What do Guinea Pigs Eat

Guinea pigs, also commonly known as cavy is a species of rodents of the family Caviidae and genus Cavia. Its scientific name is Cavia porcellus. Contrary to its name, guinea pigs have no relation with pigs, neither they come from Guinea. Instead, they are considered as the descendants of a related species of cavy like, Cavia aperea, Cavia fulgida or Cavia tschudii and they originated from Andes and not Guinea. Once known only as a model organism for biological experimentation, guinea pigs are currently quite popular in Western countries as household pets. A guinea pig is perhaps one of the cutest and adorable pets that one can have. These small, furry rodents can be quite delightful to have around, provided they are properly taken care of. A proper diet can be termed as one of the most important aspects of their care.

Diet of Guinea Pigs

Only a good diet can ensure the health of your pet. It is true that guinea pigs can be maintained with commercial guinea pig pellets. However, to get a happy guinea pig, it is important to give some other foods to it, especially the fresh vegetables and fruits, which this animal loves to eat. Below here are some of the foods that your pet would surely love to relish.

Hay and Pellets
Their natural diet consists of grass, hay and pellets. Pellets can be found in almost all pet stores. But be sure to purchase quality pellets. In general, alfalfa or Timothy based pellets are the best pellets for your little cavy. In addition to pellets, you can feed your guinea pig fresh Timothy hay. Many people prefer to give their guinea pigs mostly alfalfa hay. But, it has been observed that alfalfa hay contains too much of calcium, which can increase the risk for developing bladder stones. Even many are of the opinion that consumption of a large amount of alfalfa may be associated with obesity. Therefore, it is better to maintain a balance between Timothy and alfalfa hay. Apart from these, your little pets would enjoy grass and dandelion as well.

Vegetables and Fruits
They simply love leafy vegetables. However, an excessive consumption can cause diarrhea. So, be sure to give them vegetables only in moderation. The vegetables that these rodents are fond of are parsley, romain, broccoli, carrot, celery, spinach, pepper (red, yellow or green) and red lettuce. In addition to hay, pellets and vegetables, fruit is another component of a balanced and healthy diet of your guinea pigs. They would love to eat apples (without the seeds), orange slices, grapes, bananas, strawberries and cucumber. Like vegetables, moderation needs to maintained while feeding them fruits as well.

Foods to be Avoided

You should never feed them certain plants and foods. Plants like buttercap, lily of the valley, hemlock, bracken, bryony, mayweed, privet, ragwort, rhubarb, hellebore, wild celery, onion, deadly nightshade, foxglove, iceberg lettuce and plants that grow from a bulb are considered poisonous for guinea pigs. So, keep them away from such plants. Additionally, you should avoid feeding your guinea pig foods like cabbage, cauliflower, beans (raw), popcorn, ice cream, sugary foods, chips and fries, meat, fish, cheese, hamster food, too much of dairy and caffeine containing products including chocolates and too much of bread or cookies. It is better to have a talk with a veterinarian to know more about the foods that they should not eat.

This animal cannot synthesize vitamin C. They have to obtain this nutrient from their diet. Usually, most of the commercial pellets available for them are fortified with vitamin C. in addition to these, you can provide them fresh raw fruits and vegetables like broccoli, apple, celery, spinach and orange, which are rich in this vitamin. The second important thing to be kept in mind is that they do not respond well to any sudden change in their diet. Therefore, it is better to introduce a new food in their diet slowly and gradually. You can also talk to a veterinarian and follow his or advice in this regard. Lastly, along with nutritious foods, provide them fresh water daily, keep their cage neat and clean, replace soiled and dirty beddings, keep them well-groomed and allow them to exercise or play outside their cage for some time, in order to maintain the health of your pet.