LogoPet-1.png
BestForPets is reader-supported. Your purchases via our links may earn us an affiliate commission at no extra cost to you. Our Affiliate Disclaimer

The 10 Best Guinea Pig Foods & Pellets

It is generally known that guinea pigs, like many other small livestock, need a significant amount of hay each day.

This will provide them with the fiber they need for good digestion as well as the chewy food they need to maintain a youthful set of teeth.

That said, guinea pigs are very versatile and can accommodate a wide range of diets with their fiber needs.

Among commercial guinea pig feeds, pellets are the most popular.

Pellet meals will provide your guinea pig with a nutritious, balanced diet, as they can't pick the good ones and leave the good ones behind.

A good pellet food will give your guinea pig the fiber and vitamins and nutrients it needs for healthy teeth and bones, a healthy coat, and a strong immune system.

It can be difficult to find the best foods for your loved one. To save you time and energy, BestForPets (bestforpets.org) researched and reviewed a wide variety of guinea pig foods to help you choose the best guinea pig foods & pellets for your pet.

Instruction Manual for Shoppers

You should feed your guinea pigs pellets. They have the potential to supply your guinea with the full spectrum of nutrients it needs to thrive, from protein and fiber to vitamins and minerals.

Your guinea won’t be able to pick out the delectable goodies and leave the healthy bits of the pellets, because the pellets contain everything your guinea needs. When selecting guinea food, there are a few things to keep in mind.

Ingredients

Guinea pigs require a high-fiber diet. This promotes good digestion and helps their rapidly developing teeth stay nice , short and strong. Alfalfa hay and timothy hay are common sources of the fiber.

Adolescent guineas benefit greatly from alfalfa hay, but feeding large amounts to adults is not recommended. Vitamin C is an essential nutrient for guinea pigs, who are unable to produce it themselves.

Essential oils included in omega-3 fatty acids are beneficial for your guinea’s skin and coat.

Things to Stay Away From

It’s vital not to offer your guineas heavy quantities of sugar, as this can lead to obesity and even diabetes. Pellets with additional fruits and vegetables should be avoided or used sparingly.

Dried fruit is one component of these mixtures, but some also include seeds and nuts, which are not guinea pigs’ natural diet. Your guinea will certainly appreciate these snacks, but they should preferably only be given as an occasional treat.

Any forms of artificial colorants or flavors should also be avoided, as they might create health difficulties.

Only young guineas or guineas who are pregnant or nursing should be fed alfalfa hay because of the high levels of calcium and fiber it contains.

Overfeeding your guinea alfalfa, which naturally contains a lot of calcium, is not necessary after your pet reaches adulthood, and may actually be harmful to its health.

Conclusion

Our research shows that Oxbow Cavy Cuisine guinea pig food is the best pellet food for guinea pigs. Stable vitamin C helps keep the immune system strong and gives adults all the fiber and minerals they need.

Kaytee Forti-Diet Pro Health guinea pig food is the best pellet food for guinea pigs. They are reasonably priced, include a variety of grains, including oats and wheat for protein, and will provide your guinea pig with everything it needs to thrive.

Finding the ideal pellets for your pet can be a time-consuming and frustrating process. BestForPets (bestforpets.org) hopes that our in-depth reviews have helped you discover the best guinea pig foods & pellets by eliminating some of the less desirable alternatives.

Reviews

Cavy Cuisine Adult Guinea Pig Food from Oxbow Essentials is the Best Brand Overall

Cavy Cuisine pellets are made by the trusted Oxbow pet food company, recognized for producing nutritious food with your pet’s health in mind.

Adult guineas have different dietary requirements than newborns, thus these foods are formulated accordingly. Although these pellets provide less calcium, protein, and high calories than what developing guineas need, they nevertheless provide the fiber the animals need for proper digestion.

It has been formulated with a unique calcium-to-phosphorus ratio and stabilized vitamin C to improve overall health and immunological function.

Only guinea pigs older than six months should consume the pellets since they have been formulated to resemble the normal diet of an adult guinea pig. Users have noted that the meal might crumble quickly, leading to a lot of unused dust in the bag.

Pros

  • Designed with adult guinea pigs in mind
  • Ratio of calcium to phosphorus that is optimized for certain uses
  • Vitamin C that has been stabilized for optimal immunological function.

Cons

  • Pellets break up easily

 

Quality and Value in Kaytee’s Forti-Diet Pro Health Food for Guinea Pigs

We found that Kaytee’s Forti-Diet Pro Health guinea pig chow was the highest quality option available for the price. Your guinea pig will get all the nourishment it needs at a reasonable price from this.

