What can guinea pigs eat?
This lens is all about the dietary dos and don'ts of guinea pig care! If you're thinking of adopting a guinea pig and want to know what to stock up on to prepare, or if you already have a piggie or two and are wondering if you should feed them something you have in your fridge, this lens is for you! This is just one of several lenses in a series about guinea pig care, so if you have other questions, feel free to explore the full series!
***You may also be interested in my new pet blog, Omidog, covering topics that go beyond cats and dogs! I'll definitely be spending some time talking about guinea pigs, and other pets you may be interested in.***
As always, if you like this lens and think other people will benefit from it to, give it a rating on the 'star bar' under the title at the top, and ask any questions you'd like in the feedback section or send a message. I'm happy to talk to you!
May 4 - 10, 2008 is National Be Kind to Animals Week
Show your piggie some extra love!
What better time to celebrate the springtime and the love you have for your guinea pig than Be Kind to Animals Week? The American Humane Association has been celebrating this tradition since 1915 and I'm so glad that the word is continually being spread to improve animal care and animal treatment. For some ideas on how you can celebrate, check out my new blog, Omidog!Thanks, everybody!
Feed Your Guinea Pig Fruits and Vegetables!
Nature's guinea pig candy.
Guinea pigs love fruits and vegetables about as much as humans love ice cream and candy, which is great because fruits and vegetables are an important part of their diet and keep them happy and healthy!You may find that one guinea pig absolutely adores red pepper, and another may sniff it and walk away. Different guinea pigs have different preferences, but generally, they will be receptive to many different foods. If you encounter a guinea pig that is picky and won't eat any fresh produce, talk with your veterinarian about your options for vitamin C fortified pellets like Oxbow and just make sure you get the right nourishment into your little friend.
Here is what you've been searching for! A list of some of the fruits and vegetables that guinea pigs particularly love and that give them the best nutritional benefits. Bear in mind that fruits are high in sugar so it's best to view them more as treats, and to avoid any sudden major changes in diet until you know how your piggie's tummy reacts to things:
- Red Pepper (or green/yellow pepper. Red has the highest vitamin C concentration)
- Carrots
- Apples
- Oranges
- Leafy greens like red lettuce, romaine, or parsley (be sure to feed leafy vegetables in moderation to avoid diarrhea)
- Cucumbers
- Broccoli (in moderation since it can be gassy and cause a gas pain)
- Green beans
- Grapes
- Bananas
- Dandelion Greens
- strawberries (in moderation)
- oranges or clementines. A helpful way to feed these to your piggie if they're being picky is to scoop out some pulp from half an orange and leave some in it so they can lick it without needing to chew on it if they're not diggin' the texture.
Foods to NEVER feed your Guinea Pig, EVER!
what to avoid, no matter how good it may taste to you.
While guinea pigs do enjoy a variety of flavors and types of fruits and vegetables, there are some foods that you should never feed to your guinea pig. If there is an item that isn't on this list or the one above and you're not sure, it's best not to feed it to your piggie until you can get verification from a vet. The good foods list isn't comprehensive, so you may find some other online resources with more exhaustive lists.
The following is a list of food items to NEVER feed to your guinea pig.
The following is a list of food items to NEVER feed to your guinea pig.
- Iceberg lettuce - this is too watery and provides no nutritional value, likely causing diarrhea and an unhappy guinea pig
- Any type of cabbage - very gassy and very bad to feed your fuzzy baby.
- Cauliflower
- Potato peelings - these can actually be potentially poisonous. It's best not to risk it.
- Raw beans (this doesn't mean green beans. This means things like raw, hard kidney beans, split peas, pinto beans, etc.)
- Shelled nuts or seeds, particularly things like sunflower seeds or 'bird seed' type mixes.
- Rhubarb - this is poisonous to a guinea pig!
- Meat - guinea pigs are herbivores meaning they only eat vegetables and fruits.
- Dairy Products - while many stores will offer 'yogurt drops' and other 'treats', dairy is not healthy to feed your guinea pig and can actually cause problems. Feed natural treats like veggies instead of store brand treats. It's less expensive and your piggie will be much happier.
- Chocolate or other caffeine-containing products. This is absolutely poisonous.
- Alcohol - again, extremely poisonous.
