Guinea pigs often love fruits and vegetables, but you have to build this up slowly. Because guinea pigs do not produce vitamin C themselves, it is wise to give them a treat every day that contains this. But what are guinea pigs allowed to eat? And what is toxic and bad for guinea pigs? Read it all here!
Good guinea pig nutrition
Guinea pigs should always be able to eat three things, these things are indispensable, hay, hard food and green food.
Did you know that guinea pigs always have to be in pairs or more? Guinea pigs are group animals and if they are alone in a cage they get together, do you want a happy guinea pig? Then get a buddy. Pay attention to the size of the cage, because too small is not nice.
Hay
Hay is the most important food for rabbits and guinea pigs, because it contains a lot of raw fiber, it is healthy and it keeps teeth short. Hay is also very important because other nutrients can only be digested with hay. Note: never give your guinea pig gnaws and licks, read more about it here. A guinea pig should be able to eat unlimited hay per day, so they have something to do and get all the nutrients they need
Hard food
You can give different types of hard food, for example you can give mixed food or granules. Granules contain all the important nutrients your guinea pig needs, but it is more boring for us. There are many different things in mixed food, chances are with this food that your guinea pig will only remove the tasty things from the food and leave the healthy things, this is not the intention. Here is a list of brands that sell guinea pig food:
- Great
- Lock
- Witte Molen
- Multi Fit
- Hope Farms Select
- Prestige
- Xtra Vital
- Evert
- Guinea pig Garvo
- Supreme
Extra vitamin C.
Often there is not enough vitamin C in the hard food, and a guinea pig needs a lot of vitamin C because the guinea pig cannot produce it itself. By means of vitamin C drops in the water, special guinea pig food with vitamin C and the addition of vitamin C (think of peppers) you can give your guinea pig enough vitamin C.
Green food
Guinea pigs can have all the fruits and vegetables available, but you should always give small amounts. Make sure you vary a lot and don’t give too much of anything, because this is very bad. Build up the green food as well, if you give a lot in 1 day and nothing or very little the other day, your guinea pig can develop diarrhea. Cabbage and lettuce will also quickly give your guinea pig diarrhea.
What are guinea pigs allowed well food?
Vegetables
- Afalfa
- Endive
- Artichoke
- Celery
- Cauliflower (whole)
- Kale
- Broccoli
- Chinese cabbage
- Yarrow
- Cucumber
- Grass
- Green beans (in moderation)
- Iceberg lettuce (in moderation)
- Shepherd’s purse
- Small hoof leaf
- Bok choy
- Bell pepper
- Dandelion
- Parsley
- Radishes (including the leaves)
- Lettuce
- Spinach
- Brussels sprouts
- Oxheart cabbage
- Bean sprouts
- Tomato
- Corn (raw cob)
- Milk thistle
- Fennel
- Watercress
- Plantain
- Winter carrot
- Wikke
- chicory
- Carrot and carrot tops
Fruits
- Strawberry
- Apricot
- Apple
- Banana
- Lemon
- Grapes
- Grapefruit
- Kiwi
- Mandarins
- Mango
- Melon
- Nectarines
- Peach
- Orange
What are guinea pigs allowed not food?
If your guinea pig has eaten something that is not good for it, see a specialist. Many veterinarians know too little about rabbits and guinea pigs, so they receive the wrong treatment or even no treatment at all. A rodent specialist can help you further, you can be sure that you will receive good help and the chance is greater that your guinea pig will live.
- Boiled vegetables
- Potatoes
- Leeks
- Onions
- Mushrooms
- Rhubarb
- Mowed grass
- Grass along a road
- Seeds
- Nuts
- Dairy (milk, yogurt, custard) because of the lactose
- Monkshood
- Buttercup
- Celandine
- Black nightshade
- Foxglove
- Dogweed
- Wolfkers (Belladonna)
- Beech
- Roses
- Narcissus
- Columbine
- Boxwood
- Hyacinth
- Ivy
- Golden Rain
- Larkspur
- Lobelia
- Lily of the valley
- Yew
- Pronkboom
- Privet
- Windflower
- Aarum
- Autumn styleless
- Harebell
- Bacon
- Bolderik
- Sorrel
- Daisy
- Orris flower
- Iris
- Hemlock
- Oak
- Poppy
- Clematis