Some Things To Consider When Adopting Older Cavies

This was submitted by Michiko Vartanian  from the website Guinea Pig Today. Thanks! Submit ideas, suggestions, and posts in our "submission' gadget on the right side of Critter Corner's site. We love to get submissions from our readers!

Of the many considerations that go into choosing the right pet for a family, life span is certainly right near the top of the list. And, while guinea pigs have many wonderful qualities that make them a great choice for a family pet, their average 5-7 year life span gives some people reason to pause. Many people (and probably everyone reading this article) consider their pets to be a member of the family. Our love for our guinea pigs, while possibly different than our love for a human member of our family, is no less strong, and our attachment no less important. So adopting an animal who will be considered a “senior” after just a few short years has its definite drawbacks in the sense that we know going in that we will be having to say goodbye way too soon.

I adopted my first guinea pig, Ethan, when he was almost four years old, and his cagemate, Hobbes, was just over a year old. My adoption counselor at Orange County Cavy Haven made sure that I understood his age and that I really meant to adopt that particular pig. I responded to this email immediately and in no uncertain terms – I wanted Ethan, yes, that pig. The thing is, as I looked through the adoptable pigs on the website, his face just jumped out at me. I fell in love with his picture, and then proceeded to fall in love with the real thing as soon as I held him. Unfortunately, Ethan was only with me for a year and a half (although his “brother,” Hobbes, is still as feisty as ever at five and a half years old now). Of course, I would have loved to have him longer – he was the perfect first guinea pig with a huge personality and he hooked me for life – but I take so much comfort in the life I was able to give Ethan for the time he was with me. He was able to free roam, which he loved. I showered him with treats, toys, and affection. What more could any piggy want?

Then there was Alfredo. Alfredo had been a “sanctuary” pig with the rescue and had many different foster moms along the way. He came to me at nine years old. I was actually just supposed to baby-sit him for a week, but I fell so in love with him and was able to convince his foster mom that he should stay with me because I lived only a block away from the cavy vet and, with his age, that was a major consideration. Alfredo lived with me for only a year, but he was able to free roam and he just loved having so much freedom and a younger boar friend whom he could “show the ropes” to. Because of his advanced age, I had to give him meds for arthritis and for his heart every day, and I had to do boar cleanings on him more often to avoid impaction, but this only made me bond with him more.

There is something so wonderful about taking in an older guinea pig and making those last years of his life special, giving him a place to call home. At Cavy Haven, it is very rare that someone wants to adopt a pig older than one and a half or two years old. This means that many of our pigs live out their lives as fosters. And, although our fosters take very good care of their foster pigs, it often makes me sad to see older pigs – who have so much love and joy to bring to a family – get passed over time and time again.

I hope that anyone considering adopting their next family member, will take a closer look at the older pigs. After all, there is no guarantee with any pig that we get to love them for anything more than just today. And I think you will find that giving an older pig a forever home and a family brings with it so much joy that you won’t regret your decision.

