Guinea Pig Food Chart

Vitamin C is especially crucial for guinea pigs, as they cannot make their own and need to receive 100% of this nutrient from their diet. Vitamin C deficiencies lead to muscle loss, weakness, and an increased risk of illness. You can find the highest vitamin C foods highlighted in violet purple in the list below. Try to include at least one high vitamin C veggie in your guinea pig’s diet daily.

Calcium content is also a crucial component in your guinea pig’s diet. Piggies are prone to bladder stones, so be sure to balance each high-calcium food with 2-3 mid to low-calcium veggies. The lowest calcium foods in the list below are highlighted in bright turquoise.

Frequency Color Codes:

Green = Almost daily
Yellow = A few times a week
Blue = Once a week
Orange = A few times a month
Red = Rarely

Food	Frequency	Vitamin C	Calcium	Notes
Apples	Once a week	4.6mg	7mg	Remove seeds before feeding
Apricot	Once a week	10mg	13mg	High in sugar, feed a thin slice at a time
Arugula/Rocket Salad	Once a week	15mg	160mg	High in calcium, contains a hint of Vitamin C
Asparagus	Once a week	5.6mg	24mg	Introduce slowly; can cause bloating
Banana	A few times a month	8.7mg	5mg	Very high in sugar, feed in small amounts
Basil	Once a week	18mg	177mg	High in calcium; feed a few leaves at a time
Beet Greens	Once or twice a month	30mg	117mg	High in oxalates, can be toxic in large amounts.
Beetroot	Once a week	4.9mg	16mg	High in oxalates; Feed only small amounts
Bell Pepper, Green	Daily	99.5mg	7mg	Excellent source of Vitamin C
Bell Pepper, Orange	Daily	158mg	5mg	Excellent source of Vit C
Bell Pepper, Red	A few times a week	142mg	6mg	Higher in sugar but great source of Vit C
Bell Pepper, Yellow	Daily	139mg	7mg	Excellent source of Vit C
Blackberries	Once a week	21mg	29mg	High in sugar; feed in small quantities
Blueberries	Once or twice a week	9.7mg	6mg	High in sugar but rich in antioxidants
Bok Choy	Once a week	45mg	105mg	Introduce slowly; can cause bloating
Broccoli	Once or twice a week	89.2mg	47mg	Introduce slowly; can cause bloating
Brussels Sprouts	Once a week	85mg	42mg	Introduce slowly; can cause bloating
Butternut Squash	Once a week	21mg	48mg	Feed a small slice at a time
Cabbage – Green	A couple of times a week	36.6mg	40mg	Introduce slowly; can cause bloating
Cabbage – Red	A couple of times a week	57mg	45mg	Introduce slowly; can cause bloating
Cabbage – Savoy	A couple of times a week	31mg	35mg	Introduce slowly; can cause bloating
Cantaloupe/Rockmelon	Once a week	36.7mg	9mg	High in sugar. Remove rind and seeds
Carrots	A couple of times a week	5.9mg	33mg	Contains some sugar and is high in Vitamin A
Carrot Tops	Once a week	Unknown	Unknown	Nutrient-rich and high in calcium, exact numbers unknown
Cauliflower	Once a week	48.2mg	22mg	Introduce slowly; can cause bloating
Celery	A couple of times a week	3.1mg	40mg	Safe to feed stalks and leaves.
Chamomile Flowers and Leaves	A couple of times a month	Unknown	Unknown	Feed sparingly
Cherries – Sweet & Sour	Once a week	7mg	13mg	Remove pit; do not feed leaves or stem
Cilantro/Coriander	A couple of times a week	27mg	67mg	Avoid feeding to pregnant or injured pigs
Clover	Once a week or less	Unknown	Unknown	High in calcium, feed sparingly
Collard Greens	Once a week	35.3mg	232mg	Can be fed to young guinea pigs (under 4-6 months) more frequently
Corn on the Cob	A couple of times a month	6.8mg	2mg	Low nutritional value – feed occasionally
Corn Husks and Silk	A few times a week	Unknown	Unknown	Low nutritional value. Discard outer husks if not organic
Cranberries	Once a week	14mg	8mg	Feed fresh, raw cranberries, not dried!
Cucumber	Almost daily	2.8mg	16mg	High water content; safe to feed skin & seeds
Dandelion – Leaves, Root, Flower	Once or twice a week	35mg	187mg	Ensure they are pesticide-free!
Dill	Once or twice a week	85mg	208mg	Rich in calcium and great source of Vit C
Eggplant	Once or twice a month	2.2mg	9mg	Low nutritional value; feed sparingly Leaves and unripe eggplants are toxic
Elderberries	Once or twice a month	36mg	38mg	Large amounts can be toxic; do not feed leaves or stem.
Endive, Belgian/Witloof Chicory	Almost daily	2.8mg	19mg	Small yellowish heads are safe to feed regularly, but fairly low in nutrients
Endive, Curly	A few times a week	6.5mg	52mg	Safe to feed regularly & piggies love it!
Escarole	A few times a week	7.1mg	47mg	Safe to feed regularly & piggies love it!
