Piggie Diet

Guinea Pig Food List

A guinea pig's diet should be made up of the following:

• 80% good quality timothy hay (for adults 1 year & over) alfalfa hay (for young piggies under 1 year old) – constant access to hay is the key5% good quality Timothy hay pellets (oxbow, etc) 1/8 Cup per day is PLENTY for a piggie!
• 15% greens/fresh produce
• Fresh, clean water at ALL TIMES

Vegetables

1. Feed your guinea pig primarily green leafy vegetables.
2. It is strongly recommended to remove uneaten vegetables after a few hours in your piggie's cage to prevent spoiling/rotting.
3. Do not feed wilted or spoiled food.
4. NOT recommended – iceberg lettuce and any vegetable in the cabbage family (it won’t kill them, but could cause bloat if feeding continuously), or beet greens (too high in oxalates)

Vegetables that guinea pigs can eat everyday

• Cucumber: Little nutritional value, but high water content – especially appreciated in summer
• Bell Peppers: Green, Red and Yellow: Remove seeds and the white pithy stuff in the middle.
• Carrots: Both the root and the green tops are recommended (BUT take note that high sugar and Vitamin A content require moderate consumption) A good example of a portion would be 1 – 2 baby carrots per serving
• Green and Red leaf lettuce
• Butterhead lettuce
• Romaine lettuce
• Cilantro
• Escarole
• Swiss chard (chard, silverbeet)
• Curly endive
• Belgian endive
• Sweet Potato leaves
• Chicory greens
• Coriander
• Dill
• Zucchini
• Arugula
• Radicchio
• Artichoke

Vegetables that guinea pigs can eat occasionally

(2 - 3 times weekly)

• Bell Peppers: Red/Orange (remove seeds)
• Asparagus (low in Vitamin C)
• Turnip greens
• Basil
• Thyme
• Pumpkin (WITHOUT seeds)
• Watercress
• Romaine (only small amounts recommended – it has a poor calcium/phosphorus ratio that can cause kidney stone problems)
• Spinach (small amounts recommended to avoid potential kidney stone problems)
• Corn silks and husks: When in season
• Parsley greens and root: Very high in calcium, so caution is recommended if guinea pig is prone to developing bladder stones
• Rutabaga
• Celery: Cut into small pieces as it is very stringy, to avoid guinea pig choking
• Celery leaves
• Fresh Grass: Clean, pesticide-free, not soiled by dogs/cats/etc, NOT cut by a lawn mower
• Tomato: Remove the poisonous tomato top (green part). Remove seeds if using a slice from a larger tomato. To get a good measurement on how large a serving for tomato, one small grape or cherry tomato is MORE than enough.
• Beetroot: Recommended in raw form rather than pickled. High in antioxidants and other nutrients. Feeding too often may result in red urine
• Carrot greens (high in calcium, potassium and vitamin C)
• Forages:
  • Common grass (avoid ornamental ones)
  • Chickweed (Stellaria media)
  • Dandelions (Teraxacum officinale)
  • Young clover (Trifollium repens or Trifolium pratense)
  • Plantain (Plantago major, Plantago lanceolata)
  • Anise (Pimpinella anisum)
  • Chamomile (Anthemis nobilis)
  • Yarrow (Achllea millefolium)
  • WARNING: Make sure that forages are free of chemicals, exhaust fumes or animal urine. It is best to harvest them in nature, far from urban areas. Pick plants that are undamaged, and healthy-looking.

Fruits

NOTES:
1. Many fruits are full of natural sugar, have fruit acid and possible low Ca:P ratio, which could lead to bladder problems.
2. Cut the fruits to small pieces to avoid mouth soreness.
3. Because of the high sugar content, fruits must be provided occasionally, as a treat. This means small quantities (such as 1/8 of an orange, 1/8 of an apple, etc.), only once or twice per week.

Fruits which you can occasionally give to your guinea pig:

• Apple: Thin wedge, include peel, REMOVE SEEDS which contain cyanide compound
• Pear: Thin wedge, include peel, no seeds
• Apricot: Dried, a couple small pieces
• Banana: Relatively low in vitamin C but rich in other nutrients. BUT, could cause constipation, so feed in great moderation (one small slice per week at most)
• Blueberries
• Blackberries
• Cantaloupe
• Orange
• Strawberries: Another popular summer fruit, also very high in vitamin C
• Watermelon: high water content, could cause diarrhea
• Cranberries: very high in vitamin C; too much can cause STOMACH UPSET
• Grapefruit: Pink, red, and white varieties are all good sources of vitamin C, but they can be too sour for some pigs. They are high in WATER content so are refreshing in warm weather.
• Kiwi: Extremely high in vitamin C and considered very good for Cavies
• Mango: High water content makes it very refreshing
• Raspberries: Some guinea pigs find these too tart to eat; others love them
• Cherries: without pits
• Peach
• Nectarine
• Plum
• Figs
• Dates
• Dried fruits: Full of concentrated sugar, so give rarely and in very small doses

Fruits to Avoid

Guinea pigs will eat most types of fruit, but some vets believe that grapes can lead to kidney disease and are best avoided. If you do decide to feed them to your pets, be sure to give them seedless grapes.

Vitamin C

Guinea pigs are, like humans, one of the very few mammals who can’t make their own vitamin C, so they need to get it from their food and food supplements (latter not recommended). Guinea Pigs are highly prone to getting scurvy and loss of resistance to other diseases, which is a disease caused by low levels of Vitamin C.

• Healthy, adult guinea pigs need 10mg/kg to 30 mg/kg per day of Vitamin C.
• Sick or pregnant guinea pigs need a minimum of 30 mg/kg per day.
• Water drops and tang are not recommended (they can even make Cavies stop drinking water, if they dislike the taste).

NOTE: If you are concerned about your piggie's Vitamin C intake, consult your vet. Oxbow makes a great Vitamin C hay tablet – which you could give a half to your piggie every day to make sure your pig is getting enough Vitamin C.

CAUTION: Food to AVOID at All Costs

• Altered food: cooked, tinned, preserved, etc.
• Pickled vegetables: sour krauts, dills, capers
• Potatoes: skin and eyes are poisonous, very starchy, high in oxalic acid
• Nuts, Seeds, Lentils, Beans (exception are green beans)
• Rhubarb
• Mushrooms
• Red hot chilli peppers, Jalapeno peppers, Hot herbs and spices
• Collard Greens: could cause gas
• Dairy products, Meat, Fish, Eggs, Bread, Chocolate
• Alcohol, Teas, Coffee, Carbonated Drinks, Fruit juices
• Peanut butter, cakes, cookies, baked goods
• Iceberg lettuce: practically no nutritional value, very fibrous and watery
• Corn kernels, Popcorn: risk of choking
• Seeds: risk of choking
• Tomato leaves and stalks
• Tamarillo leaves
• Avocado, Coconut: too high in fat
• Taro: dangerous if eaten raw
• Jams, jellies and fruit preserves: too high in sugar
• Garlic or pungent onions
• Horseradish root
• Commercially grown flowers
• Wild plants, grasses, and herbs that you are unfamiliar with
• Any non guinea pig food which often contain seeds and different balance of vitamins and minerals which aren’t suited for a guinea pig’s dietary needs

If you have a question about what is the best type of pellets or what type of veggies to give your piggie, please contact us! We will be happy to answer your emails as quickly as possible!