Feeding Guinea Pigs

Guinea pigs are herbivores in nature which means that they only eat fruits and vegetables, no dairy, eggs, meat or insects for guinea pig diet.

A list of important things to keep in mind about food for guinea pigs are:

• Vitamin C: Vitamin C for guinea pigs doesn't get formulated on its own, their diet must consist of food items which are rich in Vitamin C.

• Growing teeth: A guinea pig's teeth are always growing. Hence, it's important to provide an unlimited quantity of fresh hay every day because it's fibrous in nature.
  
  
• Water: Water is essential to a guinea pig's health and they drink a lot of it. Their diet staples consist of mostly dry pellets and grains, so make sure fresh, clean water is available 24/7.
  
  
• Pellets and hay: Supplement your guinea pig’s hay with a small amount of high-quality pellets formulated especially for guinea pigs. Opt for plain pellets rather than a mix, as they may end up picking the tasty bits and ignoring the healthy ones!
  

What can guinea pigs eat among fresh fruits and vegetables?

Serving a guinea pig with fresh fruits and vegetables is safe and in fact, they serve as great treats for training and help you bond with them. 

What guinea pigs can eat:

• Bananas
• Blueberries
• Cantaloupe
• Carrot and Carrot tops
• Cucumbers
• Green peppers
• Kale
• Kiwi
• Oranges
• Parsley
• Green and red leaf lettuce
• Strawberries
• Spinach
• Tomatoes
• Watermelon
  

What guinea pigs can't eat:

• Avocados
• Cabbage
• Chives
• Coconuts
• Corn Kennels
• Garlic
• Grapes
• Iceberg lettuce
• Mushrooms
• Meat
• Potatoes
• Onions
• Raisins

Seeds

Refrain from feeding them with junk food even though it contains ingredients which are safe for them to consume. Since they can't eat garlic or onions, a lot of food items consumed by us are off-limits for them. 

When should you feed your guinea pig?

Guinea pigs are grazers which means you can dump fresh hay, pellets, fruits, vegetables and water. Be mindful of serving fresh food and clean bowls on an everyday basis.

The best food for guinea pigs is hay and good quality pellets, and offer fresh fruits and vegetables as occasional treats.