How to Feed a Guinea Pig

Last Updated: September 16, 2021 References Approved

As a pet owner, your biggest goal should be to maintain the health and happiness of your pet. One of the main ways you can do this is to feed it a balanced and healthy diet. Guinea pigs, like all other pets, require specific nutrients for them to thrive. If you take the time to make sure your guinea pig is fed a healthy diet, it will go a long way towards assuring that they have a happy and healthy life.

Part 1

Part 1 of 2:

Providing a Well-Balanced Diet

1
Feed your guinea pig hay. Guinea pigs love hay! They need it for digestive and dental health. Guinea pigs should have unlimited access to hay, which often means refilling a good-sized dish 3 to 5 times daily.
- Timothy hay is the best hay for all guinea pigs in general. They will happily eat it and play with it, and it's healthy for pigs of all ages. Meadow hay, bluegrass, and orchard grass are also good choices, but not all guinea pigs like them.
- Alfalfa hay contains a lot of calcium, so is inappropriate for older pigs except as an occasional treat. Even if your guinea pig loves alfalfa hay, use it as a treat, not part of the normal diet. However, pregnant and nursing sows and guinea pigs under six months can eat more of it (in addition to Timothy).
- Look for hay that is green and soft, as yellow and hard hay means it's straw.
- Hay can be purchased from pet stores, but it's usually very expensive and has sat a long time. You can often order hay directly from a local farm, online, or through your exotics veterinarian, which is often cheaper and higher quality.
2
Feed your guinea pig about a cup of fresh vegetables daily.^{[1]
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Research source} The key is to provide it with a lot of variety so that it gets a balanced diet. Veggies that are good for guinea pigs include celery, off-the-vine tomatoes, cucumber, corn (and corn husks), and bell pepper. ^{[2]
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- Other vegetables such as beetroot, parsley, and forages such as clover or dandelion leaves (wash them first), should be given on occasion.^{[3]
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- Do not give your guinea pigs spoiled or wilted vegetables. Remember, don't feed them any vegetables in poor enough shape that you wouldn't eat them.
- Be careful of calcium intake. Too much calcium can result in bladder stones, so feed high-calcium foods like kale, spinach, and parsley sparingly.
- Acidic vegetables, such as tomatoes, can cause sores, therefore these should also be limited to only 1-2 times a week.
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3
Feed your guinea pig pellets. Be aware pellets are high energy, and eating too many can lead to obesity and dental problems. Feed only a 1/8 cup per day to supplement the other parts of its diet.
- Look for pellets that are supplemented with vitamin C. This is an important nutrient that guinea pigs need in their diet.
- Avoid providing feeds with sugar, seeds, or colorful pieces ("muesli feed") as these are unhealthy and your guinea pig may start eating only them. Also, make sure the pellets are Timothy, not alfalfa-based unless they're for nursing/pregnant sows or guinea pigs under 6 months.
- Only use pellets designed for guinea pigs. Pellets for rabbits or other rodents aren't suitable for guinea pigs as they contain different quantities of essential vitamins and nutrients.

Part 2

Part 2 of 2:

