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From the lens What Guinea Pigs Can and Cannot Eat.

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!

  • XxLittleTxX Apr 28, 2012 @ 7:38 pm | delete
    HI, Ive been on this website before to ask another question.. Im not sure if this is the right area to ask it, im sorry if its not but im desperate.. I think my guinea pig has a infection on his foot.. I can afford to go to the vet. His foot is swollen and has a piece of his poop on it. I once pulled it off and put oil on it. Im not sure if it worked but another piece of poop stuck to his same foot. When i pulled it off he didnt bleed, he was in pain though.. Not all the poop came off.. So this time i have to soak and pull. I dont know what to do PLEASE HELP. I clean his cage once a week. I now know i have to scoop his cage regularly, he poops way more then my girl guinea pig. His foot, i belive is reder then it should be. Its been like this for a while, Im trying to find help. Please help :D. Oh, its on his front paw (left). Also whenever i touch it, he squirms.. so that tells me hes in pain. If you dont know the question here it is... How do i heal a guinea pigs front foot, with a piece of poop on it and maybe infected, without going to the vet?? THANK YOU :D
  • southpaw23 Apr 29, 2012 @ 9:44 pm | delete
    Hi there!

    Unfortunately you really must get your piggie to a vet! It sounds like he has an infection that may require antibiotics, or he may have something called bumble foot, which can afflict guinea pigs at any age. Even though it's expensive, your piggies' life could be at stake and you need to make sure he is taken care of. If you can get to a local vet, ask them what they can do to help and if you might be able to do a payment plan. I wouldn't rely on at-home treatment for something like this without a proper diagnosis. He may need prescription medicine. I hope that he feels better and that you're able to get some help!
  • melissa-mcavaddy May 7, 2012 @ 4:10 pm | delete
    Sounds like he really needs a vet. That might not be poo, it may be nacrotic tissue (dying/dead). This usually leads to an open wound, a decubitus ulcer or bed sore. It's a lesion and tends to remain open ooze and need proper wound care to heal...on people at least. Being that you can't get him to a vet right now, I would see if there are any Cavy rescues in your area that would take a look at it and point you in the right direction. Please don't get rid of him because of this...he'll likely just be put down. Good luck...saying a prayer for him!
  • gabiann1 May 13, 2012 @ 12:57 pm | delete
    that same thing happened to my pig. (guniea)
  • prosperityjane Apr 28, 2012 @ 4:48 pm | delete
    I know this was mentioned below but I just wanted to suggest not to feed your guin-guins spinach. It contains too much calcium which can cause kidney stones. My piggies loved it so I fed it to them all the time but my little Nutmeg developed a stone and was so sick and she didn't make it through the surgery. I still hadn't put 2 and 2 together and still was feeding the spinach to Pumpkin. Then she developed a stone and had to have surgery. She's fine now but it's not worth taking the chance not to mention the pain and $$ to feed them spinach when they love other things too. Just my experience and 2 cents....
  • southpaw23 Apr 29, 2012 @ 9:44 pm | delete
    Oh thank you, prosperityjane! This was something I'd heard but I wasn't sure of the details. I try to keep the spinach to a 'treat' and not a main staple of their greens. But it's good to know that it's so full of calcium. Thank you for this helpful tip!!
  • krissy542 Apr 28, 2012 @ 10:21 am | delete
    great information. I am wondering though can you give a Guinea pig a salt wheel? i am hearing two different things
  • krissy542 Apr 28, 2012 @ 10:21 am | delete
    great information. I am wondering though can you give a Guinea pig a salt wheel? i am hearing two different things
  • southpaw23 Apr 29, 2012 @ 9:46 pm | delete
    Hi Krissy,

    That's a good question. I've never had salt wheels for my piggies...or hm, I may have way toward the beginning but I don't think they went for it, if so. My policy with things like that is if there's a chance that it's not good, it's probably best to avoid it. With proper fruits/veggies and pellets/hay, guinea pigs should be able to get all of their necessary vitamins and minerals. I'm sorry I don't have a more definitive answer! I just did some searching and it looks like the general consensus is 'no', though I haven't consulted a veterinarian on it.
  • danielle-rose-9634 May 7, 2012 @ 8:04 pm | delete
    I was wandrin what kind of fruit and veggies can guinea pigs eat?
  • neuromancer Apr 14, 2012 @ 9:26 am | delete
    Thanks for this, I never thought that cabbage might really be bad for them.
  • livingfrontiers Mar 12, 2012 @ 9:34 am | delete
    Cute and great information! I love your suggestions on the no list...a good one for us all:)
  • abby-werth Mar 9, 2012 @ 5:42 pm | delete
    Thank you so much for this handy information! We just purchased two guinea pigs (Abraham and Harry) and have already fallen in love! The petstore told us they could have a few treats from our frig but we weren't sure if we could trust that info or not! Now we know for sure what to give them.
  • melisa-r-hart Mar 7, 2012 @ 11:37 pm | delete
    Blaine and Spencer were bought about a week apart. I love them to death. We are still working on the handling thing and it is funny how different they are. Blaine is calm and just wants to snuggle. Spencer is hyper and "popcorns" all the timge and wants to eat the dogs toenails. These are my first guinea pigs so I am tyring to do the best I can with the little guys.

    So anyways, long story short, this is definately more informative then anything else I have seen. It's kinda funny cause my boyfriend eats mostly fruits and veggies too and pretty much the same thing too, so it will make the grocery shopping easier.

    Just one question, can they have mushrooms or things like peaches and plums?
  • webtechdl Mar 7, 2012 @ 6:11 pm | delete
    Thanks helped greatly now we know what he cant have.
  • ohcheap1 Mar 7, 2012 @ 1:08 pm | delete
    My Vince and Howard (Mighty Boosch fans) are really picky eaters. They either love it or hate it. Spinach is a hate. WHAT?!?!? IKR I was really surprised. Kale on the other hand they will yell at each other over Kale. Vince has a weight issue. I dont know what I should do to help him. They have a 6'x 3' cage with a balcony and a partner in crime to play with. Any thoughts on ways to help him trim down?
  • tina-resoort Mar 7, 2012 @ 1:48 am | delete
    can you feed Guinea Pigs celery or celery leaves
  • DeniseDurham2011 Mar 5, 2012 @ 1:54 pm | delete
    I love Guinea Pigs. This is a great lens! It is so fun to watch them eat.
  • GOT Mar 3, 2012 @ 11:25 am | delete
    Nice work
  • Barbara116 Mar 2, 2012 @ 8:17 pm | delete
    My vet says the easiest and best way to give a pig vitamin c is to add a small amount of Tang to his water. Just enough to turn the water very pale orange. My pig loves it! Cheaper too.
  • MarcGuberti Mar 1, 2012 @ 6:28 pm | delete
    The Guinea Pigs look so adorable!
  • kathysart Mar 1, 2012 @ 12:22 pm | delete
    Ever since I heard Mark Marone who hosts "Petkeeping" say how much he loves guinea pigs I have thought of getting a couple. Good advice on their care! Angel blessed!
  • MelonyVaughan Feb 27, 2012 @ 1:13 pm | delete
    Great information! Thanks for sharing!
  • Buddy1024 Feb 11, 2012 @ 7:04 pm | delete
    I have 3 guinea pigs and feed them hay pellets and fruits and veggies But one of my guinea pigs is really really REALLY overweight. I tried to cut down about the pellets and veggies in the cage but the others started to get sick so I gave them the amount I did before. So I was wondering if there is a way to safely keep her weight down? P.S. All piggies are female and share one cage. Additional note: My over weight piggie is very aggrssive towrds other piggies. Why? P.S. Can not afford another cage. P.S. Three Piggie huts in cage. One for each pig. PLEASE respons A.S.P.A! I am VERY worried!
  • hatbat99 Jan 24, 2012 @ 1:04 pm | delete
    hi my guinea pig ate some bread about the size of your thumb print is she gonna be ok? it was left on the table and she sniffed it out
  • Edutopia Jan 15, 2012 @ 2:08 pm | delete
    My niece has been lobbying hard for a guinea pig. Will have to go over this lens with her to make sure she knows everything she should about taking care of them.
  • dpethealth Jan 14, 2012 @ 6:16 pm | delete
    I really wonder what they do eat in their natural habitat. In reality where would they find vitamin C or if they come across nuts, will they eat it?
  • Image_Girl Jan 13, 2012 @ 1:48 pm | delete
    sigh. a few years back a friend dropped a chocolate bar - and my guinea pig ate it and died. very sad. Years later and I still feel terrible about it.
  • victoriabeckham Jan 5, 2012 @ 1:35 am | delete
    Hello, can you feed guinea pigs OATS
  • Mellony Jan 8, 2012 @ 9:57 pm | delete
    Yeppers! They love them a LOT too!
  • Mellony Jan 8, 2012 @ 9:57 pm | delete
    Yeppers! They love them a LOT too!
  • ANIMAL LOVER EXTRAORDINARE Jan 11, 2012 @ 1:16 am | delete
    yes you can, and you CAN feed them seeds.( they LOVE sunflower seeds)
    DO NOT GIVE THEM ANY CITRUS FRUITS -
    lemon
    oranges
    mandarins
    pineapples
    etc...
    Also, my guinea pig shares cage territory with a rabbit and i give them BOTH rabbit food.
    Rabbits,guinea pigs,mice, rats and hampsters have very similar digestive systems and all eat the same basic variety of food. if you feed a mouse, rat food, it will NOT KILL YOUR PET.
    same as feeding hampsters guinea pig food or guinea pigs rabbit food etc... but... if you feed a mouse rabbit food.... sort of weird.....best not to.
    i really hope i've helped!
  • southpaw23 Jan 11, 2012 @ 1:25 am | delete
    Hi Animal Lover Extraordinaire,

    Thanks so much for your comment! While it's definitely contrary to what I've read from multiple sources including my veterinarian(s), I'm glad to know that your animals haven't suffered ill consequences.

    The leading source of guinea pig health info on the web that's very trusted and backed with a LOT of super helpful information is called Cavy Spirit. This page will explain the dietary needs of rabbits and guinea pigs to anyone interested in learning more about the relationship of guinea pigs and rabbits in terms of housing and nutritional health: http://www.guineapigcages.com/rabbits.htm

    While their digestive systems are similar in terms of needing hay, etc. the nutrients they require are quite different. Especially in terms of vitamin C. Guinea pigs cannot produce their own, whereas rabbits can. And this can be disastrous if your guinea pig doesn't get adequate vitamin C. I'd strongly discourage anyone from feeding rabbit food to a guinea pig. It's not formulated for their dietary needs. Same with hamster food that contains things like corn, nuts, seeds, etc. Guinea pigs are not only prone to choking but also do not require the oils and other fats contained in seeds that are healthy for hamsters.

    Also, it's perfectly fine to offer your piggie citrus fruits, just be sure to do so in moderation as the citric acid can cause mouth sores if they have too much (just like you or I would develop a chancre sore if we ate a lot of sour candy or citrus fruit). Some are picky about it and will turn their nose up anyhow, but if you have a piggie that enjoys citrus, a small slice of mandarin orange or even a bit of orange peel is a perfectly acceptable treat containing the much-needed vitamin C.

    In terms of housing a guinea pig with a rabbit, while many people have done this and likely done it unknowingly in terms of danger, there is significant risk involved to the guinea pig. Rabbits' hind feet are incredibly strong and even just one enthusiastic hop could be fatal if a guinea pig were caught in the 'line of kicking'. More information about that pairing is also contained on the link above.
  • ANIMAL LOVER EXTRAORDINARE Jan 11, 2012 @ 1:28 am | delete
    sorry but i disagree
  • SoleSurvivor Mar 4, 2012 @ 3:14 pm | delete
    No!
    You absolutely CANNOT give them Sunflower seeds!
    They're too big for the guinea pigs to chew and even if they do chew them, they'll choke on the big pieces.

    Trust me buddy, i learned this the hard way.
  • Nuna Ya Bussiness Dec 29, 2011 @ 11:35 am | delete
    It says you can feed guinea pigs grapes. Some people think you can, but I have read that feeding them grapes can lead to kidney faliure. Just letting you know.
  • ANIMAL LOVER EXTRAORDINARE Jan 11, 2012 @ 1:20 am | delete
    that is 100% true!
    Im glad someone knows something about guinea pigs! ( i do )
    :D :D :D :D :D
  • marc Dec 25, 2011 @ 11:01 am | delete
    can guinea pigs eat asparagus
  • jadehorseshoe Dec 23, 2011 @ 1:18 pm | delete
    A very important lens! Fine critters.
  • beautifulpeople Dec 21, 2011 @ 5:00 am | delete
    Best Link Ever To Care For Guinea Pigs - http://theguineapigrescue.com/care.htm - Thank You UnknownUSER :D
  • UnknownUSER Dec 21, 2011 @ 4:59 am | delete
    Here is a good site! CHECK IT OUT!!, its the best way to care for guinea pigs, what they do/dont do, what they eat/dont eat, caring and way more here is the link : http://theguineapigrescue.com/care.htm - Its the best!
  • UnknownUSER Dec 21, 2011 @ 4:59 am | delete
    Here is a good site! CHECK IT OUT!!, its the best way to care for guinea pigs, what they do/dont do, what they eat/dont eat, caring and way more here is the link : http://theguineapigrescue.com/care.htm - Its the best!
  • baby-strollers Dec 17, 2011 @ 5:06 pm | delete
    Great info! I know what to avoid...
  • baby-strollers Dec 17, 2011 @ 5:06 pm | delete
    Great info! I know what to avoid...
  • Becky ball Dec 15, 2011 @ 1:51 am | delete
    I have a very shinny pig, I bought her food from the pet store and their food has seed and corn kernals, so does the Kaytee brand.she still is not eating anything, not even the hay. just the pine bedding. barely pooping. what can I do?
  • Susan & Immanuel Dec 7, 2011 @ 5:20 pm | delete
    Thanks for the details on foods guinea pigs can & can't eat plus vitamin C intake, pellets & hay, we have adopted a friend's pigs(two) they are moving to another state, we have never owned pigs before, fun...
  • Ava Dec 5, 2011 @ 8:02 pm | delete
    Hello, thank you so much for the info! Some of this was so unsuspecting, thanks to you my guinea pigs are healthy and happy, they give you many thankful squeaks, love, Ava and her guinea pigs Pepper and Spice.
  • Tammy Dec 5, 2011 @ 6:05 pm | delete
    Thank you so much! Very helpful...will try the oxbow!
  • evelyn & palden Dec 4, 2011 @ 1:01 pm | delete
    ive got a baby guinea pig..i luv her alot n never wna loose hr..ty 4 d info...
  • Christy Nov 27, 2011 @ 7:40 pm | delete
    I love my Guinea Pig! This was very useful information. Thaks:)
  • Christy Nov 27, 2011 @ 7:40 pm | delete
    I love my Guinea Pig! This was very useful information. Thaks:)
  • dorothea lucllie davis Nov 21, 2011 @ 8:24 pm | delete
    i love my ginpig
  • dorothea lucllie davis Nov 21, 2011 @ 8:23 pm | delete
    i love my ginpig
  • morgan Nov 20, 2011 @ 2:26 pm | delete
    this information was useful and thanks because i was not sure what to feed my guinea pig
  • tenderangel Nov 17, 2011 @ 6:58 pm | delete
    Thank you for all the information here. I have two female guinea pigs that my husband and I rescured and we just love them. Thank you again for all the helpful hints.
  • guineapigsaretheBOMB!! Nov 14, 2011 @ 10:46 pm | delete
    wow! THANKS THIS HELPS ME AND MY BFF ALOT!!
  • kimmanleyort Nov 8, 2011 @ 10:00 am | delete
    How interesting to find out that there are food that are dangerous to a guinea pig. You have created a very helpful resource for guinea pig owners. And I love your artwork too. Blessed.
  • Dan Nov 2, 2011 @ 11:21 pm | delete
    I bet that the answer is a yes, but is it alright if I give my little Guy celery?
  • Heather Nov 3, 2011 @ 12:17 pm | delete
    a friend of mine who raises piggies told me its not a good idea to give my "cheese" celery.. choking hazard i guess?
  • andi Nov 12, 2011 @ 9:40 pm | delete
    the strings in the celery cause a choking hazard, so if you do plan on feeding them celery, be sure to cut the pieces very small.
  • Deana Oct 28, 2011 @ 1:35 pm | delete
    awesome... taught me a lot for my little guy. but i do have a question.. how you do know if your giving them 10mg of vit c a day? right now, i am feeding mine mazuri guinea pig food and clementine oranges. he is also eating his timothy hay like crazy. to make sure that he is getting 10 mg of vit c, do you know about how many orange slices he should have a day?
  • ANIMAL LOVER EXTRAORDINARE Jan 11, 2012 @ 1:29 am | delete
    im thinking around 3 or 4
  • cffutah Oct 26, 2011 @ 8:20 am | delete
    really liked your love for this cuddly animal, 'thumbs up' from this reader to you.
  • Pennyseeker Oct 21, 2011 @ 9:58 am | delete
    Interesting lens!
  • lifeloveliving Oct 17, 2011 @ 3:02 pm | delete
    I have been keeping guinea pigs for years and there are allsorts of suggestions for foodstuffs i havent tried! oranges! who would have thought it! my three girls are in for a treat tomorrow!
  • ANIMAL LOVER EXTRAORDINARE Jan 11, 2012 @ 1:30 am | delete
    NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO
    dont give them oranges...
    they cannot eat citrus fruits (lemons or onrnges etc...)
    trust me
  • ANIMAL LOVER EXTRAORDINARE Jan 11, 2012 @ 1:30 am | delete
    NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO
    dont give them oranges...
    they cannot eat citrus fruits (lemons or onrnges etc...)
    trust me
  • bethany Oct 3, 2011 @ 1:06 pm | delete
    can you feed your pig bananas as a treat
  • ANIMAL LOVER EXTRAORDINARE Jan 11, 2012 @ 1:31 am | delete
    no - bananas are bad for them (DIARRHEA)
  • Bob Sep 19, 2011 @ 8:08 pm | delete
    what's the best cut to serve over a bed of rice ?
  • Lynn H Sep 19, 2011 @ 3:32 pm | delete
    It states not to feed piggies pumpkin seeds yet I have seen them in the mixes I have purchased. Can you clarify why they can't have them please.
  • southpaw23 Sep 21, 2011 @ 5:13 pm | delete
    Hi Lynn,

    Yes, often times in some of the mixes at pet stores they will put corn and seeds in that really aren't ideal for a guinea pig diet. From what I understand (and as I always say, I'm not a vet but this seems to be the consensus) is that pumpkin seeds and other nuts/seeds, other than posing a choking hazard, contain a lot of fats and oils that guinea pigs don't really need in their diets. They do well with a timothy hay-based pellet and lots of fresh timothy hay to get their needed fiber and nutrients (plus fruits and veggies of course!). Hopefully this answers your question! Thanks so much for writing in.
  • ANIMAL LOVER EXTRAORDINARE Jan 11, 2012 @ 1:32 am | delete
    YES THAT IS TRUE BUT THAT IS NO REASON NOT TO GIVE THEM SEEDS AT ALL (oops caps lock):D
  • kalee Sep 19, 2011 @ 11:16 am | delete
    how old dose a piggy need to b befor i can feed him veggies
  • southpaw23 Sep 21, 2011 @ 5:14 pm | delete
    Hi Kalee,

    That's a good question that I'm not entirely sure of the answer to. I would assume that once guinea pigs are weaned off of their moms, you can start offering small amounts of fruits and veggies to help them slowly adjust to a new diet. Some guinea pigs are pickier than others, but generally they love leafy greens and peppers.
  • Yaz & JB Sep 16, 2011 @ 8:08 pm | delete
    Terrific information and fun to read! Thank you, this site is so helpful.
  • elanaaaaaddd Aug 28, 2011 @ 5:52 am | delete
    does this mean that i cant feed my guinea pig the seedsin a cuccumber? i have to take them out?
  • southpaw23 Aug 28, 2011 @ 2:26 pm | delete
    Hi there!

