to nutrients, while composting breaks down the manure into slow-release nutrition.
How to Use Composted Guinea Pig Poop in the Garden
There are a couple techniques for incorporating composted guinea pig manure into your garden:
-
Top dressing – Spread a 2-3 inch layer of compost over the soil surface around plants. Mix lightly into the top few inches of soil.
-
Soil amendment – Thoroughly mix composted guinea pig manure into planting beds and rows at a ratio of 1 part compost to 2 parts soil.
-
Planting hole/row fertilizer – Add a handful or two of composted manure to each planting hole or trench when sowing seeds or transplanting seedlings.
-
Side dressing – Sprinkle a ring of compost around established plants to provide nutrients during the growing season. Gently scratch into the soil and water in.
Always do a soil test before adding fertilizers like manure compost. This helps you add the right amount. Too much nitrogen from guinea pig poop can cause excessive leafy growth on plants. Monitor your plants and cut back on fertilizing if they show signs of nitrogen overload.
The Benefits of Using Guinea Pig Manure as Fertilizer
Here’s a quick summary of the main advantages of using composted guinea pig poop to fertilize your garden:
- Excellent source of nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium and micronutrients
- Nutrient levels similar to rabbit manure
- Mild composted manure won’t burn plants
- Pellets are easy to collect and compost
- Recycles waste from guinea pig cages
- Contributes organic matter to improve soil tilth
- Environmentally sustainable fertilizer option
- Low cost and readily available if you have guinea pigs
- Safe to use on edibles after proper composting
The Bottom Line
Composted guinea pig manure can be a great organic fertilizer for gardens when used properly. Allow at least 6 months of composting time to eliminate any pathogens before application. Then reap the benefits of its high nutrient content by mixing into garden beds or applying as a side dressing around plants. Start with small amounts and adjust as needed based on your soil test results and plant responses. Following best practices ensures guinea pig poop fertilizer contributes to healthier, more productive plants safely. It’s a win-win for both your garden and your guinea pigs!
What’s the Scoop on Composting Poop?
When pet parents clean their rabbit’s, guinea pig’s, or chinchilla’s habitat every week, the pet’s feces and uneaten hay are commonly thrown in the garbage. However, more and more pet parents are learning that composting their companion herbivore’s feces can yield amazing compost! This blog post will cover the basics of how to compost your pet herbivore’s waste.
If you currently compost at home, simply add your pet’s waste to your existing compost pile and stir. Small amounts of uneaten hay can also be added to compost along with the waste, just ensure that the compost pile is balanced in its overall content (too much of one organic is not always good!). While the chance of hay sprouts is minimal, try to avoid including seed heads that can be found in hays like our Western Timothy Hay.
Aerobic vs. Anaerobic Decomposition
It is important for every home composter to practice good composting standards for aerobic decomposition. Stirring, turning, watering, checking the temperature, and covering your compost every few days will allow for efficient decomposition over the future months. Monitoring your compost in this manner will ensure that the mixture does not undergo anaerobic decomposition. Anaerobic decomposition is the same kind of decomposition that takes place in landfills. It tends to make decomposing organic matter very pungent, produces large amounts of methane, and takes many more months for organic matter to fully decompose as compared to aerobic decomposition.
When your compost is ready to go you can use it in your own garden, or offer it to neighbors, families, and friends. They might be surprised at first to learn how your small herbivore contributed, but it’s likely that they’ll find the compost to be a high-quality source of nutrients for soil and plants!
If you live in a larger town or a city, it’s possible that a commercial composting facility is near you and accepting household organics. These facilities can often take large amounts of organics for a small monthly fee. Composting through a facility like this takes the guesswork and maintenance requirements out of composting for many households. It also allows those who can’t compost at home to still effectively divert their organics from the landfill.
One of the easiest ways you can investigate the availability of a commercial composting facility is to Google search “composting facilities near me.” If there is a facility in your area, reach out to them through a phone call or email and explain that you want to regularly transport your herbivore’s waste and uneaten hay to have it composted. They will be able to tell you if the organics you want to dispose of are desired at their facility, as well as provide you information about memberships, fees, and any potential benefits (sometimes finished compost is available for members to purchase at discounted rates).
Depending on where you live, some facilities can pick up composting materials curb-side, just like recycling or trash. In other areas, organics will have to be personally transported to either the facility or to specific drop-off points. Make sure to understand the collection method of your composting facility, and plan to invest in a compost receptacle that is appropriate for the type of collection the facility is capable of.
Turning Your Pet’s Poop into Garden Fertilizer
FAQ
Why are pig feces not used as fertilizer?
Never use pig manure as fertilizer, as it may contain pathogens that might not be killed in the composting process.Nov 13, 2020
Are guinea pigs safe in the garden?
If in doubt, keep your guinea pigs away from flower beds so they can’t nibble anything that might harm them. Herbicides and pesticides. These garden chemicals are poisonous to pets. Keep your guinea pigs well away from any areas that have been treated with them.
Can I put guinea pig waste in a green bin?
Hay, straw and sawdust can be added to your home compost bin. Used hay, straw and sawdust bedding from ‘vegetarian’ animals such as rabbits or guinea pigs can be put in your household garden waste collection (green wheeled bin).
Is animal poop good fertilizer?
Adding a good dose of animal poo to your veggie garden gives it a vital nutrient boost, with the poo of animals fed on grass and veggie scraps containing high levels of nitrogen which your veggie garden will love.