Feeding Your Pet Guinea Pig

Guinea pigs are well-developed at birth and, within a few days are already eating hay and pellets. They are strict herbivores, and like rabbits, are hind-gut fermentors that practice cecotrophy (ingestion of cecotropes, also known as night feces- see more of cecotropes under the rabbit section of our website).  Ingestion of cecotropes serves as a source of B vitamins, proteins and energy.  As hind-gut fermentors, guinea pigs digest much of their food in the cecum and colon (large intestine) which are located at the end of the digestive tract (hind gut) and are the place where cecotropes are made and stored. The cecum, a large thin-walled sac located at the junction of the small and large intestine, contains up to 65 percent of gastrointestinal (GI) contents. Within the cecum, bacteria and protozoa aid digestion of foods taken in by the guinea pig. Fiber, in the form of ingested grass hay, is needed for these bacteria and protozoa to stay in balance and function properly. Fiber also aids in maintaining normal GI motility. Without fiber the gastrointestinal tract may slow down and lead to indigestion.

Essential fiber can be provided by feeding the guinea pig free-choice grass hay. Pet Care recommends you feed unlimited quantities of timothy, orchard, meadow grass or oat hay.  Hay also helps prevent boredom by satisfying the guinea pigs innate desire to chew. In addition to hay, Pet Care recommends feeding Cavy Cuisine from Oxbow Animal Health.  This high-fiber pelleted diet, containing stabilized vitamin C, was designed to meet the specific nutritional needs of the guinea pig.

Vegetables with high vitamin C content can also be offered; these include turnip, mustard, dandelion, and collard greens as well as kale. Your guinea pig can be offered up to 1 cup of these vegetables daily after items have been gradually introduced and the amounts slowly increased.

Pet Care Veterinary Hospital recommends the Oxbow Animal Health line of guinea pig foods, supplements and hay. Feeding two ounces of the Oxbow Cavy Cuisine per pig daily provides essential vitamins and nutrients including adequate amounts of Vitamin C. Feeding timothy hay free-choice (as much as they want all day long) gives guinea pigs the roughage they need to keep their intestinal tract healthy.

The fiber needed for nutrition, proper digestion and to aid in normal dental wear comes from feeding grass hays. Variety is the spice of life and that includes the hay you feed your guinea pig. Oxbow Animal Health offers a variety of hays and Pet Care Veterinary Hospital recommends the timothy, orchard grass, oat or botanical hays for the adult guinea pig. Organic Meadow hay, Oxbow’s newest variety, is organically grown grass hay.

Guinea pigs are a loved and cared for pet in the eyes of their owners and as a result veterinary care for guinea pigs has increased. Health problems attributed to improper nutrition are not uncommon and may include vitamin C deficiency, gastrointestinal ileus or stasis, obesity,  and bladder stone development.

Signs of Vitamin C deficiency (scurvy) include hind leg weakness, gum inflammation, unkempt fur coat and sometimes bleeding in the joints or under the skin. Like humans, guinea pigs are unable to produce their own vitamin C and require a dietary source. Reported daily requirements of vitamin C range from 20-50 mg per kg of body weight per day. In order to prevent vitamin C deficiency and subsequent scurvy, Pet Care recommends feeding your guinea pig Cavy Cuisine, a pellet diet containing stabilized vitamin C.  If not eating an appropriate pelleted diet, offering a daily vitamin C supplement such as Oxbow’s Daily C tabs will ensure your guinea pig is receiving all the vitamin C it needs.

Gastrointestinal ileus or stasis (malfunction of the digestive tract due to gut slowdown problems) is commonly seen in guinea pigs on low fiber diets. Many times pet owners do not notice the signs associated with gastrointestinal slowdown until it is too late. Decreased appetite, a bloated or tense abdomen, along with lethargy and a decrease in the volume and size of feces passed are all signs of gastrointestinal ileus. Diets that incorporate high levels of indigestible fiber, in the form of free-choice grass hay, promote increased gut motility and thereby prevent this gut slowdown.

This x-ray of a guinea pig lying on its back shows evidence of increased gas in the intestinal tract (dark areas pointed out by arrows). This gas is the result of gastrointestinal slowdown, also known as GI stasis, and is quite painful. Guinea pigs with GI stasis will be off their food, have very small sized or no stools at all, and be quiet and inactive. Pigs in this condition are a medical emergency.

Obesity in guinea pigs can lead to respiratory, heart, and liver disease. Many guinea pig feeds contain high levels of fat, commonly over 3 percent and as high as 5 percent. These feeds may also contain corn, oats and other grains that are designed to appeal to the guinea pigs tastebuds, but raise the starch and energy content of the food. Obesity not only leads to the previously mentioned health problems, but can also prevent cecotrope ingestion, which is necessary for the maintenance of normal gastrointestinal health. In order to prevent obesity Pet Care suggests that guinea pigs maintain an active life style by encouraging exercise and by feeding a diet rich in grass hays and leafy greens. In addition, feed a pelleted diet such as Cavy Cuisine which was designed to prevent obesity byeliminating grains and adding sufficient fiber to aid in overall digestion. The minimum fiber level of Cavy Cuisine is 25 percent and the maximum is 28 percent thus providing a healthy balance of fiber and energy.

This guinea pig is overweight! Obesity in guinea pigs is most commonly the result of feeding too many pellets and not enough hay or greens. Feeding your pig as outlined is this article will go a long way in preventing many of the common health problems we see in guinea pigs on a daily basis.
(Photo Courtesy of Teresa Bradley Baines, DVM)

Urolithiasis (bladder stones) is another health problem in guinea pigs that may be related to diet.  Urinary tract infections may also predispose to development of bladder stones which research has shown to be primarily made up of calcium carbonates. As well, recent studies analyzing the nutritional background of guinea pigs that have developed bladder stones, has determined that feeding a  high fiber diet rich in hay, vegetables and fruits, and containing limited quantities of pellets, is more likely to prevent this frustrating medical problem. 

            

 This x-ray of a guinea pig lying on its side shows evidence of a bladder stone (arrow). Guinea pigs with bladder stones may show evidence of blood in their urine, have a decreased appetite and often are hunched up and act like they are in pain. This second photo shows the actual stone during surgical removal.

These nutritional pointers on how to feed your guinea pig will go a long way in preventing health problems and ensuring a better quality life for your pet.  Our goal at Pet Care is to help meet the nutritional needs of the guinea pig in a balanced and thoughtful manner.

Peter G. Fisher, DVM, Pet Care Veterinary Hospital

References

Hillyer EV, Quesenberry KE, Donnelly TM: Biology, husbandry, and clinical techniques [guinea pigs and chinchillas]. In Quesenberry K, Hillyer E, eds: Ferrets, Rabbits, and Rodents: Clinical Medicine and Surgery. Philadelphia, PA, WB Saunders, 1997, pp243-259.

Kupersmith D: A practical overview of small mammal nutrition, Seminars in Avian and Exotic Pet Medicine, Vol 7, no 3, WB Saunders, 1998: pp 141-147.