    Nope, cucumber seeds are perfectly fine. They're small and not hard like watermelon seeds. If you slice the cucumber in 'coins' they'll snatch it right up and wave it around in their mouths. It's very cute!
  • southpaw23 Sep 21, 2011 @ 5:16 pm | delete
    Hi there!

    Thankfully, you don't have to de-seed a cucumber. Those seeds, similarly to zucchini, are soft and not a problem for piggies to chew or digest. So that makes things super easy. Just slice and toss them in, or you could even offer a larger chunk to a few piggies and see them try to snatch it away from each other (a very popular youtube video shows guinea pigs tugging on a cucumber between them and it's completely adorable haha)
  • t and the three girls Aug 23, 2011 @ 6:01 pm | delete
    great information, piggies rule!
  • t and the three girls Aug 23, 2011 @ 6:01 pm | delete
    great information, piggies rule!
  • Ramkitten Aug 10, 2011 @ 3:52 pm | delete
    Excellent information. I've never owned a guinea pig myself, but I've had friends who have, and I know I've seen at least a couple of them feeding some of the things on the "don't" list, particularly iceberg lettuce and cabbage. *Blessed by a squid angel on the Back to School Bus Trip*
  • cr00059n Aug 7, 2011 @ 6:29 pm | delete
    Great resource.
  • cr00059n Aug 7, 2011 @ 6:29 pm | delete
    Great resource.
  • RecipePublishing Aug 6, 2011 @ 3:38 pm | delete
    Thank you.
  • Vaishali Aug 4, 2011 @ 11:04 am | delete
    Hiii., I just brought two piggies home, they r in a good condition but not likely to be handled.. But i really want to handle them, What should i do for??? Even i'm getting much trouble with their potty training., every type of tip i have used for but no result. . . Help me through it
  • southpaw23 Aug 4, 2011 @ 11:11 am | delete
    Hi Vaishali,

    Congratulations on your two piggies! New guinea pigs definitely can struggle with liking to be handled. The key is to just be patient and gentle with them and they will eventually come around. You can try to start by offering them some yummy veggies to take from your hand, and gently stroke their back if they'll let you. Speak to them softly to get them used to your voice and as you continue feeding them over time, they'll come to understand that you are the bringer-of-veggies and be excited to see you! As far as potty training, guinea pigs aren't generally trainable in that way like a cat or dog is. They will often choose a corner of their cage to pee in, though not always, and as far as pooping, they just let 'em fly wherever they happen to be when it's time to 'go'. So as far as that's concerned, you're not doing anything wrong there. It's just the way they are. You can be prepared for when they will pee because they will generally start acting more antsy, be backing up a lot, or even nibbling and tugging at your shirt, etc. to let you know.

    During this beginning stage, though, they will likely fidget more in general because they're getting used to being touched and handled by someone several times their size. Definitely something scary to get used to for them!

    Best of luck and I think you're off to a good start. Just remember to be gentle and do things gradually.
  • xxxjoexxx Aug 4, 2011 @ 3:23 am | delete
    hi i have 2 ginnny pig and there called bubbles and zoe
  • xxxjoexxx Aug 4, 2011 @ 3:23 am | delete
    hi i have 2 ginnny pig and there called bubbles and zoe
  • WilburCharloette Aug 3, 2011 @ 10:02 am | delete
    My son just bought a female guinea pig and we got a call from the people we bought her from they informed us that she is likely pregnant. How exactly can we tell? She is a bigger girl, we are use to our skinny pig (hairless guineau pig) so everything looks huge compared to him. How many babies can we expect?Can she give birth without at Vet present?
  • southpaw23 Aug 4, 2011 @ 9:09 am | delete
    Hi Wilbur,

    Congratulations on your new guinea pig! As far as pregnancy goes, I am not an expert unfortunately. The very best thing to do would be to take her to a vet to be examined to see if she is indeed pregnant, and then see what the vet says as far as the birth process. There are some sources online with helpful information for things like this but I think when it comes down to your guinea pig's health, a visit to the vet should be the first step.

    Best of luck and I hope if she is pregnant that everything goes smoothly! (I do believe piggies can give birth without a vet present. But there are things like setting up her 'nest' and being sure not to touch anything once she's given birth etc. that I'm not totally clear on)
  • nibbles Jul 30, 2011 @ 10:12 am | delete
    i give my guineapigs toast and they where fine but do you mean soft bread?
  • southpaw23 Aug 4, 2011 @ 9:10 am | delete
    Hi nibbles,

    Yeah, generally even toast shouldn't be fed to them because it's made up of wheat and other fillers and processed ingredients that really aren't good for your guinea pigs to eat. While they may not be ill at this moment, continuing to feed them bread, either as bread or toast, isn't ideal for their health. Thanks for your comment!
  • fiona cwierzona Jul 29, 2011 @ 6:36 am | delete
    just got my children a guinea pig each . they are adorable. I found your site really informative and helpful thankyou so much keep it up.
  • southpaw23 Aug 4, 2011 @ 9:11 am | delete
    Aw thank you so much Fiona! I'm so glad that you've found it useful.
  • rosytaylor Jul 29, 2011 @ 4:41 am | delete
    Hi! This is an amazing and Awesome lens and very informative too. Nicely done, Keep up your great work!
  • Kayleen Jul 27, 2011 @ 2:36 pm | delete
    This a good list of "do and don't feed". Since I only got my guinea pig a few months ago (adopted him from a friend who had to move and couldn't keep him) and had never owned a guinea pig before, I had to do some research on them, but never found a list of "safe" and "unsafe" foods. If I may add one piece of advice here: When you run out of commercial guinea pig food (which, as we know, is NOT cheap!), give them the food their cousins in the wild mountains of South America eat...GRASS! They love it; I have fed my guinea pig nice tall (clean, no chemicals) grass right out of my yard, and he's happy and healthy and LOVES it! :)
  • Kayleen Jul 27, 2011 @ 2:34 pm | delete
    This a good list of "do and don't feed". Since I only got my guinea pig a few months ago (adopted him from a friend who had to move and couldn't keep him) and had never owned a guinea pig before, I had to do some research on them, but never found a list of "safe" and "unsafe" foods. If I may add one piece of advice here: When you run out of commercial guinea pig food (which, as we know, is NOT cheap!), give them the food their cousins in the wild mountains of South America eat...GRASS! They love it; I have fed my guinea pig nice tall (clean, no chemicals) grass right out of my yard, and he's happy and healthy and LOVES it! :)
  • rudraksh Jul 21, 2011 @ 4:45 am | delete
    an info in need is an info.....indeed
  • rudraksh Jul 21, 2011 @ 4:45 am | delete
    an info in need is an info.....indeed
  • sara Jul 15, 2011 @ 9:17 pm | delete
    thank you for the info all in 1 spot. was everything i needed :)
  • Valdacious Jul 9, 2011 @ 8:08 pm | delete
    I think I need to eat more like a Guinea pig :)
  • SophiaEllen Jul 5, 2011 @ 6:17 pm | delete
    Thanks, that list of dos and don'ts for feeding guinea pigs was just what I was after.
  • anna Jul 4, 2011 @ 4:35 am | delete
    recently my sisters little piggie died..... mines alive but im still sad i think cause of food that she ate i think my mom feed them lettuce but the others lef it. And we are proud to say that we know own 15 piggies!!! mine had a couple!
  • Annie Jul 1, 2011 @ 8:36 pm | delete
    Can you feed your guinea pigs Notales Cactus?
  • Annie Shol Jul 1, 2011 @ 8:27 pm | delete
    OMG I LOVE your guinea pig (and your artwork) Good job!! YAY!!! High-5!!! Guinea Pig fanatics!!!!!!!!!!
  • momof3 Jun 29, 2011 @ 12:54 am | delete
    We got my daughter's each a guinea pig (both females) and low and behold, one of them ended up being pregnant and just had her baby (only 1). Is it ok to still keep the other older guinea pig in the cage with the new mom and her baby or will they need to be seperated now? The 2 original pigs have been together for a month now.
  • alexa Jun 29, 2011 @ 7:27 pm | delete
    you can leave the baby in with it's mother the first twenty one days whether it is a boy or a girl but if the baby is a boy you must seperate them if you don't want the females to become pregnant again. you can tell a boy guinea pig from a girl by their eyes. females have big eyes while males look like they have smaller eyes with a bunch of nasty stuff in them. do not try and wipe it away for it is apart of males eyes an dit helps to determine sex.
  • Renee Jun 23, 2011 @ 1:44 pm | delete
    Thanks for the advice! I adopted a guinea from a shelter just a week ago and am a first time guinea pig caretaker. I'm trying to get as much advice as possible to take good care of her. :)
  • Abilene Jun 21, 2011 @ 4:14 pm | delete
    I can't find anything in my guinea pig can eat anymore food they can eat and please hurry she's starving!!!!!!!!:(
  • southpaw23 Jun 21, 2011 @ 4:28 pm | delete
    Hi Abilene, this list is pretty comprehensive for common foods you can find at the grocery store. That combined with kibble should give your piggie some options. What aren't you able to find to feed her?
  • Guinea Pet Jun 21, 2011 @ 4:06 pm | delete
    I love Feeding my Guinea Pig food! Thanks to you I know what to feed her:)!
  • Jake Knew Jun 21, 2011 @ 4:10 pm | delete
    True Dat!!!
  • amityhardy Jun 21, 2011 @ 12:03 pm | delete
    thanks for the help and i just got 2 of them yesterday at petco so there fine and i didn't know they couldin't eat iceburg lettuce thxs so much
  • guineapaw25 Jun 21, 2011 @ 10:17 am | delete
    i was wondering if my guinea pig could eat raisins? because they do eat grapes, so can they?
  • alexa Jun 29, 2011 @ 7:29 pm | delete
    I wouldn't test it. Just stick to graphs(:
  • donnar Jun 17, 2011 @ 4:38 pm | delete
    Our vet suggested giving our piggie Tang orange drink. It has vitamin C and he absolutely loves it. We have a small water bottle just for Tang and he has access to both water and Tang all the time. We also save all of our cucumber peelings and the tops from colored sweet peppers. (well washed of course). I think he is a very spoiled piggie.
  • jack Jun 3, 2011 @ 3:59 pm | delete
    should i f*** my girlfriend right now!!!? ;)
  • * Jun 9, 2011 @ 7:48 pm | delete
    grow up jake, you and seara both must be in middle school.
  • seara Jun 3, 2011 @ 3:55 pm | delete
    I am getting F***** right now!!! ohhh it feels so goood
  • sue Jun 9, 2011 @ 7:47 pm | delete
    you and jake must still be in middle school! your certainly not mature by posting such comments.
  • jullie Jun 2, 2011 @ 5:16 pm | delete
    HEYY HEYY GIRL!!!!! WHATS UP?!!!?
  • the cake is a lie May 30, 2011 @ 10:12 pm | delete
    thx this was very helpful i might get a geni if my houseing allows them and this was just AWSOME and helped alot so... thank you
  • Debbie May 24, 2011 @ 10:48 pm | delete
    Hi, I found the information on what to and what not to feed your guinea pig very helpful. I was just wondering if you can clip a guinea pigs claws. My little kids seem to get scratched or clawed all the time.
  • cavy May 31, 2011 @ 7:43 pm | delete
    I'm not sure if someone answered your question but you can clip guinea pigs claws it's actually recommended so they won't grow to long and disturb your cavy I advise if your not sure how to cut their claws to ask your local vet
  • sally May 22, 2011 @ 9:36 pm | delete
    can they eat a bit of plan sugar
  • southpaw23 Jun 2, 2011 @ 5:37 pm | delete
    Hi sally,

    They shouldn't have plain sugar, no. They can get natural sugars from the fruits (not too much) and vegetables that they eat. Thanks for your question!
  • WWW.FAMILYRADIO.COM May 15, 2011 @ 10:04 pm | delete
    Judgement Day is MAY 21, 2011!!!
  • jack May 30, 2011 @ 10:10 pm | delete
    what happend 1999-2000?... NOTHING!!! so you are lieing (i would say cakeing but most people wouldn't get it)
  • guinea pigs :)))) May 14, 2011 @ 9:45 am | delete
    can they eat onions ??
  • Joanne May 15, 2011 @ 11:01 pm | delete
    No they can not eat onions.... Most guinea pigs will not eat what isn't good for them, so a good rule to remember is if they don't eat it is usually isn't good for them. But always remember we too have our own taste buds and if something is sour or hot or not very tasty to us its not going to appeal to your guinea pig.
  • monique May 13, 2011 @ 8:06 pm | delete
    I found the information on what to feed "piggies" and what not to feed them to be very informative. When I was 11 my dad got me a guinea pig for my birthday, I am now 29 with 4 children and 3 step-children. I had forgotten how to properly give the guinea pig adiquate vitamin c. Thank you so much for posting your information for people like me.
  • philipbonde May 11, 2011 @ 6:37 am | delete
    We should remember what guinea pig can or can not eat....to keep guinea pig , you have to do a lot of things ...we should take to a vet for more instructions..guinea pig cages
  • meranda Apr 28, 2011 @ 11:41 am | delete
    are you allow to bath your guinie pig
  • Lizzie May 2, 2011 @ 9:43 pm | delete
    Yes you can bathe your guinea pig. If it is a male you will need to bathe it more often. Once every 2-3 months is good
  • ethan May 6, 2011 @ 2:54 pm | delete
    yes in very shallow water though and get it a little bit deeper each time
  • Joanne May 15, 2011 @ 11:06 pm | delete
    You should be bathing your guinea pig once a month on average but sometimes they need bathing more frequent. Just put a hand towel in the bottom of a luke warm bath about 3cm deep and wash them with a guine pig shampoo (don't use human shampoo it will dry out their skin and cause skin problems, its too harsh) make sure you dry them off well, I use the hair dryer on the lowest setting as to not burn my little chocolate and truffles. They dont usually like bath time but it leaves them smelling and feeling a lot better.
  • Annie Jul 1, 2011 @ 8:34 pm | delete
    I bathe my long haired guinea pig in the sink under warm running water.
    Also you have to dry your guinea pig completely before you put it back in the cage so it doesn't catch a cold.
  • Lori Apr 20, 2011 @ 10:36 pm | delete
    was just wondering if you can feed piggies endive/chickory. I'm not sure if that belongs to the cabbage or lettuce family. I didn't see any mention of it on this page. Thanks!
  • southpaw23 May 8, 2011 @ 1:18 pm | delete
    Hi Lori,

    That's a good question. I'm honestly not sure! That would be a good question for the vet. I've done a bit of digging online and it looks like these foods are safe for guinea pigs, just not to be fed in large amounts since they're so fibrous. Sorry I didn't know for sure! But I appreciate the question and if you find out from a vet please be sure to let me know!
  • joanne May 15, 2011 @ 11:08 pm | delete
    Chickory is ok to give guinea pigs 2-3 times a week.
  • Kaylan :) Apr 19, 2011 @ 10:59 pm | delete
    Hello, i went to the pet store to purchase at the cute little baby guinea pig! i asked the lady that works at the store if she knew wihch one were boys & girl and she said that you cant tell what the sex is when they are a couple weeks old! is that true?!?
  • southpaw23 Apr 19, 2011 @ 11:04 pm | delete
    Hi Kaylan,

    It is true that very very young guinea pigs can't be easily 'sexed', that is, you can't tell between boys and girls. That said, guinea pigs at the pet store shouldn't be so young! They need more time to nurse with their mothers. Also, if a pet store has clumped the males and females together, DO NOT adopt a guinea pig from them if you can help it! If you adopt a female, there's a decent chance she will be pregnant. And it's always good to adopt at least two guinea pigs. If you accidentally ended up with a boy and a girl, they would not be neutered and your female would likely become pregnant very quickly.

