If you’re a proud guinea pig parent, you know how important it is to provide your furry friend with a balanced and safe diet.
Guinea pigs may be small, but their nutritional needs are significant for their overall health and happiness.
I complied a simple Safe Guinea Pig Food List and also added foods they should never eat.
From crunchy veggies to tasty fruits and the essential hay, I’ll walk you through the must-haves in your guinea pig’s menu.
Let’s dive in and discover the colorful array of safe and nourishing foods that will keep those little loaves popcorning with joy!
Table of Contents
What can guinea pigs eat? Balanced Guinea Pig Diet Chart
Certainly, here’s a detailed breakdown of a perfect guinea pig diet, including approximate measures and percentages:
- Hay:
- Amount: Provide unlimited access to fresh hay.
- Percentage: Hay should constitute about 70-80% of their daily diet.
- Measure: Offer a hay pile (about a body-size of your cavy) or rack that’s replenished as needed.
- Guinea Pig Pellets:
- Amount: 1/8 to 1/4 cup of high-quality guinea pig pellets per day.
- Percentage: Pellets should make up around 10-15% of their diet.
- Measure: Measure pellets according to the feeding guidelines on the packaging.
- Fresh Vegetables and Greens:
- Amount: 1/2 cup to 1 cup of fresh vegetables per day, divided into two servings.
- Percentage: Vegetables should account for about 5-10% of their diet.
- Measure: Offer a mix of vegetables like bell peppers, leafy greens, carrots, and cucumbers. Measure before chopping to ensure accurate portions.
- Fruits:
- Amount: 1-2 tablespoons of fresh fruits, 2-3 times per week.
- Percentage: Fruits should be limited to 2% of their diet due to their natural sugar content.
- Measure: Offer fruits like apples, strawberries, or melon pieces, ensuring they are small, bite-sized portions.
- Fresh Water:
- Amount: Provide clean, fresh water daily. Clean water bottles daily!
- Percentage: Water is not a direct part of the diet percentage but is crucial for overall health, hydration and digestion.
- Measure: Offer water in a guinea pig water bottle or a heavy, non-tip bowl.
Remember, these are general guidelines, and the actual amounts may vary based on your guinea pig’s age, weight, and individual needs.
Healthy diet is vital and will affect how guinea pigs poop.
Always monitor their weight and adjust the portions if necessary.
Additionally, consult with a veterinarian for personalized dietary recommendations for your guinea pig.
Safe Guinea Pig Food List
These are foods that are completely safe to feed your guinea pig, but always introduce new food in small amount:
- Alfalfa sprouts
- Apple skin
- Apples
- apricots
- Arugula
- asparagus
- banana peel
- Bananas
- Barley grass
- Basil
- Bean sprouts
- Beetroot
- Beetroot leaves
- Blackberries
- Bok choy / pak choi
- broccoli
- broccoli stems
- brussel sprouts
- Cantaloupe
- Cardboard
- Carrot
- Carrot greens
- Cat grass
- cauliflower
- cauliflower leaves
- Celery leaves
- celery stalk
- cherries
- Cilantro
- clementines
- Clover, red
- Clover, white
- coconut
- collard greens
- Corn
- courgette
- Cucumber skin
- cucumbers
- daisy
- Dandelions
- Dill
- Dragon fruit
- durian
- Eggplant
- grapefruit
- Grapes
- Green beans
- Green onions
- Green peppers
- Honey
- Honeydew
- Kale
- Kiwi
- Lemongrass
- Romaine Lettuce
- Mango
- mung bean sprouts
- mushrooms
- Mustard greens
- nectarines
- Oat hay
- Okra
- Orange
- Orange peel
- Orange peppers
- orchard grass
- Papaya
- papaya leaves
- Parsley
- parsnips
- Peaches
- Pears
- Peas
- pineapple
- Plums
- Pomegranate
- pumpkin
- radicchio
- Radish
- radish leaves
- Raspberries
- Red cabbage
- Red peppers
- Rocket
- rosemary
- satsumas
- Spinach
- Squash
- Star fruit
- strawberry
- strawberry leaves
- Swede
- Sweet corn
- Sweet potatoes
- Swiss chard
- tangerines
- Thyme
- Tomatoes
- Turnips
- watercress
- watermelon
- Watermelon rind
- wheatgrass
- white cabbage
- Wood
- Yam
- Yellow peppers
- zucchini
Foods guinea pigs CAN NOT eat
Guinea pigs have delicate digestive systems, and certain foods can be harmful to their health. Here is a list of foods that guinea pigs should never eat:
- any nuts or nut-based products (milk, butter). Nuts are high in fat and can cause digestive issues in guinea pigs.
