Bringing a new guinea pig into your life is an exciting and heartwarming experience. These small, sociable creatures can become cherished members of your family, offering endless love and companionship. Like any pet, they rely on us for their well-being, and one of the most critical aspects of their care is their diet. Ensuring your new guinea pig enjoys a balanced and nutritious menu isn't just about filling their bellies—it's about safeguarding their health, promoting vitality, and setting the stage for a lifetime of happiness together.

Basics of Guinea Pig Nutrition

Guinea pigs are true herbivores, meaning they are designed to consume only plant-based foods. To ensure their optimal health, it's crucial to offer a well-rounded diet that includes pelleted food formulated for guinea pigs, a variety of fresh vegetables, and unlimited access to hay. Your veterinarian can provide personalized recommendations to ensure your pet is receiving the right quantity and variety of foods.

Finding the Right Balance

A balanced diet is the key to a healthy guinea pig. Generally, their diet should consist of approximately:

1. 80% grass hay (guinea pigs should eat about their body size amount of hay, don't worry about measuring it just make sure they have an unlimited amount of hay available to them at all times).
2. 10% pellets, timothy hay-based (about 1/8th of a cup per pig per day).
3. 10% fresh raw vegetables (about one cup total per guinea pig per day).

Meeting Vitamin C Requirements

Guinea pigs have a unique dietary requirement for vitamin C because they cannot produce it themselves. Vitamin C is a fragile nutrient, easily degraded by light and water. To meet their needs, it's recommended to incorporate vitamin C-rich vegetables into their diet, such as bell peppers.

Pellet Food

High-quality guinea pig specific pellets fortified with vitamin C are an essential component of their diet. Each guinea pig should be provided with about 1/8th of a cup of these pellets per day. It's important to note that pellets are not a substitute for hay.

Food Bowl

To prevent your furry friend from tipping over their food bowl in their eagerness to dine, opt for a heavy, wide and shallow ceramic type bowl. Also, store the food pellets in a cool, dry, and dark place to preserve the potency of the vitamin C. Be diligent about checking expiration dates on food items to ensure freshness. Avoid purchasing pellets that contain animal by-products or have corn as their primary ingredient, and without seeds or dried fruit. Furthermore, never feed guinea pigs pellets formulated for other animals, as the vitamin content may not be suitable for a guinea pigs specific needs and could be detrimental over time.

Hay

Hay is vital for maintaining healthy teeth and aiding digestion. Guinea pigs should have access to an unlimited supply of grass hay, such as Timothy hay, or other low-calcium hay varieties. A guinea pig should consume a daily amount of hay equivalent to the size of their body. Timothy hay comes in three cuts: the first cut is the roughest and highest in fiber, the second cut offers a balanced blend of fiber and protein (ideal for guinea pigs), and the third cut is softer and greener, with relatively less fiber and more protein. Hay can be provided in a feeder or hayrack or simply placed in their enclosure. Hay plays a crucial role in their digestion and helps to naturally wear down their continuously growing teeth.

Vegetables

Offer your guinea pigs a diverse selection of fresh, well-washed vegetables each day in a separate small bowl or plate. These can be given at any time during the day but should not exceed 10 percent of their total daily diet. See full vegetable list below. The bulk of the vegetable feedings should contain leafy greens like romaine lettuce, red and green leaf lettuce, parsley, cilantro. It's best to provide a variety of different greens each day.

Fruits

While fruits are a sweet temptation, it's essential to limit their consumption to occasional treats a few times a week. See fruit list below.

Hydration

Guinea pigs must have access to fresh, clean, and filtered water at all times. It's advisable to avoid tap water, which may contain chlorine and other heavy metals. Using a cage-mounted drip bottle ensures a constant supply of water. Regularly check the water bottle to ensure it functions correctly, and clean the nozzle frequently to prevent clogs caused by hay and pellet residue. Change the water daily and perform a thorough cleaning every other day or as needed.