Traveling with Your Guinea Pig

Recent surveys show that most pet owners consider their pet as part of the family. Along with this trend, cavies are traveling more with their owners than ever before. Before your vehicle leaves the driveway, here are a few tips that will make the trip safe for both you and your guinea pigs. Whether you are bringing your guinea pigs for a lengthy stay at the beach house or holiday cabin, remember that changes can be stressful for them. We personally don’t recommend traveling more than two hours with your guinea pigs unless absolutely necessary. Many rescues won’t let you adopt a cavy from them if you live outside of this range. The most common reason for travel is to see the veterinarian. In many areas you may be required to travel an hour or more to find a qualified exotic vet to give your guinea pigs the proper care. For this reason alone, it’s best to be prepared for your guinea pigs’ trip in the car. Allowing your cavies to simply rest on a seat in your vehicle is extremely dangerous; they will naturally want to explore. Not only can this be distracting to the driver, it can leave your pets vulnerable if you were to hit the brakes unexpectedly or happened to be in an auto accident. Just like children, your pets should be restrained in the back seat where they are safe from the dashboard air bag. Even on a short trip, it’s best to plan for the worst so you can both travel in safety and comfort. Another similar danger is to allow your pets to travel in a cage. It might seem kind on a trip to give them space to roam during your travel time, but your pets could be thrown around and seriously injured. If you must travel with a small cage, make sure the cage is properly secured. Do not use any heavy objects inside like a wooden house. Soft cozies and tunnels are a better option. Line the cage with blankets or towels instead of particle bedding. The best option for your guinea pigs is a well-ventilated pet carrier. Small cat carriers are often better options than most small pet carriers sold at pet stores which your guinea pigs can quickly outgrow. If your pets are new to a carrier, purchase it ahead of your trip and allow them to explore it and freely walk in and out. During the trip, make sure it is placed in an area of your vehicle that is not crowded so your guinea pigs get plenty of fresh air but not wind or direct sun. Line the carrier with blankets or towels. Secure the carrier to prevent it from being thrown. Never put any pet in the open bed of a pickup truck. “The best option for your guinea pigs is a well-ventilated pet carrier… During the trip, make sure it is placed in an area of your vehicle that is not crowded so your guinea pigs get plenty of fresh air but not wind or direct sun.” Do not leave your guinea pig unattended in the vehicle. The temperature and humidity in the car can change quickly and dramatically once you are gone; this risks serious, often fatal, health problems for your pet. In addition, pet owners can be prosecuted under anti-cruelty statutes that specifically forbid leaving a pet alone in a parked vehicle. Guinea pigs are most comfortable in temperatures between 65 and 80 degrees with approximately 50% humidity. Your guinea pigs can easily develop a respiratory infection if the environment is too extreme or constantly changing so try to keep the vehicle feeling comfortable and consistent for the length of your trip. If you are forced to take a longer drive, plan to take breaks where you can clean up after and visit with your pigs. It can be dangerous for your pets to eat while moving. Even when still, guinea pigs are known for choking on small pieces of food. On a longer trip, make regular stops so your pets may eat and drink. Remove any uneaten food before you continue your trip. Clean up any urine and bring extra blankets and towels to swap out the bedding so your guinea pigs are not lying in wetness. We often use puppy pee pads under the blankets when traveling. It’s convenient to pack an empty plastic bag to store the wet blankets and towels in. One topic to which you need to give serious thought is whether it’s best to travel with your guinea pigs together or separate. While it might be safer for them to each have their own carrier, it will be less stressful for them to be in the situation together. Often it depends on your situation and the personality of the pigs. If you find traveling with your guinea pigs might not be in your pets’ best interest there are options. Many local rescues offer a pet-sitting service with qualified caregivers for the price of a donation. Also check with your vet to see if they offer exotic pet housing. Another option is to look for a pet-sitter in your area but be certain they know how to properly care for your guinea pigs and have a contingency plan in place for emergencies. Some guinea pig owners find it’s best for them to teach a trusted family member, friend, or neighbor how to care for their pigs and let the pigs visit their home for a short time. Your guinea pigs may even enjoy being spoiled by a visit to grandma’s house. Whatever you decide, it’s best to take your guinea pigs to visit your vet before a lengthy stay away from home. A qualified exotic vet may be difficult to find at your destination. Travel with a copy of your pets’ health records. In the event of an emergency, it can be a matter or life or death. Always make sure that your pet-sitter has a copy of your pets’ medical records. With proper planning, you and your guinea pigs can travel in comfort and safety.

Cavies Outdoors? Why It Simply Cannot Be Done

There are many good reasons why an outdoor guinea pig isn't a great idea. I know last time I posted, I included a bit of info on why the cage location for your cavy shouldn't be outdoors. GuineaLynx, a popular cavy website on health and care states, "Do not house your cavies outside: Temperature fluctuations can be very hard on your guinea pigs. Predators sometimes break into cages. A guinea pig inside will receive better care as you will catch health problems more quickly."

