We do regard our guinea pigs as part of the family. However, it would be wrong to feed them straight off our dining tables. A lot of new owners often ask us what do guinea pigs eat. So today we’ll get into that.
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Can Guinea Pigs Eat Meat?
The bodies of guinea pigs are built only to consume vegetables and fruits, which means they can’t eat dairy products, eggs, or meat.
Your best bet to include in your guinea pigs’ diet is green leafy vegetables and fresh hay, along with high-quality premade meals.
What should be included a guinea pig’s meals?
Any guinea pig diet needs to have two essential ingredients:
- Vitamin C: Rodents cannot formulate their Vitamin C. That makes them weak to vitamin C deficiency. Food pellets for guinea pigs ought to include Vitamin C to maintain your pet’s health.
- Woody pellets: These pets’ teeth are growing all the time. It’s imperative to supply your guinea pig with some woody things to munch on. That is why hay is one crucial chewing supplement. Hard pellets on their own can’t work very well.
So as long that we have these two requirements checked, the rest of a rodent’s diet is fairly flexible, and take care your guinea pig always.
Feeding Guinea Pigs Premade Commercial Food
A significant majority of owners will opt to serve their rodents premade commercial pellets plus grass. This is a good choice, given the high quality and pre-calculated nutrition supply.
The hay to be fed to guinea pigs should be kept in a dry and cool place to keep the mold and mildew out.
Special most ideal hay treat should include Timothy, oat hay and orchard. If your rodent is still young, we can add some alfalfa, too.
Enhance your rodent’s grass meals with some premade pellets of high-quality.
We should choose the plain pellets over a mix because a mixture of many flavors gives your cavy a chance to just pick out the appetizing-looking pieces and overlooking the healthier ones!
Read more: Ideas for picking the best guinea pig cage
Feeding Fresh Fruits to Guinea Pigs
Like we mentioned above, your guinea pig thrives on fresh fruits and vegetables.
However, fruits should be used in moderate proportion.
They also make great treats for training or help you bond with your pet better.
The best choices of fruits to give to your guinea pigs are:
- Muskmelon
- Bananas
- Blueberries
- Romaine lettuce
- Parsley
- Green peppers
- Watermelon
- Strawberries
- Tomatoes
Fruits to rodents are like candies to kids. For a matter of course, your guinea pigs will be keen on sweet, juicy pieces of fruits.
However, we should limit the amount that they take it to keep their weight in check.
Foods That Are Toxic for Guinea Pigs
Some fruits and vegetables, along with spices, will be toxic for your rodents. They include:
- Coconuts
- Avocados
- Chives
- Onions
- Garlic
- Raisins
- Grapes
The food mentioned above is also toxic kinds for parrots, dogs, and cats.
Avoid giving your rodents salty or sweet human food even if those food doesn’t have the ingredients mentioned above.
For guinea pigs can’t consume onions or garlic, much of our prepared food is a no-go.
Infrequent fresh berries and fruits combined with grass and pellet are your best bet for an ideal diet for the rodent.
What do guinea pigs eat in the wild?
This is an interesting question from one of our readers. Before getting to know the wild treats, let us get to see the origin of Guinea Pigs.
Generally, they are a domestically bred species, therefore, there are not a lot of guinea pigs out there in the wild.
However, guinea pigs are playful animals. Therefore, they do get lost, or escape into the wild quite often.
Being they are in the open, the guinea pigs will most likely to find greens and fruits to eat, because they are inherently grazers.
As domestic pets, guinea pigs don’t have the speed and sharp instincts that can keep them from the predators’ claw.
As reported, guinea pigs get into the wild often become preys for wild aggressive animals like snakes, coyotes, foxes.
Another deathly risk for a guinea pig when in the wild is that these rodents tend to always munch on something. Should they eat something poisonous to their ingestion system, then they’ll die that way.
Read More: Guinea pig bedding reviews and It’s faqs.
Above are the most basic things that you should know about what can a guinea pig eat. Now, let’s get into the FAQs.
Frequently Asked Questions
Among the emails that readers send to us, we get many inquiries about the food and drink you can feed.
We have tried our best to answer your questions here. Make sure you read to the end and ask us anything you still don’t know about this adorable rodent.
