How to Choose Guinea Pig Food

Last Updated: September 16, 2021 References

Guinea pigs have a complex and high-maintenance diet consisting of 80% hay, 15% vegetables, and 5% pellets. ^{[1]
X
Research source} Providing proper nutrition is essential to good health in order to create an effective immune system, and improve growth and general health. ^{[2]
X
Research source} While there are multiple brands of pellets commercially available for guinea pigs, not all brands care about your guinea pig's dietary requirements. It's important to put in the time to research your guinea pig's individual needs to provide them with the highest-quality food. Continue reading this wikiHow article to learn which foods are best for your guinea pig.

Part 1

Part 1 of 3:

Choosing Pellets

1
Understand the importance of pellets in your guinea pig's diet. While pellets only make up 5% of your guinea pig's whole diet ^{[3]
X
Research source} , they are essential to improve vitamin C intake, as guinea pigs cannot produce this vitamin on their own.
- Guinea pigs require 1/8 cup of pellets each on a daily basis.
- While it is true that some owners can provide a substantial diet without feeding their guinea pigs pellets; a diet without pellets requires more expenditure and maintenance to ensure your guinea pig is getting the correct nutrients and enough vitamin C. Typically the pellets are replaced by giving guinea pigs a large amount of fresh produce.
Warning : While pellets are formulated using timothy or alfalfa hay, they are not a substitute for hay. Provide your guinea pigs with unlimited grass hay 24/7
Like humans, guinea pigs cannot produce vitamin C on their own. Pellets are an important daily vitamin C booster to prevent scurvy, malnutrition, and other health-related issues. Check the back of the labels of the packaging to ensure the brand acknowledges your guinea pigs vitamin C requirement. ^{[4]
X
Research source}

Advertisement
3
Avoid pellets that contain grains, seeds, dried fruit, and colourful pieces. Guinea pig pellets that are labelled as mixtures or blends are not suitable for guinea pigs, as they contain pieces of foods that are not a standard dietary requirement. ^{[5]
X
Research source}
- Plain pellets are best. By providing mixtures with dried fruit or colourful treats, your guinea pigs might favour these unhealthy morsels over the plain pellets which they need most.
Select a pellet brand that focuses solely on your guinea pig's dietary needs. Rabbits do not require vitamin C, and pellets fortified for rabbits could contain harmful antibiotics. ^{[6]
X
Research source}
5
Check the label content for dangerous ingredients. As well as grains, seeds, dried fruit and colourful pieces in the food mixture, there are a few products that should be avoided. This includes:
- Animal products, including (but not limited to) animal fat, meat, tallow, animal digest, sterols, bone meal, and eggs. ^{[7]
  X
  Research source}
- Beet pulp, which is considered a low-quality fibre that can clog the villi of the intestine. These are common in all animal feed since it is a byproduct of many human products. ^{[8]
  X
  Research source}
- Corn products, including corn bran, corn germ, corn gluten, and ground corn. Corn is not a normal part of your guinea pig's diet, and may contribute to allergies, and can be high in fat and certain sugars/starch depending on the product. ^{[9]
  X
  Research source}
- Rice bran or rice flour; more byproducts, with no nutrient value in forms defined by the AAFCO. ^{[10]
  X
  Research source}
- Vegetable Fibre; any and every byproduct as it can include sawdust. ^{[11]
  X
  Research source}
6
Choose between an alfalfa or timothy hay-based pellet. Most pellets are alfalfa-based, thus containing a higher amount of calcium. Alfalfa hay and pellets can be fed to guinea pig pups younger than 6 months, and pregnant and nursing sows. Adult guinea pigs should be switched to a timothy pellet based diet to reduce the risk of calcium-related health defects, such as bladder stones. ^{[12]
X
Research source}
- Oxbow adult guinea pig pellets are timothy based.
7
Store pellets in a cool, dry, and dark space. Vitamin C degrades over time, with warm weather speeding up the degrading process. When purchasing pellets in store, look for an expiration date to ensure freshness, and buy pellets in small amounts rather than in bulk. ^{[13]
X
Research source}
- As a general rule of thumb; do not store pellets for more than a month.
Advertisement

Part 2

Part 2 of 3:

