Recommended Reading

Guinealynx fruit and vegetable charts and calcium/phosphorus level information

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To sum up a guinea pigs DAILY diet it needs to consist of fresh vegetables/fruit, grass and/or hay, a quality guinea pig grain mix and water.
 

Guinea pigs are strict herbivores and should not be fed dairy or meat products or bread. The excess calcium, phosphorus, preservatives, magnesium and potassium in dairy products is not needed in a balanced guinea pig diet and can cause skin problems, ketosis, acidosis and vitamin A or D toxicity.

Tip! Guinea pigs need a well balanced diet that doesn't vary greatly from day to day. Sudden changes in  diet can cause digestive upset. A guinea pigs digestive system is very sensitive to sudden changes in diet. A balanced diet fed the same each day ( minor changes in some of the fruit/veg fed is fine ) will promote good digestion and gut function. If you want to introduce new foods into your guinea pigs diet a gradual change is needed to avoid sometimes fatal digestive upset.

Below is detailed information on the DAILY requirements needed for a satisfactory diet.

Supplements
Please note that supplements should not be given to guinea pigs in replacement of an adequate normal daily diet. Their are varying opinions but it is believed that if excess vitamin C supplements are administered even though the guinea pig is receiving enough their their normal diet, that the guinea pig may develop deficiency easier if the extra supplement is removed in the future. If a guinea pig is unwell or pregnant they can benefit with vitamin C supplements added in powder or liquid form to their feed, 3ml Vit C liquid administered orally via 1ml syringe, or to their water although again it isn't necessary if their diet is adequate. Supplements added to water lose their vitamin content rapidly and you can never be sure exactly how much the animal is receiving so if it is to be administered in water it will need to be re-administered each day. Multivitamins are not recommended for guinea pigs at all so if a supplement must be fed pure vitamin c is best.

Fruit and Veg
It is recommended to give your guinea pig 1 cupful of veg/fruit a day and that atleast one of the veg/fruit be that of high Vitamin C content. Guinea pigs cannot store Vitamin C in their bodies and because of this they must have Vitamin C added to their diet DAILY in order to stay healthy and avoid developing scurvy ( Vitamin C deficiency ). Vitamin C comes from a fresh selection of vegetables and fruits and also grass. A ' variety ' of vegetables fed daily is the key. Grass is a natural source of Vitamin C so if you have a fresh supply on hand grass is great to feed at least a few times a week.  It is best to feed more vegetables than fruit in a guinea pigs diet and vegetables high in vitamin C are recommended to feed on a regular basis. Some vegetables high in vitamin C include capsicum, broccoli, chocko, tomato and parsley. When feeding your guinea pig their fruit and veg be sure to keep in mind that like people some guinea pigs will not necessarily like everything they're given and some guinea pigs can be picky. If you persist they may eventually take to the food although some will always remain picky. Guinea pigs can be picky with citrus fruits and stone fruits and due to the high acidity in citrus fruits it's best to limit your guinea pigs intake to a minimum.

NOTE: When picking grass make sure it is not in an area where it may have been sprayed with chemicals. Something that can never be stressed enough is to not overfeed iceberg lettuce or cabbage.  These particular veggies are cheap and the guinea pigs love the taste making these vegetables ideal to buy on a regular basis. But not all that tastes good is the best for the health of your guinea pig. Cabbage and Iceberg lettuce have a high water content and can cause bloating, stomach upset, gas and diarrhea if fed in excess. Feeding small amounts only a couple of times a week is fine.

The minimal requirement of Vitamin C for a guinea pigs daily diet is 10mg per kilo and 30-40mg for pregnant sows or sows with litters.

Hay/Roughage
Hay and/or grass is the most essential part of a guinea pigs diet. It needs to be in constant supply. Fresh Hay/Grass aids in good digestion and the fiber and roughage is essential for guinea pigs to grind their teeth on and chew on. Guinea pigs back teeth grow constantly and need to be grinding and chewing all the time to be worn down. If guinea pigs teeth are not worn down enough then a condition can result called back teeth Malocclusion. This is where the back teeth become overgrown sometimes growing into the guinea pigs gums and causing a lot of pain and abscesses and infection as a result. This problem can only be resolved by seeking veterinary attention and the guinea pig will need to go under a general anesthetic to get it's back teeth trimmed. A vet that specialises in small animals will have special rodent instruments designed for trimming and viewing the back teeth.
RECOMMENDED READING: Cavy Teeth - Guinea lynx Website
There are many types of hay that you can purchase for your guinea pig including wheaten, oaten, barley, timothy, Lucerne and grassy hays. These can be bought from your local produce store for around $10 a large bail. Smaller bags of timothy hay and Lucerne hay can usually be bought from your local vet or pet store and online through EBAY.

