Guinea pigs should always have access to unlimited grass hay, along with small quantities of pellets designed specifically for them, fresh vegetables and fruits as well as fresh treats like fruits.
Start off your meal right by providing leafy greens such as romaine and bib lettuce, turnip greens, dandelion greens, kale, endive, silver beet, cilantro and mint as leafy vegetables. Additionally, bananas, strawberries, kiwis and papayas make great fruits to offer in small portions.
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Hay
Guinea pigs (cavies in UK parlance) are herbivores and their diet includes plenty of hay to aid their digestive health while simultaneously wearing down their constantly expanding teeth.
Always choose high quality guinea pig hay. Avoid long-term storage or hard, overly dense varieties – these could cause eye pokes or abscesses! Additionally, check that it doesn’t become too dusty as this could make the guinea pigs sneezy!
If your guinea pig seems discontent with the hay you have selected, try mixing in different kinds or add pellet food designed specifically for guinea pigs (visit our shop page to receive a 15% discount code from Small Pet Select). However, don’t substitute pellets as an alternative source of nutrition; only give 1 tablespoon each day as treats.
Meadow hay can also provide an intriguing alternative; consisting of long strands of grass combined with flowers and seed heads, it offers more visual interest than its counterparts but ensures sufficient stems so as to allow your guinea pigs to grind down their teeth properly.
Pellets
Pet stores sell pellet food that may not contain necessary or healthy ingredients for your guinea pigs, including seeds and nuts, sugars, molasses and artificial colors that could harm them. You should opt for one made with Timothy grass with no added seeds or dried fruits that also has stabilized Vitamin C levels to ensure its shelf life is extended once opened.
At 75%, dry pellet food should only make up 75% of a guinea pig’s daily diet, with fresh vegetables and hay accounting for the other 25%. When switching up their food, introduce slowly; they don’t adapt well to abrupt diet changes! Small Pet Select is our recommended pellet as it doesn’t contain cheap and unhealthy binder, fillers or preservatives while being made from fresh Timothy grass that’s been fortified with Vitamin C to meet their daily nutritional requirements.
Fresh Vegetables
As with humans, providing your guinea pig with an assortment of vegetables is key for keeping their diet balanced and avoiding boredom. New vegetables should be introduced slowly to prevent digestive upset; always wash fruit and veg prior to giving it to your guinea pig to eliminate pesticide residue that may have been used during production.
Leafy greens such as romaine lettuce, red and green cabbage, watercress, turnip greens, kale and parsley should make up the bulk of your guinea pig’s diet. Each offers high amounts of vitamin C as well as essential amounts of phosphorus and calcium for proper development of their bodies.
Other nutritious vegetables to feed to guinea pigs include sweet bell peppers (without seeds), fennel, and celery. Cranberries, mango and melons are safe fruits to offer to them once or twice every week as treats; as these contain high levels of sugar and acidity they should only be given occasionally as treats.
Fruit
Guinea pigs are herbivores by nature and need their diets to include plenty of fresh vegetables and fruit to maintain optimal health and add variety to their daily lives. Guinea pigs also require roughage such as grains or grass to chew on so as to wear down their constantly expanding teeth.
Offer a variety of vegetables each day as well as some fruits (but not too many fruits), such as apple, banana, kiwi and strawberry; strawberry contains high levels of vitamin C which will benefit guinea pigs in particular.
Make sure to rinse any produce or fruits for your guinea pigs prior to feeding it to them, in order to rid any pesticides or chemicals present, and cut up vegetables into smaller pieces as these animals have small mouths which can choke on whole foods. Be mindful when providing fruits as this could contain seeds which could be toxic or cause digestive issues for them.
