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Best Guinea Pig Food for 2022

A guinea pigs diet is mostly made up of grass, nutritional pellets and a small number of fresh vegetables daily.

Unlike a lot of other animals, guinea pigs can’t formulate Vitamin C by themselves. Pellets and suitable vegetables should be packed with this, so are a great way for them to get all of their daily intake of nutrients without the feeding process becoming too complicated.

Hay doesn’t provide much nutritional value but is needed in order for their constantly growing teeth to stay ground down and to regulate digestion.

These are the best hay and pellet options for your guinea pig’s diet.

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    Our Top Picks

    Image Product Details
    Oxbow Orchard Grass
    • Good alternative to Timothy hay
    • Soft texture
    Check Price
    Burgess Excel Tasty Nuggets with Blackcurrant and Oregano
    • Added flavouring to appeal
    • Balanced ingredients for a healthy diet
    Check Price
    Extra Select Guinea Pig Nuggets
    • Bestseller
    • Stays fresh
    Check Price

    The Top Guinea Pig Hays and Pellets Reviewed

    1.
    Oxbow Orchard Grass

    Orchardgrass hay has a sweet, fresh taste and smell which animals can’t resist (according to Oxbow and a whole host of animal owners).

    This makes it the perfect addition to a herbivore’s diet, as it is appealing to ensure they are getting all they need every day. This blend is high in fibre and low in protein, which ensures healthy digestion without affecting their weight or causing obesity.

    It can be mixed with other varieties of hay to give a selection of sweet, crunchy and hearty tastes which will keep them munching for hours. It can also be given to guinea pigs of all ages, whether growing or mature.

    Because it is soft, you should preferably alternate with a harsher blend to ensure their teeth wear down.

    Features

    • Good alternative to Timothy hay
    • Soft texture

    Specifications

    • Size: 1.1kg
    • Type: Hay

    2.
    Burgess Excel Tasty Nuggets with Blackcurrant and Oregano

    Containing 36% beneficial fibre to ensure your piggies digestion keeps regular and steady, these nuggets are brilliant to ensure your pet gets all the nutrients they need.

    They contain high levels of vitamin C as well, which is essential and they can only get through their food. The addition of blackcurrant and oregano doesn’t just increase the appeal taste-wise but also boosts their greens intake.

    Every nugget is the same, so it will prevent selective eating. They’re good for all ages, too, so if your pig happens to absolutely love them, you don’t need to phase them out and find an alternative as they get older.

    Features

    • Added flavouring to appeal
    • Balanced ingredients for a healthy diet

    Specifications

    • Size: 2kg
    • Type: Nuggets

    3.
    Extra Select Guinea Pig Nuggets

    Suitable for all guinea pigs no matter age, size or breed, these pellets are perfect for an easy complete diet in conjunction with hay and forage.

    It is available in a nice big 10kg size, great if you have several pigs. This makes it brilliant value of you are after the best budget option.

    Not only are they great value, but almost every single user review which has been left for it gives a glowing 5* rating. Guinea pigs enjoy the food, eat every pellet to ensure they’re getting their daily diet needs, and it comes with no extra packaging either which is good if you are conscious of waste.

    They also seem to keep fresh for ages, so if you are concerned about storing or keeping a 10kg bag in top condition, just fold down the bag to stop the air getting in and the vitamins should remain in place.

    Features

    • Bestseller
    • Stays fresh

    Specifications

    • Size: 5kg, 10kg
    • Type: Nuggets

    4.
    Burgess Excel Herbage Timothy Hay

    Timothy hay is perhaps the classic blend and variety, and hay, in general, is the best source of fibre for any small animal to keep their digestion in check.

    The Excel blend takes things up a notch, though. With the added dandelion, your small animal’s urinary tract is kept healthy and it also makes it tastier. Marigold content contains lutein which has natural anti-viral properties to help support your small animal’s immune system.

    Timothy hay is one of the roughest blends, so is great for getting your guinea pig’s teeth gnawing and ground down. Mix with sweeter options such as orchard grass for a real variety.

    Features

    • Dried to reduce dust content
    • Compressed bag for easier storage

    Specifications

    • Size: 1kg
    • Type: Hay

    5.
    Harringtons Optimum Guinea Pig

    A brand which is well-known in the animal feed world, for pet owners who want their animals to have the absolute best but not spend the earth doing so.

    This huge 10kg bag will keep you stocked up for months at a pinch, cutting back on your next-day ordering or last-minute trips to the shops. They’re all-in-one nuggets to cut out fussy eating, and the added Vitamin C is essential for wellbeing.

    Calcium and phosphorous also add to healthy bones and teeth, to improve general health. Fibre and the added prebiotic also boost digestion, and there are no added artificial colours or flavours.

    Features

    • Huge bag
    • Omega 6 & 3 for a healthy coat

    Specifications

    • Size: 10kg
    • Type: Nuggets

    6.
    Science Selective Guinea Pig

    A food which is recommended by vets in order to give your piggie a balanced diet with every bite.

    Each individual pellet is packed with nutrients, and they’re all the same to combat fussy eating. Used alongside roughage to help their teeth, these pellets can help your pig to intake their daily need of vitamins and digestive aids.

    Regular nuggets mean no waste from selective feeding, and as there is no added sugar, they are suitable for guinea pigs who are diabetic or maybe on a restricted diet to tackle weight issues.

    We love how it is available in a choice of sizes, so you can opt for a 10kg bag if you have multiple pigs or a smaller one if you’d prefer to ensure they’re as fresh as possible.