And here is another great website link that thoroughly describes this. http://guineapigsaustralia.com/oudoor%20housing.htm

And a UK website has a very nice statement in an article I've read:

"Indoor guinea pigs can have a spacious cage custom built around or over your furniture and storage. Indoor cages smell less without all that wood soaking up urine. Hutches do smell faster, and guinea pigs have much more sensitive noses than we do - they love to be clean. An indoor cage can be placed in a living room or other busy room and they will adjust their times of sleep to coincide with yours and your working hours. They will get excited and greet you even when they don't want fed. They will follow you around the room, come to fetch you from another, and most importantly of all, from all this observation you can spot illnesses far more quickly.

Guinea pig care and medical knowledge has improved drastically in the last 10 years, even in the last 5 years. Library books and vets are out of date, even the animal welfare organisations that bend over backwards for larger animals are failing smaller animals, including guinea pigs.

Just ask yourself this. Would you keep your cats or dogs in wooden boxes in your garden?

Guinea Lynx, Cavy Spirit, and Guinea Pig Cages all advocate indoor guinea pig living. Doing a search on any of the forums will provide you with plenty of the sad stories of illness and death that have befallen outdoor guinea pigs, on a far bigger scale than any of the illnesses we all sadly come across in any guinea pig."

Finally, there are several links I'll give you from the news about the dangers of outdoor piggie living(all supplied from the above UK website).

Dangers of Outdoor Housing:
Summer is Coming. Should You House Your GP Outside?
Outdoor vs Indoor
UK GP housed outside dies of heatstroke
GPs stolen from outdoor cage
2 GPs in outdoor cage killed by dog (on Animal Precinct)
HAWK, drops guinea pig in someone's yard
Violent thugs batter family pets to death
Thread about people breaking into outdoor hutches and sheds
2 guinea pigs stolen from outdoor shed
Guinea pig attacked by rats in shed
Magpies attacking GPs in their outdoor hutches
4 GPs dead. Cause is a suspected mouse infestation in shed and garden
Ant infested yard and hutches
Warning for those keeping animals(outside) I accidently cut that part off. LOL.

Guinea pigs stolen from "Cavy Sanctuary"
GPs stolen from outdoor garden
More Guinea pigs die of heatstroke
Guinea Pig Killed by Cat
Guinea Pigs Being Attacked by Cat

Alright. Here are the described reasons I wrote.

First of all, there's the temperature issue. Outdoors it is much too cold or hot for your pet guinea pig, and is is nearly impossible to keep your cavy warm enough. Why is the temperature such a big deal? The hair of a guinea pig is no thicker than the hair on a human head. And as we all know from being made to wear hats in the autumn and winter as small children, that hair doesn't keep you very warm! On top of that, guinea pigs lack the ability to sweat, meaning that when they heat up they have no physical way of cooling themselves down again. The death rate of pigs kept outside in summer, or even left unattended in a run is sadly high.

If you have not read my post (about guinea pig safety), it says that 

The link to the US Department of Agriculture site is here: http://awic.nal.usda.gov/final-rules-animal-welfare-9-cfr-parts-1-2-and-3

You will find several parts about outdoor housing which includes the part about guinea pigs. It's hard to find, but it's there.

I looked for outdoor guinea pig laws in Canada, Austrailia, the UK, etc, but all I found was several laws that had a lot to do with crossing the borders and such. When you cross Canada's border you must register guinea pigs and rabbits and other small animals, and I know for Austrailia you MUST have your bunny in quarantine before they can travel with because there has recently been myxomatosis(bunny disease) outbreaks in Austrailia. I found things like that but I couldn't find any outdoor guinea pig laws. 

Guinea pigs can literally die overnight from heatstroke. They have sensitive skin and their fur can make them very hot.

This picture is of a guinea pig suffering heatstroke. He is not dead, and if his owner acts quickly by wrapping him in a towel soaked in cool water, he may live. (By the way, this is a spitting image of my guinea pig, Iggy! Just realized that)

An overheated guinea pig will lie in water bowls and drink excess water.

Not just heat can kill a piggie. Guinea pigs don't tolerate cold as well as rabbits do. They have no fur on their feet and their ears are very sensitive.

A guinea pig that looks like this may be too cold - 

Huddling together and the fur with a ruffled appearance is a sure sign of a cold cavy. A shaking pig is also a sign of being too cold.

