Guinea Pig Diet

Here you will find all our recommendations and routines, so that you can make sure your guinea pigs are happy and healthy for as long as possible.

Hay

First, and most important, is hay. Hay is vital for a guinea pig's digestive system to work. This is why you should NEVER limit the amount of hay your guinea pigs have access to.

Timothy hay is the best type of hay for most guinea pigs, though baby guinea pigs who are only a few weeks old should be fed alfalfa hay. If you're allergic to timothy hay, orchard grass hay is a good alternative.

Where you buy your hay also makes a huge difference. Though buying a large bag of hay from your local pet store seems like the obvious way to go, there is actually an option that is much cheaper for you and healthier for your pigs. Hay can be bought in bales at feed stores, at much higher quality than the stuff you'll find at a pet store. The strands are much longer and the hay is not as dusty, plus, you can buy a bale of hay at a feed store for 10% of the cost of a bale of hay at the pet store.

Find more information on hay in our video entirely dedicated to hay here.

Water

Like all living beings, guinea pigs cannot survive without water and can become fatally sick without it. This is why your guinea pigs must always have access to cool, clean water at all times.

Water can be supplied either by using a water bowl or a water bottle. Since we each have two guinea pigs, we each put two water bottles in our respective piggies' cages.This way, our pigs don't have to fight over bottles or wait for the other to finish his drink.

Veggies

Most guinea pigs love vegetables. Fresh veggies like Romaine lettuce, spring mix, parsnip, cucumbers, peppers and kale are among our piggies' favorite snacks, and we like to make sure that at least one of these make an appearance once a day.

Veggies to feed to your guinea pigs in moderation include asparagus, broccoli, peas, green beans, corn on the cob, squash, sweet potato and carrots.

It's important to incorporate vegetables into your guinea pigs' regular eating routine, since along with fruit and fresh grass, they are the main sources of vitamin C in a guinea pig's diet, which is essential.

Fruit & Treats

Fruit and treats are part of a controversial debate among guinea pig owners. In our opinion, guinea pigs can be fed fresh fruit, such as apple, banana, kiwi, raspberries, pears, oranges and watermelon in moderation, but should not be included in guinea pigs' daily feeding routine.

Commercial treats are one of the most highly debated topics among guinea pig-owning communities. We've come to the conclusion that these treats are highly unnecessary and many also contain unhealthy ingredients or vitamins for your piggies without telling you so. However, making your guinea pigs homemade treats is a great way to excite them and form a stronger relationship with them. This way, you will be able to reward your guinea pigs for being excellent in a safe and honest way.

See our video on DIY Pea Flake Treats if you're looking for homemade guinea pig treat ideas!

Pellets

Pellets are also an important part of guinea pig diets. They include many vitamins and minerals essential for a healthy piggie.

Pellets should be fed in small amounts daily - 1/8 of a cup per guinea pig per day, to be exact. It is important that you never supply your guinea pigs with an unlimited amount of pellets, since this can cause your pigs to get overweight and feel sluggish or constantly tired.

Pellets can be served at any time during the day, but should always be accompanied by a pile of fresh timothy hay. Pellets can not replace hay, as both are important for different reasons.

Fresh Grass

Fresh grass is a super fun food for your guinea pigs. Hanging out under the sun, munching on an unlimited supply of yummy green shoots is like heaven for our piggies.

Grass is a great food for your guinea pigs, especially because their digestive systems are built to eat an extensive amount of it. With this food, you don't have to worry about limiting your guinea pigs - they can eat as much as they want!

Wood Chews

Wood chews are essential for a healthy and happy guinea pig. They're not necessarily a food, but rather their purpose is to keep your pigs' teeth from becoming too sharp or long, so that they don't grow uncomfortable.

We recommend that you have at least one wood chew per guinea pig in your piggies' cage, so that they constantly have access and can use them when they need them.