Guinea pigs are herbivores by nature and spend most of their days foraging and feasting. Their teeth require regular chewing of roughage; this helps wear down their enamel and avoid serious dental problems.
Make sure your pet has access to fresh, high-quality hay and pellets. Treat them occasionally with foods rich in vitamin C such as oranges, kiwis, strawberries or blueberries.
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Hay
Hay should form the staple diet for your guinea pig and is essential to their dental and digestive health. Rich in fibers and nutrients, hay completely fulfills their hunger unlike fresh vegetables, fruits or pellets can.
Hay contains silica which naturally wears down guinea pig molar teeth; this can help prevent overgrown teeth that could potentially lead to serious dental issues.
Be sure to always have available an ample supply of high-quality, soft, fresh green timothy or orchard grass hay at all times – avoid low-quality vacuum-packed varieties! Hay should be stored in an airtight resealable bag free of moisture and rodents in a dark location out of direct sunlight; expired or long-stored varieties lose nutritional value and should be regularly replaced to ensure healthy guinea pigs.
Pellets
A typical guinea pig spends much of its day snacking on various forms of food – from hay and high-fiber vegetables, pellets and fruit to nuts. Too many pellets, however, may contribute to obesity and dental issues – therefore only offering small portions such as an eighth of a cup daily should be given in combination with fresh produce such as hay.
Guinea pigs are grazing animals, and should have access to fresh hay at all times in their cage. This will help wear down their constantly expanding teeth while supporting digestion. You might consider adding a hay chew wheel in order to encourage foraging and chewing; additionally, special pellets that contain stabilized vitamin C could round out their diet and provide additional essential vitamins that they may lack from eating vegetarian-only food.
Fresh Vegetables
Fresh vegetables provide essential nutrition to guinea pigs. In particular, they’re rich in vitamin C, A, soluble fiber and potassium; plus important phytonutrients which support their wellbeing. Broccoli, kale and brussels sprouts are good choices; also consider carrot tops, beet greens or even dill as these contain high concentrations of calcium or oxalic acid (particularly the latter in case of dill).
Many guinea pig owners like to give their pets fresh fruits and vegetables in small amounts daily, along with high-quality pellets designed for them from pet stores.
Be sure to thoroughly wash any produce before giving it to your guinea pig and check his/her food bowl daily to remove uneaten or decayed food, thus helping prevent foodborne illness.
Fruits
Guinea pigs should receive an unlimited supply of timothy hay as the foundation of their diet, with fresh vegetables and fruits supplied on an as-needed basis. Fruit should be offered occasionally due to higher sugar and acidity content than vegetables; feeding too many may lead to obesity and mouth sores.
A daily handful of fresh kale, chard, lettuce or Swiss chard is an ideal daily addition. Incorporating other leafy greens such as turnip greens, watercress, red cabbage leaves or radish leaves into your diet is also safe and recommended.
Other foods rich in Vitamin C such as apricots, strawberries and oranges should also be fed occasionally; apples and bananas contain more sugar so should only be given once or twice every week.
Mangoes are an excellent source of Vitamin C and relatively low in acidity; just make sure to wash and remove their pit. Kiwi can also provide valuable nutrition but should be given in moderation due to being high in sugar and phosphorus content.