1. Can guinea pigs eat apples?
Fruits are surely a good addition to our guinea’s daily menu. Among the fruits that we often have in our house, apples can be considered the most frequently presented.
Luckily for us (and for our rodents), we can feed apples safely to the guinea pigs, as long as we keep the proportion in moderation.
Compared to grass, hay or pellets, apples contain far more sugar. Even if your guinea pig is not a big eater, it can still get too many calories by eating apples.
2. Can guinea pigs eat strawberries?
Much like apples, strawberries are one of the tasty and nutritious fruits that guinea pigs can enjoy. Strawberries should be given to guinea pigs in moderation.
Like a human, your guinea pig will crave for sweet things and ask you for more.
Depend on your guinea pig’s size, we can give him a slice or two of strawberries.
You will know that your guinea pig is overdose from fruits, especially strawberry if he starts to have diarrhea.
Also, sweet fruits like strawberries tend to damage their teeth.
Not to mention that fruits are eaten raw like strawberry tends to intoxicate the animal, for the pesticide residues on their skins are rarely washed off. So in our opinion, it’s best that you limit the strawberry in your guinea pig’s menu.
3. Can guinea pigs eat grapes?
- Like we mentioned above, grapes also lie in the category of fruits that are safe for guinea pigs, in moderate amounts.
- However, your rodents will only be safe with seedless grapes, because the seeds may choke them.
- With good size and perfect firmness, grapes also make great treats if you are looking to train your guinea pig.
Read more: Tips to take care of your guinea pig and cage cleaning guide.
4. Can guinea pigs eat tomatoes?
The tomatoes have the characteristics of both fruit and vegetables, therefore people are not sure if they can feed their guinea pigs with tomatoes.
The answer is yes if you limit their feedings to the skin, seeds, and flesh of the tomatoes.
The rest of this plant, including the stems or leaves, happen to be toxic for guinea pigs and can severely harm their health.
You should also be aware that tomatoes have an acidic nature, and will cause sores in your guinea pig’s mouths if you let them eat too frequently. Only once a week is enough.
5. Why do my rodents feed on their poop?
Some owners are very concerned about seeing their rodents feeding on their own poop.
However, this is a common phenomenon. Guinea pigs, in fact, produce two kinds of feces. One kind is softer and has some nutrition, which the guinea pigs push out to re-ingest again.
The other type of feces is harder and is truly the waste of their digestion process.
The phenomenon also happens in rabbits, and they are totally normal. So you can rest assured.
6. When is it appropriate to feed the guinea pig?
Guinea pigs have a tendency to graze on vegetables and hay all day.
Therefore, it’s best that you leave their food in their food bowls all day, and change a fresh supply in the next day.
As for what can a guinea pig drink, they drink fresh water. Therefore, you must pay attention to change their water daily, too.
Read more: The best water bottle for guinea pigs
How to choose the best food for your guinea pigs?
There are many ways that your guinea pig food may have an impact on their health and growth.
If you want to choose a pre-made guinea pig food brand, then you must check if that food satisfies these requirements:
Is it good for transition periods?
As your rodent gets past its infant phase, we should translate the alfalfa food to grass-based food.
Timothy-based food is the optimal choice for your pet’s transition period because it will help their digestive absorb the nutrients their body needs without taking too much of a toll on their intestines.
Nevertheless, it’s also crucial not to alter your guinea pig’s diet all of a sudden.
In case you have to do so, ensure to go slow in shifting the pet’s primary diet from her former home to a robust diet.
Read Here: how to cut guinea pig nails safely?
Is it good for your adult rodent?
The older your guinea pig gets, the fewer calories he needs to keep the weight in check as his activity level drops significantly. So it’s best that we keep their calorie intake low.
In addition, to provide the old guinea pig with hay and chewable toys, we can try some high-quality adult guinea pig food.
It is packed with fewer calories, calcium and more vitamin C, so that you won’t have to deal with bloating, or obesity problems.
Is the size suitable for many rodents at once?
The bigger bag size is heaven-sent for households with more than five guinea pigs because you can just pour them in a huge bowl and all of your guinea pigs will come running.
Does it make your guinea pig hyperactive?