    I would be very cautious of this pet store. It's horrible when pet stores house males and females together and don't seem to care. So many people end up with pregnant females and don't know what to do once the babies are born, or how to get their guinea pig proper care during pregnancy. If at all possible, visit a rescue or another organization that keeps their guinea pigs separated by gender.
  • Andrew Noonan Apr 19, 2011 @ 4:09 pm | delete
    I was just wondering if my guinea pig can eat hearty apple dumplings rabbit treats because the store I bought the guinea pig food from was giving it out free with the food?
  • southpaw23 Apr 19, 2011 @ 4:12 pm | delete
    Hi Andrew,

    I wouldn't feed your guinea pig any food that isn't specifically for guinea pigs. Even though guinea pigs and rabbits are similar creatures in some ways, they have different dietary needs and shouldn't be fed pellets or treats that are meant for a different animal. I hope this makes sense!
  • luvmypiggie Apr 19, 2011 @ 3:08 pm | delete
    can you feed them melon? like cantelope?
  • southpaw23 Apr 19, 2011 @ 4:13 pm | delete
    Hi there!

    Melon is not generally recommended for guinea pigs because it doesn't provide very much nutritional value to them and it's very watery/sugary/fibrous and could cause diarrhea. A red pepper or even a little chunk of zucchini can be a nice alternative!
  • Joanne Apr 18, 2011 @ 4:04 pm | delete
    My son's guinea pig is not eating much at all, do I to try different food's, he usually has carrot, lettuce, celery, cucumber, pellets and hay, plus grass,
  • southpaw23 Apr 19, 2011 @ 4:14 pm | delete
    Hi Joanne,

    If your son's guinea pig is not eating much at all, you should take him to a vet ASAP. When guinea pigs stop eating, that usually means something is seriously wrong and they can go downhill very quickly. Please get him to a vet if he isn't eating! I hope this helps.
  • Joanne May 15, 2011 @ 11:20 pm | delete
    guinea pigs are very picky eaters, my chocolate wouldnt eat a great variety of vegetables until we got our second guinea pig (now she eats everything) but at one time she stopped eating them altogether, we took her to the vet and it turned out she has snapped her front teeth off. I agree with south paw always take your guinea to the vet if they are displaying different behavior than usual.
  • carrie Apr 15, 2011 @ 8:04 pm | delete
    my gunia pig is named carmen and she will not eat a strawberry or cucumber is that ok
  • southpaw23 Apr 17, 2011 @ 8:07 pm | delete
    Hi Carrie,

    That's perfectly fine. Guinea pigs are just like people in that they don't all like the same foods. It will certainly not harm your guinea pig if she doesn't eat strawberries or cucumbers. : )
  • barca Apr 15, 2011 @ 9:52 am | delete
    thats the worst thing i ever saw
  • nana Apr 9, 2011 @ 12:09 pm | delete
    I am new to all this, But I would love to find out all I can. Sunday the 10th I'm bringing home 2 3week old baby piggies. :) I'm so excited!!!!!! I have new cage, food, bedding well you know! I wonder, I have a hay feeder. Should I take this out before I bring them home?
    I want to learn ALL I can. Thank you.
  • southpaw23 Apr 15, 2011 @ 9:55 am | delete
    Hi nana,

    How exciting for you! Though at 3 weeks old, I'd be very concerned about making sure the piggies are safe, warm and well nourished. I think that's really too early for them to be weaned from their mothers, but I'm not a veterinarian.

    The hay feeder is a great addition to your guinea pig's habitat. We actually just installed some hay racks for ours and what a difference! Previously, we'd just toss a big 'tumbleweed' in and they'd love to run through it and sit in the middle and 'eat their way out' haha, but this also causes a lot of mess since they poop and pee on it, and it's not really ideal for them to then be nibbling on soiled hay. The hay racks let them still get at the hay but without it really covering their environment. Less mess, more sanitary!

    Best of luck with your 'piglets' hehe. You'll have to keep us updated!!
  • southpaw23 Apr 15, 2011 @ 9:58 am | delete
    OH and also! Since they're babies, you'll want to feed them alfalfa hay at first. It's higher in calcium and calories than timothy hay. It's not good for fully grown guinea pigs to eat a lot of alfalfa hay, but for babies and pregnant sows, it's ideal. There's also 'cavy performance' food by OxBow that's alfalfa based for babies and nursing moms. I'd highly recommend it. Our pigs turn their noses up at any other brand haha. So picky!
  • Cass Apr 17, 2011 @ 9:20 am | delete
    But what if we dont feed the gunia pigs hay? Also is it ok if we feed them cantalope?
  • southpaw23 Apr 17, 2011 @ 8:09 pm | delete
    Hi Cass,

    Hay is absolutely essential to guinea pigs' health. They have to have an unlimited supply of timothy hay every day to make sure that their digestive systems function properly. If you're not currently feeding your guinea pig hay, I can't urge you strongly enough to immediately get some and begin feeding it to your guinea pigs. Their digestive systems are sensitive and require the fiber in hay in order to be able to process their food and nutrients properly. If you don't feed your guinea pigs hay, they can die.

    Cantaloupe is also a bad idea because it is a sugary, watery, fibrous melon. It's best to feed your guinea pig leafy greens and small pieces of vegetables like green or red pepper, carrots, and herbs like parsley or cilantro (fresh, not dried). I hope you've taken the time to read through this page and will also read up on other guinea pig care articles on the Web for the sake of your guinea pigs' health.
  • carrie Apr 15, 2011 @ 8:05 pm | delete
    have funnn
  • Cats Apr 8, 2011 @ 5:13 am | delete
    I make homemade treats for my Grandson's cats, dogs, birds an don't want to leave out the gunea pigs. My treats are always made with the animal's nutrition in mind, so was wondering if a recipe such as the following would be OK for the piggies...Please let me know-and what size they should be for safety-
    Granny's Guinea Treats
    1 cup whole wheat flour
    1/4 c. each: dehydrated powdered green beans, swiss chard, zucchini
    1/2 c. finely choppped dried apples
    3/4 c. finely shredded fresh carrots
    1 cup water
    6 tablespoons canola oil
    2 tablespoons honey
    Mix all ingredients with a wooden spoon.
    roll out between plastic wrap sheets
    cut into squares or shapes ( I have little hearts)
    bake abt. 20 minutes in pre-heated 350 degree oven,
    turn off oven till cool
    store in frig in sealed baggie
  • southpaw23 Apr 8, 2011 @ 3:00 pm | delete
    Hi there! I've actually tried to make treats for my guinea pigs before as well, and they were never too interested in them. But that doesn't mean it isn't worth a try!

    One thing I'm not totally sure on is the wheat flour. All of the other ingredients seem to look alright, maybe not so much canola oil. I'm sorry I don't have an ideal answer on this one. I'd hate to give the go-ahead and end up making your piggies sick. I just don't have that much knowledge branching into ingredients like flour and oil. This would be a great question for an exotic vet!
  • Cats Apr 9, 2011 @ 3:52 pm | delete
    I ended up making them into logs which can be knowed and chewed on- giving them this weekend- my daughter is a20 yr. vet tech, and up on animal nutrition probably more than most vets. Her piggies get the best of everything fresh, she has bins of fresh veggies and when I care for them I have to go outside and pick fresh dandelion greens and flowers (their treat), so if they do like my humble treats-I'll let everyone know- she said ingredients sounded fine since my whole wheat flour is extra fine and cooked with other ingredients.
  • 4U2C Mar 22, 2011 @ 1:54 pm | delete
    I have to tell you, what our guinea pig t-r-i-e-d frantically to eat, today! My husband had settled down with a bit of cheese and some pepperoni, and one of our guinea pigs decided it would be just the thing for him, too! He didn't get any, but he was trying! We just love having guinea pigs as pets, and once again - good job on the Lens!
  • Grania Mar 11, 2011 @ 3:50 pm | delete
    I have visited a number of cavy sites and done my research into diet; your site is in agreement with much of what I've read, and it's thorough.

    I have a question, which is how I came upon your site. My cavies only eat the top layer of hay; I have to throw out the rest when I replenish the bowl. Do you have any idea why this is so? (I understand that cats will only eat the freshest layer of kibble, too, and it's to do with not eating old meat in the wild, apparently).
    Thank you.
  • southpaw23 Mar 11, 2011 @ 8:29 pm | delete
    Hi Grania,

    Thanks for your comment! I'm so glad that this page was aligned with the other ones that you've looked at. I tried to cross-check with other sources to make sure my information was as accurate as I could make it.

    As for the hay question, I'm not sure! We put 'tumbleweeds' of hay in our guinea pigs' cages just freely and not in a bowl, and I know that as they walk over it and probably pee in their cages, they don't want to eat that anymore, so when we add fresh they eat the fresh hay instead (which makes sense). Since you're putting yours in a bowl, I'm not sure why that would be happening. Is it a big bowl that the piggies might be climbing in and possibly peeing or pooping in their hay?

    I'm not sure what a solution would be..hm.. perhaps a smaller amount of hay more frequently? Or a couple different bowls? I'm sorry I can't quite answer the question with confidence, but I'd be interested to hear if you find anything that works!

    Thanks again.
  • Cynthia Mar 9, 2011 @ 4:18 pm | delete
    I have two guinea pigs and we live in Australia. Most products that you talk about are not available here. Is there a web site like yours that can tell me about some products that are suitable for only guinea pigs. Ive looked at pet stores for food and its always for rabbits,mice and guinea pigs i also have a pregnant pig can i feed here buk choy
  • southpaw23 Mar 11, 2011 @ 8:34 pm | delete
    Hi Cynthia,

    I'm not sure about product availability in Australia. Perhaps a site like Amazon would have something available? You could also try searching Google for specific product names that you know you want to find and see if anything pops up.

    Bok choy is technically a member of the cabbage family, so I would say if you want to feed it to your piggie, moderation is key. If your piggie starts getting loose stools, you'll know to pull back a bit on how much you give.

    If there are specific products you're looking for and still can't find, send me a message. Maybe there would be a way I could find them and send them to you in the mail (if it's legal to send guinea pig food through the International mail of course!).
  • yuba Mar 2, 2011 @ 4:59 pm | delete
    you can feed them pumpkin seeds and sunflower seeds, mine doesn't really care for them though, and sometimes wheat bread but rarely and not a whole bunch!
  • Bianca Williams Feb 22, 2011 @ 7:27 pm | delete
    I did find this imfomation very useful. I am a huge guinea pig fan! They are sooooo cute. I loved the artwork as well as the imformation. I love my guinea pig and this website taught me alot. I read about every word on this page. Thanks alot! I have a question though. Do you know if its normal for my guinea pig to eat his bedding. He its it for a bit, then sneezes, and starts itching himself.
  • southpaw23 Feb 22, 2011 @ 7:45 pm | delete
    Hi Bianca,

    I'm so glad this was helpful for you! In regards to the bedding, I'd say it's probably okay. Guinea pigs LOVE to chew on things, and their bedding is usually made of either a recycled paper material or wood. Aspen shavings are an ideal wood shaving bedding. Do stay away from pine and cedar as they can have oils/fumes that can give guinea pigs respiratory issues. We use fleece and towels for our piggies, but it does show the poops that's for sure! haha. If your piggie seems to be sneezing a lot and itching a lot, he may be allergic to his bedding. You could bring him to the vet just to make sure he's not sick and maybe try switching his bedding to something else and see if that behavior stops happening. Good luck!!
  • Veronica Feb 20, 2011 @ 1:10 pm | delete
    my piggie sometimes has a crusty type skin between his nose and mouth,how can I rectify this?
  • southpaw23 Feb 20, 2011 @ 1:15 pm | delete
    Hi Veronica,

    Please bring your piggie to the vet as soon as you can. It may be nothing, but if your guinea pig is getting crust around his nose/mouth, it could be a sign of dental problems or an upper respiratory infection, which can be pretty serious. I would definitely try to get to the vet ASAP.
  • john Feb 14, 2011 @ 12:06 am | delete
    this is so great
  • CJ Feb 9, 2011 @ 9:47 pm | delete
    This article was GREAT! My piggie loves all the food you suggest and I'm glad knowing I won't give him any gas or pain by feeding him things bad for him.
  • southpaw23 Feb 9, 2011 @ 10:16 pm | delete
    Thanks, CJ! I'm so glad that you found it helpful. :)
  • CJ Feb 9, 2011 @ 9:47 pm | delete
    This article was GREAT! My piggie loves all the food you suggest and I'm glad knowing I won't give him any gas or pain by feeding him things bad for him.
  • Emma Elliott Feb 9, 2011 @ 2:15 am | delete
    Great, great, great....some great top tips for anybody thinking about getting some piggies. I have two Rex the daddy and Flo his daughter, they love each other so much and I love them. They love to eat all the veggies they eat me out of house and home!!!! They are such happy little things and love to chat to me. Yeah your right, getting a good hay is essential and always keep it topped up, mine go through bags and bags.....happy piggie day's ahead. Emma x x ;-)
  • mary97 Feb 15, 2011 @ 7:35 pm | delete
    MARY SAID:
    I LOVE THIS SITE IT REALLY HELPED AND I DIDN'T KNOW THAT BROCCILE CAN MAKE MY MOCHA (PIGGIY) GASSY LOL!!!1
  • Mop's mama Feb 7, 2011 @ 5:22 pm | delete
    I adopted an 8 month old long-haired piggie a couple weeks ago. She squeaks like crazy whenever we're in the kitchen. She LOVES her veggies! So far we've given her carrot, romaine, spinach, broccoli, cucumber, radish, red bell pepper, parsley, and celery. She didn't care for the pepper. She eats the cucumber first when I make her a little 'pig salad', so I guess that's her favourite. :) We are trying to teach her to spin for carrots. She's so cute.
  • kathy Feb 3, 2011 @ 6:59 pm | delete
    Hi i just bought my first gp today and he is only a month and a half old. I want to start feeding him fruits and veggies but i am worried about the size of things i give him. How big of pieces should i offer to him, and would it be alright to put a variety on a plate to see what he likes?
  • southpaw23 Feb 3, 2011 @ 7:03 pm | delete
    Hi Kathy,

