Guinea pigs are natural grazers and will enjoy snacking on grass, hay and leafy greens throughout their days. Three vegetable servings are recommended each day while fruits can be given as treats from time to time.
Avoid feeding your guinea pig cereals, grains and nuts that contain high levels of fat; these are known to overload the liver. Also avoid potatoes, potato leaves and any onion-family plants such as leeks and chive as they contain oxalic acid which could pose health concerns.
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1. Meat
Guinea pigs are herbivorous animals and should never rely on meat-rich diets as their source of nutrition. Animal-derived feeds like dog, cat or ferret food contain protein which their digestive systems cannot properly process, leading to health issues including obesity, dental disease, tooth decay, gastrointestinal upset or even death.
Guinea Pigs should be provided with plenty of hay and grass as this provides essential fibre to maintain dental health, along with pellets and fresh fruits and vegetables such as pellets, fresh leafy greens and herbs like dandelion greens, romaine lettuce, red or green leaf salad mixes, kale silver beet cabbage etc in their daily diets.
Oranges, kiwis and strawberries contain high levels of vitamin C for added immunity – however it’s essential that occasional treats be served in moderation as too much sugar can lead to obesity and dental disease.
2. Dairy
Guinea pigs are herbivores by nature and spend most of their time foraging for grass, leaves, stems, flowers, tree bark and fruit in the wild. Unfortunately their digestive tract isn’t designed to digest meat or dairy products; eating either can make them very ill (although symptoms may take time to develop).
Keep dairy products such as yogurt, milk, kefir, cottage cheese and butter out of their diet altogether and instead offer your guinea pigs fresh leafy green vegetables and herbs such as arugula, collard greens, endive beet greens parsley. Also offer other low calcium vegetable such as broccoli and (seedless) carrots.
Treat your children with fruit as an occasional treat, but limit their intake since fruit contains high sugar levels that could contribute to obesity or intestinal issues. Also ensure they always have access to clean drinking water that has not been exposed to chlorine chlorine-based treatments.
3. Onions & Garlic
Guinea pigs, as herbivores, typically consume grasses, greens and leaves as food sources, along with tree bark, berries and flowers for snacking on. If you feed your guinea pig something outside their natural diet it could potentially make them sick and could result in health complications for both of you.
Guinea pigs should avoid foods containing onions and garlic as these alliums can be toxic to them and interfere with red blood cell formation. Furthermore, grass clippings could have been polluted with diesel or petrol from lawnmowers contaminating them further; similarly dandelion flowers (clover, clover coltsfoot), buttercups and tulips (which contain poisonous plants such as dandelions) must be kept at a distance as these alliums could poisonous for them as well as avoidance of alliums such as dandelions, clover coltsfoot flower heads as these alliums could poisonous to their hosts!
When giving your guinea pigs treats, make sure you do it gradually to avoid diarrhea. Diarrhea indicates an imbalance in gut bacteria – so if your guinea pig begins having loose stools it should visit their vet immediately.
4. Fruit
Guinea pigs should only ever be given fruit occasionally due to its higher sugar content than vegetables, and too much could lead to obesity, mouth sores, diarrhea and an upset stomach. Safe options include apples, strawberries, bananas and citrus such as lemon or lime; one small wedge from an apple, several blueberries or one slice from banana should suffice – Kiwi is another excellent source of Vitamin C!
Guinea pigs are natural herbivores and spend most of their time foraging and grazing in small herds in the wild. To ensure healthy teeth, they require plenty of roughage such as timothy-based pellets as well as fresh produce in bite-sized portions throughout their day – always remembering to remove all seeds from fruits as these could potentially choke their throats! Vegetables suitable for guineas include beetroot (raw not pickled), bell peppers, broccoli and cabbage leaves.