    Features

    • High in fibre
    • Prebiotics for better digestion

    Specifications

    • Size: 1.5kg, 3kg, 10kg
    • Type: Nuggets

    7.
    Nature's Touch Guinea Pig

    A complete food such as this is best suited to guinea pigs who haven’t displayed fussy or picky eating in the past, and given as an addition to hay.

    It contains a blend of hay, vegetables, flowers and plants for some variety, which is great if you don’t want to give them the same old hay and pellets every day, or if they perhaps don’t like nuggets or greens.

    The pellets included in this blend are smaller than standalone options, which will also be welcome for smaller breeds or those who don’t seem to touch standard sizes. There is a great number of stalks included too, which gives them the tougher texture needed for teeth health.

    Mixing a little bit in with their hay means they shouldn’t get too addicted to this, and will also help make it a bit more economical for your wallet.

    Features

    • Supplement
    • Added carrot for taste

    Specifications

    • Size: 1.45kg
    • Type: Mixed

    8.
    Friendly Green Oat Readigrass

    Oat grass is great for guinea pigs, as it contains a great amount of fibre and is tough to keep their teeth in check.

    It should primarily be used as more of a ‘treat’ hay, mixed in with their main Timothy or orchard grass. They should only have it in small amounts but it is appealing stuff, so be careful not to overfeed them as they will eat all they are given.

    The drying process from Friendly retains the goodness without the water, so it tastes fresh. Oat grass can also work out as a bit cheaper than other varieties, especially as it is only a treat option as opposed to the main bulk of their hay. With this purchase, you get 4kg overall, which is great value for the price.

    Features

    • Good price
    • Tasty to appeal

    Specifications

    • Size: 4 x 1kg
    • Type: Hay

    9.
    Vitakraft Verde Hay and Dandelion

    VitaVerde hay is harvested and sun-dried, so it retains the maximum level of nutrients while being safe for your pig to eat.

    The rough texture is good for their ever-growing teeth, and it includes dandelion. This doesn’t just boost the taste and appeal but also stimulates kidney function to ensure a good digestive system and overall health.

    As a bonus, Vitakraft hay is picked and packed by hand to ensure the best quality, so there will be no dodgy looking bits of hay or grass split throughout.

    Features

    • Small bag for storage
    • Smaller blades of grass for easier eating

    Specifications

    • Size: 500g
    • Type: Hay

    10.
    Wagg Twitch Guinea Pig Food

    A super healthy complimentary guinea pig feed, this bag of Wagg are an ideal nuggety extra for guinea pigs on 85% hay or grass diets.

    Designed to give guinea pigs all the nutrients and goodness they miss from their main diet, these nuggs contain extra vitamin C which guineas naturally lack, plus linseed to promote a healthy coat.

    There’s also a bunch more vitamins and minerals included, all packed into one nugget to help avoid selective feeding and provide a balanced diet!

    Features

    • Huge bag size
    • Affordable price

    Specifications

    • Size: 10kg
    • Type: Complimentary Feed (Nuggets)

    Buying Guide

    Guinea Pig Diets

    Food for your guinea pig must always be suitable for that specific animal – pellets and nuggets for rabbits or other small animals should not be used.

    Hay

    Like rabbits, roughage makes up the majority of their daily diets. They should always have some hay on, as it helps them to chew and grind down their teeth. Guinea pig teeth are always growing throughout their life, so they need something fibrous to gnaw on.

    It also contains fibre to help their digestive system moving. It can be surprising how much they eat, so keep everything topped up.

    A mix of timothy, orchard, and oat is best. Alfalfa contains too much calcium to be their main source of hay but is okay for an occasional treat

    Pellets

    Many owners will choose this as an easy option for the majority of their fresh greens intake, and keep the vegetables as a treat or supplements.

    Plain pellets, as opposed to mixed varieties, are best to avoid picky eating. The same applies to muesli, which can cause selective eating

    Greens

    A large part of a guinea pig’s diet but most is often given in the form of pellets for ease. Around one teacupful of greens per day, such as green peppers, parsley, romaine lettuce and tomatoes, can give them some variety.

    Fruits such as watermelon, strawberries and bananas also act as greens, but these are like candy to a piggy so must be restricted to a slight piece once or twice per week!

    Mixed Food

    As mentioned above, plain pellets or nuggets are the best options for the majority of small animals as it prevents selective eating and means they don’t just pick out the tasty additions.

    But mixed food or muesli can be good for the occasional addition to your pigs daily food, as the alternative textures and tastes mean they don’t get bored.

    Just keep an eye and ensure they don’t just pick out the vegetable flakes and leave the rest.

    Vitamin C

    Guinea pigs can’t create or store this naturally so need a constant supply. This is why they need fresh veggies, and you must ensure pellets contain enough vitamin C for your pet.

    Other Buyers Ask...

    How Much Food Should I Give My Guinea Pigs Every Day?

    Ideally, you should give 30-50g of pellets per piggie per day. This is on top of a constant supply of hay and fresh water.

    It is therefore important to check how much you are buying before you purchase. A 1kg bag should do one average-sized pig for just under one month, so you may wish to set up repeat deliveries or set reminders if you will need to buy food regularly.

    They should have a continuous supply of as much hay as they want, and around a teacup of veggies per day as a vitamin boost.

    Does My Guinea Pig Need Water?

    Yes! All animals do. You should keep a  constant supply of fresh tap water in a glass or plastic bottle attached to their cage which they can reach.

    Clean this regularly and change the water daily to prevent bacteria build-up.

    Is There Anything My Guinea Pig Can’t Eat?

    Their stomachs are very sensitive, so even a slight bit of the wrong food can cause upsets. To be sure, only give them hay, pellets, and the approved fresh greens.

    Human food is pretty much out of the question, and they are herbivores, so don’t give them the dog’s leftover ham. Meat is actually poisonous for them.