Vegetable list

Vegetables recommended to feed a Guinea Pig, that they can eat everyday:

• Cucumber
• Bell peppers, green and yellow, remove the seeds
• Carrots, they can eat both the root and the green tops, the root is higher in sugar and Vitamin A, give in moderation
• Green leaf lettuce
• Butterhead lettuce
• Red leaf lettuce
• Cilantro
• Escarole
• Swiss chard
• Curly endive
• Belgian endive
• Sweet potato leaves
• Chicory greens
• Coriander
• Dill
• Zucchini
• Arugula
• Radicchio
• Artichoke

Vegetables that Guinea Pigs can eat occasionally:

• Bell peppers (Red/Orange) remove the seeds
• Asparagus
• Turnip greens
• Basil
• Thyme
• Pumpkin, without seeds
• Watercress
• Romaine
• Spinach ,only small amounts recommended to avoid bladder/kidney stone problems
• Broccoli leaves and peeled broccoli stem, these are related to the cabbage family so only small portions recommended
• Cauliflower, these are related to the cabbage family so only small portions recommended
• Kale, related to the cabbage family so only small portions recommended
• Chinese cabbage, related to the cabbage family so only small portions recommended
• Corn silks and husks when in season
• Parsley greens and root, use caution as very high in calcium, to avoid bladder/kidney stones
• Rutabaga
• Celery, cut into small pieces and pull out the stringy parts, to avoid choking
• Celery leaves
• Fresh clean grass, make sure no pesticides were used, and no cats or dogs soiled on it, pulled by hand, not from a lawnmower
• Beetroot, raw form. Feeding too often can turn urine red color
• Carrot green tops
• Fennel

Wild forages:

• Dandelions
• Young clover
• Chickweed
• Anise
• Chamomile
• Yarrow

Tip: Make sure any wild forages are free from chemicals/pesticides and animal urine. Its best to harvest them in nature, away from city/urban areas. Pick healthy looking plants.

Fruit List

Guinea Pigs should only have fruit in small amounts as an occasional treat, because there are high amounts of sugars in fruits (Example, an 1/8 of an apple 1-2 times a week).

Fruits that you can occasionally give to a Guinea Pig:

• Apple (thin wedge, peel included) *Remove ALL seeds as they contain a cyanide compound
• Pear (thin wedge, peel included) *Remove ALL seeds
• Banana, give very small amount as can cause constipation
• Blueberries
• Blackberries
• Cantaloupe
• Orange
• Strawberries, high in vitamin C
• Watermelon, high water content, could cause diarrhea
• Kiwi, very high in vitamin C
• Mango, high water content
• Raspberries, some Guinea Pigs like them, some do not
• Cherries (*remove pits)
• Peaches
• Nectarines
• Plums
• Figs
• Dates
• Grapes

What foods NOT to feed a Guinea Pig

• Food that is cooked, tinned, or preserved
• Food that is pickled
• Potatoes
• Nuts, seeds, lentils or beans
• Rhubarb
• Mushrooms
• Hot chili peppers (such as jalapeno, serrano or other)
• Collard greens
• Bok choy
• Dairy products, meat, fish, eggs, bread, chocolate
• Alcohol, teas, coffee, carbonated drinks
• Peanut butter, baked goods, cake, cookies
• Iceberg lettuce, little nutritional value
• Corn or popcorn
• Tomato leaves and stalks
• Tamarillo leaves
• Avocado
• Coconut
• Dried fruits
• Taro
• Jams, jellies, preserves
• Garlic
• Horseradish root
• Do Not feed any wild plants or grasses that you are not familiar with

Introducing New Vegetables or Fruits

Introduce new vegetables or fruits gradually and in small amounts to avoid loose runny stools. If your guinea pig develops diarrhea, reduce the amount of fresh produce for a few days and then reintroduce again slowly in smaller portions.

Treats

While your guinea pig will be satisfied with the recommendations provided in this article, if you want to purchase an added extra treat for them, make sure to check the ingredients to make sure that there are no other additives or preservatives that would not be healthy for your piggy.

Diet Cautions

• Feed guinea pigs raw vegetables only, never cooked.

• Do Not feed any (non-Guinea Pig) food, as they often contain seeds and the nutritional balance will not be suited for your Guinea Pigs needs

• Guinea pigs are susceptible to developing painful bladder stones. Because most urinary stones contain calcium, your guinea pig’s diet should have just the right amount of calcium: enough, but not too much. Some higher calcium foods are alfalfa hay, kale, dandelion greens, and spinach. A guinea pig’s diet ideally consists of unlimited amounts of timothy hay, which is low in calcium, along with a smaller amount of timothy hay-based pellets and fresh, leafy green or colored vegetables. Making sure your guinea pig does also not get dehydrated is also key. Provide water at all times through multiple sources. Giving your guinea pig wet vegetables and spraying veggies with water can also help.

By following these dietary guidelines, you can ensure that your guinea pig enjoys a well-balanced and nutritious diet, promoting their overall health and well-being. Remember, consulting with your veterinarian is always a wise choice to tailor their diet to their individual needs.