While sugary treats tend to give your rodent a boost of energy, or even get hyper-active in a short period, they always seem to get more tired afterward, don’t they?
That’s because of the all too common sugar rush that we humans get when consuming too much sugar at once. We feel instantly energized, only to be left sluggish and tired after.
It applies likewise for your guinea pigs. While the sugary pellets make them go on and off, wholesome rodent food keeps their energy level stable all the time, which makes them happier and more active while on this.
Will it help with your rodent’s eating manner?
With normal guinea pig food pellets, which have colorful pieces and bits inside, your rodents tend to pick the flavor or color they like to eat. Then, they will leave the rest, or pick up and play with the food.
On the other hand, pellets of a good guinea pig food brand have the same size, taste, and color.
Your loved pet will gobble all up without leaving anything, or messing around!
Are your rodents picky eaters?
Although us humans may not feel the taste of what can a guinea pig eat, rodents do judge the tastiness of what they consume. So make sure you choose the brand that can satisfy their tongue.
An ideal recipe for picky rodents combines both premade food and natural veggies. Give them 1/8 cup of pellet food, twice a day.
Add to that 2 – 3 times of hay sessions, plus 1 celery piece and 4 cut carrots. Such a menu will raise both your pet’s health level and appetite.
Does it cause bloating?
While other guinea pigs food sometimes causes bloating or other health problems, the best food doesn’t bring you any of those disasters.
If you love your pet, then only give him the cream of the crop.
Can you get the food online?
Although guinea pigs are cherished more and more widely in common years, good food for rodents is still not present in many local food stores.
If you choose an online brand food, the fresh goodness will be delivered to your doorstep at only a click!
Can you provide quality food over quantity?
Our little rodents tend to have a keen eye for the colorful, eye-catching kernels and nuggets that are present in low-quality guinea pig food.
If you still include those toys-like foods in your pet’s diet, then stop right away.
Unlike hay-quality based food, these kinds of food may have a chance to get caught in their throats and make them choke!
It’s true that you will see your rodent eat less of hay-based food in comparison with other colorful food, but rest assured, their diet quality is significantly increased in contrast to the empty calories they might have otherwise get.
Does the brand know what your rodent needs?
Some people treasure their pets like part of their family. However, unlike a human, it’s hard for our pets to get the message across to us.
We don’t always know what is healthy for the guinea pigs, and it’s not easy to tell if they thrive on a particular diet or not.
Rest assured, with a good rodent food brand, your guinea pig will get all the nutrients it needs.
There are a lot of guinea food brands tested and recommended by vets.
Your rodents will have good health and live a good life using good quality products like that.
Reject fillers
Instead of quality hay, some brands insert filler ingredients in their pellets to make up the weight. You can check these easily in the ingredients list.
The best pellets, on the other hand, contain no filler, which means you only need to feed your guinea two thirds to half of what you normally feed them.
Reputable brand
Some guinea pig food brands have been on the market for more than 30 years and are recommended by thousands of loyal customers.
No matter if you are a new owner or a seasoned guinea pig keepers looking to modify the pet’s diet, you can trust your rodents with Brand’s quality food.
Now that you’ve known almost everything you need to know about what do guinea pigs eat, let’s get to our top picks for commercial rodents food that you can buy on the Internet.
Our Recommendations: 5 Top Rated Best Guinea Pig Food Reviews 2020
Table could not be displayed.Top 15 Best Food for Guinea Pigs
Here are the best of guinea pig food that we have tried ourselves. Check out each product’s main features to know which one fits your rodent best.
*Note: Before serving your rodent with any mass-produced food, make sure that you read the instructions on the bag, especially the recommended serving size.
Your rodent will probably gobble up everything you give them, so pouring out an excessive amount of food will result in obesity, bloating or other serious health problems.
List of Best Guinea Pig Food Brands
Vitakraft Guinea Pig Food High Fiber Timothy Formula, 8 Lb
If your rodents are carrying babies inside its stomach, then Vitakraft Guinea Pig Food is the one to choose.
With optimized protein sources and stabilized vitamins, it assists pregnant and lactating rodents in nurturing their young.
Key features:
- A balanced level of protein, calories, and calcium.