- Seeds: Seeds, including apple seeds, can contain cyanide and should be avoided.
- Grains
- Chocolate: Chocolate contains theobromine, which is toxic to guinea pigs.
- Caffeine: Caffeinated foods and beverages can cause adverse reactions in guinea pigs.
- Onions and Garlic: These vegetables can cause digestive problems and damage red blood cells.
- Iceberg Lettuce: Iceberg lettuce has low nutritional value and can cause digestive upset.
- Potatoes: Raw potatoes contain solanine, a toxic substance harmful to guinea pigs.
- Rhubarb: Rhubarb leaves and stalks contain oxalic acid, which is toxic to guinea pigs.
- Avocado: Avocado contains a substance called persin, which can be harmful to guinea pigs.
- Meat and Dairy Products: Guinea pigs are herbivores and should not be fed meat or dairy products.
- Processed and Cooked Foods: Processed foods, sugary treats, and salty snacks are not suitable for guinea pigs and can cause health problems.
- Moldy or Spoiled Foods: Moldy or spoiled foods can be toxic and should never be fed to guinea pigs.
Full Table
For your convenience I also created this table in a Google spreadsheet.
| Food | Safe/Not | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Acorns | no | |
| alfalfa sprouts | yes | only safe for pregnant, nursing, and young guinea pigs under 6 mo |
| Almond butter | no | |
| Almond milk | no | |
| Almonds | no | |
| Apple skin | yes | |
| Apples | yes | |
| apricots | yes | in moderation |
| Arugula | yes | 1-2 times/week |
| asparagus | yes | in moderation |
| asters | no | toxic |
| avocado | no | |
| banana peel | yes | |
| Bananas | yes | |
| Barley grass | yes | |
| Basil | yes | 1-2 times/week |
| Bean sprouts | yes | in moderation |
| Beetroot | yes | |
| Beetroot leaves | yes | in moderation |
| Blackberries | yes | including skin, leaves and seeds |
| Bok choy / pak choi | yes | |
| Brazil Nuts | no | |
| Bread | no | |
| broccoli | yes | including stem, florets, and the stalk |
| broccoli stems | yes | |
| brussel sprouts | yes | in moderation |
| buttercups | no | |
| Cake | no | |
| Canned vegetables | no | |
| Cantaloupe | yes | in moderation |
| Cardboard | yes | |
| Carrot | yes | all parts |
| Carrot greens | yes | in moderation |
| Cashew | no | |
| Cat grass | yes | |
| cauliflower | yes | including stem, leaves, florets, and the stalk |
| cauliflower leaves | yes | |
| Celery leaves | yes | in moderation |
| celery stalk | yes | in moderation |
| Cereal | no | |
| cheerios | no | |
| cheese | no | |
| cherries | yes | in moderation |
| cherries pits/seeds | no | |
| chickweed | no | toxic |
| Chips | no | |
| chives | no | |
| chocolate | no | |
| Cilantro | yes | |
| clementines | yes | |
| Clover, red | yes | |
| Clover, white | yes | |
| coconut | yes | |
| collard greens | yes | |
| Cooked food | no | |
| Corn | yes | including kernels and leaves, husk |
| courgette | yes | including skin and seeds |
| Cow milk | no | |
| crackers | no | |
| Cucumber skin | yes | |