Guinea pigs do much better indoors because it is just too difficult to keep them warm or cool. Guinea pigs have much more of a health risk because of this reason than their indoor counterparts.

Next reason is, predators. The below image shows a very spacious, secure hutch. Most hutches like this are. 

So, why are us guinea pig enthusiasts so concerned about predators? Guinea pigs are incredibly shy, sensitive animals. Just the mere sight of a fox or coyote near the hutch, or a raccoon trying to open a latch or tear at the fencing can kill a guinea pig. They will run in a frenzy, wheeking and squeaking, trying to escape the predator. Sometimes the predator is the one who kills the cavy, other times they just die in fright. They can literally get a heart attack, leaving puzzled owners wondering why the guinea pig is found dead without a scratch.

Next reason is parasites. Guinea pigs can easily get little bugs like fleas, ticks, and even intestinal parasites brought on by feral cats and dogs nearby. If you have an outdoor guinea pig, it is guaranteed that they have some sort of bug.

This is a guinea pig with a flea problem:

Gross, huh? Then here's another picture of a guinea pig that unfortunately got ticks as well as ringworm. Guinea pigs indoors don't get these type of parasites unless there's another infected pet, then they do have a possibility of getting these nasty blood-sucking parasites.

Next reason is a quickie. Guinea pigs are much healthier indoors anyways, but if they do get sick, their owners can spot the problem right away. Outdoor guinea pigs aren't easy to care for - it can be hard to go outside to care for them everyday. No person can stay outside for as long as they can inside.

Here's a very important reason: outdoor guinea pigs receive much less attention than indoor piggies. They are bored with lack of human attention. Did you know - 

That's right. Three hours! Guinea pigs need tons of human interaction to be healthy and happy - even more if they are kept single.

So, after reading this, what do you think of keeping a guinea pig outdoors? It's not just for good health, there's really no reason to keep a companion animal if you're going to keep it outside away from you. You'll never get to enjoy the popcorning, the funny antics, and the joy of keeping pigs as pets. 

Unsafe Vegetables, Fruits, and Plants for Guinea Pigs

FOOD / PLANT / FLOWER		Notes
Aconite
Anemone (windflower, tumbleweed)
Autumn crocus
Avodaco		Any kind – Too high in fat.
Baked goods (cakes, cookies)
Beans		Any kind – causes gas/bloating.
Bishop’s Weed (Ammi majus)		May contain toxic levels of nitrates.
Black locust
Buttercup
Caladium
Caster oil plants (castor bean, palma)
Cherry trees (wild and cultivated)
Chiles
Christmas pepper
Clematis (virgin’s bower)
Coconut		Any kind – Too high in fat.
Coffee, soda		High in sugar, caffeine.
Cycads
Daffodil (narcissus, jonquil)
Dairy products
Daphne
Delphinum (larkspur, staggerweed)
Dicerna (bleeding heart, dutchman’s breeches, squirrel corn, turkey corn)
Diffenbachia (dumb cane)
Elderberry
Elephant ear
English ivy
Euphorbia (annual poinsettia, mexican fire plant, fire-on-the-mountain, snow-on-the-mountain)
Four-o’clock
Foxglove
Garland flower
Garlic		Poinsonous.
Glory lily (climbing lily, gloriosa)
Golden chain
Goutweed (Aegopodium podagraria)		See Bishop’s Weed
Ground Elder (Aegopodium podagraria)		See Bishop’s Weed
Gyacinth
Hydrangea
Holly
Horseradish		Too pungent.
Hot herbs and spices
Lettuce – Iceberg		Low nutrition, high water content.
Iris
Indian spurge tree (pencil tree, malabartree, pencil cactus, monkey fiddle)
Jack-in-the-pulpit
Jerusalem cherry
Jams, jellies, fruit preservatives		High sugar content.
Jasmine
Juice		High sugar content.
Lantana camera (red sage)
Laurels
Lilac
Lily-of-the-valley
Marsh marigold (cowslip)
Matrimony vine
Mayapple
Meadow saffron
Meat
Mistletoe
Monkshood
Mountain laurel
Mushrooms (amanita muscaria&amanita phalloides)		Poinsonous.
Nightshade
Nuts		Any kind – too high in fat.
Oaks
Oleander
Olives (canned)		Pickled or brined vegetables are NOT safe for guinea pigs
Paprikas
Peppers – hot and chiles
Philodendron
Phytolacca (poke weed, poke berry, ink berry)
Pickled vegetables (dill, pickles, capers, sauer kraut)
Pine needles
Poinciana (bird-of-paradise)
Poison hemlock
Potato and potato tops (leaves)
Pothos
Potatoes		Poisonous if green or sprouted. Yams and sweet potatoes are OK in moderation.
Privet
Pyracantha (firethorn)
Raw beans
Rhododendron (laurels, rose bay, azalea)
Rhubarb		Poinsonous.
Rosary pea
Seeds		Choking hazard.
Snowdrop
Snow-in-the-mountain (Aegopodium podagraria)		See Bishop’s Weed
Soda, soda pop		High in sugar, caffeine.
Spring adonis (pheasant’s eye)
Star-of-bethlehem
Strelitzia (bird-of-paradise)
Sweet pea
Taro		Dangerous of eaten unprepared or raw.
Tea
Tomatillo – leaves and stalk		Poisonous.
Tomato – leaves and stalk		Poinsonous.
Trumpet flower (chalice vine)
Water hemlock
Wisteria
Yellow oleander (lucky nut, tiger apple, be-still-tree)
Yew

