You may have noticed the influx of diet blogs we've been posting! The fruits (or veggies) of our labor is here: The Guinea Pig Vegetable Master List.
Watch this short video for a summary!
Of course, this vegetables list doesn't include every vegetable that exists on planet Earth, but it does include the common ones that you are likely to find at your local grocery store! As guinea pig parents, it's important for us to know which foods are safe for our piggies to eat, as well as how often and how much we should be serving. A carefully balanced diet is the cornerstone of health and well-being for your guinea pigs!
Guinea pigs need about one cup of fresh fruits and vegetables daily to supplement their regular diet of hay and pellets, so it's important to include a balanced variety to make sure they're getting all the vitamins and minerals they need.
In the vegetable list below, we've included links to each vegetable's individual blog post for more in-depth reading, along with some quick nutrition facts and serving suggestions. Each blog provides an in-depth discussion of the vitamins and other nutrients found in each vegetable, and the benefits or concerns they present to guinea pig's health. 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.
Check out our Fruit Master List too!
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 spears 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 these 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 | Yes! Cabbage is healthy and your piggy will love the crunch. |
| Carrots | 5.9 mg | 0.6:1 |
1-2 one in. slices |
2-3x/week | Are they as good for your guinea pigs as they are crunchy? 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! |
We hope this will be a useful guide for you to refer to as questions arise, but at the end of the day, the best thing to do when figuring out what's best for your guinea pigs' diets is to carefully monitor them and their bodies' reactions! If there are changes in their behavior, their urine, or their poops, then it's a sign to either reduce the amount of something you're giving them, or stop altogether!
19 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.
Sorry if this is a stupid question, but I assume all of these are raw right? Even the sweet potato, corn and pumpkin?
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.
should i give them like a fruit cup like carrots bell peppers watermelon oranges all together or just one thing a day
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.