Choosing Fresh Produce

1
Understand the importance of fresh produce in your guinea pig's diet. Vegetables make up the second-highest food group in your guinea pig's diet; consisting of 15%. Guinea pigs require one cup of fresh vegetables each day to provide them with nutrients and vitamin C that cannot be provided through hay alone.
- Fruit should be fed sparingly and in limited amounts, as they contain high amounts of sugar.
2
Research the types of vegetables guinea pigs can consume. Variety is important when it comes to fresh produce. Guinea pigs can only digest most vegetables 2-4 times a week to avoid health complications. The only greens guinea pigs can consume every day are bell peppers and fresh, untreated grass.
- High calcium foods should be fed at the minimum of 1-2 times a week, such as kale and spinach, to prevent bladder stones.
- Cabbage, cauliflower, bok choy and broccoli can cause bloat, thus should be limited to 2-3 times a week.
- Carrots and other vegetables with a high sugar content should be limited to 1-2 times a week.
Provide your guinea pigs with vegetables that are fresh and high-quality. Do not feed your guinea pigs anything you wouldn't feed to your family. Fresh produce is healthier and safer to feed to your cavies. If you feed wilted or spoiled produce, your guinea pigs may refuse to eat.
4
Purchase vegetables in season. You can save on costs and purchase in bulk when you buy in season. This is especially helpful for bell peppers, as guinea pigs can eat bell peppers daily to improve their vitamin C intake.
- Bell peppers, tomatoes, celery, corn, cucumbers and most lettuces are in season during the warmer months.
5
Check the storage date for each vegetable. Some greens last up to several days, whereas some only store 1-2 days. Check the shelf life of each vegetable to ensure they do not wilt.
- Bagged greens such as spinach and baby leaves generally last 2-3 days before they start to wilt.
- Lettuce, kale, bok choy, and celery are able to last 5-7 days before wilting.
- Carrots, tomatoes, bell peppers and broccoli have a longer shelf life with the minimum of 5-7 days.
6
Avoid fruits and vegetables that guinea pigs cannot digest. Some vegetables are dangerous to guinea pigs, while others must be fed in moderation due to their nutritional content. An example of which vegetables to avoid: ^{[14]
X
Research source}
- Onions; this includes leeks, chives and spring onion. Onions contain a compound called disulphide that can harm red blood cells and destroy the ability for cells to carry oxygen through the bloodstream. ^{[15]
  X
  Research source}
- Garlic; these are bulbous foods which guinea pigs cannot digest. Garlic is similar to onions and can cause health problems relating to oxygen and red blood cells. ^{[16]
  X
  Research source}
- Mushrooms; while guinea pigs can digest cultivated mushrooms, they have no health benefits. Mushrooms are foods that guinea pigs should steer clear of, as there are over 80 varieties of mushrooms that can be poisonous and toxic to guinea pigs. ^{[17]
  X
  Research source}
- Avocados; these contain a fatty acid called persin , which can be harmful to a guinea pig's digestive system. ^{[18]
  X
  Research source}
- Iceberg lettuce; while guinea pigs can eat most dark leafed lettuces, such as romaine or butterhead lettuce, the iceberg variety shouldn't be given to guinea pigs. Iceberg lettuce is primarily made of water and has little to no nutritional value to guinea pigs. Too much lettuce can cause watery stools and upset the digestive tract. ^{[19]
  X
  Research source}
- Rhubarb; this vegetable is said to contain an oxalic acid which can upset the digestive system. ^{[20]
  X
  Research source}
Advertisement

Part 3

Part 3 of 3:

