What should I feed my guinea pig?

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?

HAY                                                                      

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.

Learn more about Timothy Hay

FRUITS AND VEGETABLES

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.

Healthy foods for your guinea pig include:

• Fresh leafy greens such as Kale, Romaine lettuce, Boston lettuce, etc.
• Cilantro and parsley
• Peppers – Red pepper in particular is high in Vitamin C
• Dandelion greens
• Broccoli florets – Also high in Vitamin C but should be offered in moderation
• Turnip peelings
• Berries – Blueberries, cranberries, raspberries and strawberries are excellent options for taste and nutritional value as they are low in carbohydrates
• Apple
• Pineapple
• Banana
• Melon
• Peach
• Pear

Foods to avoid:

• Iceberg lettuce – Iceberg is mostly water and has no nutritional value
• Onions, garlic, leeks, chives
• Dairy products
• Beans
• Avocado
• Gassy vegetables such as cauliflower and cabbage
• Nuts or seeds (pumpkin, sunflower etc.)
• Meat
• Corn kernels or popcorn
• Chocolate or candy
• Caffeinated products