- Cookies/bread*
*you can feed a small piece of cereal like a cheerio from time to time as a treat, but they will likely not even like it, so it's best to just avoid this altogether! - hamster food, gerbil food, rabbit food, or any other non-guinea pig food. Often these contain seeds, which are a big no-no, but they also have a different balance of vitamins and minerals which aren't suited for a guinea pig's dietary needs.
- corn kernels or popcorn
- sugary foods like donuts, candy, or soda
- Ice cream.
- Any processed or fried foods that you would eat, including potato chips/nachos or french fries.
- Cheese
Hay - It's What's for Dinner
...and lunch, and breakfast, and snack, and.....
Guinea pigs have unique digestive systems that require a constant supply of fiber to help them digest their food and prevent impactions (this means they develop a build up in their colon and can't poop properly, which can cause sickness and even death).Their stomachs go through a double digestion process wherein they eat once, digest their food, create soft fecal matter in a pouch in their rump, eat those, and digest it again. I know that sounds so gross! But this is an important part of your piggie's health. If you ever see him or her leaning down to eat one, just let it happen. You may want to think twice about kissing your piggie after that though!
Hay is a staple in a guinea pig's diet. You can honestly never have too much hay. When guinea pigs are babies, they can have some alfalfa hay, which has a different balance of nutrients than the timothy hay that adult guinea pigs eat, but by the time they're full-grown guinea pigs, they should have only timothy hay- and lots of it!
You can find western timothy hay in most pet stores, but you want to make sure that you find a bag that looks nice and fresh. Sometimes when I go to the pet store, I find bags of timothy hay that look more like straw, and you'll probably find if you feed that to your piggie, he or she will pick around the straw pieces and eat the more leafy hay bits instead. It pays to find a nice, fresh, green bag of hay. Your piggie will be so happy!
A great brand to go for is Oxbow Hay. I discovered it online and then found that my vet used it, too, so it's definitely the cream of the guinea pig crop! Some of their products are carried in certain pet stores, and your vet may also carry these supplies, but it's very simple and affordable to order right through a website like Amazon. I found some of the products and have listed them below for you!
Hay should be constantly available to your piggie. Some cages have hay troughs, but these can sometimes be tricky to use. Just make sure that there is fresh, un-soiled hay available to your piggie constantly. They will eat it nonstop, but you don't have to worry because it will not make them fat. No amount of hay will put weight on a piggie because it's not actually fully digested into their body, it's used by their digestive system to "move things along".
Oxbow Hay to keep your guinea pig happy and healthy!
I found some Oxbow products that you can just order online. That's what we've done with ours, and we usually buy a 20lb box. It sounds like a lot, but it lasts awhile and then we don't have to be running to the pet supply store every two weeks to keep buying bags of the icky, dry hay they stock there. You can seriously smell the difference when you open the bag (hopefully you don't have hay allergies!)
Guinea Pig Pellets - Crunch time!
what guinea pig pellets are best for your cavy.
Pellets are another crucial piece of a guinea pig's diet. Now, it's completely possible to sustain your guinea pig solely on fruits and vegetables and hay, and skip the pellets altogether. But you want to make sure that you're feeding them enough of what they need as far as vitamins and minerals, and it's highly advisable not to do this unless you talk to your veterinarian first.Assuming that you go the more traditional route of pellets combined with fresh vegetables and hay, here's what you need to know:
Never feed a guinea pig anything with seeds. Even though there are 'treats' marketed to guinea pigs on the shelves of pet stores, NEVER buy them any sort of treat stick or other concoction that contains sunflower seeds, bits of corn, or any other small pieces. These are unnecessary to a pig's diet and guinea pigs are prone to choking, so seeds are a bad idea.
When looking for a kibble bag for your guinea pig, look for one that only contains pellets - no other fillers. If it resembles hamster food or bird seed, do not buy it! Most pet stores will carry a variety of brands. Even if a bag of pellets says that it's fortified with vitamin C, do not take this as a replacement for vitamin-rich vegetables. We will cover vitamin C in the next sections.
I noticed some people have questions about whether they can feed their guinea pig other animal pellets, and the answer is a big no! Guinea pigs cannot eat hamster food, rabbit food, gerbil food, etc. Even though rabbits and guinea pigs may seem similar, they have different dietary needs and you should never feed your guinea pig any food that's labeled for the nutritional balance of another animal.
