In addition to dogs, cats and hamsters, guinea pigs are among the most popular pets. But what is actually on your food list? Read here what guinea pigs can (and can't) eat.
In a nutshell
- Guinea pigs have extremely sensitive digestions
- Feed grass and hay as staple food
- Variety with fodder plants, vegetables and herbs
- Fruit only in small quantities
- Offer twigs as activity material (less for wearing down teeth)
Table of Contents
- Feeding list for guinea pigs
- Feed guinea pigs properly
- grass and hay
- Leafy vegetables/herbs/forage crops
- fruit and tuber vegetables
- branches and twigs
- fruit
- frequently asked Questions
Feeding list for guinea pigs
Guinea pig, more precisely domestic guinea pigs (Cavia porcellus form. domestica), are herbivores. Grass and hay form the basis of their diet. Various forage plants, vegetables, Herbs and fruit. The menu plan for the popular pets is divided into five food categories:
- Grass and hay (base, staple food)
- Leafy greens, herbs and forage plants (plenty)
- Fruit and tuber vegetables (in smaller amounts)
- Fruit (in small amounts, "treats")
- Twigs and branches to regulate tooth growth (plentiful)
Tip: Like vegetables, grass can be fed wet if it is fresh.
Feed guinea pigs properly
Since there is a large selection of suitable plants, you should note that the digestive tract of guinea pigs is extremely sensitive. The following two points are therefore crucial for species-appropriate and healthy feeding:
- stick to the usual feed mix
- make long-term changes gradually (“feed in”) and spread over at least seven days (e.g. B. fresh grass in spring, new vegetables)
The rodents do not know fixed feeding times. Guinea pigs eat smaller amounts, often 15 to 20 minutes apart, throughout the day. In this way, they ensure that their digestive tract is not overburdened, but rather evenly. However, this only works if they have a varied diet during the day.
Tip: Distribute the food to several places in the enclosure. If the feeding place is too small, lower-ranking animals often get the short end of the stick.
grass and hay
Hay is a staple for guinea pigs and should be available to the rodents around the clock. Since it provides them with fiber, which is important for digestion, you should pay particular attention to the quality when buying:
- beautiful green color
- smells of fresh grass and flowers
Old or poor quality hay smells dusty and moldy. So that it is always fresh for your guinea pigs, you should purchase it in small quantities directly from the farm.
Danger:lawn clippings can cause severe flatulence, so under no circumstances should you feed it to your guinea pigs.
Leafy vegetables/herbs/forage crops
- Field Hellerkraut (Thlaspi arvense)
- Charlock (Sinapis arvensis)
- Field bindweed (Convolvulus arvensis)
- Field scabious (Knautia arvensis)
- Elecampane (Inula helenium)
- Amaranth (Amaranthus)
- basil (Ocimum basilicum)
- Brook avens (Geum rivale)
- Bärwurz (Meum athamanticum)
- loosestrife (Lythrum salicaria)
- Brownella (Prunella)
- Broad plantain (Plantago major)
- nettle (Urtica): also dried, winter fodder
- Variegated Crown Vetch (Securigera varia)
- Chicory (Cichorium intybus var. foliosum)
- dill (Anethum graveolens)
- sweet violet (viola odorata)
- Bedstraw (Galium verum)
- Speedwell (Veronica)
- oak leaf lettuce
- Iceberg lettuce (Lactuca sativa var. capitata nidus tenerimma)
- Verbena (Verbena officinalis)
- Endive (Cichorium endivia L. var. latifolium)
- Strawberry Cinquefoil (potentilla sterile)
- Dyer's Wow (Reseda luteola)
- Field clover (Trifolium campestre)
- Lamb's lettuce (Valerianella locusta)
- sedum (Hylotelephium telephium)
- lady's mantle (Alchemilla)
- Spring Vetchling (Lathyrus vernus)
- Frisée lettuce (Cichorium endivia L. var. crispum)
- Five Cinquefoil (Potentilla reptans)
- Common vetch (Vicia sativa)
- daisy (Bellis perennis)
- Giersch (Aegopodium podagraria): rich in vitamin C
- gold nettle (Lamium galeobdolon)
- Grass Stitchwort (Stellaria graminea)
- Bugle (Ajuga)
- Hawkweed (Hieracium)
- Hare clover (Trifolium arvense)
- Hops (Humulus lupulus)
- Cinquefoil (Potentilla recta)
- Horned violet (Viola cornuta)
- Johannis herbs (hypericum)
- Chamomile (Matricaria)
- chervil (Anthriscus)
- Small-flowered fireweed (Epilobium parviflorum)
- button herb (Galinsoga): rich in vitamin C
- Lettuce (Lactuca sativa var. capitata)
- Coriander (Coriandrum sativum)
- Toadflax (Linaria vulgaris)
- lovage (Levisticum officinale)
- dandelion (Taraxacum sect. ruderalia)
- Lollo rosso/bionda (Lactuca sativa var. crispa)
- Meadowsweet (Filipendula)
- Marguerite (Leucantheum vulgare)
- Mallows (Malva)
- Wall lettuce (Mycelis muralis)
- lemon balm (Melissa officinalis)
- Medium clover (Trifolium medium)
- evening primrose (Oenothera biennis)
- Clove Root (Geum urbanum)
- Nettle-leaved Bellflower (Campanula trachelium)
- Patagonian verbena (Verbena bonariensis)
- Parsely (Petroselinum crispum)
- Arrowcress (Lepidium draba)
- Burnet (Sanguisorba minor)
- Radicchio (Cichorium intybus var. foliosum)
- Radish leaves (Raphanus sativus var. sativa)
- Heron's Bill (Erodium cicutarium)
- marigold (Calendula officinalis)
- Cos lettuce (Lactuca sativa var. longifolia)
- Red clover (Trifolium pratense)
- sage (salvia)
- yarrow (Achillea millefolium)
- Sunflower (Helianthus): Seeds make you fat!
