The 5 Best Guinea Pig Foods | Top Choice (2021)

Last Updated on 01/23/2021 by Veronica Jones

Choosing the ideal food for your guinea pig can seem confusing because there’re many brands on the market than ever before.

Not to mention the endless promotional content that comes with the products. The main objective of food packaging is to simply convince you.

We understand what you are going through. That’s why we took matters into our own hands and built this information-rich review site to help you find what you are looking for.

Our Top Pick: Small Pet Select Guinea Pig Food

The highest quality feed for your guinea pigs. It contains only nutrient-rich ingredients, such as Timothy Hay and fortified with all essential minerals and vitamins.

Top 5 Best Guinea Pig Foods

#1 Small Pet Select Guinea Pig Food – Best Food Overall

If you are looking for an ultra-premium food for your small pets, you should look no further than the Small Pet Select Guinea Pig Pellets.

This food is fortified with all the essential minerals and vitamins your small animals need to grow big and healthy.

The major ingredients include Timothy hay, molasses, sodium bentonite, soybean meal, soybean hulls, lignin sulfonate, calcium carbonate, and wheat middlings to mention a few.

Timothy Hay is an integral ingredient because it is highly fibrous. It helps improve the functioning of the digestive system.

Timothy Hay is also good for the dental health of your small pets. It helps to constantly clean your guinea pigs’ growing cheek teeth.

This food contains adequate amounts of molasses, which has high sugar content. Molasses helps in binding the pellets and makes the food sweeter and appetizing.

The meal also contains sufficient amounts of minerals that help to prevent deficiencies. The Timothy hay included is naturally rich in magnesium and iron.

The pellets are milled in small batches to enhance freshness. In fact, all the ingredients are genuinely made in America.

What We Like:

• Fibrous Timothy hay helps improve digestion
• Molasses make the meal sweeter and appetizing
• Adequate mineral content prevents deficiencies
• Milled pellets remain fresh for a long time
• Fortified with essential minerals and vitamins
• Fiber-rich helps to improve the pets’ dental health

What We Didn’t Like:

• May contain non-organic ingredients

#2 Oxbow Essential Adult Guinea Pig Food – Best Adult Food

Introducing the best-fortified food for adult guinea pigs. The Oxbow has optimal amounts of calcium, calories, and protein for healthy nourishment.

The food is made to meet your small animals’ unique nutritional requirements. Its low calorie and protein count makes it safe for your adult pets.

The food is balanced and complete. The main ingredients are Timothy grass meal, soybean meal, soybean hulls, and sodium bentonite to mention a few.

Timothy hay grass is highly fibrous and digestive. It helps boost digestion healthy weight and bowel regularity. It also improves the dental health of your pets.

Cane molasses help with food bonding, and it makes the food sweeter and appetizing. Your adult guinea pigs won’t even notice the non-appetizing ingredients.

Soybean meal is high in folic acid, vitamins, essential amino acids, and key antioxidants. This ingredient is also cholesterol-free and a great source of potassium and fiber.

According to the guaranteed analysis, this food contains 14% crude protein, 2% crude fat, 28% crude fiber, and 10% moisture.

From the guaranteed analysis it is clear that the food is low in fats and proteins, but high in fiber and moisture.

What We Like:

• Uniform pellet structure that prevents selective feeding
• Fortified with minerals and vitamins for optimal health
• Has high fiber contact to boost daily digestive health
• A delicious meal that your adult guinea pigs would like
• Soybean meal provides vitamins and key antioxidants
• Low fat and protein content

What We Didn’t Like:

• Possible to receive a damaged bag

#3 Vitakraft Vita Smart Adult Guinea Pig Food – Best Immune Booster

The Vitakraft Vita provides your adult guinea pigs with balanced, complete and supportive nutrition. That is important for maintaining good health and wellness.

The feed contains high-quality ingredients, including Timothy grass hay, flaked soybeans, flaked peas, soybean meal, soybean hulls, and dehydrated alfalfa meal to mention a few.

Natural oils flaxseed, omegas, and essential fatty acids promote healthy skin as well as a shiny coat. Omega-3 also supports vision, heart function and brain health.

The feed contains textured extrusions and long fibers to encourage excessive chewing. This helps to support tooth wear and dental health.

Higher levels of omega-3, DHA, antioxidants, and vitamins help improve your pets’ immune system. This feed will ensure they’re disease-free.

The premium Timothy formula in the feed increases the amount of long fiber necessary for digestion. Probiotics also support the digestive process.

Complete minerals and digestible protein offer the highest degree of nutrient bioavailability. This helps to reduce the effects of selective feeding.

The guaranteed analysis indicates that the feed has 16% min crude protein, 3% crude fat, 20% crude fiber, and 0.5% min phosphorous.

What We Like:

• Provides a complete and balanced nutrition
• Supports a shiny coat and healthy skin
• Textured extrusions and long fibers promote good dental health
• Higher nutrient level promote good immune system
• Probiotics and long fiber boost normal digestion
• High nutrient bioavailability minimize selective feeding

What We Didn’t Like:

• Food coloring may make your pet itchy

#4 Higgins Sunburst Guinea Pig Food – Best Food and Treat

If you are looking for a premium companion food that is fully loaded with natural goodness, you should look no further than the Higgins Sunburst Guinea Pig Food.

Unlike other feeds in our listing, the Higgins Sunburst is both a treat and food in one. It contains pre-cooked legumes, vegetables, sun-cured hays, and dried mixed fruits among others.

