What do rabbits and guinea pigs eat?
Rabbits and guinea pigs are often kept together and fed similarly. But they differ in one crucial respect – and that is regularly overlooked in practice.
The basis: hay, all the time
Both species are continuous eaters with a sensitive digestive system. The intestines are not driven by muscle movement, but by incoming food. So the rule is: Hay must be available around the clock – not as a side dish, but as the main food.
The second reason is their teeth. The teeth of rabbits and guinea pigs keep growing throughout life. Only long-fiber roughage that has to be chewed for a long time wears them down evenly. Soft food does not do this – dental misalignment is one of the most common reasons for vet visits in both species.
Good hay smells pleasant, is green to green-brown, low in dust, and contains clearly long stalks.
The difference: vitamin C
Guinea pigs cannot produce vitamin C themselves. They lack – like humans – an enzyme needed for the body's own synthesis. They therefore have to take it in daily through food: via fresh vegetables such as bell peppers, parsley, fennel, or kale, or through a complete feed that is appropriately fortified.
Rabbits produce vitamin C themselves. An additional supplement is not necessary for them.
That is the main reason why guinea pig food and rabbit food cannot simply be swapped – even if the mixes look similar at first glance.
Fresh food
Fresh greens and vegetables are part of the daily diet. Suitable options include:
- lamb's lettuce, endive, chicory, romaine lettuce
- bell peppers, fennel, cucumber, carrot with greens
- herbs: parsley, dill, basil, dandelion
- Meadow herbs and grass from unsprayed sources
Important when switching: Introduce new fresh food slowly, starting with small amounts and increasing over one to two weeks. A digestive system that has known only dry food for months will not tolerate a sudden portion of lettuce.
Do not feed grass and meadow herbs in blazing sun or when wilted, but freshly cut.
Dry food – the supporting role
Ready-made mixes are an addition, not the foundation. A small daily portion is enough; if you give too much, you risk hay being left behind – and that is exactly what leads to dental and digestive problems.
When looking at the ingredients, it pays to pay attention: grain and molasses-based mixes with colorful ingredients are more energy-rich than necessary. High-fiber mixes with herbs and a green component are the better choice. You can find our range at Rabbit & rodent food.
Treats
As rewards, dried herbs, a piece of carrot, or natural products without additives are suitable – such as pea flakes or carob. Both in small amounts.
Unsuitable are yogurt drops, chew sticks with added sugar, and anything coated with honey or molasses.
What must not be fed
- Bread, baked goods, pasta – too starchy, disrupt the gut flora
- Avocado – intolerable for many small animals
- Stone fruit pits – contain cyanide compounds
- Onions, leeks, garlic
- Cabbage in larger amounts – introduce slowly only, otherwise it causes bloating
- Dairy products and anything animal-based
- Salty, seasoned, sweet foods
Water
Fresh water must always be available – ideally in a shallow, tip-proof bowl rather than a nipple bottle. The animals drink from the bowl in a natural posture and take in more. The bowl should be cleaned daily.
Cecotropes are normal
Rabbits and guinea pigs produce two kinds of droppings: normal hard pellets and soft, grape-like cecotropes, which they take directly from the anus and digest again. It looks unusual, but it is a necessary part of digestion and not a sign of illness.
If, however, cecotropes are left uneaten in the enclosure, that is a sign of overly energy-rich feeding – usually too much dry food.
Frequently asked questions
What do rabbits like to eat most?
Fresh greens, herbs, and carrot tops. But hay still has to be the basis – favorite food and staple food are two different things.
What do guinea pigs eat?
Hay as the foundation, plus fresh vegetables and herbs every day as a source of vitamin C, as well as a small portion of high-fiber dry food.
Can rabbits and guinea pigs get the same food?
Only to a limited extent. Guinea pigs need extra vitamin C, while rabbits produce it themselves. If they are kept together, make sure the guinea pigs actually have access to their vitamin C source.
How much dry food per day?
A small portion, about one to two tablespoons per animal. If hay is left behind, it is too much.
Can rabbits eat cabbage?
In small amounts and only if they have been introduced to it slowly. Sudden large amounts lead to bloating.
Why do the teeth keep growing?
Because both species naturally chew fiber-rich food, which wears down the teeth. Without enough hay, the teeth overgrow and must be shortened by a vet.
You can find the range for small animals under Rabbit, rodent and Rabbit & rodent food.
