Confused about food

[Charlotte3333]

We are planning on getting two female guinea pigs once the lockdown is over. However I’m finding the different posts about food a little overwhelming! I realise that guinea pigs need unlimited hay, a small amount of pellets, vegetables and water. What brand of pellets do most people use and what basic vegetables do they need and how much?

Thanks for everyone’s help

 

[Siikibam]

When it comes to pellets, once you get them keep them on the pellets they’ve been eating then you can gradually change them to another type of you want. Example, my piggies were on burgess excel but I changed them over to harringtons. They only need a tablespoon a day each.

The important thing with veg is not to regularly feed fruits or those high in calcium (parsley, kale, spinach). There are some staples you can feed every day - cucumber, pepper, coriander and lettuce (except iceberg). I’ll link some threads for you.
Nugget Comparison Chart
Long Term Balanced General And Special Needs Guinea Pig Diets

 

[Piggies&buns]

It can seem overwhelming at the beginning!
The guides that siikibam has linked in are very useful.

Pellets - just one tablespoon per pig per day
Veg - approx one cup per pig per day

I use science selective grain free pellets but they get so few of them. I am very cautious about feeding pellets and I drastically underfeed them - mine actually only get about half a tablespoon per pig per day. It’s the least important part of the diet.

I feed cucumber, pepper, lettuce and coriander daily. I may throw some other things in if I’ve got them but if not it’s just the basic I’ve just mentioned. I am not so rigid on the veg portions though - some days they get more than a cup each, some it won’t be so much. If they’ve been on the lawn eating grass all day, then I’ll only give them a small portion of veg (perhaps a couple of sprigs of coriander and a couple of small slices of pepper).

 

[Charlotte3333]

Thanks for the help.

Do baby guinea pigs still only need a small amount of pellets?

 

[Piggies&buns]

Thanks for the help.

Do baby guinea pigs still only need a small amount of pellets?

Yes, still limited
Hay is the main part of the diet.

If you feed special baby guinea pig pellets, then they have one tablespoon per day. I think the packaging will say suitable until six months of age, but having such baby piggy pellets is not necessary. Youngsters can still eat the normal adult pellets. I personally have never used baby pellets - my boys were four months old when I adopted them so they just went onto normal adult pellets at one tablespoon per day
If you feed youngsters normal adult pellets, then they can have two tablespoons but this only applies until four months of age when you need to reduce them down to one tablespoon per day.

 

[Skullblits]

Something to bare in mind when you get them. Is to introduce them to new veggies slowly. Otherwise you could end up with piggies having upset stomachs and potentially runnie poos