    Congratulations on your new piggie! For things like lettuce, you don't have to worry about the size. Guinea pigs love to munch away! Baby carrots as well. They'll eat them almost like a little ear of corn, nibbling until it's gone. I think giving him a little variety and seeing what he likes is a great idea. Or another option which might be more 'safe' for his adjusting tummy would be to try one thing at a time and slowly introduce new things. That actually may be better at first since he's so little, but it couldn't hurt to ask a veterinarian just to be sure. I haven't had a guinea pig that tiny before, so I'm not sure if they require anything special with veggies early on. What i do know is that the Oxbow 'Cavy Performance' food is ideal for baby or pregnant guinea pigs because it has a high concentration of alfalfa, which is great for a growing guinea pig. It has a higher fat content I think? And lots of nutrients to help them get off to a good start. There are indications on the bag for when to transition to the 'Cavy Cuisine' variety. i hope this helps!!
  • bakerwoman Feb 2, 2011 @ 1:34 am | delete
    Thanks for this lens. It brought back memories of my childhood when I had 4 guinea pigs. Blessed by a SquidAngel.
  • alexis Feb 1, 2011 @ 10:06 am | delete
    is my guinea pig the only one who LOVES oranges?? haha hes so cute..(:
  • Karen Jan 25, 2011 @ 4:21 pm | delete
    my guinea pig, Pumba, is 7 years old now, and he loves,, looooves melons especially watermelons, I noticed that it wasn't on the list , so i figured i'd just put it out there :)
  • Keeley Jan 24, 2011 @ 7:15 pm | delete
    i found this info so helpfull i just bought a little baby girl and the weekend i was not sure what to feed her thanks heeps
  • Dougy Loves Squeakers! (MY piggie) Jan 23, 2011 @ 8:46 pm | delete
    Ive had my little piggie for over 4 years and is a fat one! But we love her anyway. So, she really hasnt been on a diet, only pellets and hay, but now i feedn her apples, carrots, and celery along with her usual. Strangly, we gave her a toilet paper tube full of greens, and she ate the tube! I dont know if this is bad, but she seems to be fine. Gret guide aswell! My guinea pig wont eat oranges or her vitamin C supplament so ill definantly try peppers! tThanks Alot!!!
  • Dougie Is a bad speller Jan 23, 2011 @ 8:48 pm | delete
    Sorry for the multiple Commments and Bad spellling!
  • Dougy Loves Squeakers! (MY piggie) Jan 23, 2011 @ 8:46 pm | delete
    Ive had my little piggie for over 4 years and is a fat one! But we love her anyway. So, she really hasnt been on a diet, only pellets and hay, but now i feedn her apples, carrots, and celery along with her usual. Strangly, we gave her a toilet paper tube full of greens, and she ate the tube! I dont know if this is bad, but she seems to be fine. Gret guide aswell! My guinea pig wont eat oranges or her vitamin C supplament so ill definantly try peppers! tThanks Alot!!!
  • i cant say, thank you Jan 19, 2011 @ 7:10 pm | delete
    i have a guinea pig that i just got a few days ago! He is the cutest Lilttle thing... his name helps out the cute factor... Deeks! it might sound weird.. but its adorable! and on the vitamin C note... i tried to feed my guinea piggy a orange slice.. and it didn't eat it! i was getting sooo worried! but then i read this and im defiantly going to buy some peppers! ( but you do mean red peppers... right? )
  • southpaw23 Jan 19, 2011 @ 7:11 pm | delete
    Aw congratulations on your new piggie! And yes, red bell peppers are perfect. He'll love it, I'm sure!
  • samantha james Jan 18, 2011 @ 4:49 pm | delete
    thanks SO much. i fed my last guinea pig cabbage and lots of it. thank god he is ok. also, why would someone give their guinea pigs alcohol?!
  • Maura Rampolla Jan 18, 2011 @ 10:37 am | delete
    good tips and agrees with what Guinea Lynx writes (Guinea lynx is a site recommended by my vet and the place I adopted our pigs providing professional advice). I didn't know however that too much spinach would damage their kidneys! thanks--I will give them more other green leafy treats. Mine love the Southern greens bag from Trader Joe's!
  • Paula Cormier Jan 17, 2011 @ 4:57 pm | delete
    Thanks for all the tips, I have a rescued Guinea Pig " WOODY " and she is the most adorable thing! I can never get enough information about these amazing creatures.
    Thanks!
  • 4U2C Jan 14, 2011 @ 3:27 pm | delete
    Oh, we just love guinea pigs. Our family has about 10, at last count. As the owner of about 100 guinea pigs in my lifetime, I can attest to their "wonderfulness". I had to laugh when I saw the title, as in our case, it should have been - "What guinea pigs should and should not eat"!
  • southpaw23 Jan 16, 2011 @ 8:45 pm | delete
    oh wow, 10 guinea pigs! We have 3 right now and that is even a handful haha. I'm so glad you enjoyed the page and have fun with your piggies! : )
  • cant say soo.. my fs user is aqua_ocean Jan 19, 2011 @ 7:16 pm | delete
    soulth paw!! do you play on faunasphere.com?!?! omg this is kewl! i didnt know that you had a guinea pig! I LOVE THEM!
  • Milan Jan 10, 2011 @ 10:56 pm | delete
    Hi i have two guinea pigs and they eat all the time,but what does it mean when they popcorn...
  • southpaw23 Jan 16, 2011 @ 8:45 pm | delete
    Popcorning means your guinea pig is happy happy happy! They usually popcorn when they're excited, or if they just have a little 'energy burst' hehe.
  • samantha james Jan 18, 2011 @ 4:52 pm | delete
    what do they do when they "popcorn"?
  • shaylee dodge Jan 4, 2011 @ 9:53 am | delete
    i am soooooo lucky to have found this sight!
  • shaylee Jan 4, 2011 @ 9:45 am | delete
    can you feed guinea pigs grapes?
  • southpaw23 Jan 16, 2011 @ 8:45 pm | delete
    Yup! Just not too many since they're sugary and watery. But they can have a grape now and then.
  • shaylee Jan 4, 2011 @ 9:45 am | delete
    can you feed guinea pigs grapes?
  • Tina Dec 30, 2010 @ 7:02 pm | delete
    The pet shop sold my husband a bag called "small animal food" for my daughetrs new guinea pig which is a combination of pellets, hay, dried corn and round red beans! The dried food from the pet shop is mainly left untouched and its diet has mainly subsisted of carrots and cucumber the last 2 days. My daughter is absolutely in love with her piggy and I would like to make sure we keep it healthy. Thanks for the invaluable tips
  • dana Dec 29, 2010 @ 8:51 pm | delete
    thanks so much for the info. im a really big fan of guinea pigs n i only want the best for them all
  • kayla Dec 29, 2010 @ 5:11 pm | delete
    Can you plz anawer my question! :)
  • kayley Dec 28, 2010 @ 2:26 pm | delete
    thank you this web site helped alot to.say what my guinea pigs can and cant eat very helpfull
  • gpluver!!!!:) Dec 27, 2010 @ 9:19 pm | delete
    Thnx! u r so nice!
  • gpluvver Dec 25, 2010 @ 12:52 am | delete
    hi south paw ur sssssssssssosoooosooooosooooooooooo nice :D, and a question, are gp restraint leashes ok for gp's to use?
  • gpluvver Dec 25, 2010 @ 12:32 am | delete
    thanks for the info! without it iwouldve given chokobo too much cabbage/cauliflour /bad foods that the lady recomended
  • gpluvver Dec 25, 2010 @ 12:28 am | delete
    ohhnoooooo! the lady at the pet store said it was allright for us to feed poor chokobo (my gp) cabbage! :O D: and no, we didnt give him a wee bit, ABOUT 2 DAYS WORTH! what do we do! oh poor chokobo! any ideas of what i can do? plse! im so worried!
  • Hammy Dec 24, 2010 @ 3:49 pm | delete
    One thing you should not do is buy those yoghurt treats they sell in places like Petco or PetSmart. I still cannot figure out why they sell those, since guinea pigs should not be eating yoghurt!!

    I wrote a blog post on what guinea pigs can eat, it's a pretty good list. It's here:
    http://www.happycavy.com/tips-for-a-happy-cavy/can-my-guinea-pig-eat-the-guinea-pig-unsafe-food-list/
  • Unisis Dec 24, 2010 @ 2:02 pm | delete
    im making treats for my guinea pig and it calls for oat flour, can i replace that with regular flour?
  • Jessica Dec 23, 2010 @ 2:37 pm | delete
    Hello, my name is Jessica and i wanted to know what is the most common sickness that guinea pig normaly get? :0)
  • kayla Dec 22, 2010 @ 3:20 pm | delete
    when i feed my guinea pig parsley should i rinse it off befor i give it to her and i also wanted to know if you can feed your guinea pig lettduce
  • southpaw23 Dec 22, 2010 @ 4:39 pm | delete
    Hi Kayla,

    You can rinse the parsley beforehand if you like but it's not likely that your guinea pig will be harmed if you don't. But I suppose with all things it's better safe than sorry! : )

    And yes, you can absolutely feed your piggie lettuce! Some lettuces are more healthy than others, and I've included some in the lists on this page. Romaine, red leaf, and green leaf are great to start with.
  • kayla Dec 23, 2010 @ 2:33 pm | delete
    Ok thanks i wanted to ask you if its ok to put little hair bows in your guinea pigs hair and is it normal for your guinea pig to sit in her igloo but come out once while or should i take the igloo out of her cage for a day and put it back in for a night??? thanks for the answers and i love guinea pigs sooooooooo much and i love the noises that they make they are a cute and loving little animal that god made!!!
  • southpaw23 Dec 29, 2010 @ 5:24 pm | delete
    Hi Kayla,

    You shouldn't put small bows in your guinea pig's fur, generally. You could for a moment if you wanted to take a picture, but otherwise, they are likely to come out and get soiled, or the guinea pig could attempt to eat it, I suppose.

    It's good to keep the pigloo in the cage so your guinea pig has a safe place to hide and relax. You can lift off the pigloo to get your piggie out for a cuddle, of course! But it's good for them to have a little 'hiding spot' so they feel safe and comfy.
  • WHO EVER I WANT TO BE! Dec 18, 2010 @ 7:21 pm | delete
    i love my pigs! one is named ayan and the other is named GLEEN BECK
  • shay shay Dec 18, 2010 @ 7:14 pm | delete
    i have guinea pigs and i just wanted to know if i can feed them bread but clearly not!
  • shay shay Dec 18, 2010 @ 7:17 pm | delete
    sorry!
  • rayah Dec 20, 2010 @ 4:32 pm | delete
    hi, shay shay guinea pigs should not have bread cause it clogs their intestines and you guinea pig can die!
  • shay shay Dec 18, 2010 @ 7:14 pm | delete
    i have guinea pigs and i just wanted to know if i can feed them bread but clearly not!
  • cow bird Dec 17, 2010 @ 7:29 pm | delete
    What is the mos common sickness a guinea pig can get?????????????????
  • Bea_Gabrielle Dec 16, 2010 @ 12:19 am | delete
    Oh, but my guinea pigs love their cabbage!
  • southpaw23 Dec 19, 2010 @ 6:43 pm | delete
    Hi Bea,

    It certainly won't kill them if they have a little, it just tends to be really gassy and can give them a tummy ache. Add that to a low level of nutritional value and it's just not the best thing for them to have. Guinea pigs are sweet little creatures and they tend to gobble up whatever smells delicious to them, whether they realize it's not good for them or not. So I'd say maybe give one of the other dark-leaf lettuces a shot and see if they might like that just as much, and it will be really good for them! : )
  • mya Dec 15, 2010 @ 11:48 pm | delete
    What r the most common colors that you can get a guinea pig
  • Danielle Dec 16, 2010 @ 9:42 am | delete
    black, gray, white, brown and golden/tan.
  • Mya Dec 16, 2010 @ 4:33 pm | delete
    Thanks i was going to get a guinea pig i just wanted to know what colors to get them in
  • mya Dec 15, 2010 @ 11:48 pm | delete
    What r the most common colors that you can get a guinea pig
  • LizMac60 Dec 13, 2010 @ 4:50 am | delete
    I love guinea pigs, they have such a happy little voice. Very helpful lens for the guinea pig owner. Blessed by a squid angel and featured on Me ?!! A Squid Angel.
  • John Dec 11, 2010 @ 12:27 pm | delete
    Hello:
    I have a 2 yr old male piggy. Over the past couple of days, he has not been eating his hay or food very much. He also hasn't pooped as much as he usually does. Other than that he seems fine. He is active and appears ok. Is this common? Should I take him to the vet?
  • southpaw23 Dec 11, 2010 @ 12:45 pm | delete
    Hi John,

    Thanks so much for your comment. I'd say any time that you're feeling unsure and a bit concerned about your guinea pig, it can't hurt to take him to a vet to have him looked over. Even if it turns out he's fine, it's a lot better than not going and wondering, feeling worried, and then having something bad happen later on.

    Guinea pigs are notorious for attempting to hide their illnesses, so they very often appear well and then rapidly decline if something goes unnoticed or unchecked. It's a defense mechanism they have in the wild when they travel in groups as to not appear to be the weakest one to predators.

    I hope this helps and I hope your guinea pig is ok!
  • Danielle Dec 16, 2010 @ 9:46 am | delete
    Yes I would concerter takeing him to the vet because he might have a cloged intestine or something in that nature
  • wyatt Dec 10, 2010 @ 10:58 pm | delete
    why do guinea pigs have babys
  • southpaw23 Dec 11, 2010 @ 12:45 pm | delete
    Hi Wyatt,

    Well... I think that's probably a question best suited for someone else to answer, haha. But like all living things, they want to keep their species alive and prospering!
  • 13 year old Hollie Jones, who is a super-duper-excelent-guinea-pig-expert Dec 9, 2010 @ 5:15 pm | delete
    Hi! I'm a fellow guinea pig obsessive, and I would like you to know something else about guinea pigs: My pigger, Pumpkin Pie, loves lettuce. I think you said above that guinea pigs can't have lettuce, and that is definetly wrong. But a weird fact about lettuce is this: if a guinea pig eats too much, it's like in Beatrix Potter's The Tale of the Flopsy Bunnies: it is very soporific, meaning it makes your piggie very sleepy. When we frist got Pumpkin, she wouldn't eat anything but lettuce. The next day, after she had eaten a lot of my mom's lettuce, she kept falling asleep! We thought something was wrong with her, until I remembered the Flopsy Bunnies. Also, my other guinea pig, Hodgie (who had to be put to sleep yesterday because of a brain tumor. WAA WAA), back when Fred was still alive (a tribute to the Halloween piggy known as Fred (8/28/2009), and the Fat Thing known as Hodgie(12/8/2010)), Hodgie got a hold of a small peice of bacon that fell off the table, and guess what? He liked it! Also, once, a couple of years ago, Hodgie got into my neighbor's rhubarb, and he ate a little bit of leaf, and he still lived. I'm not reccomending that you feed these things to your piggies, but I do konw that if they do happen to get a hold of it, just be calm and don't panic. Also, I don't think you had cherries on the list of foods that piggies can eat. They can eat cherries, but you have to pit them first. Also, Fred and Hodgie didn't seem to like them much, just a personal prefrence thing.
  • i feel like a retard Dec 10, 2010 @ 4:42 pm | delete
    Hi! I'm a fellow guinea pig obsessive, and I would like you to know something else about guinea pigs: My pigger, Pumpkin Pie, loves lettuce. I think you said above that guinea pigs can't have lettuce, and that is definetly wrong. But a weird fact about lettuce is this: if a guinea pig eats too much, it's like in Beatrix Potter's The Tale of the Flopsy Bunnies: it is very soporific, meaning it makes your piggie very sleepy. When we frist got Pumpkin, she wouldn't eat anything but lettuce. The next day, after she had eaten a lot of my mom's lettuce, she kept falling asleep! We thought something was wrong with her, until I remembered the Flopsy Bunnies. Also, my other guinea pig, Hodgie (who had to be put to sleep yesterday because of a brain tumor. WAA WAA), back when Fred was still alive (a tribute to the Halloween piggy known as Fred (8/28/2009), and the Fat Thing known as Hodgie(12/8/2010)), Hodgie got a hold of a small peice of bacon that fell off the table, and guess what? He liked it! Also, once, a couple of years ago, Hodgie got into my neighbor's rhubarb, and he ate a little bit of leaf, and he still lived. I'm not reccomending that you feed these things to your piggies, but I do konw that if they do happen to get a hold of it, just be calm and don't panic. Also, I don't think you had cherries on the list of foods that piggies can eat. They can eat cherries, but you have to pit them first. Also, Fred and Hodgie didn't seem to like them much, just a personal prefrence thing
  • jaun Dec 4, 2010 @ 4:15 pm | delete
    HoW MuCh iS ThE Guinea Piglopaedia: A Complete Guide to Guinea Pig Care (Complete Guide To... (Ringpress Books))
    by: Margaret Elward, Mette Ruelokke cost
  • southpaw23 Dec 5, 2010 @ 10:20 pm | delete
    Hi there! I looked this one up for you and it looks like it's only about 6 pounds. You can find it here: https://www.omlet.co.uk/shop/shop.php?cat=Books&sub=Guinea+Pigs&product_id=402&product_name=Guinea+Piglopedia+by+Margaret+Elward Hope this helps!
  • jaun Dec 6, 2010 @ 5:04 pm | delete
    Thanks it helps alot! :))))
  • bt55 Dec 3, 2010 @ 4:36 pm | delete
    I enjoyed your lens very much. I have written a lens on Guinea pig life expectancy. I mentioned your lens and left a quote for the readers to refer them to your lens. Thank you for the interesting facts and important tips that people NEED to know
  • Hollie Jones Dec 9, 2010 @ 5:23 pm | delete
    Hodgie the Fat Thing Pigger- owned for 5 years, 8 days, about 22 hours, got at about 6 months, put to sleep for a brain tumor yesterday
    Fred the Halloween Pigger- died 8/28/'09, got @ humane society same time as Hodgie, Nov. 30, 2006, got @ about 1 year
    Pumpkin- we don't know how old she is, because when I got her, my Mom had found her on Field day at her preschool class with the 5th grade buddies & Pumpkin just wandered up.... The vet says she's between 2 and 5 years. got 6/15/2010 & she is here in the kitchen squeeking for more lettuce right now... I better go wash some more lettuce because she is a very spoiled piggy & I am hes slave...
  • makayla Dec 1, 2010 @ 4:57 pm | delete
    Hello, i saw your lens and it is realy good. I whanted to know whats a good way to groom your guinea pig. One more thing is it alright to hairdry your guinea pig after she gets out of the bathh tub!!! :)
  • southpaw23 Dec 1, 2010 @ 5:05 pm | delete
    Hi Makayla,

    Thanks so much! Let's see, for guinea pig grooming, a soft brush is nice to use. They have little small animal pet brushes at pet stores. Some guinea pigs might not like it but if you do it gently it can be soothing and help untangle their fur if it's long.

    You can hair dry your guinea pig after a bath but just make sure that your hairdryer isn't on a hot setting, and keep it really far away from your piggie. A lot of hairdryers have that 'cool' setting on them, and you could try that. Towel dry gently as much as you can first, though.

