Many pet stores sell guinea pig pellets composed of compressed timothy and orchard grass with added ingredients; however, their main source of sustenance should come from natural foods like hay or high quality vegetables.
Dark leafy greens and herbs such as rocket, dandelion greens, kale, mint and parsley should be regularly offered for breakfast as part of a healthy lifestyle diet. Fruit should only be offered once or twice each week due to its high sugar content.
Contents
Hay
Ideal diets for your pet guinea pig should consist primarily of high quality hay. Guinea pigs in the wild tend to graze for extended periods each day and night on grass and other plant matter – providing plenty of dietary fibre that aids digestion as well as being low-calorie solutions that can prevent obesity.
Timothy hay is the most popular choice among guinea pig owners, although other grass hays like orchard and meadow can also provide excellent options. When choosing your hay, look for plenty of stems to help grind their teeth down as well as something with an attractive green hue, as this indicates more vitamin C that your pet requires daily.
Alfalfa hay is another nutritious choice that’s legume-based and more calorically dense, making it particularly helpful during infant and young (0 – 6 month old), pregnant or nursing mother life stages as well as for pregnant or nursing mothers. When purchasing, make sure it’s free from dust or mold as this may lead to respiratory issues for you or your infant.
Vegetables
Guinea pigs require plenty of vegetables in their diet in order to receive essential vitamins and minerals, especially Vitamin C, which is most essential. As asparagus or leafy greens contain this nutrient in abundance, feeding your guinea pig fresh vegetables rich in it several times weekly is best; cucumber is another good choice since its low sugar content helps prevent dehydration.
Also nutritious are romaine lettuce (with higher nutritional value than iceberg) and carrots; however, offering carrots in excess can lead to diabetes and tooth problems. Broccoli, cabbage and brussels sprouts can be great source of vitamins but should only be fed occasionally because their high calcium or oxalate content could cause bladder stones. Tomatoes contain acids which could irritate their guinea pig’s intestines; so offering tomatoes only once or twice every week would be best.
Fruits
Guinea pigs should have access to unlimited supplies of timothy hay, along with access to leafy green vegetables like red and green peppers, romaine butterhead or bib lettuce, kale, parsley and cilantro as their staple diet. Additional daily offerings might include turnip greens (which provide an excellent ratio of vitamin C to phosphorus), broccoli leaves and stems or tomato leaves and stems.
Fruit can be given in moderation as they contain high amounts of sugar. Bananas and pineapple are great sources of vitamin C and should be offered regularly; oranges, tangerines and clementines should be offered but always make sure the pips and rind have been removed prior to giving as these contain high levels of pips and rind.
Citrus fruits such as grapefruit, lemons and limes should be limited as their high citric acid levels could prove toxic to guinea pigs if consumed excessively. Also be wary when offering fruit that produces gas like apples and oranges as well as certain vegetables such as cabbage and cauliflower that could potentially produce gas in your pet guinea pig.
Treats
Treats can add variety and excitement to your pig’s diet, but should only make up more than five percent of his total daily consumption. Commercial treats contain sugar, fat and artificial colours which could potentially harm his health.
Leafy vegetables are ideal treats to feed to your dog as they’re full of fibre and provide additional nutrients not available from pellets. Ideal examples include carrot greens, dandelions, kale, silver beet and turnip greens – plus fresh herbs such as parsley dill or coriander for even more nutrition!
He can also enjoy fresh berries and oranges, though these should only be offered occasionally due to their high sugar content. Watercress makes for an especially nutritious treat as it contains high levels of vitamin C while remaining low in calcium and phosphorus content. He may even find enjoyment eating healthy wood such as pine or apple branches as this will help him keep his teeth short!