It includes sun-dried alfalfa hay for digestive fiber and a variety of cereals including oats and wheat for protein. In addition to containing prebiotics and probiotics, which aid digestion and promote gut health, it is supplemented with DHA and omega-3 essential oil for improved cardiovascular and visual function.

These pellets are made with components selected with guinea pigs in mind, and have a texture that makes them easy to chew. Your guinea’s nutritional needs will be met in their whole with this food.

According to some customers, their guinea pigs refused to consume the meal because of its peculiar odor. This one detail prevents it from becoming our number one pick.

Pros

  • Inexpensive
  • Easily chewable texture
  • Has both prebiotics and probiotics
  • Dietary problems solved in full

Cons

  • It’s not edible to all guinea pigs.
  • Inexplicable Odor

 

Adult Guinea Pig Food – Oxbow Organic Bounty, the Best Option

Oxbow’s Organic Bounty guinea pig chow is a high-quality organic product, and as such, it comes at a hefty price. The expensive cost is justified by the fact that this organic food will satisfy all of your guinea’s nutritional requirements.

Because guinea pigs don’t make it on their own, you’ll need to provide them with a bio-available vitamin C supplement. To guarantee that they obtain the proper quantity of vitamin C, these pellets have been fortified with a stable form of the nutrient.

Your guineas will be able to digest their food thoroughly and maintain healthy, short teeth thanks to the organic, high-fiber hay that is included in the package.

This meal is made from certified organic components and comes from certified organic farms to provide your guineas with the highest quality food possible while yet being close to their natural diet. Due to its expensive price, it falls just short of our top two picks.

Pros

  • Supplemented with vitamin C that has been stabilized
  • Ninety-five percent organic content
  • Full of healthy, natural fiber

Cons

  • Expensive

 

All-In-One Guinea Pig Food by Kaytee & Timothy

For a healthy digestive system and clean teeth, feed your guinea pig the Kaytee Timothy Complete hay blend. Ingredients including alfalfa meal, wheat, and oats complement the fiber-rich sun-cured timothy hay in this blend.

It’s formulated to meet the unique nutritional needs of adult guineas, which differ from those of their younger counterparts. Adult guinea pigs on a diet excessive in calcium and protein may have problems with their urinary tract and become overweight. They’re easy to chew and have no artificial tastes or colors.

In large enough quantities, the alfalfa in this meal can induce kidney stones in adult guineas. Some customers also said their guinea pigs wouldn’t eat it because of the strong flavor.

Pros

  • High-Fiber Content
  • No synthetic preservatives, tastes, or colors
  • Designed with adult guinea pigs in mind

Cons

  • Alfalfa is included.
  • Strong-smelling

 

For Adult Guinea Pigs, Choose Oxbow Garden’s Select

Oxbow’s Garden Select line is an all-inclusive feed that’s perfect for grown guinea pigs. Dried tomato, whole yellow pea, and herbs like rosemary and thyme are just a few of the garden-fresh ingredients it boasts.

The three distinct types of hay included in the blend all contribute fiber for proper digestion and the stimulation of chewing to maintain a set of small, strong teeth in your guinea.

All of the components are grown in the United States, guaranteeing their superior freshness, and the product has been certified as non-GMO. Your guinea’s immune system will flourish and its coat will shine because to the high vitamin C content.

Users have noted that their guineas would not eat it since the pellets are bigger than normal. It’s easy for them to collapse, creating useless dust at the bag’s base.

Pros

  • Has the added flavor of tomato and yellow peas.
  • Hay of three distinct varieties
  • Verified to be Free of Genetically Modified Organisms
  • Produced in the USA only.

Cons

  • Big pellets
  • It’s simple to break apart pellets.

 

The Mazuri Timothy Formula for the Guinea Pig

Mazuri’s Timothy Hay Comprehensive Diet is a year-round, complete hay diet made to satisfy your guinea’s dietary needs. Overfeeding an elderly guinea on alfalfa hay, which is lower in protein and can lead to obesity, can cause gastrointestinal problems.

Omega-3 rich flaxseeds promote healthy skin and coats, while probiotics aid digestion, and yucca is included as a natural taste in these pellets. Stabilized vitamin C is added for support of the immune system.

You won’t need to take any other vitamins or minerals because this meal is a full nutritious package.

Users have complained that their guineas refuse to eat it because to the overwhelming chemical aroma.