- Lasts well over 8 months for 1 guinea pig.
- A healthy recipe that can be used as a supplement for regular meals.
- Enhanced with Prebiotics and Probiotics for better digestive health.
Kaytee Supreme Diet For Guinea Pig, 10 LB
For years, this food for guinea pig has been recommended as the most healthy meal you could buy on the Internet. The food itself is enhanced with the much-needed vitamin C, so you don’t need to buy separate vitamin C supplements for them.
Key features:
- Contain all-natural seeds and grains.
- It does not have artificial colors or flavors in the package.
- Enrichened with self-stable vitamin C.
- Preserve natural ingredients for freshness.
F.M. Brown’s Tropical Guinea Pig Food Alfalfa Timothy Hay Pellets, 5-Pound
Among many guinea pig food brands, this one has a different aroma (in a good way).
Some customers report that their rodents dote on this smell so much more than their home-made guinea pigs food.
With healthy ingredients and wholesome nutrition, these pellets can be trusted to replace your pet’s regular meals.
Key features:
- Fortified with vitamin nutrients for your rodents’ daily needs.
- Added probiotics to support good digestion.
- Rich in fiber for optimized digestive health.
- Include specially formulated biscuits for better teeth and gum health.
Wild Harvest Advanced Nutrition Diet for Guinea Pigs
If you don’t know already, alfalfa pellets are not good for guinea pigs of 6 months and older. These adult pigs can get urinary stones if we feed them with alfalfa pellets beyond their infant stage.
Without alfalfa in their ingredients, it is trusted by many owners for their adult rodents.
Key features:
- Good packaging doesn’t make the pellets rubbed into dust.
- Low calcium content, helps the urinary system go smoothly.
- Good smells that encourage your guinea pig to eat in healthy amounts.
- Amped with fruits.
Kaytee Timothy Complete Guinea Pig Food
Made with fresh hay and grass, these pellets have an irresistible aroma that will keep your guinea pigs hooked. Be prepared to come to an empty food bowl every day, because your rodents will finish every last piece!
Key features:
- Aid your guinea pigs with good dental health.
- Contain fresh timothy hay.
- Not included loose seed or sugary fruits.
- Enhanced with stable vitamin C.
Wild Harvest Advanced Nutrition Diet For Guinea Pigs, 4.5-Pound
As munchers, guinea pigs get into overweight and obese problems easily. Lucky for us, and for them, the good taste of this product can help the rodent get over unhealthy seeds, treats, and sweets that are filled with artificial colors and excessive calories.
If you feed solely this food to your pet in a moderate amount, you can expect to see your guinea pig get back in good shape in no time!
Key Features:
- Pure ingredients and simple processing.
- Natural sweet smell, in contrast to the chemical, sugar-like aroma of some guinea pig food brands.
- Digestible, help your rodent ingest food more efficiently.
- Flip Top Container, more convenient than screw-top container.
Kaytee Fiesta Guinea Pig Food, 4.5lb
One of the best things you can do for your guinea pigs is to feed them good food! This food for rodents does not contain threats or other junk that the cheaper brands often include.
Key features:
- Include interesting and safe food shapes.
- Crunchy and tasty.
- Good for your rodent dental health.
- High-quality price ratio.
Kaytee Forti Diet Pro Health Guinea Pig Food, 5lb
Some people like to keep a single rodent in their homes, while others believe in the more, the merrier. Kaytee understands that, and has introduced 3 bag sizes for you to choose from.
A 5-lb bag will last your single guinea pig in 2 months, while a 10-lb is sufficient for 4 guinea pigs in 1 month.
So make your choice depend on the number of pets you have. We can also share this food with rabbits if you have them in the house!
Key Features:
- Include large and crunchy pieces to support your pet’s dental health.
- Specially formulated for the growth of guinea pigs.
- Have prebiotics and probiotics in the ingredients.
- Fortified with essential vitamins.
Kaytee Forti-Diet Pro Health Healthy Guinea Pig Treat, 4.5Ounce
The same way your dentist feels happy when you keep your pearls in check, many vets dote on Kaytee food and recommend it to their customers. Kaytee’s products are just good like that.