    I hope this helps!
  • Makayla Dec 2, 2010 @ 5:34 pm | delete
    thanks for the advice!
  • Hollie Jones Dec 9, 2010 @ 5:42 pm | delete
    I really wouldn't advise hair drying your guinea pig, as it terrorizes them just looking at it, much less the loud noise and the heat.
    My favorite way to groom a piggie is to use a My Little Pony brush from when I was in 1st grade. Hodgie and Fred seemed to like it, but I ran out of brushes to use because I kept loosing them, so Pumpkin hasn't had a turn yet...
    To wash a piggie:
    in summer you want to fill a tupperware container with about 2 inches of about 78 degree water. first, let your piggie(s) swim around a bit, then take them out and pour the same temprature water from a large cup over their bodies. Fred and Hodgie hated this. After your done, leave them in an outdoor cage with a water bottle and partial shade to eat grass until they're dry.
    In winter:
    Preferred By Pigs Method:
    Wet an old washcloth with warm water. Now, give your pigger some veggies, and rub them down. Finish by brushing their hair with a My Little Pony brush.
    Commen Method:
    use a sink with a flat bottom that has just been steralized. Place the piggie in the bottom, making sure there is none of whatever you used to steralize the sink with left. Pour warm water over the pig, and wash. After your done, dry off as good as you can, and wrap them in a warm towel with some veggies until they're dry all the way.
    Trimming Piggy Hair:
    Hodgie always had long hair. If you didn't cut it, it would get all matted with poo in the back, and be all nasty. Here's how you prevent a nasty mess:
    Use some old hair scissors, and trim the hair so that it looks nice and neat. Make sure not to cut it too short, because then your piggie's tushie will freeze. I advise cutting the hair near the butt too, and you can do this by flipping the pig on his/her back, with their spine between your legs. Most piggies don't like this, but Fred always liked to be on his back... He would just stretch out and relax, he looked like the most content pigger on the entire planet. He especially liked to have his tummy rubbed.... Freddy, I miss you!!!
  • bt55 Nov 30, 2010 @ 11:22 pm | delete
    I enjoyed your lens very much. I have written a lens on Guinea pig life expectancy. I mentioned your lens and left a quote for the readers to refer them to your lens. Thank you for the interesting facts and important tips that people NEED to know!
  • southpaw23 Nov 30, 2010 @ 11:26 pm | delete
    oh thank you! Every time I go to the pet store to get food for my guinea pigs I think of how little information or effort is put forth to educate people on how to take care of the pets that they purchase there. Beyond guinea pigs, even. Hamsters, birds, etc. I had to do a lot of research online for myself when I first started with hamsters and guinea pigs. I saw one pet store once that didn't even give their guinea pigs hay, and kept the males and females together and just warned people if they adopted a female that she 'could' be pregnant. I was appalled!
  • Name Dec 4, 2010 @ 4:13 pm | delete
    Thank you soooooo much!!!
  • Nov 27, 2010 @ 7:49 pm | delete
    I love your lens! It's really important that potential Guinea Pig owners know how to care for these sweet babies before they rush out and adopt one. I get so upset when I see forgotten guines pigs and rabbits living a miserable life at the bottom of the garden.
  • southpaw23 Nov 30, 2010 @ 11:27 pm | delete
    Thanks so much, Grace!
  • nbgjkfznbgjzfnhjzhjfh Nov 26, 2010 @ 11:41 pm | delete
    Ummmmmmm hi!
  • southpaw23 Nov 26, 2010 @ 11:49 pm | delete
    hi!
  • nbgjkfznbgjzfnhjzhjfh Nov 27, 2010 @ 4:40 pm | delete
    i wanted to know what the number ONE good thing to feed your guinea pig
  • southpaw23 Nov 27, 2010 @ 5:26 pm | delete
    It's hard to pinpoint the number one thing that's best to feed a guinea pig since all guinea pigs, like people, have different tastes and preferences. But in terms of nutritional value (when fed in moderation), red peppers are excellent. Their vitamin C content is huge. Romaine lettuce is also really great, or a baby carrot.
  • nbgjkfznbgjzfnhjzhjfh Nov 28, 2010 @ 11:47 am | delete
    Thank you!!!!
  • jayden Nov 26, 2010 @ 11:39 pm | delete
    I love bacon it is sooooooooooooo good yum

    wait srry i thought this was the site were you write what kind of food u like omg srry
  • southpaw23 Nov 26, 2010 @ 11:49 pm | delete
    hahah. you can share whatever food you like! guinea pigs don't eat bacon but it sure is delicious. :D
  • jayden Nov 27, 2010 @ 4:38 pm | delete
    Your are soooooooo N.I.C.E! :)
  • southpaw23 Nov 27, 2010 @ 5:09 pm | delete
    :D why thanks!
  • gpluvver Dec 25, 2010 @ 12:44 am | delete
    wow south paw, u r sosoooooooooo nice, also , a question, is it ok to use a gp restraint leash on a gp?
  • BodiEko Nov 26, 2010 @ 11:07 am | delete
    they eat almost every vegetable you give them and almost all grass plants hehe. They never stop eating ;)
  • southpaw23 Nov 27, 2010 @ 5:10 pm | delete
    It's so true, it seems like they never stop eating! Or, um, sending that food through the other end. haha
  • T_Pets Nov 24, 2010 @ 12:23 pm | delete
    My wife used to give her piggies parsley apparently that is high in vitamin C and they seemed to love it
  • southpaw23 Nov 27, 2010 @ 5:11 pm | delete
    Ours love parsley, T_Pets! I can't believe I didn't put that on the list. I'm going to add it right now.
  • QuestForHozro Nov 22, 2010 @ 8:36 am | delete
    I didn't see any mention either way about Celery. I know Rabbits shouldn't have it, but how about the GPs?
  • Lily Nov 21, 2010 @ 9:17 am | delete
    Hey can you feed him ir her pumpkin seeds?
  • southpaw23 Nov 21, 2010 @ 3:28 pm | delete
    Hi Lily,

    I would stay away from pumpkin seeds. Guinea pigs can sometimes be prone to choking, and things like nuts and seeds often have a high fat content and are unnecessary to their health.
  • southpaw23 Nov 27, 2010 @ 5:11 pm | delete
    Hi Lily,

    I would stay away from pumpkin seeds. Hamsters loooove pumpkin seeds, but guinea pigs are more prone to choking and don't require seeds like that in their diet. You can eat them yourself, though!
  • Torrey Nov 20, 2010 @ 12:22 pm | delete
    Also with the potatoes you might add that they should not allow there to be any green on the portion that is fed to the guinea pig as it is poisonous. I'm just trying to be helpful not grumping... your page is very informative and one of the best i've seen. My guys also enjoy plumbs from time to time ^^
  • southpaw23 Nov 21, 2010 @ 3:27 pm | delete
    Thank you so much for your comments, Torrey! No offense taken, I'm grateful that you added info about the kidney issues. I didn't know that! My poor little guy Gus passed away in June after a year or so slowly battling an unknown problem which was likely his kidneys. I didn't go overboard with spinach I don't think but when I had it in the house I probably fed it more often than what you've said is recommended. As far as potatoes I generally advise to stay away from those. I don't think I've ever fed mine potato. I figure with all the other yummy beneficial things there are other good options out there, hehe. Thank you for stopping by and helping clear some things up!
  • Torey Nov 20, 2010 @ 12:11 pm | delete
    I would like to add that spinach is also something to feed in moderation. It is recommended to feed them one to two leaves per week, as high amounts have been known to cause kidney stones. Also it is recommended that guinea pigs be fed 1cubic pieces of fruit 2 at most two times a week.
  • markey Nov 18, 2010 @ 12:10 am | delete
    How much is the "Guide to owning a guinea pig" cost
  • southpaw23 Nov 18, 2010 @ 2:12 pm | delete
    Hi Markey,

    I'm so sorry. I hadn't checked that link recently and it looks like it's unavailable. I'll be sure to remove that book from the listings. You may be able to still find it at a library or on a site like eBay.
  • markey Nov 18, 2010 @ 5:42 pm | delete
    Ok thanks :0)
  • Julie Nov 16, 2010 @ 8:14 am | delete
    Ive been feeding our guinea pigs cabbabge because a book I bought said cabbage is a good vegtable to feed them now Im worried, I give them cabbage most days along with other vegtables and a little fruit once a week
  • Dessary&Frankie Nov 15, 2010 @ 12:57 am | delete
    thank you so much. all this info is so helpful to me and for the happiness of my 9 month old, sweet boy Frankinstine. THANK YOU SO MUCH.
  • confidential Nov 12, 2010 @ 3:06 pm | delete
    i give my guinea pigs ice berg lettuce how is it diffrernt from other lettuce is it really that bad
    for them HELP WHAT LETTUCE CAN I GIVE THEM HHHHHHHHHHHHEEEEEEEEEELLLLLLLLLLLPPPPPPPPPP
  • southpaw23 Nov 12, 2010 @ 3:24 pm | delete
    Hi confidential,

    Iceberg lettuce just tends to be quite fibrous, with high water content and very little nutrients. For these reasons, generally it's not a good idea to give your guinea pig a lot of it. It not only offers little to no nutritional value, but it can give them diarrhea.

    A better lettuce to try would be romaine, green or red leaf lettuce, boston lettuce, cilantro, parsley (flat or curly), spring mix, baby or regular spinach. I hope this is helpful to you.
  • AmbrosiaPopsicle Nov 10, 2010 @ 4:30 pm | delete
    So cute, great information too. You have made me want to get one now! :)
  • Kyle! Nov 9, 2010 @ 11:46 pm | delete
    Hello, I just fed my pig 2 peices of bread, is that really bad? He seems to enjoy it...
    Can bread kill him?
    he is eating right now o:
    Plz Respond
  • southpaw23 Nov 9, 2010 @ 11:54 pm | delete
    Hi Kyle,

    While I'm not certain about whether bread will kill your guinea pig or not (it probably won't) it's definitely not something you should be feeding him! If there is any bread left right now, i'd say take it out of his cage. Guinea pigs' digestive systems aren't designed to handle processed foods like bread, cookies, or anything with flour like that. Please do be careful with what you feed your piggie and when in doubt, you can consult the safe fruits and veggies list I've compiled here.
  • Joy Y. Nov 14, 2010 @ 1:26 pm | delete
    Ma'am, The water suppliment for the viatamin C is bad for the piggies. It can cause algie to grow in the bottom quickly, change the taste of the water (your piggie won't drink it then which is bad because they need lots of water), the VC dissinigrates in water and light, theres no way of telling how much V C their getting because you don't know how much water their really drinking.
  • southpaw23 Nov 14, 2010 @ 1:33 pm | delete
    You're absolutely right, Joy. I would never urge someone to use it. I know they are available but it is not the right way to go about getting proper vitamin C into their systems. I have never tried it and never would, as I know that vitamin C is extremely photosensitive, therefore it doesn't retain any of its strength when exposed to light which most guinea pig water bottles don't shut out. In addition to that, you're right that there is no way to tell how much they're getting, due to dilution of the water plus the deterioration of the vitamin content. All in all, it's best to rely on fresh vegetables, and a pellet formula that uses a more long-standing, shelf-hardy form of vitamin C like the Oxbow has.
  • kaylan Nov 7, 2010 @ 10:45 am | delete
    Should i feed my guinea piggie baby spinich???
  • southpaw23 Nov 7, 2010 @ 11:00 am | delete
    Hi Kaylan,

    Baby spinach is great for your guinea pig! As with all leafy greens, if you feed too too much it may cause diarrhea, but I give mine a few leaves of baby spinach all the time and they love it! Spinach is packed with vitamins.
  • kaylan Nov 8, 2010 @ 5:13 pm | delete
    I some times feed it too my piggie she L.O.V.E.S. it i just whanted to make sure it wasent bad i fegured it was good thanks for the advice :0)
  • yulissa123 Nov 6, 2010 @ 5:27 pm | delete
    omg!!! I've been giveing my dathers guinea pig bred!! NOW i know how he DIED poor muchy. But he did last 7 years.
  • michelle Nov 5, 2010 @ 8:19 pm | delete
    can my guinea pig eat a pickle???
  • southpaw23 Nov 5, 2010 @ 8:25 pm | delete
    Hi Michelle,

    Sadly, no. The vinegar and salt in the pickle brine isn't a good idea for guinea pigs. A cucumber slice that isn't pickled is good though!
  • michelle Nov 7, 2010 @ 10:40 am | delete
    oh sorry i meant a cucumber were i am from its called a pickle even if it is salted and vinegar but thanks!!! :0)
  • guineapiglover1997 Nov 5, 2010 @ 8:10 pm | delete
    My guinea pig Ginger doesn't like broccoli, grapes, baby tomatoes, or carrots. The only fruit/vegetable she seems to enjoy is apples, but I know that is a fruit and I don't want to give her too much. Any suggestions on what fruits/vegetables might be cheap and easy to find at a supermarket. I have had her for 1 1/2 years and she does fine without daily fruits/veggies. Is that okay?? I feed her fresh pellets, water, and hay every day, and try to give her apples about twice a week. In the summer I give her fresh grass about once every two days too. Everyone tells me that I should be feeding her more fruits/veggies, but she just doen't like anything. Is her diet okay ?? I don't want to give her any less than what she needs, but she just doesn't want anything! Please help! After reading this article, I am worried that she is not getting enough vitamin C.
  • southpaw23 Nov 5, 2010 @ 8:17 pm | delete
    Hi there!

    Aww it sounds like you're doing your best for your piggie. Sometimes guinea pigs can be picky, particularly if they weren't brought up on veggies and fruit from when they were babies.

    Have you tried maybe some romaine lettuce, red or orange bell pepper? They're easily found at the grocery store and not too hard to slice up and prepare.

    If your piggie has been healthy I'd say you're doing well keeping her well fed. Do you have a vet? It'd might be good to ask him or her what they might suggest as a supplement. They do sell vitamin C pills/dissolvable losenges for guinea pigs but since vitamin C disappears so quickly when exposed to light, it can be hard to know if you're really getting the benefit if you mix it in with their water.

    I feel silly because I'm always promoting the Oxbow pellets, haha, but my vet has them and has actually told me that technically they have such long-lasting vitamin C and enough of it that you could feed your guinea pig that and not have any supplemental veggies or fruits and they'd be just fine. It could be worth a shot. A lot of vet offices carry it, and you can get it online, or at PetSmart and some small pet stores.

    I hope this helps!!
  • anna Nov 6, 2010 @ 11:15 am | delete
    They also sell the vitamin c water drops at the pet store and you can try to feed you pig parsley guinea pigs LOVE that i know my piggie loves it
  • yulissa123 Nov 6, 2010 @ 5:29 pm | delete
    ya i have that for my dathers guinea pig 2
  • guineapiglover1997 Nov 14, 2010 @ 9:51 am | delete
    Ok! Thanks for the advice. I got her when she was over a year old, so thats probably why she doesn't like many different foods besides pellets and hay. Also, didn't find any Oxbow pellets at Petco, but I'm going to try a couple more different places to see if they have some. Thanks again! :)
  • guinea pig Nov 3, 2010 @ 3:51 pm | delete
    is it okay for my piggie to eat the colored pellets? she doesn't like the brown ones.
  • southpaw23 Nov 4, 2010 @ 11:18 am | delete
    Hi there,

    I'm not sure what you mean by the colored pellets. If you're referring to the bags that have seeds and nuts and corn, etc, that's not a good idea to feed those to your guinea pig. Have you tried the Oxbow brand? It's really flavorful and smells good compared to some of the other brands like kaytee, etc. They carry it at my vet's office as well as PetSmart and one of our guinea pigs won't eat any other pellets but that kind. So I'd say try a few different brands of the plain pellets and see if your piggie takes to one of them.
  • Shinee Oct 30, 2010 @ 6:51 pm | delete
    I just bought my guinea pig, Noodlez, yesterday! He LOVES carrots and cucumbers! But he's not a fan of lettuce :( Would carrots and cucumbers be good for him? How much is too much of vegetables? I mean, he should be eating his regular guinea pig food too, right? And what to do if he doesn't like red peppers? Since those are high in vitamin C?
  • southpaw23 Nov 4, 2010 @ 11:19 am | delete
    Hi Shinee! What a cute name for your guinea pig! Carrots and cucumbers are perfectly fine for your guinea pig. Cucumbers are pretty watery so I'd limit that to a small slice here and there. Carrots are also good to just have one or two baby carrots I think. But yes, regular guinea pig food and lots of timothy hay in conjunction with the vegetables will give him a nice balanced diet. If he doesn't like red peppers, that's okay. Green peppers are still good, and if you can get him to eat a little bit of orange that has lots of vitamin c. But just offer a small piece. Hope this helps!
  • Shinee Nov 4, 2010 @ 12:05 pm | delete
    I've been feeding him about three slices of cucumber, six baby carrots throughout the day, not all at once, of course, is that too much? And he does seem to like the red pepper, so it's a good thing :)!

    I know this page is about food for guinea pigs, but do you have any advice on how to get Noodlez to become used to me? It seems like he'll eat out of my hand sometimes but most of the time he doesn't and always seems to run away whenever my hand comes near him.

    And thank you for your reply! :)
  • southpaw23 Nov 4, 2010 @ 12:34 pm | delete
    Hi again, Shinee!

    You may want to feed a couple less baby carrots, but I don't think it's going to hurt your piggie. I've read mixed things on 'too much carrots', but we feed ours at least a few carrot chips or a couple baby carrots a day and they've always been fine.

    As for helping Noodlez get used to you, it just sort of takes time and patience. Guinea pigs are very sweet by nature, and also get easily startled. Just don't feel discouraged if your guinea pig runs when you try to touch him. We've had one of our guinea pigs for going on 6 years and he still runs around his cage if we try to touch him, but once we corner him and scoop him up, he's happy as can be in our laps.

    Just speak softly to him and pet him gently, and try to spend some time holding him each day so he gets used to being touched/held, talked to and comforted. He should be happy to sit in your lap with you in no time! It's fun to bring over a slice of pepper or lettuce leaf, too, so while your piggie is in your arms, you can feed him a little snack. I think this probably helps hiim associate happy eating time with snuggling time, too.

    They do 'tweak out' when you approach them sometimes, but you just sort of have to find a way to gently scoop them up when they're scrambling, haha. I hope this helps!
  • Shinee Nov 4, 2010 @ 12:49 pm | delete
    It's hard to even get him out of his cage when I want to let him roam around the room (so he's not always stuck in his cage). I've been trying to call his name when I'm feeding him a cucumber so that he'd associate the sound with feeding time and it sort of works? lol. I haven't tried to hold him because it's hard enough just trying to get him out of the cage.

    But I was able to hold him yesterday for a little bit and he kept trying to squirm out of my arms, >_>! And when I let him on the floor to roam around, he always seems to want to escape and find small spots to try to squeeze through, lol.