Dangerous Guinea Pig Food List - Unsafe Foods, 4.5 out of 5 based on 40 ratings

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The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly of Guinea Pig Dry Food

There are tons of brands out there. Some have nuts, some don’t. Some have fruit bits, some have this hay, that hay, blue flakes, red flakes, and everything in between. After doing a lot of reading, I found the right food for my piggie.

Most of the cheaper brands are flashy. These are the foods we want to buy because they look good and taste good to the piggies, but unfortunately they are the ones to stay away from. These foods are usually a mixture of pellets, colorful pieces (flakes or pellets), nuts, seeds, and/or fruit bits.

So, what is it that guinea pig dry food should look like? A bag full of pellets and nothing else is the best way to go. The seeds and nuts in mixture foods are high in fat. Often times the mixtures include sunflower seeds. Be aware! Sunflower seeds in the shell are dangerous, not just because of high fat content, but because the shells splinter into sharp pieces that can cut and get stuck in your piggie’s mouth and throat. Sunflower seeds in the shell are often included in guinea pig treats as well, so be sure to look them over before purchase. The colorful pieces are usually just puffs, which are not nutritionally bad. However, there is the concern of artificial coloring. And, in general, when given a choice between healthy pellets and tasty fruity bits or treat-like seeds and puffs, your piggie will probably turn to what tastes best and miss out on the nutrition they need.

Last but not least, there remains the question of Ascorbic Acid, aka Vitamin C. Guinea pigs have a mutated gene that prevents them from converting glucose to ascorbic acid. Basically, like humans, guinea pigs can’t synthesize their own Vitamin C. In order to ward off scurvy, diet must provide it. Most guinea pig dry foods claim to have added Vitamin C. The problem is, it loses its potency over time. You must be careful to check the expiration date on the package, as the added Vitamin C is only active for 3 months after the pellets were produced, provided it has not been exposed to high heat or other conditions that would break it down faster. Even so, the best way to provide your piggie with their 15-25 mg per day of Vitamin C is through fresh foods. While oranges and kale are very high in Vitamin C and great for your piggie every now and again, oranges are highly acidic and kale makes gas. The best fresh veggie to keep your piggie Vitamin C’d up is bell pepper. While red, orange, and yellow peppers contain more Vitamin C than the regular green, 1/8 to 1/4 of a bell pepper per day is the perfect veggie (in addition to others such as romaine lettuce, carrots, cucumbers, or peapods!). If you feel you need a liquid or pill Vitamin C supplement, do your research. Never add it to drinking water! There is no guarantee your piggie will drink enough, and it also loses its potency fast. Still, fresh foods, if fed correctly, eliminate the need for supplements.