Fennel	Once or twice a week	12mg	49mg	Safe to feed bulb and frond Green fronds are higher in calcium
Garden Cress	Once a week	69mg	81mg	Feed small amounts
Grapefruit	A few times a month	37mg	15mg	Acidic and sugary, feed sparingly
Grapes, Green or Red	Once a week or less	3.2mg	10mg	Sugary and low nutritional value
Grass, from outside	Daily	Unknown	Unknown	Pick by hand from untreated lawns only
Green Beans	Once or twice a week	12.2mg	37mg	Feed 1-2 beans at a time
Guava Fruit	Once a week	228mg	18mg	Acidic & sugary but excellent source of Vit C!
Honeydew Melon	Once a week	18mg	6mg	Remove seeds; the rind is safe
Kale – Green or Red	Once or twice a week	93.4mg	254mg	Very nutrient-rich but high in calcium; Great for guinea pigs under 6 months!
Kiwifruit	Once a week	74.7mg	35mg	High in sugar; feed small quantities
Kohlrabi	Once a week	62mg	24mg	Introduce slowly; can cause bloating
Lettuce, Boston Butter/Bibbs	Daily	3.7mg	35mg	Feed it along with higher-nutrient foods
Lettuce, Green Leaf	Daily	9.2mg	36mg	Feed it along with higher-nutrient foods
Lettuce, Red Leaf	Daily	3.7mg	33mg	Feed it along with higher-nutrient foods
Lettuce, Romaine	Daily	4mg	33mg	Feed it along with higher nutrient foods
Mango	Once a week	36.4mg	11mg	High in sugar; remove the skin and pit
Mint Leaves	Once a week	31.8mg	243mg	Peppermint and spearmint leaves are both safe to feed
Mustard Greens	Once a week	70mg	115mg	Nutrient-rich but fairly high in calcium
Nectarine	Once a week	5.4mg	6mg	Safe to feed with skin in small quantities
Okra	Once a week	23mg	82mg	Contains some calcium and oxalates.
Oranges	Once a week	59.1mg	43mg	Acidic & sugary, can also feed peels if organic
Oregano	Once a week	2.3mg	200mg	High in calcium; feed in small amounts
Papaya	Once a week	60.9mg	20mg	High in sugar.
Parsley, Curly and Flat-Leaf	A couple of times a week	133mg	138mg	Nutrient-rich but relatively high in oxalates
Parsnips	Once a week	17mg	36mg	Feed in small amounts; avoid the greens
Passionfruit	Once or twice a month	30mg	12mg	High in sugar, phosphorus & acidity
Peaches	Once a week	4.1mg	4mg	Safe to feed with skin
Pear	Once a week	4.4mg	8mg	Skin is safe but remove the seeds
Peas, Snow & Sugar Snap	Once a week	60mg	40mg	High in phosphorus and starch
Pineapple	Once a week	47.8mg	13mg	Avoid canned pineapple, skin, leaves & core
Plantain	Once or twice a week	20.2mg	2mg	Pick this weed from a pesticide-free area
Plum	Once a week	9.5mg	6mg	High in sugar, do not feed the pit. Skin is safe.
Pomegranate	A few times a month	10.2mg	10mg	High in sugar, do not feed skin or white membrane.
Pumpkin	A few times a month	9mg	21mg	Very high in Vitamin A – feed sparingly Remove seeds.
Radicchio	A few times a week	8mg	19mg	Bitter-tasting but often popular with piggies!
Radish	Once a week	14.8mg	25mg	Feed a thin slice per serving
Radish Leaves	Once a week	63mg	200mg	High in calcium; feed in small amounts
Rapini/Broccoli Rabe	A few times a month	20.2mg	108mg	High in Vitamin A – Feed sparingly
Raspberries	Once a week	26.2mg	25mg	Vitamin-rich – feed up to a couple of berries a week.
Raspberry Plant Leaves	A few times a week	Unknown	Unknown	Ensure the leaves are pesticide-free
Spinach	Once or twice a month	28.1mg	99mg	Extremely high in oxalates, feed sparingly
Starfruit	A couple of times a month	34.4mg	3mg	Acidic & sugary; feed sparingly
Strawberries	Once or twice a week	58.8mg	16mg	Strawberry tops are also safe
Strawberry Plant Leaves	A few times a week	Unknown	Unknown	Ensure the leaves are pesticide-free
Sweet Potato/Yam	Once a week	2.4mg	30mg	Offer a thin slice or tiny cube at a time
Swiss Chard – All Colors	A few times a month	30mg	51mg	High in oxalates – feed small amounts
Thyme	A few times a month	160mg	405mg	Very high in calcium, offer sparingly
Tomatoes – Big or Small	A few times a week	27.2mg	11mg	Acidic. Do not feed leaves, stems, or unripe.
Turnip Greens	Once or twice a week	60mg	190mg	High in calcium and oxalates
Turnip Root	Once or twice a week	21mg	30mg	Relatively high in oxalates
Watercress	Once or twice a week	43mg	120mg	Safe to feed 3-4 stems at a time
Watermelon	Once a week	8.1mg	7mg	Safe to feed flesh and rind, remove seeds
Wheatgrass/Cat Grass	A few times a week	Unknown	Unknown	Contains a moderate amount of calcium
Zucchini/Courgette	Almost daily	17.9mg	16mg	Low in sugar, safe to feed with skin intact

