Guinea pigs can eat many fresh vegetables every day and a few fruits as occasional treats. Good daily choices include romaine lettuce, red bell pepper, cilantro, and cucumber. Fruit such as apple, blueberries, and strawberries should be limited to a small piece a couple of times a week because of the sugar.
The foundation: hay, pellets, then fresh food
Fresh produce is important, but it sits on top of the basics. Unlimited grass hay such as timothy should make up most of the diet, because it wears down teeth that never stop growing and keeps the gut moving. Add a small portion of plain, uniform guinea pig pellets, then roughly one cup of fresh vegetables per day for an adult. Fruit is an extra on top of that. For more on the basics, see what guinea pigs eat and hay for guinea pigs.
Safe vegetables
- Leafy greens (the bulk of the bowl): romaine, red and green leaf lettuce, cilantro, dandelion greens, arugula, and bok choy.
- High-vitamin C vegetables: red, yellow, and orange bell pepper are the standouts, and parsley is a strong source too.
- Watery extras: cucumber, celery (cut short), and zucchini.
- Small amounts only: carrots, which are sugary, and calcium-heavy greens such as kale, spinach, and parsley, which are best rotated a few times a week.
Calcium matters because guinea pigs are prone to bladder stones. Rotating high-calcium greens with lower-calcium ones helps keep intake balanced.
Safe fruits (treats only)
Because of their sugar, fruits should be about a tablespoon-sized piece, two or three times a week at most.
- Apple (no seeds or core), pear, and melon such as cantaloupe or honeydew
- Blueberries, strawberries, and raspberries
- Orange or kiwi in a small slice. These are high in vitamin C but acidic, so too much can cause mouth sores.
Skip dried fruit, which concentrates the sugar, and remove pits and large seeds.
Foods to avoid
- Onion, garlic, leeks, and chives
- Avocado, rhubarb, and raw potato, including the skin and sprouts
- Tomato leaves and stems, and any green tomato
- Chocolate, candy, bread, chips, and other human snacks
- Iceberg lettuce, which offers very little nutrition and can cause loose stools
Our guide to foods that are toxic to guinea pigs has more detail.
Vitamin C every day
Guinea pigs can’t make vitamin C, so they need a source every day to avoid scurvy. A few slices of red bell pepper is an easy daily solution, and our list of vitamin C foods for guinea pigs offers more options. Ask your vet whether a supplement is appropriate for your pet.
How to introduce new foods
- Add one new food at a time, in a small piece.
- Wait a day to watch for soft stools, gas, or a drop in appetite.
- Wash everything and remove uneaten fresh food after a few hours.
- Offer variety across the week rather than the same vegetable daily.
Bottom Line
Build the diet on unlimited hay and a small serving of pellets, then add about a cup of varied vegetables a day with red bell pepper for vitamin C. Treat fruit as an occasional extra and keep onions, potatoes, avocado, and human snacks out of the cage.
This is general information, not veterinary advice. If your guinea pig stops eating, has diarrhea, or seems lethargic, call your exotic-pet vet right away.