This is the food that your guinea pigs need to stay strong and healthy. Many verified buyers testify that their rodents like this food more than other brands.
Key Features:
- For when you need to train guinea pigs.
- Contain the highest quality seeds, grains, and honey.
- It comes with a healthy training guide.
- Good for bonding and playtime.
Oxbow Animal Health Essentials- Young Guinea Pig Food
Compared to other pellets for small rodents, Oxbow Animal’s pellets have a distinct greener color, which comes from their fresh and wholesome ingredients.
Unlike artificial colored pellets, you can trust your rodents to Oxbow Animals.
Key Features:
- It comes in many bag sizes, from 1lb to 10 lbs.
- Carefully formulated by top veterinarians.
- Have essential minerals.
- Enriched with good vitamin for optimal growth.
Kaytee Fiesta Guinea Pig Food, 2.5lb to 25lb
The guinea pigs have genes that drive them to munch on something, all the time.
However, they do know when the food is tasty or not! When you feed your pet Kaytee Fiesta’s food, you will see that the rodents do have good taste when it comes to good food.
They will always finish their food bowls to the bottom, and never leave a pellet unfinished.
Key features:
- A rich blend including alfalfa, grains, veggies, fruits, and seeds.
- Included with long-lasting vitamin C.
- Have natural antioxidants for immune support.
- Can be used along with your homemade meals.
Best Guinea Pig Food Pellets
Small Pet Select Guinea Pig Food Pellets, 5lb to 25lb
It’s true that in comparison to other products, Small Pet Select’s food lies in a higher price base.
Nevertheless, your rodent will get more nutrient and sufficient calorie intake with less amount of food.
What’s more, the pellets are so tasty that your guinea pigs won’t leave left-over, which means no waste.
In the long run, your guinea pigs will be happier with the high-grade ingredients, and you will enjoy the good performance-price ratio that Small Pet Select offers.
Key Features:
- Made with only the highest quality guinea pig food.
- Timothy hay as the main ingredient.
- Milled in smaller batches to ensure field freshness.
- 100% produced in the USA.
List of Best Adult Guinea Pig Foods
Oxbow Essentials Adult Guinea Pig (Timothy Based) 5 Pound Bag
Easy on an adult guinea pig digestion
The main ingredient of this healthy guinea pig food is timothy grass meal. This meal provides your lovely guinea pig with the high fiber content that it needs.
Many brands of pellets for guinea pigs contain a lot of protein and calories.
While these two components are essential for any guinea pig, the adult rodents don’t need a high level of them to function well.
In fact, if the levels of protein, calcium, and calories in their food are too high, the guinea pigs may get digestive problems.
Oxbow Essentials Timothy Based offers your pet just the right amount they need, so their digestive system may work effortlessly.
Key Features:
- Reputable brand with trusted quality.
- Good levels of protein, calories, and calcium.
- Support older guinea pigs digestive health.
- Timothy hay as the main ingredient.
Oxbow Animal Health Cavy Cuisine Adult Guinea Pig Feeds, 5-Pound
We can make a metaphor here: imagine the guinea pig food pellets on the market as human breakfast cereals.
If Oxbow makes the healthy oats, then the other brands are rainbow-colored rings. After feeding your guinea pig with this, you’ll have a hard time giving it anything else!
Key features:
- It is entirely made with veterinarian ingredients.
- Contain a lower level of protein.
- Provide sufficient calorie needs.
- Suitable with adult rodents.
Sherwood Pet Health Adult Guinea Pig Food, 4.5 pounds
Did you know that good guinea pig food will help your rodent create good, solid poop? With Sherwood, we can rest assured that our guinea pigs get the nutrients they need and discard of what they don’t, which is shows evidently every time they poop.
Key Features:
- Developed by animal nutritional experts.
- Rich in natural antioxidants.
- Improve immune support.
- Enjoyable taste.
Do you Love your Guinea Pigs? So do we!
As authentic reviewers, we try our best to make sure you have good information sources on what do guinea pigs eat, which food makes them healthy and what you should not feed your rodents.
We hope you have made your choice on the best food for your guinea pig after reading this article.
So, which one did you choose? Tell us in the comment!
Last update on 2021-11-24 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API