General
October 7, 2022
Botanicals Guinea Pig Food
As pet parents, we always want what’s best for our small animals, including the best type of diet. Being herbivores guinea pigs should be exclusively fed a plant-based diet. But not all fruits and vegetables are created equal.
So, what food should you feed your guinea pig? And what food should you avoid?
Making up 80% of your guinea pig’s diet, hay plays a crucial role in your pet’s overall well-being. It is a nutritious and essential source of fibre that helps support digestion and keeps a guinea pig’s ever-growing teeth healthy. Good quality Timothy hay is low in protein, calcium, and calories, making it perfect for everyday feeding and provides guinea pigs with the coarse texture and fibre needed to keep teeth trim.
Guinea pigs LOVE their fruits and veggies! A variety of fresh fruits and vegetables will add enrichment to your pet’s diet preventing boredom, encouraging natural foraging behavior, and providing additional Vitamin C if selected wisely. Avoid feeding fresh foods containing an excess amount of water, sugar, calcium, or starch, as these can lead to health complications.
Because guinea pigs are prone to scurvy, Vitamin C is an extremely important addition to their diets as they cannot produce it on their own. Vitamin C-rich fruits and vegetables therefore play an essential role in your cavy’s diet. But as nutritious as they are, fruits and certain vegetables (such as carrots) are high in sugar and should be considered treats, offered only in very limited quantities.
