What Guinea Pigs Eat Every Day
Three things, every day: hay that never runs out, a small measured portion of plain pellets, and fresh vegetables. The MSD Veterinary Manual says a guinea pig should eat about its own body size in hay, 1 to 2 teaspoons of pellets and 1 to 2 cups of fresh produce a day, with a focus on produce that is high in vitamin C. Fruit is a small treat, not part of the meal. Our care guide covers the rest of the day, and the hay guide covers the hay.
Vitamin C Foods
Guinea pigs cannot make vitamin C. The MSD manual says they need at least 10 mg per kilogram of body weight a day, which is about 10 mg for an adult, and more when pregnant. Red and green capsicum (bell pepper), parsley, kale, tomato and spinach have a lot of it, and the manual lists broccoli and red cabbage too. Vitamin C in pellets breaks down over a few months, and the manual does not recommend adding it to the water. Fresh food, given every day, is the plan.
The manual also notes that guinea pigs offered a wide mix of produce, 7 to 10 types or more, were less likely to develop bladder stones in a 2025 study, so rotate what you buy instead of feeding the same two things.
Yes, Sometimes, Never
Wash everything, serve it at room temperature, and introduce one new food at a time. Sudden changes upset their stomachs.
| How often | Foods |
|---|---|
| Every day, a few kinds | Capsicum (bell pepper), cucumber (kheera), coriander (dhaniya), romaine or gem lettuce, parsley, celery, carrot tops |
| Often, with the above | Mint (pudina), basil (tulsi), cabbage, cauliflower |
| A treat, a few times a week at most | Broccoli, spinach (palak), kale, a small piece of tomato, a small piece of apple or pear |
| Rarely, a small piece | Carrot, mango, banana |
| Never | Onion, garlic, potato, iceberg lettuce, avocado, coconut, citrus fruit, rhubarb, lawnmower clippings |
Where the sources differ we have gone with the stricter one. The RSPCA allows small pieces of carrot as a treat, while the MSD manual says carrots should not be fed, so we put carrot under rarely. The RSPCA and the MSD manual do not name papaya or guava, so ask your vet before you try them.
Anything cooked, salted, spiced or sweet is on no safe list, so leave it out. That covers roti, rice, biscuits, namkeen and sweets. Dry mixes full of seeds, dried fruit and coloured bits are not a good buy either: Woodgreen warns they can hurt teeth and urinary health.
Fruit: Mango, Banana and the Rest
Fruit is high in sugar, so it is a treat for once or twice a week. A vet-reviewed PangoVet guide says mango should be a maximum of about 5 percent of the diet, with the skin and stone taken off, and about one square inch of fruit, served on one day or spread over two days in the week. It lists banana as a rare treat, because it is very sweet. Seeds must always come out. Our vitamin C section shows how to get vitamin C from vegetables instead of fruit.
Buying and Serving
- Buy small amounts, so what you feed is always fresh.
- Wash and dry everything before you feed it.
- Give half in the morning and half in the evening.
- Watch the droppings. The RSPCA says that if eating changes or droppings reduce or stop, see a vet at once.
What Guinea Pigs Eat Questions
Can guinea pigs eat mango?
Yes, as a rare treat. Take off the skin and stone, give about one square inch, and no more than once or twice a week. It is very sweet.
Can guinea pigs eat coriander?
Yes. Coriander (dhaniya) is on Woodgreen’s list of safe herbs and is a good daily green. Wash it well.
Can guinea pigs eat cucumber?
Yes. The RSPCA lists cucumber among the foods guinea pigs can eat often, and says sliced cucumber is a favourite. Give capsicum too, for a good share of vitamin C.
Can guinea pigs eat carrots?
Only as a small, rare treat. The RSPCA allows small pieces as a treat, and the MSD manual says carrots should not be fed because they are sweet. Carrot tops (the leaves) are fine.
Can guinea pigs eat roti, rice or biscuits?
No. Cooked, salted and sweet foods are not on any safe list. Stick to hay, plain pellets and fresh vegetables.
How much vegetable does a guinea pig need each day?
The MSD manual says 1 to 2 cups of fresh produce a day, with a focus on vitamin C. Split it between morning and evening and rotate the kinds.
Sources
- MSD Veterinary Manual, housing and nutrition: hay, 1 to 2 teaspoons of pellets, 1 to 2 cups of produce, vitamin C foods, and no vitamin C in the water.
- MSD Veterinary Manual, nutritional problems: at least 10 mg of vitamin C per kg a day.
- RSPCA, guinea pig diet: what they can eat often, as a treat, and never.
- Woodgreen, guinea pigs: your day to day guide: safe herbs and vegetables, and foods to avoid.
- PangoVet, can guinea pigs eat mango: how much, how often and how to prepare it (vet reviewed).