    I guess I'll try to hold him each day and hopefully he'll learn to like me, I mean I love him regardless if he likes me or not, haha.
  • southpaw23 Nov 4, 2010 @ 12:52 pm | delete
    aww well it sounds like you are making a great effort to get him comfortable! I'd say just keep doing what you're doing. If you can take him out without him scrambling too much (it can be scary sometimes and you of course don't want to drop him by accident), try maybe putting a towel on your lap and sitting on the couch with him and kind of wrap him up a little in the crook of your arm. He'll probably like feeling protected like he can hide and it will give you a chance to try stroking his fur and seeing if he can get calmed down. If he starts making little chirping/clucking sounds you'll know he's really happy!
  • Shinee Nov 4, 2010 @ 1:30 pm | delete
    I thought the chirping noises was because he was scared? Or is that the squealing noise? I just tried holding him in my arms, he was still trying to escape but eventually he stopped and I was able to pet him a bit. I even gave him a red pepper to nibble on and he seemed alright, lol. At one point, he started biting at my sleeves, I'll take that as he likes me for now, haha.
  • Morgan Oct 29, 2010 @ 7:32 pm | delete
    Can you feed your guinea pig lettuce everyday? I get the head of lettuce, the green one :) Also my piggie doesn't like carrots, what is the next best thing?
  • southpaw23 Oct 29, 2010 @ 7:36 pm | delete
    Hi Morgan! You can definitely feed your piggie lettuce everyday. You'll want to make sure it's nice and dark green and fresh, and if your piggie gets any loose stools then you'll know you've been giving him or her a little too much. But they love it. If your piggie doesn't like carrots, that's okay. Some piggies are more picky than others. You could try a slice of red or green bell pepper and see!
  • Lauren Oct 28, 2010 @ 3:56 pm | delete
    about the pellets, does the same sort of thing apply to pellets that are marked for guinea pigs, "hamsters, gerbils, rabbits and other small animals"? should it be labeled as just for guinea pigs? thanks!
  • larissa Oct 29, 2010 @ 4:58 pm | delete
    Hi Lauren,

    It should be labeled just fo guinea pig and should be just the plain pellets because the pellets that have mixed nuts in it could cause your guinea pig to choke. :D
  • jadah Oct 27, 2010 @ 8:37 pm | delete
    can you give your guiniea piggie a piece of onion
  • kaylan Oct 25, 2010 @ 4:49 pm | delete
    Is is ok to give your guinea pig a garlic if you cook it a little so it is not so spicy???
  • southpaw23 Oct 25, 2010 @ 5:40 pm | delete
    Hi Kaylan,

    I'm not sure, honestly. I don't think it's poisonous or anything, but with so many other beneficial veggies to feed them, I'd say it may be a good idea to hold off until you can ask a vet about it. I'd hate to tell you "sure, go ahead!" and then have your piggie get sick.
  • dodgeracer4 Oct 24, 2010 @ 8:02 am | delete
    I just had a mouth opration and i think my guinea pig Oreo knows it what do you think
  • southpaw23 Oct 25, 2010 @ 5:41 pm | delete
    haha hm I'm not sure kaitlyn! Guinea pigs are a lot more in tune than people think. Maybe your guinea pig knows you have been recovering and is feeling extra snuggly to try to help you feel better!
  • Dodgestar Oct 29, 2010 @ 7:34 pm | delete
    Aww, Piggies are so sweet.
  • Dodgestar Oct 29, 2010 @ 7:34 pm | delete
    Aww, Piggies are so sweet.
  • dodgeracer4 Oct 22, 2010 @ 11:17 am | delete
    can guinea pigs eat onions
  • renea Oct 18, 2010 @ 4:46 pm | delete
    Hello, Maggie i am not that sure on that question but i am going to say it dosent because the hay is a good chewing material to discourage hairballs, and as a nesting material it can also help them digest their food better and it should be fed to you piggies, rabbit ,and your other small animals daily. oh and this is renea i misspelled my name with two e cause i pressed the wrong button
  • dodgeracer4 Oct 16, 2010 @ 9:50 am | delete
    i was kaitlyn and oreo the guinea pig but now im dodgeracer4
  • dodgeracer4 Oct 16, 2010 @ 9:50 am | delete
    i was kaitlyn and oreo the guinea pig but now im dodgeracer4
  • dodgeracer4 Oct 13, 2010 @ 7:46 pm | delete
    thank you i am now a member me and Oreo!!!
  • kaitlyn and oreo the guinea pig Oct 10, 2010 @ 7:11 pm | delete
    thank you renee!
  • renee Oct 10, 2010 @ 11:49 pm | delete
    yourwelcome
  • kaitlyn and oreo the guinea pig Oct 10, 2010 @ 1:03 pm | delete
    do guinea pigs need hay in there deit
  • renee Oct 10, 2010 @ 1:59 pm | delete
    Hello, Kaitlyn and oreo the guinea pig
    Yes guinea pigs do need hay in there diet because it helps them digest their food better and is very healthy for your piggie.
  • margaret thomson Oct 15, 2010 @ 10:54 am | delete
    Hiya renee my names maggie if it dont show up.
    I'm a lover of my pets I have a small viarity of pets 2 ginipigs "females pregnant 4 ferrets 2 male & and 2 female 6 smallish baby mice that me & my dad fed by hand from 7 days old there mother died 1 hamster thats getting quite old now 1 rabbet called minstral. I'm blabbing on arnt i sorry.
    The main reson is also hay is good for the ginipigs teeth it grinds them down so they don't over grow.
  • raelene Oct 16, 2010 @ 2:14 am | delete
    thank for leting me know
  • raelene Oct 16, 2010 @ 2:14 am | delete
    thank for leting me know
  • kaylan Oct 10, 2010 @ 12:56 pm | delete
    hello i just wanted to know if i put a baby guinea pig in with mine or would it be a problem and i am not trying too put a baby baby guinea pig with mine but you know like one year old small
  • southpaw23 Oct 10, 2010 @ 7:15 pm | delete
    Hi Kaylan! Introducing a piggie to another is a unique situation for each pig. Generally, introducing a baby to an older guinea pig is a safer bet than introducing two young guinea pigs to each other if they're both male. If you put two together and they're opposite genders, just make sure that your male is neutered first. I've had mixed results pairing my guinea pigs but if you'd like some instructions and information on it, this is a WONDERFUL webpage that will guide you through the process! http://www.cavyspirit.com/sociallife.htm
  • kaylan Oct 10, 2010 @ 11:49 pm | delete
    thanks so so much!
  • kaitlyn and oreo the guinea pig Oct 10, 2010 @ 12:51 pm | delete
    oreo and i were wondering that oreo ate iceberg lettuce and hes fine but you said i was harmful is it
  • southpaw23 Oct 10, 2010 @ 7:17 pm | delete
    Hi Kaitlyn!

    No worries. if a guinea pig eats some iceberg lettuce it's not like it's poisonous at all. It just tends to be a bit fibrous and watery without much nutritional value. If a piggie eats a lot of it, it has the potential to give the piggie diarrhea. But I would say just use it sparingly and be sure to have plenty of hay/kibble/other veggies around and it should be fine. Just on the list it's one of the less nutritious and potentially problematic veggies and there are a bunch of others that would be a bit better. I hope this helps you!
  • miskaffon Oct 6, 2010 @ 6:23 pm | delete
    Just curious; I had a friend ask about "mung beans" or bean sprouts. Are these safe for cavies? I've read a lot of cavy diet guidelines, but never read anything that mentions this food...new one to me. Thanks!
  • southpaw23 Oct 6, 2010 @ 9:47 pm | delete
    Hi Miskaffon,

    Thanks so much for your question! I'm honestly not sure about bean sprouts or mung beans. I haven't fed them to my guinea pigs before, but that doesn't necessarily mean they're bad. I would call an exotic veterinarian and ask to get the answer before trying it. Sorry I couldn't be of more help!
  • kaylan Oct 2, 2010 @ 11:14 pm | delete
    Hello its me kaylan again i comited on oct 1 and i realy need you to reply back cause i need to know if i can give my guinea pig the yogurt chips cause i am afraid to just give them to her i take your advice
  • southpaw23 Oct 3, 2010 @ 12:53 am | delete
    Hi Kaylan,

    So sorry I didn't get back to you yet! I have seen mixed reviews about the yogurt chips. Generally, I've found that it's probably not the best idea to give your guinea pigs dairy. I have seen the chips in the stores but have never purchased them myself.

    I'd say if you're concerned, the best thing to do would be to give a quick call to your veterinarian to check. When in doubt, you can always give your piggies a yummy treat of a small wedge of apple or slice of banana, strawberry or another sweet treat in small amounts, or some fresh veggies!

    Good luck and feel free to ask anything you like. I don't always know all the answers but I will do my best to help!
  • kaylan Oct 3, 2010 @ 12:41 pm | delete
    ok thanks so much i was so worried because i had two guinea pigs and one died on thursday so i want to make sure i do the right thing for the ether one. And one more thing i needed to ask was if the mixed guinea pig food is good for a guinea pig or is it best if i feed my guinea piggie just the plain pellets cause i herd mixed guinea pig food was not good for them i want to take your advice thanks
  • southpaw23 Oct 3, 2010 @ 4:34 pm | delete
    I've found that the pellets alone rather than the mixes are best. Things like corn and seeds are not only unnecessary for their diet, but can pose as choking hazards.

    I'm so sorry to hear about your recently lost piggie. I hope the one you have is doing well!
  • Kaylan Oct 4, 2010 @ 11:18 pm | delete
    thanks my ether guinea piggie is doing good and i wanted to also know is how can you tell your guinea pigs age cause i got my guinea pig a year ago and the people dident know how old my guinea pig is???
  • southpaw23 Oct 5, 2010 @ 7:48 pm | delete
    Hi Kaylan!

    You know, I'm not sure. I don't know if there's a surefire way to tell, honestly. That would be a great question for your vet!
  • Bailey Oct 2, 2010 @ 3:50 am | delete
    Hi, Thanks for the information it is good to know I'm doing the right thing for my guinea pigs :) I just have one question which I don't think has been answered in the comments... In the article you said that the seeds from bell peppers should be removed because they are spicy... Is that the only reason? I have been feeding my guinea pigs these for a few months now and it seems to be one of their favourite foods! I also volunteer at a guinea pig shelter and have been recommending it (woops). So I just need to verify because I can't find a straight answer on the internet. Do you recommend removing them simply because they are a little spicy and might burn the guineas tongue/mouth? Or does the spiciness cause digestion problems? Thanks so much :)
  • southpaw23 Oct 3, 2010 @ 12:57 am | delete
    Hi Bailey,

    Thanks so much for your comment! I had gathered that the capsaicin in peppers which is in the membrane around the seeds can be spicy, but I'm looking into it right now and it looks like bell peppers are the only peppers that don't have it. I'm sorry! I think I misled with the information here. I thought all pepper seeds were bad, but it's looking like perhaps the bell pepper ones aren't as big of a deal.

    I suppose in general it's best to remove the seeds from a choking standpoint, though pepper seeds are pretty small and flexible. The flesh of the pepper is the best thing for them.

    Thank you for calling my attention to this. My guinea pigs absolutely love bell peppers too I just always scrape out the seeds. But it looks like if they get the stray seed it should be okay. The peppers themselves definitely are safe and really beneficial for them. Particularly the red ones since they're loaded with vitamin C.

    I hope this helps!
  • kaylan Oct 2, 2010 @ 12:47 am | delete
    Hello i read your thing about guinea pigs it was great and i have a guinea pig and you said that the yogurt drops were not good for them and i just bought some is it ok if i feed them to my guinea pig or will they hurt her?
  • hlkljgk Sep 27, 2010 @ 11:35 pm | delete
    good to know. :)
  • Pukeko Sep 27, 2010 @ 5:32 pm | delete
    Awesome lists of really useful information. Our guinea pig died a few months from old age. I was pleased to see that our research showed the same foods, but it was a lot of work to find it all. Too bad we didn't have this clear concise page. Thanks for putting it together.
  • southpaw23 Sep 28, 2010 @ 4:10 pm | delete
    Oh I'm so sorry to hear about your guinea pig, Pukeko. But it sounds like if old age was the cause, that piggie must have had a long and happy life with you. It is so awful to go through the death of a pet, even if it truly is their 'time'. I'm still recovering from the loss of my sweet Gus who passed in June. His picture is the one up at the top of the page. What a sweetie he was. That's one bad thing about guinea pigs: they don't live as long as we all wish they could! Thanks so much for your comment. :)
  • Zoe Sep 26, 2010 @ 7:12 am | delete
    I have a guinea pig can they eat celery?
  • southpaw23 Sep 27, 2010 @ 12:28 am | delete
    Hi Zoe,

    Celery can be tricky. Guinea pigs will gladly eat it, you just have to be really careful to cut it into very thin slices across the grain. Celery tends to be really stringy and fibrous, and if you give them a large slice, there's a risk of choking on it. Also since it is so watery and fibrous, a little tends to go a long way. Too much and they could get an upset tummy. I don't usually feed mine celery. That said, if you wanted to offer yours a small piece here and there, it should be okay. More of a treat than a staple in their daily diet, I'd say. I hope this helps!
  • marshmello Oct 2, 2010 @ 3:01 am | delete
    hi r u zoe gratton
  • JessicaSilke-Keast Sep 23, 2010 @ 5:10 pm | delete
    we were given a giunea pig a few months ago with out really knowing anything about them. She seems to like every thing we have given her but she poops ALOT how much is normal? Also how much should she eat every day? Maybe we are feeding her to much?! thanks so much this page has been so helpful

    Jess
  • southpaw23 Sep 27, 2010 @ 12:31 am | delete
    Hi Jessica! Congratulations on your new piggie!

    Not to worry. Guinea pigs poop A LOT. haha it's almost alarming how much they poop. That's one of the things they do best, along with eating, sleeping, and being cute. I think my Oxbow kibble bag says 1/8 cup of kibble is enough per day for a guinea pig, but I like to give mine a handful in the morning and a handful in the evening, usually. Some piggies will pick at it in their bowls at their leisure like our pig Max. Others chow down and always finish it all like the two girls we have. So I'd say feed hay plentifully and freely, and give a couple handfuls of kibble per day with some fresh veggies and you should be fine. If you notice your guinea pig getting too fat (they are a bit chubby by nature and my vet has said it's expected that they're a bit fat) a little extra floor time and a little less kibble should do the trick. Best of luck with your piggie and please feel free to contact me with any further questions! : )
  • Emily Sep 19, 2010 @ 9:04 am | delete
    You can feed guinea pigs cabbage I feed mine cabbage all the time in the winter and they love it their favourite is spring greens and curly kale
  • Karen Knight Sep 14, 2010 @ 5:21 pm | delete
    You guys help me alot... but somone please.... Please... PLEASE SOMEONE PLEASE TELL ME WHAT KIND OF RUGULAR FOOD DO THEY EAT!!!
  • southpaw23 Sep 14, 2010 @ 5:43 pm | delete
    Hi Karen,

    I'm so glad you find it helpful! I'm not sure I understand your question. In terms of regular food, do you mean like kibble? I feed mine Oxbow Cavy Cuisine, which they gobble right up. It has long-lasting vitamin C. I've also used Kaytee...i'm not sure what kind it was. Supreme? Select? Something that didn't have corn or seeds in it. And there is another type I sometimes scoop at the small petstore if I'm not able to get to the bigger store to get the Oxbow. I don't know what brand it is, unfortunately.

    So if you meant kibble type food, there are several options! Just make sure you buy guinea pig food labeled specifically for guineas, not rabbits, hamsters or rats.

    As far as other regular food like people food, this lens should address that question for you. If you meant regular food like hamburgers or cookies, those are definite no nos! hehe But hopefully this will help. Thanks again for stopping by!
  • Az Sep 6, 2010 @ 7:08 pm | delete
    Can they eat tamatoes???
  • southpaw23 Sep 14, 2010 @ 3:26 pm | delete
    Hi Az,

    Thanks for your question! Guinea pigs can have tomatoes, just as long as they don't have too much since tomatoes are fairly watery and sugary. I've seen piggies eat little cherry tomatoes or grape tomatoes and that's a fun occasional treat.
  • jt Aug 28, 2010 @ 10:41 am | delete
    if guinea pigs eat hamster food will they get sick or possibly die?
  • southpaw23 Aug 29, 2010 @ 10:38 pm | delete
    Hi JT,

    I'm not completely sure of the repercussions if you feed your guinea pig hamster food. But what I do know is that hamster food is crafted with a very different nutritional balance than guinea pig food. Even though guinea pigs and hamsters are both rodents and can eat similar vegetation, the manufactured pellets and food mixes are very different. Most often, hamster food has lots of nuts, seeds, corn, etc which hamsters love to munch on and store in their cheek pouches for later.

    Guinea pigs unfortunately aren't as adept at managing seeds and are liable to choke, and the fats contained in seeds and nuts are unnecessary to a piggie's diet.

    So I'd say if you've been feeding your guinea pig hamster food, find a high quality guinea pig kibble like Oxbow Cavy Cuisine and mix some in gradually until completely converting to guinea pig food. If you do it suddenly, your guinea pig could feel sick from such an abrupt food change.

    As always, contacting your vet would be the best thing to start with and take it from there. I hope this helps!
  • jessica Aug 28, 2010 @ 10:40 am | delete
    if guinea pigs eat hamster food will they get sick or die?
  • jodie Aug 27, 2010 @ 5:09 am | delete
    why can't they eat cauliflower?
  • southpaw23 Aug 27, 2010 @ 11:54 am | delete
    Hi jodie,

    Good question! It's not that they can't eat it at all, but it's in the same family as cabbage. It's a gassy veggie, so it's best to use it very sparingly, if at all. With other great treats like romaine lettuce, carrots, and bell peppers, it's easy to find some yummy treats for your piggies that won't make them gassy or uncomfortable.

