Foods guinea pigs should not eat: the list explained
Potato, garlic, avocado, tomato vines, iceberg: the foods not to give a guinea pig, why according to the sources, and what to do if one is eaten.
Feeding — Guinea pig
Everyday feeding for guinea pigs: hay, vegetables, pellets, vitamin C and foods to avoid.
Start here: guinea pig feeding
Guinea pigs cannot make their own vitamin C, so their diet has to supply it every day, alongside unlimited hay that wears down their teeth and keeps their gut moving. This section helps you build that diet, choose vegetables and pellets, and spot the foods that unbalance it or are toxic.
Each guide answers one specific question: amounts, choosing a food, vitamin C sources, diet changes. The guidance comes from veterinary sources and does not replace professional advice if your guinea pig is eating less or losing weight.
- Unlimited hay
- Daily vitamin C
- Foods to avoid
How much vitamin C does a guinea pig need?
Guinea pigs cannot make vitamin C. Daily needs by source, pellets, vegetables, when to consider a supplement and why it should never go in the water.
What do guinea pigs eat? The daily diet explained
Unlimited hay, fresh vegetables, a small portion of pellets and water: a guinea pig's daily diet, with the reference amounts from veterinary sources.
Vegetables for guinea pigs: vitamin C and calcium table
Vegetables to give often, as treats or not at all, with their vitamin C and calcium content from the ANSES-Ciqual 2025 food composition table.