Pros

  • Total Dietary Supplements
  • Extremely rich in omega-3 fatty acids, making it ideal for maintaining a healthy coat and skin.
  • Vitamin C content has been stabilized.

Cons

  • Even though it’s formulated for guineas, not all of them will consume it.
  • Odors of chemicals are quite strong

 

Guinea Pig Food: ZuPreem Nature’s Promise

All the fiber your guineas need is in ZuPreem’s Nature’s Promise, so their digestive systems can thrive. Immune support is ensured by the addition of stabilized vitamin C to the already high-fiber timothy hay.

This food is loaded with omega-3 flaxseed and vitamin E, all of which are essential for maintaining your guinea’s coat health and voluminous appearance.

Included weed-free timothy hay is created in the USA to guarantee freshness and has been tested and monitored for pesticides to ensure it is safe for your guineas to consume.

However, over use of this meal by senior guineas might lead to renal problems due to the alfalfa included therein.

Pros

  • Contains Vitamin C that has been stabilized
  • Omega-3 and vitamin E content.
  • Pesticide monitoring and testing

Cons

  • Alfalfa is included.

 

Superior Selective 4216 Guinea Pig Food from the Department of Animal Science

Supreme Petfoods’ Science Selective Guinea Pig Food is an ideal choice for your pet’s diet. It has a high fiber content to promote a healthy digestive system and contains linseeds, which are a good source of omega-3 oils for healthy skin and a lustrous coat.

Since guineas are unable to produce their own vitamin C, they require a daily supplement like this one. Your guinea’s teeth will stay in good shape thanks to the crisp, granular texture of the single-ingredient kibble, and there are no sweets or syrups added.

Due to the size of the pellets, this meal is best suited for older pets. Although it is claimed that there is no additional sugar to the pellets, cane molasses is listed as an ingredient.

Pros

  • Incorporates linseeds, a source of beneficial omega-3 oils.
  • Vitamin C content has been stabilized.
  • Crispy, light, and airy pellets.

Cons

  • Pellets, Large
  • Uses cane sugar

 

Hartz Pellets for Guinee pigs

Hartz guinea pellets are complete and balanced, so they’ll provide all the nourishment your guinea pig needs.

The pellets have been enriched with vitamin C, antioxidants, and omega-6 fatty acids for skin and coat health, and omega-3 fatty acids for heart health. The high fiber content from the timothy hay is also great for your guinea’s digestive system.

Bear in mind that alfalfa, which is found in this product, can be toxic to adults if consumed in big quantities. Your pig may have trouble eating the pellets since they contain both tiny and large food.

It’s not beneficial for your guinea’s health because it has artificial coloring and preservatives. However, several guinea owners have complained that their pets refuse to consume it.

Pros

  • Included vitamin C fortification
  • Do not forget the omega-3s and the omega-6s!

Cons

  • Pellets, Large
  • Made with synthetic flavors and dyes and preserved using artificial ingredients.
  • Some guinea pig owners claim their pets refused to consume it.
  • With traces of alfalfa

 

Healthful Dietary Supplements for Guinea Pigs by Vitakraft

The fruit and vegetable blend and natural probiotics in Vitakraft’s guinea pellets are great for the digestive system and the immune system.

Moreover, the omega-3s in these foods will help your guinea’s intellect and eyesight, and the vitamin E and antioxidants will keep his skin and coat in good condition.

Some of the “treats” in this cuisine should not be fed to your guinea on a daily basis. According to reviews, your guinea will waste less pellets and more goodies because of how readily they crumble.

Because the provided treats are not mixed together with the pellets, your guinea is at risk of developing an incomplete diet. Your guinea may get overweight or develop diabetes because to the high sugar content of the fruit.

Pros

  • Vegetable and fruit selection is rather broad.
  • Including live probiotic cultures.

Cons

  • A few potentially hazardous constituents
  • It’s simple to break apart pellets.
  • High levels of sugar
  • Food pellets are sold independently of treats.

Author Image

Dr. Barry Buttler

Dr. Barry Buttler, DVM, MS, DACVIM, is an experienced veterinarian who specializes in the care of small animals, specifically dogs. Dr. Barry K. Buttler is a member of the American Veterinary Medical Association and holds multiple certifications in small animal emergency medicine and geriatric pet health.

Veterinarian (DVM) Dr. Barry Buttler

Comment

0.0
Rated 0 out of 5
0 out of 5 stars (based on 0 reviews)
Excellent0%
Very good0%
Average0%
Poor0%
Terrible0%

There are no reviews yet. Be the first one to write one.

Related articles