The best brand of pellets I've found so far is once again the Oxbow brand. My guinea pigs seem to like the taste the best, and this formula has a special type of vitamin C that is truthfully meant to last a long time. My veterinarian has said in this case with the Oxbow brand, you could technically omit the other vitamin supplements in vegetables and the guinea pigs would be fine. But you want to feed them those anyway because they love them so much!
In contrast to hay, too many pellets will make your guinea pig overweight. So, just be sure that you ration the amount you give them to a handful or two a day depending on the size of your guinea pig. If you notice your guinea pig gaining weight, it's good to check with your vet to find out what you can do to make sure it doesn't get out of hand while still being able to keep your guinea pig from going hungry.
OxbowCavy Cuisine and Cavy Performance Pellets
If you have a baby guinea pig, the Cavy Performance pellets are the ones to go for, but for healthy young to adult guinea pigs, Cavy Cuisine is the one to buy. They're made out of some of the high quality hay that I talked about in the previous section, along with the right balances of vitamins and long-lasting vitamin C, unlike the other brands at the mega pet marts. In this case, convenience isn't a fair trade for quality.
Guinea Pig Care Books!
You know what they say - you can never have enough guinea pig knowledge!...oh, maybe it's just me saying that, haha. Either way, here are some great books to get you started after you've read through these guinea pig lenses.
Vitamin C - Ahoy Matee!
Scurvy's not just for pirates anymore.
We've established that guinea pigs love fruits and veggies. This is a wonderful thing because guinea pigs, like humans, are one of the few species of animal whose bodies aren't able to generate vitamin C. This means that we humans as well as guinea pigs need to find our vitamin C from other sources. If we or guinea pigs don't get enough vitamin C in our diets, we can contract a condition known as scurvy, which commonly affected pirates and fishermen on long sea journeys where they were far away from fresh vegetables. This can make a guinea pig very sick or even die, so it's important to get at least 10mg of vitamin C into their systems each day.
You or I might drink a glass of orange juice, eat a packet of fruit snacks, or take a multivitamin.
Guinea pigs can get their vitamin C needs through fresh vegetables. Sometimes you may find that you can crush up a small amount of a vitamin C pill into their water, but this isn't always advisable because vitamin C is incredibly light sensitive, meaning it will lose its potency quickly when exposed to light.
Red pepper is a vegetable with an immense amount of vitamin C. Since some guinea pigs won't really take fondly to an orange (you can try feeding it to them by cutting an orange or a clementine in half, scooping out most of the pulp and leaving some of the pulp and juice for them to lick), they're almost always ravenous for peppers.
Pellets will often claim that they have "long-lasting vitamin C", but you have to be aware that the bags will have been sitting on a warehouse shelf and may not even get into your hands as a consumer until months have gone by, at which time the vitamin C has been exposed to enough light and has been sitting long enough to have been mostly if not completely depleted.
The Oxbow "Cavy Cuisine" pellets do have a unique form of vitamin C that has been engineered to last long enough for you to not have to worry. If you couldn't tell by now, I'm really supportive of that brand!
You or I might drink a glass of orange juice, eat a packet of fruit snacks, or take a multivitamin.
Guinea pigs can get their vitamin C needs through fresh vegetables. Sometimes you may find that you can crush up a small amount of a vitamin C pill into their water, but this isn't always advisable because vitamin C is incredibly light sensitive, meaning it will lose its potency quickly when exposed to light.
Red pepper is a vegetable with an immense amount of vitamin C. Since some guinea pigs won't really take fondly to an orange (you can try feeding it to them by cutting an orange or a clementine in half, scooping out most of the pulp and leaving some of the pulp and juice for them to lick), they're almost always ravenous for peppers.
Pellets will often claim that they have "long-lasting vitamin C", but you have to be aware that the bags will have been sitting on a warehouse shelf and may not even get into your hands as a consumer until months have gone by, at which time the vitamin C has been exposed to enough light and has been sitting long enough to have been mostly if not completely depleted.
The Oxbow "Cavy Cuisine" pellets do have a unique form of vitamin C that has been engineered to last long enough for you to not have to worry. If you couldn't tell by now, I'm really supportive of that brand!
Vitamin C and other guinea pig supplies
You can supplement your guinea pig's water with extra vitamin C. While I looked for that to link to here, I happened upon some other irresistible goodies. I'm not sure if I should be embarrassed to admit this - I have the Playmobil set. And it's adorable.