Choosing Fresh Hay

1
Understand the importance of hay in your guinea pig's diet. Grass hay is the foundation of your guinea pig's diet; making up 80% in total. Guinea pigs require a frequent supply of hay on a daily basis to balance out their digestive system, prevent dental issues, and much more. ^{[21]
X
Research source}
- Without hay, your guinea pigs digestive tract will shut down and likely go into gut stasis. It's important to provide a fresh pile of hay day and night for your guinea pig to graze on.
- Because guinea pigs are herbivores; hay and grass make up the primary part of their diet. The fibre is important to keep their digestive system running accordingly. ^{[22]
  X
  Research source}
2
Select the type of hay to purchase. Fresh, grass hay is best for guinea pigs. There are eight varieties of hay that guinea pigs can consume; timothy, orchard, meadow, oaten, wheaten, bluegrass, barley and alfalfa.
- Timothy is a popular choice of hay among guinea pig owners and is commercially available by the bag in most pet stores.
- Alfalfa hay should only be given to young guinea pigs up to 6 months of age, and nursing or pregnant sows. Alfalfa has a higher calcium content which is beneficial to young guinea pigs and pregnant sows that need the extra calcium. However, alfalfa shouldn't be a staple fed to adult guinea pigs, as too much calcium in their diet can make them susceptible to bladder stones.
3
Do not purchase lucerne hay or straw. Straw is dangerous to guinea pigs and should not be consumed due to its tough consistency. Straw should not be used as bedding either, as it risks the hazard of poking or getting stuck in your guinea pig's eye.
- Lucerne hay should not be fed to guinea pigs for similar reasons to alfalfa hay; it is high in calcium and protein. The level of calcium in lucerne hay may contribute to bladder stones in conjunction with a calcium-enriched diet. ^{[23]
  X
  Research source}
4
Choose your quantity of hay. Hay is commercially available by the bag in most pet stores. They can also be purchased by the bale in most farm supply stores, or directly from a farm. Purchasing hay in larger quantities means it is available for bedding and food at a reasonable cost. Space limitations may mean that although economical, a bale is not practical, but if you can adequately store a whole bale, then do so to save on costs. ^{[24]
X
Research source}
- A bale can last as food and bedding for several months and reportedly retains its nutritional value if stored properly for a couple of years. ^{[25]
  X
  Research source}
- Another alternative to purchasing small bags or bales (if you do not have good hay locally or a place to store it) is to purchase a large box of hay online. ^{[26]
  X
  Research source}
5
Select hay that is fresh, grassy and pliable. Hay purchased directly by farm supply stores are often fresher then hay purchase by the bag at a pet store. This is because the packaged hay has often been sitting on the shelf for a long time before it is sold in most pet stores. To determine whether your hay is fresh, look for the following signs; ^{[27]
X
Research source}
- A natural green colour or tinge.
- Grassy texture.
- Very leafy; poorer quality hays are more stemmy.
- Fragrant; the hay should smell clean. No mouldy, musty or burnt smell. The hay shouldn't be dusty either.
- Very soft and pliable.
- Harvested before blossom or heading.
- Free of trash, weeds, dirt and other foreign material
Hay is more palatable and lasts longer if stored correctly. Somewhere cool and dry like a garden shed will suffice. Otherwise, you can store your hay in the same room as your guinea pigs.

Advertisement

Community Q&A

Search

Add New Question

Question

Should I give my guinea pigs carrots every day?

Amy Harrison

Top Answerer

Carrots should be fed at a maximum of 1-2 times a week as a treat, since they are too high in sugar to be fed in excess amounts.

Thanks! We're glad this was helpful.
Thank you for your feedback.
If wikiHow has helped you, please consider a small contribution to support us in helping more readers like you. We’re committed to providing the world with free how-to resources, and even $1 helps us in our mission. Support wikiHow
Yes No

Not Helpful 0 Helpful 0
Question

Should I feed my guinea pig vegetables from my own garden or is store bought vegetables better?

Amy Harrison

Top Answerer

Home-grown vegetables are likely to be of higher-quality and safer to feed your guinea pigs, since you are aware of how they are grown and whether they are fertilised with chemicals. Remember to wash your vegetables with water and diluted vinegar before feeding them to your guinea pigs.

Thanks! We're glad this was helpful.
Thank you for your feedback.
If wikiHow has helped you, please consider a small contribution to support us in helping more readers like you. We’re committed to providing the world with free how-to resources, and even $1 helps us in our mission. Support wikiHow
Yes No

Not Helpful 0 Helpful 1

Ask a Question

200 characters left

Include your email address to get a message when this question is answered.

Submit

Tips

Serve your guinea pigs food in separate bowls to ensure quality and avoid cross-contamination.

Thanks
Helpful 0 Not Helpful 0
Remove any food that has been soiled immediately from the cage.

Thanks
Helpful 0 Not Helpful 0

Warnings

Pellets are not a substitute for hay.

Thanks
Helpful 1 Not Helpful 0
Do not purchase a hay rack to store your hay, as guinea pigs can get stuck inside them.

Thanks
Helpful 1 Not Helpful 0
Soft, pliable hay is much safer for your guinea pig, as stemmy hay can cause injuries.

Thanks
Helpful 0 Not Helpful 1

[1]

[2]

[3]

[4]

[5]

[6]

[7]

[8]

[9]

[10]

[11]

[12]

[13]

[14]

[15]

[16]

[17]

[18]

[19]

[20]

[21]

[22]

[23]

[24]

[25]

[26]

[27]

How to Choose Guinea Pig Food

Steps

Choosing Pellets

Choosing Fresh Produce

Choosing Fresh Hay

Community Q&A

Tips

Warnings

You Might Also Like

References

About this article

Did this article help you?

About this article

You Might Also Like

Explore Categories