Timothy hay is an essential staple for guinea pig diets. Avoid alfalfa hay which is high in calcium content as this may lead to obesity and abnormal tooth calcification.
Give children daily exposure to dark green vegetables that contain plenty of vitamin C, like dark leafy greens like romaine lettuce, red and green leafy vegetables, kale and parsley.
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Hay
Guinea pigs must have access to plenty of hay as it provides essential digestion aid and nutritional fiber, in addition to serving as bedding material. Timothy hay, meadow hay and bluegrass hay are great choices; alfalfa should only be fed as treats occasionally.
Guinea Pigs should occasionally receive small amounts of oat hay as it contains low levels of protein and calcium. Oat hay should not be fed on an ongoing basis as this could cause digestive issues in their systems.
Guinea Pigs should receive one cup of fresh vegetables daily, along with occasional pieces of fruit as treats. All veggies should be rinsed to reduce toxic exposure.
Vegetables
Guinea pigs are herbivorous animals, requiring plenty of roughage (fiberous plants) in their diet along with vegetables and fruit of all sorts. To ensure they don’t become overweight or develop dental issues, make sure that any food given is fresh rather than decayed before giving to them.
Guinea Pigs’ ideal basic diet consists of unlimited timothy hay, supplemented with vitamin C-fortified pellets every day and providing essential vitamins and minerals from daily servings of fresh vegetables.
Leafy greens like red and romaine lettuces, kale, parsley, Swiss chard collard greens and broccoli should be given daily; carrots squash zucchini tomato are good choices to offer weekly. Cruciferous vegetables like bok choy cabbage kohlrabi turnips must also be provided regularly as larger chunks may cause guinea pigs to choke on them.
Fruit
Providing your pet with fresh vegetables and fruits is a great way to vary their diet. Guinea pigs are natural herbivores and their ancestors spent many of their waking hours foraging in the wild and grazing on a wide range of plants. Guinea pigs also need a regular supply of rough foods to wear down their continuously growing teeth, so offering healthy vegetables, herbs, and fruit is a great way to keep their diet varied.
Keeping a variety of leafy greens like romaine lettuce, red and dark leaf lettuces, kale, and cilantro on hand will provide your guinea pig with essential vitamins and minerals. Vegetables with high amounts of vitamin C include red or green peppers, broccoli, and guava. Other fruits that are safe to offer your guinea pig include orange slices, kiwi fruit (which should be peeled), and mango (which should have the seedy portion removed).
Remember to always offer fresh food in small portions. Overfeeding can cause gastrointestinal upset. When introducing new foods, do so gradually to give your pet’s stomach time to adjust.
Treats
Guinea pigs love treats like alfalfa cubes and carrot tops, but they should be offered sparingly as they’re high in sugar and can lead to obesity and dental problems. Also, guinea pigs can’t digest meat-derived proteins and doing so could cause digestive upset and dysbiosis (a change in the gut microbes).
Pellets should make up no more than 1/8 cup of a guinea pig’s daily diet, supplemented with hay and fresh vegetables. Choose pellets that are vitamin C fortified to ensure a sufficient supply of this important nutrient.
The bulk of a guinea pig’s diet should consist of leafy greens such as romaine lettuce, dandelion or rocket salad mixes and dark-leafy veggies such as spinach, parsley and kale. A few other nutrient-rich veggies that can be fed occasionally include broccoli, cabbage, celery, endive, carrot tops and Brussels sprouts, as well as fruits such as apples (without seeds), bananas and mango. Avoid giving guinea pigs potatoes, which contain solanine and can irritate their stomachs. Also, be careful about giving guinea pigs foods high in calcium or phosphorus, as too much of these can lead to bladder stones.