Also Read:

• Complete List of Fruits for Guinea Pigs
• Complete List of Herbs for Guinea Pigs
• 10 Favorite Foods That All Guinea Pigs Love!
• 10 Foods You Can Feed Your Guinea Pig Daily

Unsafe Foods for Guinea Pigs

• Animal products or by-products (including meat, milk, eggs, cheese, yogurt, ice cream, whipped cream, etc.)
• Dog, cat, or ferret food or treats.
• Rabbit or hamster food.
• Any kind of processed human foods (including cookies, crackers, bread, cereal, french fries, chips, pizza, pasta, etc.)
• Chocolate and candy of all kinds.
• Juice and other human drinks (including fruit juices, coffee, tea, alcohol, etc.)
• Sugary store-bought guinea pig treats such as yogurt drops, honey sticks, and dried fruit.
• Cooked or canned vegetables (feed raw only!)

• Onions and other plants from the onion family including leeks, chives, shallots, onion grass, and spring onions.
• Potatoes (excluding sweet potatoes)
• Nuts and most seeds are fattening and pose a choking risk.
• Grass or dandelions that have been exposed to herbicides or pesticides
• Lawnmower clippings (they are mixed with oil & can ferment and cause bloat in guinea pigs)
• Eggplant leaves, stems, and unripe eggplants
• Tomato leaves, stems, and unripe tomatoes
• Most plants that grow from a bulb are poisonous, and many houseplants are, too – be sure to keep plants out of your piggy’s reach!

In Closing