RECOMMENDED READING: Hay - Guinea lynx Website.

Guinea pigs love their grass!!! Grass grass and more grass! Guinea pigs enjoy thistle in particular milk thistle which is a  very healthy supplement for a guinea pig to munch on. A Guinea pigs favorite grass includes clover, buffalo grass, oat grass, dandelion and a variety of fresh herbs are also favoured. Tip! If you don't have grass readily available for your guinea pig fresh hay will usually suffice although as a handy tip sometimes people will fill a shopping bagful of fresh grass from a reserve or area where no chemicals are sprayed. You can then store this bag in the fridge or a dry and dark place and then take out a handful every day or two to feed to your guinea pig. This option can be particularly helpful if you are unable to find hay available to purchase near you.

Grain Mix
A good quality grain/pellet mix should be fed to your guinea pig daily. Many store bought feeds are not recommended as they tend to lack in nutrience, can be dry and can contain too many seeds and not enough fiber. The longer store bought feeds sit on the shelves the less nutrients they will contain and most also do not have a use by date. A guinea pig mix should have a minimum of 16% crude protein and the fiber content in the mix should be high and higher than the protein level.  A guinea pig mix should contain little or no sunflower seeds. Sunflower seeds are very high in unhealthy fats and are not recommended to feed to your guinea pig regularly.

Where can I buy a good guinea pig mix? Fresh guinea pig mixes can be bought in made up bags from your local produce store for a couple of dollars. Produce mixes usually contain very fresh grains ( not seeds ) mixed with a higher content of fiber/lucerne chaff. There are a number of good horse mixes readily available to purchase from produce stores as well. Muesli based feeds for horses are usually safe to feed to guinea pigs and are very palatable and contain molasses, oats, lupins, barley, chaff, soybean meal and other heathy grains. Recommended horse feeds many guinea pig owners use and either feed in small amounts on their own or they mix them in with ' chaff ' ( chopped up hay ) to bring the fiber content up, are the Barastoc range ( including barastoc workhorse, gold cup and completo mixes ), and the Hygain Range. Some  Pet Stores have good guinea pig mixes. Pet Cafe stores sell a fantastic guinea pig mix and Aussie Pet Stores sell a mix called ' Breeders Choice ' which is also a recommended mix to purchase. Mixes with dried vegetables and fruits in them are fine. The Australian Cavy Sanctuary also create and sell a fantastic mix through our shelters. The OXBOW Hay Company are a world reknown company for their quality guinea pig pellets, hay and treats. Please visit EBAY or google Oxbow to find further information on their products and to find a distributer near you.

Tip! When looking for a good mix or treat for your guinea pigs it is best to steer clear of anything with artificial colours and flavours.

Water
Fresh water should be readily available to your guinea pig at all times. Guinea pigs like most other mammals need water to keep them dehydrated and for survival. Your guinea pigs water bottle or bowl will need to be cleaned out regularly to avoid harmful bacteria building up. Whether you choose to use water bottles or ceramic water bowls is personal choice. These can be purchased from your local pet shop, produce store, online small animal supply stores and bargains stores such as crazy Clarks and the warehouse. Plastic bowls are not recommended as guinea pigs tend to knock them over.

Safe fruit and veg list!

The below table includes guinea pig taste scale with 1 being not often enjoyed 10 being a guinea pigs favorite food. This scale is only an indication some guinea pigs may vary on the yum scale with the fruit and veg they do and don't enjoy .

Unsafe fruit and veg list!

Washed or Brushed Potatoes

Wild mushrooms and berries

Onion

Shallots

Avocado

Rhubarb

Safe herbs and plants list!

Unsafe herbs and plants list!

Deadly Nightshade
Azalea
Bird of Paradise
Oleander
Buttercup
Any type of BULB plant
Clematis
Foxglove
Daffodil
St Johns Wort
Morning Glory
Fig
Hemlock
Holly
Feverfew
Ivy
Lily
Wisteria
Onion Weed
 

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