Guinea Pigs should consume a diet of high quality grass hay, pellets and fresh vegetables and herbs for maximum nutritional intake. Guinea pigs require plenty of Vitamin C; potatoes containing solanine can be fatal to their wellbeing.
Rhubarb has been shown to enhance gallbladder motility and cleanse liver fine bile ducts, in addition to relaxing Oddi sphincters.
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The Stalks
Guinea pigs are natural herbivores and their digestive systems have evolved to process plants instead of meat. Guinea pigs enjoy nibbling on fresh forage, vegetables, herbs, flowers and fruits (including strawberries). It is important that their diet only includes healthy food items; grapes contain high amounts of sugar which could pose a choking hazard, so only feed them rarely or ever at all. It is not advised to feed wild or garden weeds such as dandelion leaves/flowers/nettle/plantain/cow parsley etc.
Other herbs and vegetables to avoid are: iceberg lettuce, cabbage, carrot tops, celery, garlic, leeks, tomato vines/leaves/onions/peppers containing high levels of calcium/oxalates or any food containing them such as onions/peppers. As treats they should only be given occasionally – no more than once weekly as treats; Burgess Excel Feeding Hay is highly recommended as part of their main diet.
The Leaves
Guinea pigs enjoy eating leafy green vegetables and herbs, such as dark-leafed lettuce varieties (rocket, romaine), dandelion leaves and flowers, red deadnettle plantain chickweed cleavers mallow. Guinea pigs also love foraging through your garden or yard for grass which hasn’t been fertilized or treated with pesticides!
Guinea Pigs don’t require meat in their diet as their digestive tract isn’t designed to process it and it may make them very sick.
Fruits and veggies rich in vitamin C should only be fed occasionally but in limited amounts. Vitamin C helps protect skin cells and blood vessels and can be obtained in their pellet diet; additionally oranges, strawberries and parsley provide extra supplementation; although carrots should only be offered rarely as their high sugar content could lead to dental issues.
The Flowers
Guinea pigs are natural herbivores, so they spend most of their time grazing in the wild. This allows their teeth to wear down naturally so they won’t become overgrown and cause serious issues later.
Guinea pigs require a diet containing both digestible and indigestible fibre, to regulate bowel movements and ensure a healthy digestive system.
Guinea Pigs can be fed a wide variety of vegetables and herbs, including kale, carrot tops, broccoli (but without its green stalks), cabbage (excluding green stalks), parsley marjoram borage rosemary nasturtium as well as beetroot sprouts which provide vitamin C phosphorus but low levels of oxalates.
Your guinea pigs can also benefit from eating fresh grass cuttings. Just be sure to choose grass without pesticides or herbicides applied, and avoid areas near roads where exhaust fumes might contaminate it.
The Fruits
Guinea pigs enjoy fruit treats, but only in moderation due to their high sugar content, as this could contribute to obesity. Bananas, raspberries and blueberries make great weekly snacks!
Vegetables should also be part of your guinea pig’s diet, yet it’s crucial that they contain appropriate proportions of calcium, phosphorus and oxalates as well as abundant quantities of vitamin C and fibre content.
Your guinea pig should avoid eating iceberg lettuce as this type of salad is low in nutrients and may cause digestive upset. Instead, opt for red or green leaf lettuce, bibb lettuce or Romaine lettuce. Also try not feeding avocado as persin can be toxic to them; watercress, turnip greens, kale, chard and fennel all provide adequate calcium-oxalate ratios as well as lots of Vitamin C content if available.