Never feed a guinea pig dry food made for rabbits! Though the pellets look similar, rabbits can make their own Vitamin C. Thus, the pellets do not contain any.

How can you refuse?

The good to the bad

Oxbow Cavy Cuisine

We’ll start off with my number one favorite and recommendation. Not only does my piggie love it, it’s one of the best foods out there. It’s made from high-fiber timothy hay, not alfalfa. This is a must for mature guinea pigs, ie, 9 months to 1 year and older. Alfalfa is fatty and rich, and in older pigs it leads to weight gain and health problems like diarrhea. Cavy Cuisine also does not use chemical preservatives, artificial colorings, animal fat, or corn. It has a balanced calcium-to-phosphorus ratio for a healthy urinary system. But what I like most about Cavy Cuisine is that it contains a stabilized form of Vitamin C with a 12-month shelf life. Although I still like to adhere to the “buy the freshest pellets possible because Vitamin C potency goes down”, it is one extra way to ensure that your piggie gets plenty of Vitamin C. Oxbow also makes Cavy Performance, made with alfalfa for young, pregnant, or lactating piggies.

Kleenmama’s Hayloft Timothy Choice Pellets

Another excellent food. This is a high-fiber timothy-based pellet with the correct calcium-to-phosphorus levels and a high amount of stabilized Vitamin C. This brand also contains none of the harmful preservatives or artificial colorings. From researching the website, this is a brand I would like to try in the future, as she grows and sells a variety of hays depending on the season. An alfalfa-based pellet is also available.

Sweet Meadow Timothy Guinea Pig Pellets

A timothy-based pellet with an Oxbow-similar 12-month shelf life stabilized Vitamin C, this food is also a great choice. Optimum calcium for a healthy urinary system Sweet Meadow also produces a Timothy/Alfalfa mix pellet, which luckily contains for timothy than alfalfa.

Burgess Excel Guinea Pig

According to their site, Burgess Excel is the UK’s number 1 vet-recommended food for fibrevores. High in fiber (36 %), the crunchy nuggets, not pellets, come in Regular flavor and Blackcurrant and Oregano. It also has a high Vitamin C content and counts among its first 10 ingredients grass, hay, and peas. In fact, the only reason I would be hesitant about this food is that those first 10 also include lucerne (another name for alfalfa) and maize (corn). Corn in guinea pig food is just like corn in cat or dog food: a filler with no nutritional value. Regardless, reviews from users are always fantastic, speaking of its fresh scent and their healthy piggies. Plus, Burgess is an established, trusted brand.

ZuPreem Nature’s Promise Premium Guinea Pig Food

At first glace, this seems a winner: natural, made from timothy hay, and not as expensive. Unfortunately, after timothy hay the next two highest ingredients are ground corn and corn gluten meal, which as stated above are fillers and useless. Okay Vitamin C, if it is fresh. Final thought: while there is definitely worse you could be feeding your piggie, there certainly is better.

Health Select Natural Guinea Pig Diet

Though containing alfalfa-based pellets, this mixture food does contain timothy hay. Plus, it’s free from preservatives, artificial colorings, and flavors. And, though a mixture, it does not have the treat pieces found in other foods. The food provides adequate Vitamin C, so all in all, it’s a decent cheaper brand. But, because it’s alfalfa based, you’ll want to keep on eye on your piggie’s weight and feces.

LM Animal Farms Bonanza Gourmet Diet Guinea Pig Food

The Bonanza version of LM’s dry food is a nice surprise. The pellets are still alfalfa-based, but timothy hay is an ingredient. And though it does have added dried fruit and such, the ratio of treats to pellets is not that bad. Like the Health Select Natural, it would be an okay food, but recommend mixed with a higher quality like Oxbow or Kleenmama’s.

Vitakraft Menu Guinea Pig

While I am usually a fan of Vitakraft products, this guinea pig food is a let-down. Low in fiber, alfalfa-based, and containing a mixture of things including extremely hard, impossible to chew dried corn kernels and peas in addition to little treats, it’s not the food to choose. That doesn’t rule out Vitakraft in general, however, a Germany-based company that produces excellent treats, hay, and raw-based diets.

