Your guinea pig’s diet
For a happy, healthy and content guinea pig, it is important that you provide your pet with a well-balanced and nutritious diet.
The importance of vitamin C to guinea pigs
Guinea pigs, like humans, are unable to synthesise vitamin C. As a result, it is important that your guinea pig receives a regular and adequate supply of vitamin C in its diet. A vitamin C deficiency can lead to a fatal attack of scurvy. Vitamin C degrades in the atmosphere quickly so all foodstuffs must be fresh.
Fresh drinking water
It is very important that your guinea pig has a constant supply of clean and fresh drinking water. The water should be provided from a bottle, rather than a dish which can be tipped over, get messy etc. Your routine should be as follows:
- Twice a day: Check your guinea pig’s water bottle and ensure that the bottle (including the nozzle) isn’t damaged or blocked. If you guinea pig is kept outside, remember that the water contained in the bottle may freeze in colder months.
- At least once a day: Change your guinea pig’s water.
- Regularly: Clean the water bottle (paying attention to the nozzle which can get blocked with bits of food etc).
Fresh droppings – their own!
It is important that you let your guinea pig eat its own droppings. Guinea pigs produce two types of droppings: dry ‘pellets’ and soft droppings it is a necessary part of the guinea pig diet that they eat the soft droppings.
Fresh Guinea pig pellets
Guinea pig pellets are an essential source of your guinea pig’s daily vitamin C intake. As vitamin C degrades very quickly, a completely fresh supply of guinea pig pellets must be fed to your guinea pig every day. Ensure larger portions are given as required e.g. if your guinea pig is pregnant,nursing, growing, malnourished etc. However, it is equally important that they are not overfed so ensure you follow your vet’s instructions.
Hay and/or Hay Grass
Guinea pigs need a constant supply of hay/grass 24 hours a day, 7 days a year. Good quality hay (such as Timothy Hay) should comprise around 70% – 75% of your guinea pig’s diet. Guinea pigs need hay and/or grass for numerous reasons:
- Guinea pigs are grazing animals and will eat for prolonged periods. This is entirely natural and in fact necessary for their health. Your guinea pig’s teeth never stop growing and need to be continuously ‘worn down’ on hay, and other abrasive foodstuffs, to maintain their correct length and shape. Consuming large volumes of hay is therefore necessary for maintaining healthy teeth.
- Hay and/or grass is necessary for your guinea pig’s digestive system.
- Also, hay is emotionally beneficial to your guinea pig because it recreates your guinea pig’s natural environment, enabling it to forage, just as it would in the wild.
Fresh, washed leafy vegetables
Dark leafy greens, such as parsley, should be fed to your guinea pig every day. Try to rotate the vegetables you provide so that your guinea pig has a varied diet with the correct balance of minerals and vitamins. Lack of variety in your guinea pig’s diet can result in too much of one type of mineral being consumed, and too little of another. These foods will also help your guinea pig ‘wear down’ its teeth. As much as possible, try to ensure the vegetables are rich in vitamin C.
Avoid feeding your guinea pig the following:
- Fruits – esp citrus fruits.
- Bulb vegetables such as onions.
- Starchy vegetables such as potatoes.
- Cereals – muesli is not recommended as it encourages them to reduce their hay intake.
- Lawnmower clippings (which can upset their digestive system).
Guinea Pig Treats
However, the following foods can be supplied to your guinea pig as a treat in small amounts.
- A small piece of apple.
- A small amount of carrot.
Be vigilant
Please note that any changes to your guinea pig’s diet should be introduced gradually and only after discussion with your guinea pig’s vet. Any changes in your guinea pig’s appetite or level of thirst should be referred to a vet, as should any change to its droppings.