    That said, if you have cauliflower in the house and really want to feed your guinea pig a piece, just make sure it's very small and that it's not very often. Just like people, some piggies have more sensitive systems than others. Hope this helps!
  • 123 Sep 4, 2010 @ 6:52 pm | delete
    us it if guinea pigs eat cardboard?
  • Taylor Aug 25, 2010 @ 10:09 pm | delete
    Ty so much oliver :) u are the best :D ty i raised hamsters so many of them....my 1st hamster and 3rd one had babies and im a hamster person but now i am going to be a guinea pig I hope :) ty so much u good luck with u and ur two guinea pigs :)
  • Taylor Aug 25, 2010 @ 4:46 pm | delete
    hi my names tylor and I would like to know if guinea pigs are posted to squeak the whole time when u bring it out? I am asking this because my mother bought me a guinea pignot even a year ago and all he does is squeak and squeak when I bring him out and hold him but sometimes he stop because he hears my family or the cat playing with his toy out in the kitchen and i think he does this because hes afraid....... Is this normal? but he doesn't squeak in his cage only if he hears me feeding him, or messing with a plastic bag. ( the plastic bag sounds like im giving him food or kale) (thats what my mom says) but today is all about buddy im cleaning his cage like i always do once a week....and well im VERY scared thats somethings wrong with him because i had the hamster that squeak a lot it was so cute but then he died :( and the whole time he was crying out for help. and i don't know if buddys doing that.....PLEASE HELP :) THANK U FOR READING i know i talk a lot :).......... i <3 animals HAVE A WONDERFUL DAY :D
  • Oliver Aug 25, 2010 @ 6:55 pm | delete
    Hi Taylor,
    I recently (2 weeks ago) adopted 2 guinea pigs, so have been doing some research on them for a few weeks now... Hence me looking at this site.

    Anyways, I'm no expert on guinea pigs, but do know that they make a variety of noises, each with its own meaning - sometimes the same noise but with different body language / scenario can mean a different thing. I happen to read up on their noses just a few days ago, and found this site to be rather informative: http://jackiesguineapiggies.com/guineapigsounds.html It gives descriptions of their different noises, and even has some audio clips. Hopefully there you will be able to match your piggies noises to one of the descriptions.

    If you are still unsure, you could always ask a vet / bring your piggy to a vet.

    Good luck
  • southpaw23 Aug 27, 2010 @ 11:55 am | delete
    Aw thank you so much for helping out with the question Oliver! I don't always see every question right away and I was so excited to see that someone chimed in! It's like a little guinea pig community on here :)
  • Guinea Pig lover Aug 18, 2010 @ 9:34 am | delete
    I started feeding my guinea pigs corn......would they get sick....and is it okay if i keep feeding it to them?
  • southpaw23 Aug 27, 2010 @ 11:56 am | delete
    Hi Guinea Pig Lover,

    Corn, while tasty to us and probably tasty to guinea pigs too, is a bit rough on their stomachs. They do need the roughage of hay to move things along, but corn can be difficult to digest, particularly if it's dried in a food mix. Then it kind of poses more of a choking hazard. If it's cooked corn, they probably won't get sick, but corn doesn't tend to offer many nutrients.

    Hope this helps!
  • Rosie Aug 17, 2010 @ 7:55 am | delete
    Very Good. It helps alot! GREAT!
  • Jodie Aug 16, 2010 @ 11:34 am | delete
    very helpful as i am a new guinea pig owner!
  • Kate Aug 15, 2010 @ 1:02 pm | delete
    Very helpful! I have a bird now and she LOVES sunflower seeds but I didn't know if my piggie could. Obviously after reading this I know he can't!!!
  • Louise Aug 15, 2010 @ 4:51 am | delete
    That was very helpful..but I do have a Question, I feed my guinea pig a rabbit and guinea pig food, i noticed that you said dont give guinea pigs seeds, well there is some seeds in that food I was just wondering would that still be ok to feed to my guinea pig?
  • Louise Aug 15, 2010 @ 4:51 am | delete
    That was very helpful..but I do have a Question, I feed my guinea pig a rabbit and guinea pig food, i noticed that you said dont give guinea pigs seeds, well there is some seeds in that food I was just wondering would that still be ok to feed to my guinea pig?
  • Flapjack&Clyde-OurGunieaPigs! Aug 14, 2010 @ 12:40 pm | delete
    yes. very useful and helpful :)
  • Indu Aug 13, 2010 @ 1:02 pm | delete
    I have a question? Is everything you wrote all the things Guinea pigs can eat or are there more? And also, thanks for posting this it is REALLY really helpful to me!
  • southpaw23 Aug 13, 2010 @ 7:45 pm | delete
    Hi Indu,

    I'm so glad this is helpful to you! The list I've posted definitely isn't completely comprehensive. There are other foods guinea pigs can and can't eat, but I'm not always 100% sure on all of them. So I'd say if there's something you're thinking of feeding your piggie but you're not sure, a quick call to an exotic vet or animal hospital should clear it up for you right away. You may be able to find other online resources as well. Thanks again! : )
  • Keri Aug 11, 2010 @ 8:49 pm | delete
    this is a great amount of information. Can I give mine cherries if I cut & remove the pit?
  • southpaw23 Aug 13, 2010 @ 7:46 pm | delete
    Hi Keri,

    I wasn't sure about cherries when I got your question, but I've looked online and it looks like you can feed sliced, pit-less cherries to your piggie (just not the maraschino ones that come in a jar since they're soaked in sugary syrup.) Hope this helps!
  • Liz-Lightening Aug 11, 2010 @ 10:40 am | delete
    this helped me alot this is a good website
    can they eat tomato cause i have given mine tomato???
  • southpaw23 Aug 13, 2010 @ 7:47 pm | delete
    Hi Liz! I'm so glad this has helped you. Guinea pigs can eat a small amount of tomato. It's pretty watery so you don't want to give them a ton of it (and it does have seeds), but even things like little cherry tomatoes are okay in moderation. Just remember not to give them any leaves from the tomato plant because I believe those are poisonous to them.
  • Emily Aug 10, 2010 @ 2:58 pm | delete
    Thanks for the advice. It really helped us out !! : )
  • haley Aug 10, 2010 @ 2:18 pm | delete
    is celery okay to feed them? my pig always eats it! is this okay?
  • Nancy Aug 10, 2010 @ 10:04 pm | delete
    Celery is okay ONLY if you cut it into small pieces. They can choke on the stringy part.
  • haley Aug 10, 2010 @ 2:18 pm | delete
    is celery okay to feed them? my pig always eats it! is this okay?
  • Jenny Aug 6, 2010 @ 8:20 am | delete
    I feed my guinie pig horse feed with no guinie pig pelits in it. Will this make it sick.
  • Nancy Aug 10, 2010 @ 10:06 pm | delete
    Horses and Guineas have a totally different digestive system. I suggest you not feed any more horse feed and stick with pellets just for guineas. Don't forget the veggies and timothy hay. Fresh water at all times too!
  • Nancy Aug 10, 2010 @ 10:06 pm | delete
    Horses and Guineas have a totally different digestive system. I suggest you not feed any more horse feed and stick with pellets just for guineas. Don't forget the veggies and timothy hay. Fresh water at all times too!
  • Paul Jul 31, 2010 @ 12:15 pm | delete
    My pig Luvs ham
  • Tracey Jul 30, 2010 @ 11:13 pm | delete
    Thanks for the help just got a Guinea Pig from a friend i found most help on the part about what they can and can't eat.
  • Lyz Bazzell Jul 29, 2010 @ 2:47 pm | delete
    I'm looking after 4 very cute Guinea pigs, i have found this page really helpful ... i'm going to buy 2 Guinea pigs cause when they go home i'm going to miss the talking they do :)
  • kiley Jul 27, 2010 @ 6:24 pm | delete
    i wentthrew 1 list its a amazin to see ppl take care of theese crites!!!!
  • Richard and Simon Jul 26, 2010 @ 2:18 am | delete
    This has been really helpful. We have just got 3 Himalayan Guinea pigs and now we can look after them safely
  • lojdo Jul 25, 2010 @ 2:10 am | delete
    i dont have a guinea pig yet but i need to know how do i cleane them i dannt know anything about them...........
  • arianna laspina Jul 21, 2010 @ 12:35 pm | delete
    this has nothing 2 do with guinea pigs but i put my rabbit cuddles in a cage outside and a dog came up and gave him a heart attack, he died. ]; ]: ]: ]: ]:
  • sarah green Jul 20, 2010 @ 2:47 pm | delete
    wat about sour stuff she loves sour skittes but i dont give her the skittle is that bad and i have a girl her name is lucy do guinea pigs and gerbils get a long
  • Wayne The Awesome Jul 19, 2010 @ 7:50 pm | delete
    can they eat popcorn
  • Georginah Jul 15, 2010 @ 4:48 am | delete
    Hi,
    me and my Brother have 1 guinea pigs each,
    My guinea pigs name is Alven,Simon,Therdor and thats his whole name.
    My Brothers guinea pigs name is Shadow Tank he calls him Mr'T for short,
    My Brother is coo coo!!!!!
    My Brother can't think what to name it as.
    My one is called that because he looks like Alven.
    My Brothers is called that because he looks lik a fully bomb
  • crystal Jul 16, 2010 @ 2:01 am | delete
    dyqd4f
  • SafeCard Jul 11, 2010 @ 5:16 pm | delete
    Some of the bad foods were pretty common sense but I had no idea you couldn't give them rhubarb. Probably a good thing I read this than, thank you for the helpful lens.
  • Nikki Reyes Jul 7, 2010 @ 12:29 am | delete
    I have 3 guinea pigs (snickers,Almondjoy,& Milkyway) They love fruits,an injoy veggies...
    I give them oranges for vitamin C an it always makes them popcorn...(means happy).....i put a lil pin up in my back yard or at the park so they can play in the grass...i also let them swim in my tub for excersise....they are super healthy an chunky cuz they love eating...thanks for the advice
  • arianna laspina Jul 21, 2010 @ 12:21 pm | delete
    if they swim in your bath tub they can get very sick
  • Doodle Jul 22, 2010 @ 11:00 am | delete
    I hav a gp namd Wally
  • lori Jul 5, 2010 @ 2:32 pm | delete
    can guinea pigs eat rasberrys
  • Wayne Jul 19, 2010 @ 7:49 pm | delete
    its a fruit isnt it
  • Star Jul 4, 2010 @ 11:31 pm | delete
    I have learnt alot from the information above and I found out that you cannot give your guineapig ice berg lettuce
  • bryce latner Jul 12, 2010 @ 12:55 pm | delete
    hi star how old is ur guinea pig do u have two
  • Georginah Jul 15, 2010 @ 4:53 am | delete
    I have two!!!!!
  • izzy Jul 16, 2010 @ 11:42 am | delete
    nope
  • mabel Jul 3, 2010 @ 3:02 am | delete
    I have just read that grapes cannot be given to guinea pigs as they can cause kidney failure.
  • Doodle Jul 22, 2010 @ 10:49 am | delete
    Reely??
  • AyeAyeeRena((; Jul 1, 2010 @ 10:28 pm | delete
    You what what makes my G.P better than all yours?She crossed the bodder from Las Vages with no papers.Lol & now she is in Cali!WhootWhoot.((:His name is MISSYYY and He's a cross dresser because when they bought her they were told she was a girl but turned out to be a BOY!hahah
  • auntiechlochlo Jun 30, 2010 @ 4:30 pm | delete
    thanks alot because i didnt know what kind of food to feed my guinea pig(co-co) but i call her mama because she had three babies
  • Mercedes Jun 26, 2010 @ 10:18 am | delete
    i got my guinea pig on the 7 of june before my birthday lol and his name is nibbles hes been eating alot and is fat and chuby
  • Natalee Jun 24, 2010 @ 3:45 pm | delete
    i just got a new guinea pig. i am so excited and i didnt now whats was good for it. so i am glad i found this. thank u and wondering is peanuts good for them???? THANK U !!!!!!!
  • tracey Jun 13, 2010 @ 9:05 am | delete
    hi ive had guinea pigs all of my life they are the furriest and most loveable you can dearly love. i have 12 and have just had the tiny pitter patter of paws two beutifull little babies
    youve ever seen. i have just read that red yellow and green bell peppers are ok so i have just tried some there not quiet sure yet.it is high in vitc i never knew so thankyou im glad i found your comments.
  • LESLIE660 Jun 11, 2010 @ 3:58 pm | delete
    I LIKE MY GUINEA PIGS I HAVE TWO OF THE A MALE AND FEMALE THEY ARE BARELY HEALTHY SINCE I GOT THEM FROM A BAD HOME WHERE THEY ALMOST NEVER FED THEM
  • Pippa19234 Jun 13, 2010 @ 7:57 pm | delete
    oh LESLIE660 that is sooo sad!:( my guinea pig almost died and no one cared but the fatty that was inside her, now she is big, fat and healthy! i have 3 i would've had 4 but one of my best friends killed it :( i was sooo sad!!
  • darcy130 Jun 9, 2010 @ 9:29 pm | delete
    i love my guinea pig (bella) i got her a pak of food, it has sunflower seeds in it and you said it was bad for them. But on the back of the bag it says sunflower seeds are good for them and another web sight says the same and im confused is it or is it not good for them? i want only the best for my little bella.
  • southpaw23 Jun 10, 2010 @ 1:10 pm | delete
    Hi Darcy,

    Thank you so much for your comment! You know, I am not a vet so I have put together this page based on the information I've collected over the years, and my own experience. A lot of the feed bags at the stores have nuts and seeds, corn, etc. The seed debate centers mostly around choking hazard, from what I've gathered. And also nuts and seeds have extra fats/oils that aren't essential to a guinea pig's diet. When I came across Oxbow brand stuff, I really liked how it smelled and that it didn't have the seeds, and it's the kind the vets that I've taken our piggies to have stocked on the shelves. So I have always assumed it's the best for them (that and our guinea pig Max will now turn his nose up at any other brand but! he's got gourmet taste, apparently, haha.) It sounds like you really care about your piggie and so I"d say maybe if you want a more definite answer, check with your veterinarian. I just know for us, we were always told that the seeds were not a good thing.

    Best of luck to you and your sweet Bella!
  • NORRA (GUINEA PIG) Oct 29, 2010 @ 4:39 pm | delete
    am a newbe on guinea pigs. the things i read help a lot. my question to southpaw23 or who knows, can you give guinea pigs raisens? THANKS
  • Jennifer Jun 11, 2010 @ 7:27 pm | delete
    My guinea pig is 4 years old and use to have the sunflower seeds a lot ... but about 5 months ago we had an issue. He got his top teeth stuck THROUGH the sunflower seed and the poor guy was so stressed and scared while we tried to get it off. Now I pick out all of the sunflower seeds.
    When I went to the vet I mentioned that Elvis was getting 5 carrots a day (which is good for them and they treat it as a treat) they suggest giving little treats of watermelon! Its sooo funny watching him go after the stuff.
    One side note that no one told me till recently: Guinea pigs have no sweat glands, try to keep them in normal tempatures. Do NOT wash them yourselves. That is what my vet told me because they get so stressed out with the water shock they can have a heart attack (that was enough to scare me) so for a small fee she does it for me, still scares him but not enough to hurt him.
  • Rosie Jun 2, 2010 @ 10:20 am | delete
    Guinea pigs can eat cabbage!! Ive had about 6 of them all living for atleast 4 years and they had cabbage everyday its their favourite! Also, lettuce gives them stomach ache and cucumber does the same when too much is given. Apples are very acidic so should also be given in small amounts.
  • amber ruxley May 30, 2010 @ 4:08 am | delete
    my two was died it had some meat for 10 years
  • May 29, 2010 @ 9:12 pm | delete
    i love guinea pigs . it's cools (http://pastryblendersale.co.cc/)
  • sophie May 29, 2010 @ 12:52 pm | delete
    I've recently bought two guinea pigs and i wanted to know more about what food give them and then i found this website, its utterly great. I didn't know that they were allowed peppers and also that red peppers have high vitiman C. I love this website and might use it often.
  • May 26, 2010 @ 8:37 pm | delete
    Friends like to eat to reduce weight (http://bestpricessale.co.cc/)
  • Ali Ross May 25, 2010 @ 5:07 am | delete
    My guinea pig loves cabbage. My friend's mum used to be a vet and she said it's very good for them :) Also, my guinea pigs seems to like cooked chicken, which contains vitamin C, so is that still bad for him?
  • Liz May 26, 2010 @ 4:08 am | delete
    yes they are a vegatarian animal and should never be fed meat ever!!!
  • joan richardson May 15, 2010 @ 4:03 am | delete
    i have just become the owner of two piggies and love them to death, i have been reading a lot about them and find this website the best. very informative about everything.
  • lasertek May 13, 2010 @ 3:20 am | delete
    Interesting! I didn't know there are so many that guinea pigs cannot eat. 5*
  • chloe May 11, 2010 @ 3:17 pm | delete
    i love guinea pigs there so cute the names are megan and milly i love yourwed site i learnt a lot about it can guinea pigs eat rasberrys ??????ilove guinea pigs do you from chloe wonnacott aged 10 ilove guinea pigs cute ones!!!!!!!!!!
  • GonnaFly May 11, 2010 @ 2:29 am | delete
    What! No cabbage or iceberg lettuce! Well there you go. Just as well I haven't got a guinea pig.
  • naf zemog aneles 1# May 8, 2010 @ 3:45 pm | delete
    I love your site. It tought me a lot to know about my two guinea pigs. But I wish you had a little bit more information about what they can and cannot eat. Are they allowed to have blackberries?
  • haruna Apr 22, 2010 @ 10:18 pm | delete
    my guinea pig loves to eat bamboo leaves and watermelon is that bad for him??
  • haruna Apr 22, 2010 @ 10:18 pm | delete
    my guinea pig loves to eat bamboo leaves and watermelon is that bad for him??
  • Cornelius the guinea pig :3 Apr 15, 2010 @ 7:57 pm | delete
    can piggies eat bamboo?
  • ivBeen farteen May 15, 2010 @ 12:37 pm | delete
    not only can they do that, it makes a great bong for your guinea pig and you to enjoy, believe me
  • ivBeen farteen Apr 12, 2010 @ 12:30 pm | delete
    i left my pot stash next to my guinea pigs cage and he ate all of it is this good, bad, okay, or should i just put it out of its misery? idk i need advice
  • southpaw23 Apr 12, 2010 @ 1:44 pm | delete
    If this is a true comment, you need to take your guinea pig to the vet immediately.
  • colleen Apr 17, 2010 @ 5:57 pm | delete
    my guinea pet gets more help care then i do...
  • Bethany Apr 21, 2010 @ 3:24 pm | delete
    my guinea pig ate a little bit of iceburg lettece will it harm him
  • southpaw23 Apr 21, 2010 @ 3:45 pm | delete
    Hi Bethany,