Other Guinea Pig Care Lenses in this Series
Questions about your guinea pig's health? Living conditions? Diet? Take a peek at the other lenses in this series about guinea pigs and become a cavy expert!
- Guinea Pig Care 101 - Part 1: Are you Ready to Adopt a Guinea Pig?
- If you've ever had the privilege of bringing a guinea pig into your home, you'll know the heart-melting feeling you get with each little squeak and twitch of that cute little nose. But guinea pigs, despite their adorable exterior, do have unique needs and lifestyles that require some special care!
- Guinea Pig Care 101 - Part 2: Preparing Your Home
- This is just one in a series of pages about proper guinea pig care, and what you should know before you adopt! In this lens, you will learn the steps you should take in preparing your home for your guinea pig's arrival.
- Guinea Pig Care 101 - Part 3: Company or a Crowd? When to Have More Than One Piggie
- In this lens, you will learn about your options when adopting a guinea pig in terms of deciding whether to adopt more than one.
- Guinea Pig Care 101 - Part 4: What Guinea Pigs Can and Cannot Eat
- This lens is all about the dietary dos and don'ts of guinea pig care! If you're thinking of adopting a guinea pig and want to know what to stock up on to prepare, or if you already have a piggie or two and are wondering if you should feed them something you have in your fridge, this lens is for you!
- Guinea Pig Care 101 - Part 5: To Adopt or Buy - Where to Find your new Guinea Pig Friend
- This lens is all about the adoption process for bringing a new guinea pig into your home, and where you should look to find your furry friend. If you're thinking about bringing a guinea pig into your life and you're not sure where to start, this lens is for you!
- Guinea Pig Care 101 - Part 6: Finding a Good Guinea Pig Vet
- This lens is about finding a specialized veterinarian that will best suit your needs as a guinea pig parent.
Reader Comments and Feedback
Did you find this information useful? Please feel free to let me know your thoughts or questions, or if you just want to say hi. Thanks!
arron
when i feed my guinea pigs i make sure that the grass i give is only grass, as i found out that a weed that grows in the grass which climes and has a wight flower can kill them. so im only giving advice to people that might not know that.
Posted May 10, 2008
caveman
thanks this site has helped alot particulaly the food because my guinea pigs eat alot especilly the female i think she is pregnant
Posted March 31, 2008
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southpaw23
Hi there! If the food you have includes corn and sunflower seeds, I'd say it'd be best to try to find a different brand that doesn't have any of those in it. I know Kaytee and Blue Seal both make regular pellet foods if you can't find Oxbow, or you can order the Oxboe online. Good luck!! Posted February 10, 2008 |
101 i love zac
ok my food inclodes corn and sunflowers stuff
Posted February 10, 2008
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southpaw23
Hi Kameryn! Posted January 12, 2008 |
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Spring is Here, and it's the Perfect Time for...Veggies at Farmer's Markets!
April is upon us, and though it's still a little chilly up here in New England, you can tell that pretty soon all of the flowers are going to bloom and farmer's markets will be everywhere. Going to Farmer's Markets to get produce is great all around - you get great deals on delicious, fresh produce; you're buying locally so you're really doing the environment a favor; the food is likely to be a lot better, without so many pesticides or hormones;and of course, your piggie will be delighted when you come home with a bunch of just-picked carrots, some fresh cilantro, or a nice, juicy red pepper.
So even if you're not a huge vegetable fan yourself, take a stroll through a farmer's market and think of your guinea pig. You could probably even take your piggie with you so they could pick their favorite...though I wouldn't really recommend it, haha.
It's National Adopt a Guinea Pig Month!
celebrate this windy, chilly month with a fluffy friend
I nearly forgot to mention this on here before it was too late! March is National Adopt a Guinea Pig Month! Whether you have a guinea pig, are thinking about adopting a guinea pig, or just love guinea pigs in general, this month gives you all of the usual reasons and more to pay special homage to these sweet little companions.
Be sure to visit your local animal rescue or go online to PetFinder to see if there are any lonely cavies out there that could use a home. But before you do, make sure you know what you're in for and read up on proper guinea pig care!
Be sure to visit your local animal rescue or go online to PetFinder to see if there are any lonely cavies out there that could use a home. But before you do, make sure you know what you're in for and read up on proper guinea pig care!