- Plantain (Plantago lanceolata)
- Knotweed (Fallopia): dry for the winter
- Hollyhock (Alcea rosea)
- cranesbill (geranium)
- thyme (thymus)
- Chickweed (Stellaria media)
- Vetch (Vicia cracca)
- Wild strawberry (Fragaria vesca): Only feed the fruit as a treat
- Wood Violet (Viola Reichenbachiana)
- Chicory (Cichorium intybus)
- White Goosefoot (Chenopodium album)
- Meadow Sage (Salvia pratensis)
- Winter cress (Barbarea vulgaris)
- kidney vetch (Anthyllis vulneraria)
- Fence Vetch (Vicia sepium)
- Bindweed (Calystegia sepium)
fruit and tuber vegetables
- fennel (Foeniculum vulgare): tuber and green
- Cucumber (Cucumis sativus)
- Fall turnip (Brassica rapa subsp. rapa subvar. esculenta)
- Carrot (Daucus carota): plus greens
- Celeriac (Apium graveolens var. rapaceum)
- Turnip (Brassica rapa subsp. rapa var. majalis): plus green
- Pak Choi (Brassica rapa subsp. chinensis)
- Paprika (Capsicum): all colors, without stalk
- Parsnip (Pastinaca sativa)
- Parsley root (Petroselinum crispum subsp. tuberosum)
- Celery (Apium graveolens var. dulce)
- Tomato (Solanum lycopersicum): without greens
A notice: When feeding vegetables, you should make sure that they are of organic quality.
branches and twigs
- apple (penalty)
- Chokeberry (aronia)
- Apricot (Prunus armeniaca)
- Birch (Pendula)
- Pear (Pyrus)
- blood plum
- Wolfberry (Lycium barbarum): berries as supplementary food
- Blackberry (Rubus sect. Rubus): popular winter food, berries as supplementary food
- Beech (Fagus)
- Oak (Quercus)
- Serviceberry (Sorbus torminalis): fruits as additional food
- Alder (Alnus)
- Ash (Fraxinus)
- Cowardly (Ficus carica)
- Amelanchier pear
- Forsythia (Forsythia × intermedia)
- Hazel (Corylus avellana)
- Bilberry (Vaccinium myrtillus): fruits as additional food
- Currant (Ribes)
- Cherry (Prunus avium)
- linden tree (tilia)
- poplar (populus)
- Plum (Prunus domestica)
- Quince (Cydonia oblonga)
- ranunculus (Ranunculus)
- spars (Spiraea)
- Willow (Salix)
- Wine (Vitis): Grapes as supplementary food
- Hawthorn (Crataegus)
- Plum (Prunus domestica subsp. domestica)
fruit
Fruit should be a treat for guinea pigs and should therefore only be fed in small amounts. If the fruit does not come from your own garden, you should offer organic fruit from a trustworthy source. Popular and unproblematic types of fruit among rodents are:
- Apple: coreless
- Pear: without a core
- Mirabelle: seedless
- Nectarine: seedless
- Peach: without stone
- sea buckthorn berry
- Watermelon: seedless, refreshing in summer
frequently asked Questions
When feeding the rodents, you should avoid grains of any kind. This also applies to acidic fruits such as oranges. Onions, garlic and leeks are just as taboo for guinea pigs as legumes and cabbage in large quantities. also potatoes, rhubarb and more exotic fruits like avocado and coconut don't belong on the feeding list. Plants that are toxic to humans are usually toxic to guinea pigs as well.
As a decoration in the enclosure of guinea pigs, for example, are suitable Spruce or fir, since they are only lightly nibbled on. Christmas trees should not be used because they are mostly sprayed.
In the garden, for example, boxwood, Alpine hamlets, columbines, Wisteria, Christmas roses or peonies poisonous. Roses are non-toxic to guinea pigs, but because of the spines, they should only be eaten by animals that do not have dental problems.