| cucumbers | yes | not too many seeds |
| daffodils | no | toxic |
| dairy | no | |
| daisy | yes | |
| Dandelions | yes | |
| Dill | yes | 1-2 times/week |
| Dragon fruit | yes | |
| Dried food | no | |
| durian | yes | |
| Eggplant | yes | in moderation |
| French fries | no | |
| Garlic | no | |
| Goat milk | no | |
| goldenrod | no | toxic |
| Grains | no | |
| grapefruit | yes | in moderation |
| Grapes | yes | a few per week |
| Green beans | yes | |
| Green onions | yes | in moderation |
| Green peppers | yes | |
| Ham | no | |
| Hazelnuts | no | |
| Honey | yes | in moderation |
| Honeydew | yes | |
| Ice | no | |
| Ice cream | no | |
| Kale | yes | |
| Kiwi | yes | |
| Leeks | no | |
| Lemongrass | yes | in moderation |
| Lemons | no | |
| Lettuce, Romaine | yes | |
| Lettuce, Iceberg | no | |
| Limes | no | |
| Macadamia | no | |
| mallow | no | toxic |
| Mango | yes | |
| meat | no | |
| Mint | no | |
| mung bean sprouts | yes | in moderation |
| mushrooms | yes | in moderation, not wild mushrooms |
| Mustard greens | yes | |
| nasturtiums | no | toxic |
| nectarines | yes | |
| Oat hay | yes | |
| Oat milk | no | |
| Oats | no | |
| Okra | yes | in moderation |
| Onion bulb | no | |
| onions | no | |
| Orange | yes | |
| Orange peel | yes | |
| Orange peppers | yes | |
| orchard grass | yes | |
| Papaya | yes | no the seeds |
| papaya leaves | yes | |
| Parsley | yes | |
| parsnips | yes | 2-3 times/week |
| pasta | no | |
| Peaches | yes | but no the pits |
| Peanut butter | no | |
| Peanuts | no | |
| Pears | yes | |
| Peas | yes | |
| Pickles | no | |
| pineapple | yes | in moderation |
| Plums | yes | in moderation |
| Pomegranate | yes | in moderation |
| Popcorn | no | |
| potatoes | no | |
| pumpkin | yes | |
| pumpkin seeds | no | |
| radicchio | yes | in moderation |
| Radish | yes | |
| radish leaves | yes | |
| Raisins | no | |
| Raspberries | yes | |
| Red cabbage | yes | |
| Red peppers | yes | |
| rhubarb leaves | no | |
| Rice | no | |
| Rocket | yes | |
| rosemary | yes | |
| satsumas | yes | |
| seeds | no | |
| Spinach | yes | |
| Spring onions | no | |
| Squash | yes | |
| Star fruit | yes | |
| strawberry | yes | |
| strawberry leaves | yes | |
| Sunflower seeds | no | |
| sunflowers | no | toxic |
| Swede | yes | |
| Sweet corn | yes | |
| sweet peas flowers | no | toxic |
| Sweet potatoes | yes | |
| Swiss chard | yes | in moderation |
| tangerines | yes | |
| Thyme | yes | |
| Tomato leaves | no | |
| Tomatoes | yes | in moderation |
| tortilla chips | no | |
| Turnips | yes | in moderation |
| vegan cheese | no | |
| Walnuts | no | |
| watercress | yes | in moderation |
| watermelon | yes | |
| Watermelon rind | yes | |
| wheatgrass | yes | in moderation |
| white cabbage | yes | |
| Wood | yes | NOT: Cedar, redwood, pine and eucalyptus |
| Yam | yes | |
| yarrow | no | toxic |
| Yellow peppers | yes | |
| zucchini | yes | including seed and skin |
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