News and Updates 3/9/08
March your way into your guinea pig's heart.
The windy month of March is upon us, and it couldn't be a better time to learn about your guinea pig's food! Why, you ask? Because guinea pigs just happen to LOVE GREEN vegetables! Get in the St. Patrick's Day spirit this month and give your little lucky charm a nice big leaf of romaine, a sprig of parsley, a handful of fresh cilantro, or a juicy cucumber slice!This lens is continuing to reach the right people, and we're steadily increasing traffic little by little. If there's something that you wanted to know that you weren't able to find here, leave a message and let me know and I'll be happy to do my best to include it!
News and Updates: 2/15/08
Happy Valentine's day, everyone! Okay, I suppose I'm a day late. But I received a wonderful email from a reader today who had a very poignant story to tell about his sweet guinea pig who passed away. But he was thanking me for putting this information out there so people like him and other guinea pig enthusiasts can really learn to care for their piggies as best as they can. It touched my heart! I'm so glad to know you all are finding this useful, and I thank you so much for your comments and emails.Give your piggie a squeeze and if you're feeling romantic, cut a little heart out of a red pepper with a cookie cutter. Once they smell that, they'll be your Valentine for life!
News and updates, 1/10/08
More and more people are visiting this lens, which means more people are looking to find out what's safe for their guinea pig, and what to feed as a treat!
I received a question recently about celery - while it's not poisonous, generally a tiny piece is okay, but any more and you might be putting your guinea pig at risk for choking or diarrhea from the fibers. Be sure to cut across the stalk (making the little half moon shaped slice) as opposed to length-wise. This reduces the risk of choking.
Also, red, yellow, orange and green peppers are all awesome for your guinea pig. The only thing to be careful of with peppers is that you don't accidentally purchase a spicy pepper! You also want to make sure to avoid any seeds from the peppers because even non-spicy peppers can have spicy seeds. If your piggie is being picky about it, you may have accidentally left some of the membrane on your slice, so be sure all of the lighter-colored, soft 'webbing' from the inside of the pepper has been scraped away.
Enjoy the lens and keep the questions coming!
I received a question recently about celery - while it's not poisonous, generally a tiny piece is okay, but any more and you might be putting your guinea pig at risk for choking or diarrhea from the fibers. Be sure to cut across the stalk (making the little half moon shaped slice) as opposed to length-wise. This reduces the risk of choking.
Also, red, yellow, orange and green peppers are all awesome for your guinea pig. The only thing to be careful of with peppers is that you don't accidentally purchase a spicy pepper! You also want to make sure to avoid any seeds from the peppers because even non-spicy peppers can have spicy seeds. If your piggie is being picky about it, you may have accidentally left some of the membrane on your slice, so be sure all of the lighter-colored, soft 'webbing' from the inside of the pepper has been scraped away.
Enjoy the lens and keep the questions coming!
News and Updates
Hi everyone! Just a little updated news to thank you all for visiting and to help serve you better. I've noticed a lot of people seem to have questions about what their guinea pig can and can't eat. It's sad this information isn't made readily more available not only on the Web, but right where you find your guinea pig at a shelter or a pet store. Nobody should be left feeling confused about their new pet at all!To address some of the more common search terms that bring people here:
No, your guinea pig can't eat ice cream! haha. As yummy as it is for us, all that sugar and dairy, and particularly chocolate, is really dangerous for those little guys.
The lists included aren't exhaustive so if you ever have a question or if you think your piggie is sick, call your vet immediately! Sadly I'm not a vet, but I have researched quite a bit on these critters. I'm happy to answer any questions you may have if I know the answers, but if it's something more serious, always call your vet.
Things like sunflower seeds or other small seeds and nuts should be avoided because guinea pigs will choke on them. Nuts and seeds also tend to be high in fat, and if your guinea pig is anything like mine, he or she is likely chubby enough without these foods! If you want to feed your piggie a little treat, try a baby carrot or you could even attempt to make your own treats with some mashed up pellets, oats, and a little bit of honey to hold it together. They may or may not like these, but it's fun to try as long as you're using safe ingredients and not going overboard.
Stay tuned on this spot for more tips and news, and please read the other guinea pig care lenses if you're ever looking for more piggie info!
