What kinds of vegetables can guinea pigs eat? post

GuineaDad Vegetable Master List: What kinds of vegetables can guinea pigs eat?

You may have noticed the influx of diet blogs we've been posting! The fruits (or veggies, we suppose) of our labor is here: The Guinea Pig Vegetable Master List.

Of course, this doesn't include every single vegetable that exists on planet Earth, but it does include the common ones that you can find at your local grocery store! It's important for you as guinea pig parents to know what is safe for your piggies to eat, as well as how often and how much. This is the cornerstone of taking good care of your guinea pigs!

Guinea pigs need around one cup of fresh fruits and vegetables to supplement their regular diet of hay, so it's important to include a balanced variety.

Below is a chart linking to each vegetable's blog post, along with some quick nutrition and serving facts. Each blog goes into detail about the vitamins and other nutrients in vegetables for guinea pigs. We recommend doing all your reading and homework here on anything you may be considering adding to your guinea pig's diet!

We've also taken the liberty of including the Ca:P (calcium to phosphorus) ratio, so you can quickly gauge which veggie combos work for your guinea pig! All of these nutrient amounts are for 100 g portions.

Click on each blog to learn more about nutritional benefits of each individual vegetable for guinea pigs.

THE GUINEA PIG VEGETABLE MASTER LIST
Vegetable Name Vitamin C

Ca:P

Suggested Serving Amount When Yes or No?
Asparagus 5.6 mg 0.5:1

2-3 half in. slices

1-2x/week Yes, they're pears of deliciousness.
Beets 4.9 mg 0.4:1

1-2 quarter in. slices

 

1-2x/week Is this going to stain? Maybe a little! Can they eat it? Yes!
Bell Peppers

Green 80.4 mg, Red 127.7 mg

Green 0.5:1, Red 0.5:1

2 half in. slices

2-3x/week Your piggy's favorite colorful snack. Yes!
Bok Choy 45mg 0.35:1 1 stalk 2-3x/week Yes, and it's sooo good for them!
Broccoli 89.2 mg 0.7:1 1 in. floret 1-2x/week Can the piggies eat the mini trees? Yes, in moderation.
Brussels Sprouts 85 mg 0.6:1 3-4 leaves 1-2x/week They look like tiny cabbages, but should your piggy eat them? Yes, very sparingly!
Cabbage 36.6 mg 2:1 1 leaf 2-3x/week Yeah, cabbage is kind of boring, but can your piggy eat it? Yes!
Carrots 5.9 mg 0.6:1

1-2 one in. slices

2-3x/week Is it as good as it it crunchy for your guinea pig? Yes!
Cauliflower 48.2 mg 0.5:1 1 half in. floret 1-2x/week The mini trees part two! Only a little bit though.
Celery 3.1 mg 1.6:1

2-3 one in. slices

2-3x/week Crunchy water...is it good for them? Yes!
Cilantro 27 mg 1.4:1 10-20 stems 1-2x/week It may taste like soap to you, but what about your guinea pig? Yes, they can have it!
Corn 5 mg 0:02:1 2-3 kernels 1x/week Not that great for them, but they can have it occasionally!
Cucumbers 2.8 mg 0.7:1

1-2 one in. slices

2-3x/week Crunchy water part two! (And yes, they can have it.)
Green Beans 16.3 mg 1:1

1-2 full beans

2-3x/week Guinea pigs are the cutest beans, but are green beans good for them? Yes!
Kale 93.4 mg 2.4:1 1-2 leaves 1-2x/week Super food, but is it super good for your guinea pigs? Only in small amounts!
Lettuce 1.9 mg 0.8:1 1 leaf almost daily There's different kinds...better read up on 'em all!
Okra 23 mg 1.3:1 1 full piece 1-2x/week Crunchy and tasty. (And yes, they can have them)
Pumpkin 9 mg 0.5:1

2-3 half in. cubes

1x/month Are they good for your guinea pigs or are they spooky and bad? Kinda spooky, kinda good. Only have a little!
Rosemary 21.8 mg 0.2:1 2-3 leaves 1x.week Only in very small emounts!
Spinach 28.1 mg 2:1 4 leaves 1-2x/week Yes, the Popeye effect is imminent!
Sweet Potatoes 2.4 mg 0.8:1 1 half in. cube 1x/month Yes, but never give them regular potatoes though!
Tomatoes 13.7 mg 0.2 1 in. cube 1x/week Is this technically a fruit? Yes. Did we include it here anyway? Also yes. Can they eat it? Also yes.
Turnips 21 mg 1.1:1

1 half in. cube

1-2x/week Yes, crunchy munchy and so good to your piggy.
Watercress 14.6 mg 2:1

2-3 stalks with leaves

1-2x/week Yes! Water-rich and great for hydration.
Zucchini 17.9 mg 0.4:1 1-2 in. slice almost daily Just as tasty as it is good for them!

Of course at the end of the day, this is just a guide for you to refer to, but the best thing to do when figuring out what is best for your guinea pig's diet is to carefully monitor them and their bodies' reactions! If there are changes in their behavior, their urine, or poops, then it's a sign to either reduce the amount of something you're giving them, or stop altogether!

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14 comments

Hi George – yes, your assumption is correct, the veggies should be raw. Raw vegetables provide essential vitamins, minerals, and fiber that are important for a guinea pig’s overall health.

Paula

Sorry if this is a stupid question, but I assume all of these are raw right? Even the sweet potato, corn and pumpkin?

George

This info is very much needed. Maybe some will discontinue giving a pizza size plate of fruits and vegetables every day for each gp.
Also helpful for seniors getting back into cavies to learn information not available 30 or 40 years ago. Thank you for sharing this with us.

Terry Lee

should i give them like a fruit cup like carrots bell peppers watermelon oranges all together or just one thing a day

Dixie

Thank you for all your information on fruits and veg. It seems I was feeding my 2 Boys Way too much fruit and veg. Wow I didn’t realize I was giving apples daily carrots daily. I just feel like sometimes they’re so bored and all they want to do is eat, but thank you so much for your advice. I will definitely put this concept into feeding times.

Maureen Thurston

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