Guinea pigs are primarily grazers, so they require constant access to fresh, quality grass hay in order to avoid obesity, boredom and dental disease. Furthermore, vitamin C must also be provided daily through healthy fruits and vegetables.
Avoid foods high in sugar as this could contribute to diabetes and other health complications. Also be careful of giving too much calcium and phosphorus which could result in kidney stones forming.
Contents
Hay
Guinea pigs are herbivores, yet they also enjoy tasty fruits and veggies. Timothy or botanical hay should serve as the basis of your pet’s nutrition; be sure to supplement it with leafy green vegetables, vitamin-C rich fruits, as well as any commercial treats with grains or dried fruits, which could contribute to obesity in their health.
Your pet should also receive daily pellet feedings made from high-quality timothy based pellets without added seeds or dried fruits, and with an enhanced source of vitamin C (since its absorption quickly degrades). Water should always be available via hanging bottle or heavy bowl.
Pellets
As natural herbivores, guinea pigs require plenty of fibre to keep their digestive systems moving smoothly. This can be provided through Burgess Excel-type pellets (timothy-based pellets) or hay; roughage should also be provided regularly so as to wear down and maintain healthy teeth growth. Finally, vitamin C must also be consumed on an ongoing basis through pellets, vegetables and fruit (though fruit should only be fed on rare occasions due to high amounts of sugar content).
A proper basic diet includes unlimited timothy or low-calcium hay supplemented by one cup of timothy and alfalfa-based pellet per day, in addition to some fresh vegetables and an occasional treat. Be careful when serving vegetables that may contain seeds as these could present a choking hazard.
Vegetables
Guinea pigs are herbivores by nature and spend much of their time foraging and grazing in the wild, so their diet should include plenty of fresh vegetables as well as occasional treats of fruits. Hay should make up most of your guinea pig’s daily food requirements while any vegetables or fruits should only be given occasionally as treats.
As a rule of thumb, offer one cup of vegetables daily, including leafy greens such as romaine lettuce, red or green lettuce, cabbage, kale or cilantro as well as carrot or zucchini slices for variety and vitamins. Guinea pigs need different vitamins at different times.
Kiwi, strawberries, citrus fruit and pears should only be offered occasionally due to their high level of sugar. Also note that watery and low vitamin C-content varieties of these fruits should be given as treats.
Fruits
Guinea Pigs require a constant source of Vitamin C as their bodies cannot produce it themselves and it’s abundantly available in many vegetables such as broccoli, cauliflower (leaves and stalks), carrots, kale, courgette leaves, radish leaves, parsley cucumber and tomato.
Fruit should only be given on occasion as they contain lots of sugar. Apples and bananas are great choices but only small pieces should be given at any one time, with their peels removed first.
Other fruits that can be fed include strawberries, gooseberries and kiwi fruit. Slices from prickly pear cacti fruit should also be fed, but remember to remove its outer spikey shell first! Watercress is another good source of Vitamin C.
Treats
Guinea pigs are natural herbivores and spend most of their time foraging for food. With constantly developing teeth that require constant grinding down to prevent disease and ensure healthful dental practices, plenty of roughage should be available for them to consume to help protect against dental decay.
Giving your guinea pig healthy treats such as fresh vegetables or fruits will not only ensure they stay happy and healthy but will make their day! Try giving an orange slice, green pepper slice or Romaine lettuce leaf as treats that they will truly love.
As an alternative, try offering your guinea pig some slices from prickly pear cactus fruits such as the prickly pear (after first removing its outer spiked skin). Kiwis and small grapefruit are other good choices if the fuzzy, seedy interior has been removed. If fresh produce cannot provide all of their vitamin C needs, some pet stores sell gummy vitamin C chews which contain sugar but provide no other health benefits for them to enjoy.