    Not to worry! Your guinea pig should be just fine. Iceburg lettuce isn't toxic to guinea pigs or anything, it's just not a good idea to give them a LOT of it, at the risk of them getting diarrhea.
  • colleen Apr 17, 2010 @ 5:58 pm | delete
    take it to the vet
  • Airinka Apr 11, 2010 @ 5:21 am | delete
    It's amazing, that guinea pigs can eat red peppers!
  • ivBeen farteen Apr 12, 2010 @ 12:34 pm | delete
    what color pepper should i feed my Piggie (Osama) green, yellow, or red there are just too many wonderful colors of peppers.............
  • southpaw23 Apr 12, 2010 @ 1:45 pm | delete
    Red pepper has the most vitamin C but also has more sugar. Any color of sweet pepper (not hot pepper) is a tasty treat for a guinea pig!
  • colleen Apr 17, 2010 @ 5:59 pm | delete
    red peppers are high in Vit C
  • ivBeen farteen Apr 28, 2010 @ 7:49 pm | delete
    wow thank you so much....you guys deffently know ur peppers
  • jo Apr 10, 2010 @ 9:27 am | delete
    I am excited about giving my guinea pig some good fruits and veggtables!
    She has been liking her carrots.
    We feed her about 1-5 carrots a day.
    does anyone know if that is too many carrots for one day?
  • southpaw23 Apr 11, 2010 @ 12:00 pm | delete
    Hi Jo,

    Our guinea pigs looove carrots too! I'm not certain on carrot usage, honestly. We will often give them 2-3 baby carrots a day, but I recently read that really only one a day is ideal. However, I did ask my veterinarian about this since I had read mixed messages on carrot consumption, and she said you can never feed too many.... perhaps it's good to err on the side of caution and limit to just 1-2 baby carrots a day if possible, just in case. Hope this helps!
  • jo Apr 10, 2010 @ 9:24 am | delete
    This is a great and usefull website!
  • GoboCheeseBurger Apr 7, 2010 @ 8:13 pm | delete
    My friend has a guinea pig named Harold. He's a red-eyed roan with a white cowlick. We made a funny video about him too. My friend Anna has two guineas named Squeaky and Cambria (i helped her named Cambria because she couldn't find a good name). Guffy, her old guinea, sadly passed away, so Cambria became Squeaky's new friend.
  • Unknown Apr 7, 2010 @ 6:59 pm | delete
    Wow this might work but I hope she eats whats on the list
  • Poppy Apr 6, 2010 @ 8:34 am | delete
    No offence, but a lot of that info is wrong! guinea pigs CAN eat califlour and cabbage, just not much red cabbage. Some food's claim to have long lasting vitamin C, because they do! Vitamin C is not broken down over time. The only thing that can break it down is HEAT. And I'm assuming you are not cooking your guinea pigs pellets.
    I run a guinea pig rescue (The Guinea Garden) and the guinea pigs are fed Gerty Guinea pig and veg. Gerty guinea pig is a seed containing guinea pig food. Its not all the same boring size and shape and texture, and really theres no such thing as selective feeding if you give your guinea pig the right amount of food. Admittedly, seeds should be avoided if your guinea pig has a bladder ot kidney stone, or if it has cystitis. Guinea pigs should always be kept in groups.
  • southpaw23 Apr 6, 2010 @ 9:12 am | delete
    Hi Poppy,

    Thanks for your comment. Unfortunately, I'm worried you may have been mis-informed about vitamin C. It does break down when exposed to light, and this is why many of the commercially available guinea pig pellets that advertise vitamin C are actually much lower in concentration than when they were originally manufactured (though you are right in that some do have a more stabilized version of vitamin C. But not all packages that say 'long lasting' mean it. I have consulted veterinarians on this.) Sitting on a store shelf life for 6 weeks can degrade the vitamin C to very low levels, so that's why it's important to supplement with vitamin C-rich veggies like red pepper or a small bit of orange, if the piggie will eat it.

    Further information about avoiding vitamin C deficiency and the shelf life of vitamin C can be found at one of the most trusted resources on the web for guinea pig care- guinea lynx: http://www.guinealynx.info/scurvy.html

    Here's a small segment:

    "Ascorbic acid content is affected by temperature, humidity, exposure to light and method of storage. In six weeks as much as half of the vitamin C available to a guinea pig provided by pellets can dissipate according to Harkness and Wagner. Standard pellets should be stored at less than 22 degrees C and used within 90 days of production.

    Some pellets contain a stabilized vitamin C which will remain viable for much longer periods if properly stored. Check the freshness date on the package.

    Do not add vitamin C to drinking water! Besides not knowing how much they're getting, when added to water exposed to air, half its strength will be lost in as little as a day. Heat, metal, mineral content (hard water), and chemicals, most notably chlorine, will also affect how long the vitamin C is viable."

    It is possible for a guinea pig to eat cabbage and cauliflower, you're correct, but these foods do cause gas and there are more nutrient-rich foods available to feed guinea pigs that won't hurt their stomachs. If cabbage or cauliflower are the only option, a very small amount would be best.

    Thank you for reading and I hope this lens has helped you at your guinea pig rescue!
  • Tammy Mar 29, 2010 @ 8:04 pm | delete
    this sight really helped me because I didn't know that pigs shouldn't eat some of the foods you had listed, but now that I know I won't feed that stuff anymore
  • Mercedes Mar 31, 2010 @ 1:48 pm | delete
    i totaly agree never feed it that
  • lulu Apr 10, 2010 @ 8:39 am | delete
    thx for telling me all this stuff cause ialmost feed my guinea pigs potato pelling. uve given me a lot of info thx a lot.
  • colleen Apr 17, 2010 @ 6:02 pm | delete
    all who has guinea pigs they are like a child...and alot of work ..read up well b4 getting a guinea pig
  • mercedes Mar 28, 2010 @ 12:17 pm | delete
    have u got a guinea pig coz if u do u would be a great owner knowing all this stuff lol
  • mercedes Mar 28, 2010 @ 11:52 am | delete
    this is great info i will always check this coz im getting a new one and im saving lots of time to look and read all of the stuff u write thx again
  • luck littel sis Apr 6, 2010 @ 12:43 pm | delete
    hi mercedes how r ya
  • regan/guineapigluver Mar 15, 2010 @ 7:12 pm | delete
    wow this helped alot ty so much i needed this i am putting together a care guide for a person who i am giving my guinea pig to [my guinea pig just had babies] and i dont want them to have to kepps asking me wat to do with marly [my boar guinea pig] i wish i had this site wen i first got my guinea pigs
  • linus Mar 15, 2010 @ 5:23 pm | delete
    i loved it i am 9 but for my b-day i am going to buy a guinea pig thank you for your info
    it helped my a lot

    thank you!!!!!
  • jaloney Mar 11, 2010 @ 1:10 pm | delete
    I was just at the pet store and the food they carry for Guinea Pigs has corn and seeds in it. The workers there said they had never heard that you are not supposed to feed a Guinea Pig corn and seeds...Why would Companies make it if it was bad for them?
  • southpaw23 Mar 11, 2010 @ 9:07 pm | delete
    That's a question I ask myself too, jaloney! They also have the big 'hamster ball' things that say right on them they can be for guinea pigs, and that's dangerous to their spines! I'm not sure why they make the food with seeds/corn. Thankfully there are a few varieties that are just kibble, and the Oxbow has the nice vitamin C. One of my guinea pigs won't eat anything else haha. I've tried other brands and he turns his nose up!
  • daemon's mum Mar 6, 2010 @ 4:23 pm | delete
    is it possible to kill a pig with kindness? my kid obsesses with this thing. when i was a kid i had two pigs handed down to me from a relative, they weren't very well looked after and they lived to 9yo and 10 1/2 yo, so if he looks after this one well, how long can i expect it to live? i don't want it to outlive me.
  • southpaw23 Mar 6, 2010 @ 10:31 pm | delete
    Hi Daemon's mum!

    Well, I suppose if you hugged your guinea pig until it suffocated you could kill it with kindness, haha, but you know, guinea pigs live to be various ages. Yours really lived a long time! From the reading I've done and talking with my veterinarian, it seems that 5 is starting to get older for a guinea pig...and it's not unreasonable that they'd live to be 6 or 7 but that generally that's around when they start getting old. But of course things impact their lifespans like any diseases they may come down with, etc.

    As long as a guinea pig is taken for regular checkups and monitored for signs of illness, you should be able to keep tabs on their health. 9 1/2 is a very long time for a guinea pig to live! So I wouldn't want to tell you to expect your guinea pigs to live that long, but it'd be even less likely for a piggie to live much older than that. Sadly, the cutest and sweetest pets have such short lives. I wish they lived much longer!
  • DAEMON Mar 6, 2010 @ 3:57 pm | delete
    orenges are very low in vitimin C and for humans it eats away the stomach lining
  • ivBeen Farteen Apr 12, 2010 @ 12:59 pm | delete
    i eat oranges by the pound and does that mean that my stomach is completly gone and i feel like i have to take a massive shit every time i take a bit....
  • Dopey Doodle Sinnott Mar 3, 2010 @ 5:17 pm | delete
    You can buy treats for your guinea pig/s, rabbits and any other pets along with items for yourself at our handmade (made from scratch) at www.DoodlesBakery.etsy.com

    A portion of the proceeds go to St. Jude's Children's Hospital and a local no-kill animal rescue/shelter/emergency vet.
  • southpaw23 Mar 4, 2010 @ 11:44 am | delete
    Hi there, thanks for leaving the link. Unfortunately, I don't see anything for guinea pigs or rabbits in your shop yet, but it takes awhile to get an Etsy shop up and running! I tried making homemade guinea pig treats once and they piggies wouldn't eat 'em! It's tricky to find a safe recipe for guinea pigs since you can't really use flour. But I hope your shop does well raising money for charity. Best of luck and thanks for visiting!
  • g pig - Lenny Mar 2, 2010 @ 1:46 pm | delete
    i loved the helpful information on this! i hope u can write more about g pigs! i have 1 g pig and didn't know they couldn,'t eat cheese! I AM SO GLAD I READ THIS !!!!!!!!!!!!!
    THANK YOU!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
  • g pig lover Mar 1, 2010 @ 11:50 am | delete
    Tyvm for this info. im getting two g pigs in two weeks. this info is very useful. tyvm
  • Guinea pig Owner Feb 27, 2010 @ 12:34 pm | delete
    Hi! I have 2 guinea pigs: one named Pop corn and one named Flower (my sister gave her that name). I want to thank you very very much, mostly for the part «What they can and cannot eat». I didn't know they could eat bananas! Anyway, Pop corn welcomes you for the tips!
  • marlene Feb 27, 2010 @ 10:45 am | delete
    marlene i have a guinea pig name cinnamon the only timothy hay i can find is kaytee. is this a good hay or want and how would i no if he is sick or not. this is my baby i love this guinea pig. this information was very useful thinkyou pless wright back
  • southpaw23 Feb 27, 2010 @ 11:27 am | delete
    Hi marlene - I've used kaytee hay for my piggies before but it's not nearly as good as the Oxbow hay, in my opinion anyway! It's a lot more 'straw-like' and stiff, not as aromatic or soft. The oxbow hay has a really nice fresh aroma and is less like straw.

    Regarding your other question, guinea pigs are good at masking illness so it's not always super easy to tell if they're sick. A good approach to take is to monitor how much they're eating/drinking, and if you notice that they refuse to eat or drink or are drinking/eating much less, take them to a vet right away. Also be sure to schedule regular checkups at an exotic vet or vet that treats exotics. Other signs of illness can include weight loss, blood in urine, diarrhea, incessant scratching, discharge from the nose and eyes, head tilt, limping, etc. Hope this helps!
  • crystal Feb 26, 2010 @ 3:08 pm | delete
    i was told by 4 vets 2 never feed them green beans that there deadly
  • southpaw23 Feb 27, 2010 @ 11:21 am | delete
    Hi crystal,

    Green beans are completely fine to feed your guinea pig. It's raw beans that can be deadly - like raw kidney beans, pinto beans, dried peas, etc. They pose a choking hazard and are also considered poisonous to guinea pigs. Green beans are not in the same type of family of vegetables/legumes that raw beans are.
  • southpaw23 Feb 27, 2010 @ 11:22 am | delete
    also, raw green beans are fine. I realized there might be confusion there with raw beans (like kidney beans) versus raw green beans.
  • Alexis Riers Feb 20, 2010 @ 7:43 pm | delete
    This really covered all of my questions thanks for everything but I have a question, where can you find the oxbow pellets and hay, do you have to buy online?And where will you get a cage from?Well you have really covered my questions about what to eat and what not to eat. I'm looking forward to see more information about cavys! :)
  • southpaw23 Feb 20, 2010 @ 8:44 pm | delete
    Hi Alexis,

    Thanks so much for the compliments! I'm so happy this was useful to you.

    As for where to find the Oxbow pellets and hay, if you live in the States, PetSmart carries it (but PetCo doesn't), and it can also often be found at smaller independent pet stores. Your vet may also stock it depending on whether your vet treats guinea pigs.

    If you can get to a PetSmart, I'd recommend going there, or you could call smaller stores to see. And you can also order them online. I believe I provided some links above if you're interested.

    Thanks again!
  • GuineaPigGuide Feb 15, 2010 @ 2:46 pm | delete
    Very helpful information, especially the part about Vitamin C. It's so important.
  • Samantha Feb 6, 2010 @ 2:33 pm | delete
    one of the guys at petco told me that it was okay to feed them ferret food or rabbit food or something. but im still not very sure, whawt should i do ?!
  • Moose Feb 13, 2010 @ 4:59 am | delete
    Just be sure and feed them what you know they can eat :)
  • jade Feb 17, 2010 @ 1:20 pm | delete
    well i have a guinea pig and rabbit so when my guinea pig runs out of food i feed him rabbit food and he likes it and hes very healthy if that helps
  • jess Feb 17, 2010 @ 8:28 pm | delete
    jade its not going to be happy
  • kylee ann gordon Feb 19, 2010 @ 7:48 pm | delete
    who is jade
  • molly Jan 31, 2010 @ 4:36 pm | delete
    as awsome guinea pigs are they need a lot of care and TLC and be careful of what you give them i know i am!!!!!!!!!!!!
  • lenny Jan 30, 2010 @ 12:49 pm | delete
    ok their is a soft brown pointy thing coming right out the side if my guinea pigs side (its a boy) should i be worried?
  • E- girl Feb 3, 2010 @ 7:28 pm | delete
    yes you should be worried what a stupid question! you should also see a vet or somthing
  • Kris Feb 15, 2010 @ 3:52 pm | delete
    probably not, if its causing your pig pain or is getting bigger go to your local vet to get it checked out.
  • JenOfChicago Jan 27, 2010 @ 3:03 pm | delete
    This is very comprehensive - I'm sending to a friend who just one a guinea pig.
  • Amm2498 Jan 19, 2010 @ 4:32 pm | delete
    Hi,
    I was just wondering, my guinea pig has been very lazy she has been in her house for most of the day today but anyother day she has sooooo much energy i was just wondering if i should be worried.
  • jonsey 1234 Jan 29, 2010 @ 7:28 pm | delete
    well it depends if you think she looks sick. is she acting very strange? i dont know how your guinea pig is, so i cant give you a 100% right answer, but I think she might just be tired or maybe she wasnt feeling very well that day. i dont think you should take her to the vet, but i think you should keep an eye on her just in case.

    i hope this helps you :)
  • molly Jan 31, 2010 @ 4:37 pm | delete
    dont be worried its happened to me before and nothing is wrong about it dont panic
  • grace Jan 18, 2010 @ 11:00 pm | delete
    hi, my guinea pig loves to munch on carrots and lettuce. she's a baby so i take extra care of her. my other guinea pig is 2 years old and had 3 babies today. sadly she passed away of a strange resson. she was so young but dead now... she died on christmas day and everybody missed her...i solded her litters and kept snowy.the fawn girl guinea pig. so now i'm breeding snowy.
  • grace Jan 18, 2010 @ 11:00 pm | delete
    hi, my guinea pig loves to munch on carrots and lettuce. she's a baby so i take extra care of her. my other guinea pig is 2 years old and had 3 babies today. sadly she passed away of a strange resson. she was so young but dead now... she died on christmas day and everybody missed her...i solded her litters and kept snowy.the fawn girl guinea pig. so now i'm breeding snowy.
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southpaw23

I'm Lesley, writer, musician, tech geek, guinea pig artist, and overall guinea pig evangelist! : )
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