By Robert Turberville
Wild guinea pigs or cavies are mainly grazers and live off plants and the stems, leaves and seeds of grass. Pet cavies thrive on grass, hay, fresh vegetable matter and grain.
Grass and Hay
Grass and hay form the principal part of a guinea pig's diet. The safest way of giving them access to grazing is to use a movable ark which can be moved frequently onto areas of fresh grass. Very fresh grass clippings can be used but they must not be left to wilt and ferment nor previously treated with any chemical fertilizers, weed killers etc. Feed good quality meadow hay to your pets. Quality hay is green in color, sweet smelling and should not contain harsh weeds such as thistle and dock. Use a hay rack for feeding to keep it off the floor otherwise it will get trodden and messed on.
Wild Plant Food
Many wild plants may also be fed to guinea pigs and are a useful part of their diet. Dandelions and groundsel are a favorite food plant of guinea pigs, but other weeds commonly found in lawns and flower beds can be safely given to your pets. These include chickweed, clover, coltsfoot, cow parsley, shepherd's purse, sow thistle, vetch and yarrow. Plants to be avoided because they may be poisonous, including bindweed, bryony, buttercup (unless dried), dock, dog's mercury, foxglove, laburnum, nightshade, (common and deadly), poppy, privet, ragwort, sorrel, wild clematis, wild arum, wood anenome and yew. Only feed those plants which you have a positive ID on; if in doubt leave it out. Plants from the roadside or fields may have been affected by road pollution or agricultural spray drift and these are best left where they are - stick to your garden or a known safe plot to gather weeds.
Raw Fruit and Vegetables
Raw fruit and vegetables help provide a regular vitamin C intake. Unlike a squirrel, your pet cavy does not use it's front feet as hands so give them their fruit and vegetables cut up into chunks. They appreciate celery, melon or lettuce leaves which they enjoy but, like dandelion, too much lettuce will cause them to pass urine frequently.
Cereal Food
Cavies need some cereal foodstuffs each day because, unlike their wild cousins, they do not have access to plentiful grass seed heads They can be fed on crushed oats, proprietary grain mixtures sold for guinea pigs, wholemeal bread and possibly bran fed twice a day either dry or moistened with hot or cold milk or water which is the way bran should always be fed.
Feeding Cleanliness
Left over food in feeding bowls may go sour especially in hot weather so remove bowls between feeding times. Guinea pigs trample over their empty food bowls or sit in them and use them as a toilet, and will get pretty smelly. Removing the bowls gives you the chance to give them a good wash before putting in fresh food at the next feed. Don't forget that cavies are grazers and eat little and often so fresh food needs to be available at all times of the day and night. Leave them hay and vegetables to feed on overnight.
Water and Supplements
Guinea pigs can get part of their water needs from fresh vegetable food but water must always be on hand for them to drink from. Drip feed bottles are a popular way of providing clean water but need scouring occasionally to stop the build up of algae. Useful supplements include a mineral lick (bought from a pet shop); cod liver oil in winter; and one 250mg tablet of vitamin C dissolved in water.
