What’s the first thing that comes to mind when it comes time to feed guinea pigs? Actually, your answer probably will be pellets from a bag. So, let me ask you what you think of first when you think of guinea pigs and food.
…Still pellets probably. And while that may have everything your rodent friend needs, there is a whole other world of nourishment out there. So much food is out there that they are naturally adapted to.
First, I want you to think of a rabbit. Grass (not carrots) is their most common food source. Guinea pigs love grass, hay (timothy hay especially), and alfalfa. Their molars are specifically designed for grinding plant matter
Humans and guinea pigs have at least one thing in common: each is one of the few mammals that can’t produce vitamin C on its own. If you’re not feeding them pellets, they will need fruits and/or vegetables (apples, cabbage, carrots, celery, spinach, etc.). However, this part of your pig’s diet should be considered carefully since they decide early in life what is appropriate to consume. Guinea pigs will become used to their diet and may be fickle with fruits and vegetables. This is why it is advised that any change in diet be gradual since guinea pigs may starve themselves rather than adapt to an abrupt switch of the menu.
It should also be mentioned that no matter what you feed them, guinea pigs are natural practitioners of coprophagy: the practice of eating one’s own fecal matter. They do this out of necessity as it contains some nutrients they cannot find anywhere else.
A final note should be what to NEVER feed a guinea pig. The following plants are poisonous: bracken, bryony, buttercup, charlock, deadly nightshade, foxglove, hellebore, hemlock, lily of the valley, mayweed, monkshood, potato, privet, ragwort, rhubarb, speedwell, toadflax, wild celery, and any plant that grows from a bulb (onions and tulips).