Feeding Your Guinea Pig Vegetables

1
Make sure your guinea pig is getting enough vitamin-C. Guinea pigs are one of the very few mammals (along with humans) who can't make their own vitamin C, so they need to get it from their food. They need 10 - 30 mg of Vitamin C daily. Bell peppers are an excellent source of it.^{[4]
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- Guinea Pigs are highly prone to getting scurvy, which is a disease caused by low levels of Vitamin C.
- You can supplement your guinea pig's vitamin-c intake if necessary, but as long as you're feeding good pellets and fresh bell pepper, your guinea pig(s) will probably get enough.
- Putting vitamin-c into your guinea pig's water is not recommended. Adding vitamin C to the water can cause a guinea pig to stop drinking water if they don't like the taste and most of the vitamin C breaks down within half an hour, anyway.
2
Avoid giving guinea pigs foods that are bad for them. This includes large amounts of fruits with high sugar contents (they should only be given in moderation) and any starchy vegetables, such as potatoes. High-calcium foods can be fed in small quantities.^{[5]
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- Vegetables to avoid feeding your guinea pigs include iceberg lettuce, potatoes, avocado, and cabbage.
- Feed fruit in small quantities. Not only does fruit have high sugar content, but it may also have low calcium to phosphorus ratio, which could lead to bladder problems and possible diarrhea.^{[6]
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  Research source} This is true in fruits such as raisins.
- Avoid giving your guinea pig citrus fruits altogether; the acid can irritate their mouths. ^{[7]
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- Guinea pigs are herbivores. This means that they should not be fed any meat or dairy products.^{[8]
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3
Avoid commercial guinea pig treats. These are a waste of money and are not good for your pet. Your guinea pig would like a treat of a piece of apple or carrot as much as a processed treat. ^{[9]
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4
Feed a balanced diet, instead of supplementing with multivitamins or salt wheels. These kind of additions to your pet's diet are not necessary if you take the time to feed your guinea pig well. If you do need to feed your guinea pig supplements, consider giving it vet-approved supplements that are high in fiber.
5
Control the number of veggies you give your guinea pig. Guinea pigs chew instinctively and will eat as much as you feed them throughout the day. Watch how much you give them and stick to a balanced diet. Explain this gently to small kids who own guinea pigs so that they do not overfeed their pets.
- This only applies to vegetables. Hay must be available at all times
6
Serve food in ceramic dishes. Guinea pigs will chew on anything they can get their teeth on, including their food dishes. Opt for a heavy ceramic dish that can't be easily be overturned and won't be easily destroyed.^{[10]
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Trustworthy Source
The Humane Society of the United States
National organization devoted to the promotion of animal welfare
Go to source}
7
Keep food fresh. Uneaten food should be removed promptly, within one day. Guinea pigs can be picky eaters, so keeping food in their cage longer will probably not make it any more appealing to them. If they have avoided it for a whole day, they are probably never going to eat it and it will just simply become a mess in their cage.
8
Adjust food quantities if the guinea pig becomes underweight or overweight.^{[11]
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Research source} The amount of food a guinea pig will need depends on its age, its lifestyle, and its general health. This means that the amount of food you feed your guinea pig may need to change over time to keep them in good health.
9
Provide fresh water at all times.^{[12]
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Research source} Place a water bottle in your guinea pig's cage, so that it can access clean water at any time. Don't allow the water bottle to become empty. If a guinea pig doesn't have access to water it can become very ill.
- The best water bottles are designed for guinea pigs or rabbits and have a metal ball in the spout. Do not buy ones with springs; guinea pigs aren't strong enough to get the water from these.
- If your guinea pigs live in a pen outside, make sure that the water doesn't freeze during the winter. If it does, it is much too cold for your guinea pigs to be outside, anyway!
- Clean the water bottle nozzle frequently with a Q-tip to keep it free of obstructions and food residue. Clean the water bottle itself by placing uncooked rice and a little water in the bottle, and then shaking it vigorously. The rice will dislodge any greenish (algae) build-up. If algae is growing in it (even if it was removed by the rice), fill the bottle with white vinegar to kill it. Make sure to rinse it well before putting it back in the cage.
10
Let your guinea pig graze occasionally. If you have a lawn that you know does not have chemicals on it and is not used by other pets for urinating and defecating, you can let your guinea pig graze on it. Get a fully enclosed outdoor run and let your guinea pig roam around in it during warm weather. Just make sure there is no breeze and the temperatures are between 60 and 75 degrees Fahrenheit (15-24 degrees Celsius).
- Only allow them outdoors in a run when supervised. While some guinea pigs do live in pens outdoors, they should not be left in an open-air pen without supervision. This could leave them exposed to predators or allow them to escape. Predatory birds may be more common than you realize and won't hesitate to attack a guinea pig.
- Make sure they have a dark place for them to hide in from the sun, or if something scares them.
- Move the run around from day-to-day. Guinea pigs will keep your lawn nice and short, and they fertilize it too.

Expert Q&A
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Question

Can guinea pigs eat bread or toast?

Pippa Elliott, MRCVS
Veterinarian
Dr. Elliott, BVMS, MRCVS is a veterinarian with over 30 years of experience in veterinary surgery and companion animal practice. She graduated from the University of Glasgow in 1987 with a degree in veterinary medicine and surgery. She has worked at the same animal clinic in her hometown for over 20 years.

Pippa Elliott, MRCVS

Veterinarian

Expert Answer

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Some guinea pigs love eating bread crusts, but this doesn't mean that it's good for them. While it's okay to offer a small cube of wholemeal bread as an occasional treat, it's not nutritious for guinea pigs. It's much better to offer a healthy alternative such as fresh fruit or vegetables.
Question

Can I leave some healthy food in the cage while I'm at school?

Pippa Elliott, MRCVS
Veterinarian
Dr. Elliott, BVMS, MRCVS is a veterinarian with over 30 years of experience in veterinary surgery and companion animal practice. She graduated from the University of Glasgow in 1987 with a degree in veterinary medicine and surgery. She has worked at the same animal clinic in her hometown for over 20 years.

Pippa Elliott, MRCVS

Veterinarian

Expert Answer

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Absolutely. The trick is to make sure it is fresh when you put it in and check when you come home that it still looks good enough to eat. If the fresh food has attracted flies, become contaminated with poop, or dried out, now is the time to remove it.
Question

I have timothy hay as my bedding for my guinea pigs, and I use gourmet variety diet. However, they only eat the hay, not the gourmet variety diet food. Is this a problem?

Pippa Elliott, MRCVS
Veterinarian
Dr. Elliott, BVMS, MRCVS is a veterinarian with over 30 years of experience in veterinary surgery and companion animal practice. She graduated from the University of Glasgow in 1987 with a degree in veterinary medicine and surgery. She has worked at the same animal clinic in her hometown for over 20 years.

Pippa Elliott, MRCVS

Veterinarian

Expert Answer

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Congratulations! By eating good quality hay your guinea pigs are eating a diet very close to what nature intended. Offer a small portion of gourmet diet alongside fresh fruit and veg, but it's absolutely fine for hay to make up the majority of their diet. If you are worried about their eating their bedding, then put a small hay rack in their enclosure to keep some of the hay off the ground.