The main ingredients include alfalfa meal, soybean meal, wheat middlings, soybean hulls, barley, flaked beans, sun-cured Timothy hay and flaked peas to mention a few.

The alfalfa meal supports the absorption of nutrients, such as proteins and has a great number of important substances (potassium, calcium and other trace minerals).

Flaked peas are a good source of essential minerals/vitamins, protein, fiber and carbs. They contain both soluble and insoluble fiber for a better digestive system.

The feed has an optimal amount of fiber-rich nutrients, including sun-cured Timothy hay. The high fiber content improves your pets’ dental health.

This feed is supplemented with plant-based omega-3 fatty acids, which do a great job of supporting the immune system.

To boost digestive health, the brand uses protected probiotics. This ensures the amount of active beneficial bacteria is high.

The guaranteed analysis indicates 14% crude protein, 2% crude fat, 22% crude fiber, and 12% moisture. So, the meal is low in fats and high in fiber, protein, and moisture.

What We Like:

• Two in one treat and food
• Alfalfa meal supports nutrient absorption
• A good supply of soluble and insoluble fiber for better digestion
• Plant-based omega-3 boost the immune system
• The high amount of active beneficial bacteria reduce selective feeding

What We Didn’t Like:

• Possible to receive a ripped bag

#5 FM Brown’s Tropical Guinea Pig Food – Best Value for Price

Introducing one of the world’s finest vitamin-fortified all-in-one food and treat, the FM Brown’s Tropical Guinea Pig Food.

This premium gourmet, a superfood is nutritious and healthful. The irresistible meal is available in two package sizes: 5 and 10 pounds.

The main ingredients include dehydrated alfalfa meal, soybean oil, ground Timothy hay, oat groats, manganese proteinate, and dried papaya to mention a few.

The hydrated alfalfa meal is a great source of potassium, calcium among other trace minerals. Its rich nutrient content makes it ideal for overall pet health.

The ground Timothy hay is an incredible source of the copious amount of fiber for effective and healthy digestion. The fiber also provides beneficial bacteria with sufficient food.

Delicious pieces of natural fruits, such as pineapple, kiwi, and papaya are filled with antioxidants, minerals, and vitamins.

The guaranteed analysis indicates 14% crude protein, 5% crude fat, 22% crude fiber, and 12% moisture. The high fiber and moisture content make this superfood.

What We Like:

• All-in-one food and treat
• Nutrient fortified feed for guinea pigs
• Stabilized vitamin C improves immune system support
• Added probiotics support healthy digestion
• High fiber content improves dental health
• Delicious fruits contain antioxidants, minerals, and vitamins

What We Didn’t Like:

• May contain seeds

Things to consider before buying guinea pig food

It can be very difficult to feed your small pet if you don’t know what you should be looking for. That’s okay because today we have top buying tips for you that will help improve your pet’s nutrition.

Know Which Ingredients to Look For

You should be feeding your guinea pig a premium brand of food that has many years of research involved in them.

If you think about it, they are not going to change the ingredients when there have been ten years or so of research.

The major ingredients that play a vital role in your guinea pig’s nutrition are:

Timothy Hay

Timothy Hay is a natural nutrient source for your small pets because it is super healthy. This ingredient has a high amount of fiber in it, which your little friend really needs.

This part of the diet is also great for the dental health of your guinea pigs. It also helps with tooth wear because of the constant chewing and grinding.

Molasses

This is simply a by-product obtained from the processing of food. It is usually rich in sugar. The main benefit of this ingredient is to make the diet sweet and appetizing.

Flaked Peas

Flaked peas are a great source of essential vitamins/minerals, protein, fiber and carbohydrates. They contribute a great number of amino acids your small pets need.

They also contain resistant starch, soluble fiber, and insoluble fiber. All these three nutrients combined help maintain a normal digestive process.

Essential Vitamins and Minerals

Essential vitamins and minerals are an integral part of your small pet nutrition. Make sure the food you buy has sufficient amounts.

Other important ingredients to consider are:

• Soybean hulls
• Soybean meal
• Wheat middlings
• Sodium bentonite
• Stabilized vitamin C to mention a few

Read the Guaranteed Analysis Label

For a feed to qualify as pet food, moisture, crude fiber, crude fat, and crude protein categories must be listed on the label.

A typical guaranteed analysis may contain information, such as:

• Crude Protein (min) …………………………………………….. 14%
• Crude Fat (min) ………………………………………………………2%
• Crude Fiber (min) ………………………………………………….25%
• Crude Fiber (max) ………………………………………………….28%
• Moisture (max) ………………………………………………………10%

You can make a quick estimate of the nutrient value of a pet diet using only upper limits of moisture and fiber, and lower limits of fat and protein content.

However, the guaranteed analysis doesn’t provide a precise measure of the absolute amount of specific nutrients in the food. You may have to call the manufacturer for specifics.

Final Thoughts

Guinea pigs don’t just east to live; they live to eat and a healthy diet is a must. The wrong balance of food can cause dietary deficiencies.

To provide complete nutrition for your guinea pigs, make sure the food contains all the important ingredients.

Our best overall pick is Small Pet Select Guinea Pig Food. This feed contains all the nutrients, vitamins, and minerals your small pets need to thrive.

Just make sure you accompany a dry diet with water. Keeping your guinea pigs on a purely dry diet is sure to cause constipation.