Sun Seed Sunaturals Natural Guinea Pig Food

An alfalfa-based mixture food with high corn content and relatively-low Vitamin C content.

Sun Seed Sunscription Vita Prima Guinea Pig Formula

Also an alfalfa-based mixture food with lots of corn.

Kaytee Timothy Complete Guinea Pig

A pelleted, timothy-based food with an unfortunate low Vitamin C content. While there are no treats mixed in, my worry is the preservative ethoxyquin, one of the most debated preservatives used in dog foods.

Kaytee Fiesta Guinea Pig

An alfalfa-based mixture food. Okay in fiber, but contains a whole lot of dried fruits and nuts your piggie only needs as treats. Contains ethoxyquin.

Nutriphase Guinea Pig Formula

Alfalfa-based pellet formula with high corn content and quite low Vitamin C. Contains ethoxyquin.

Nutriphase Gold Guinea Pig Formula

Pretty much the same as the non-Gold version, except it includes some timothy hay, peas, and crunchy treats. Contains ethoxyquin.

Supreme Pet Foods Gerty Guinea Pig Original Food (the real stuff)

A mixture food with tons of alfalfa (3 different forms!), low vitamin content (many users report dull coats, among other thing), and lots of treats and crunchy bits for your piggie to sift through, this food affords for a picky piggie. It also contains the preservative BHT.

Gerty Guinea Pig (the bulk stuff)

Often pet stores will buy various foods in bulk, package them themselves in plastic bags, and sell it. Guinea pig dry food is sometimes labeled as Gerty Guinea Pig. This stuff is even worse than the real stuff. From the long time it sits on the shelf and the air exposure, the vitamin content goes down quickly and the food becomes stale. It is usually full of treats. Preservatives vary.

Kaytee Exact Rainbow Guinea Pig

Instead of a pellet or nugget, this food is made up of crunchy, rainbow-colored logs and circles. That in itself is a turn-off for me as a pet food buyer. Think of all the artificial colorings! Besides that, it’s alfalfa-based and full of preservatives. Contains ethoxyquin.

Mazuri Guinea Pig Diet

Much like ZuPreem, this pelleted food looks good: no treats, and a high Vitamin C content. It even says it uses a stabilized form of Vitamin C that lasts longer. But the alfalfa-based nature of the food and the addition of animal fat preserved with BHA makes it a no-go.

8 in 1 Essential Blend for Guinea Pigs

An alfalfa and corn-based mixture food with lots of seeds, nuts, alfalfa, and crunchy treats.

8 in 1 Ecotrition Organic Guinea Pig Food

Interestingly enough, the 8 in 1 organic food would appear to be less beneficial. Though true that the alfalfa and veggies used are USDA-certified organic, the Vitamin C content is low. Regardless, it’s just another mixture food with a fancy label.

LM Animal Farms Guinea Pig Food

With alfalfa-based pellets and a lack of vegetable ingredients save soybean, there really isn’t any point to buying this food unless you can use it for crafts.

LM Animal Farms Vita Vittles Gold Total Diet for Guinea Pigs

Similar to the normal LM Animal Farms food, there’s really no reason to buy this pellet. In addition to the alfalfa pellets, it includes some veggie bits and ethoxyquin.

Kaytee Forti-Diet Pro Health Guinea Pig Food

A basic alfalfa pellet with preservatives.

Kaytee Supreme Daily Blend Guinea Pi Diet

A basic alfalfa pellet containing ethoxyquin.

The bottom line

Just as you would for any pet, be conscious of what you are feeding your piggie. Look for timothy hay-based pellets for adult guinea pigs without added nuts, seeds, crunchy bits, or dried fruits. Alfalfa for adult piggies can cause weight gain, kidney stones, bladder stones, or calcium crystals in their urine. Read the ingredients to check for preservatives such as BHA, BHT, and ethoxyquin. These may cause health problems like dry skin, allergic reactions, and dental disease, as well as stimulate harmful effects on liver and kidney functions. And even though good quality, Vitamin C rich pellets like Obxow, Kleenmama, Sweet Meadow, and Burgess cost a little more than the others, it’s well worth it for the health and happiness of your piggie.