Feeding Guinea Pigs: The Guide

Guinea pigs are grazers meaning they don’t necessarily have mealtimes and instead pick at their food throughout the day. They also require a high fibre diet to maintain a healthy digestive system. A requirement that nonspecific diets such as rabbit food may not meet.

As they’re grazers, hay should make up between 80-85% of their diet to help provide all the fibre they need. With the additional support of guinea pig specific feed to make sure all of  their other nutritional needs are being met.

As guinea pigs are unable to produce vitamin C themselves, it’s vital for owners to naturally incorporate this into their diet. It’s vital they get a good daily supply of the vitamin to keep them happy and healthy.

Vitamin C can be provided through many different foods and they need between ten and thirty milligrams per kilo of weight to support their daily health.

This can be supplied in a complete diet, supplements and through fresh fruit and veggies. The great thing about Vitamin C is you can’t feed them too much. Vitamin C is a water-soluble vitamin that means if there is an excess in the body, it passes into the urine so doesn’t build up or cause any toxicity. The only risk is not having enough in their diet.

Fruits can be included in small quantities in your guinea pigs, diet but shouldn’t make up a very large portion of their daily intake. Fruit is naturally high in sugar, so should only be used as a treat.

Although they need Vitamin C in their diet, citrus fruits shouldn’t be given to them despite containing high quantities of it. Fruit you can feed to your guinea pig in small amounts include:

Guinea pigs can be included in their diet and are safe for them to eat. They should always be cut in half and their seeds should be removed to make it easier for your furry friend to eat.

Grapes are also a great source of vitamin C, but they should only be given grapes as a treat, a couple of times a week and should only ever have one grape at a time.

Apples are another great treat for guinea pigs. The skin of an apple is high in fibre to support their digestive systems, but it should be sliced and only be given in small quantities rather than a whole apple at a time. They’re too high in sugar to be given a large quantity of it. Instead of using an entire apple at a time, feeding them slices is the perfect option.

You can also find suitable apple treats like Nibblot Apple Treats for Small Animals to feed your guinea pigs. Available in bite sized treats with omega 3 to improve their skin and coat.

Guinea pigs can enjoy a range of different vegetables. Vegetables contain fewer sugars so can be fed in higher quantities to your furry friends. The bulk of the vegetables you feed your guinea pig should consist of leafy greens like lettuce, kale, coriander, parsley, and spinach.

Red and green peppers can also be included for their high concentration of Vitamins C, and broccoli is a great addition too. Carrots, tomatoes, and sweet potatoes can also be added a few times a week, but not as the main components of their vegetables.

As guinea pigs need a constant supply of high quality, fresh feeding hay, Vitakraft Verde Hay and Dandelion Treats is a great option to always make sure they have plenty of roughage available at all times. You can also incorporate their fibre into various enrichment toys like the Rosewood Boredom Breaker Natural Hay N Hide Medium which is perfectly safe for your beloved pets to have a nibble on as they explore and play.

Guinea pigs should also have a measured amount of good quality food pellets once per day as well, along with a cup of fresh vegetables. Rather than leaving the vegetables in their hutch for a long period to wilt and rot. They should only be left for a short period and cleaned away before the end of the day so they’re not eating spoiled food. Fruits should be given a couple of times a week in small amounts and only as treats.

A pellet-based diet is needed daily to make sure your four-legged friends are getting all the nutrients they need every day. While their pellets make up a smaller portion of their diet than the hay, they need it’s still an important part of giving your guinea pig everything they need.

Pellets are fed based on the weight of your guinea pig and the recommended feeding amount per diet. It’s usually about 40g of pellet feed for a guinea pig that weighs around a kilogram. Growing, pregnant or burning guinea pigs will need more.

A good quality feed like LFJ Millers Fruity Fibre for Guinea Pigs includes the added fibre they need. Along with 20 other healthy ingredients to keep your beloved pet at the prime of their health. If you find your guinea pig is fussy and tends to sift through their food and pick out the pieces they like, a diet like Supreme Selective Guinea Pig Food can put a stop to selective feeding to make sure they’re getting all of their nutrients.

Guinea pigs may be able to survive a few days without food and water, but not without serious health implications. As grazers, they eat little and often and when this isn’t the case, it can cause digestive issues. If they are left without food for 24 hours, they can get very serious, life-threatening intestinal blockages.

Guinea pigs can start to have digestive issues within six to eight hours of going without food and water. While they can be deprived of pellets and vegetables for a period, they need a constant supply of hay to stay healthy. It’s not advisable to change their feeding routine or allow them to go for long periods without sustenance.

For all your guinea pig essentials, check out our full range of products in-store and online to find everything you need to keep them happy and healthy.