Guinea pigs are natural foragers, spending most of their time outside foraging for food in the wild. Guinea pigs require plenty of roughage in order to wear down their constantly expanding teeth while providing essential nutrition.
Provide unlimited amounts of premium timothy hay and pellets every day, along with fresh vegetables and fruit such as bell peppers (with seeds removed), cilantro leaves and carrot tops that are rich in vitamin C.
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Leafy Greens
Guinea pigs should always have access to fresh timothy hay. You can supplement their diet with pellet mixes or fortified timothy hay blends designed specifically for them that provide complete nutrition, such as those found at pet stores. Be wary of pellet mixes containing seeds or other potentially harmful ingredients as these could compromise their wellbeing.
Add leafy greens such as dark leafed lettuce, rocket or dandelion greens, carrot tops (in small quantities), marigolds, borage, nasturtium and parsley for some added variety. Other vegetables you might offer are broccoli, cabbage, cucumbers, zucchini squashes collard greens turnip greens and kale.
Some vegetables contain vitamins C and B as well as potassium, phosphorous, soluble fiber and phytonutrients – great sources for feeding your guinea pig! However, be careful to include celery as too much can cause diarrhea in them.
Vegetables
Guinea pigs need to consume plenty of fiber-rich foods in their diet in order to remain healthy, as a diet lacking sufficient amounts of it can cause numerous illnesses and issues for them. Vegetables should comprise around 15% of a guinea pig’s meal.
Guinea Pigs should consume foods rich in Vitamin C, A, soluble fiber, potassium, calcium and magnesium. There are a wide variety of vegetables which contain these essential vitamins; among the most nutritious are: radicchio (low in calcium and sugar content), green cabbage, red leaf lettuce, parsley, kale carrot tops squash (different varieties are ideal), and romaine lettuce.
These veggies should be offered multiple times each week and be washed thoroughly to remove pesticides. Other vegetables to offer periodically include cauliflower, turnip greens and zucchini; turnip greens are rich in calcium and oxalates but may make an enjoyable treat when offered in moderation; zucchini contains vitamins C for immune system health as well as other essential nutrients.
Fruit
Guinea Pigs in the wild are herbivores and spend most of their lives foraging for food in small herds. Roughage such as grass is crucial in wearing down their continuously expanding teeth to prevent serious dental issues from arising, while digestive health also benefits greatly from it.
Guinea pigs love eating leafy greens and root vegetables such as kale, broccoli, spinach, carrots and sweet potatoes. Additionally they enjoy fruits such as tomatoes, bell peppers and berries; but remember that fruit contains higher sugar levels than non-starchy veggies so should only be fed in limited amounts.
Apples, bananas and pears are great fruits to feed to your guinea pigs; cantaloupe should only ever be given with its seeds removed as these pose a potential choking hazard. Fresh foods should always be thoroughly washed as many of them contain pesticides that could harm them. Don’t forget to give your pet plenty of water!
Herbs
Some herbs contain high concentrations of calcium or oxalates for guinea pigs to consume on an ongoing basis; they should still be provided as occasional diet supplements, but only small handfuls should be fed every day.
Guinea Pigs love leafy greens like thyme, parsley and rocket salad (commonly referred to as arugula). Endive is another tasty treat which offers Vitamin A & K plus manganese benefits.
Other herbs to occasionally include in their diets for guinea pigs include cilantro and basil. Fruit such as kiwi and blueberries should be limited due to their higher sugar content; strawberries and citrus fruits can be provided. When offering fresh food as supplements to their pellet diets, do so gradually so as not to cause diarrhea; keep fresh food separate in an individual dish from pellets in order to avoid diarrhea outbreaks. Guinea pigs require a balanced diet including pellets, hay and vegetables if they’re to remain healthy; without enough vitamin C it could result in rough fur, internal bleeding and even death!
