Diet & Nutrition

Foraging Safe Backyard Weeds for Rabbits and Guinea Pigs

There is something deeply satisfying about watching a rabbit drag a dandelion leaf away like they just won a prize, or seeing a guinea pig do the classic “grab and retreat” with a mouthful of fresh greens. Foraging can be a wonderful way to add variety and enrichment to your pet’s diet, and yes, it...

Safe Weight Loss for Overweight Rabbits and Guinea Pigs

If your rabbit or guinea pig is looking a little more like a furry ottoman than a sleek little athlete, you are not alone. I see “pleasantly plump” pigs and bunnies in rescue all the time, usually because someone loved them enthusiastically with extra pellets and treats. The good news: safe weight...

5 Easy DIY Baked Treats for Rabbits and Guinea Pigs

There is something deeply satisfying about handing your rabbit or guinea pig a treat you made yourself, especially when you know exactly what is in it. A lot of store-bought “yogurt drops” and colorful baked snacks lean heavily on sugar, starch, and binders you cannot pronounce. Our little...

10 Safe Fruits for Rabbits and Guinea Pigs (With Strict Portions)

Fruit is the tiny, delicious loophole in a hay-based diet. It smells sweet, it feels like a “special occasion,” and most rabbits and guinea pigs will perform truly impressive gymnastics for a bite. The problem is that fruit is also concentrated sugar, and small herbivores have digestive systems...

Low-Calcium Diets for Rabbits and Guinea Pigs

If you have ever found a chalky white patch where your rabbit peed or noticed your guinea pig straining in the litter area, you have likely encountered one of the most frustrating small-pet health issues: urinary sludge and stones. These problems are not just uncomfortable. They can turn into...

Timothy, Orchard, or Alfalfa Hay?

When I foster rabbits and guinea pigs, the fastest way to spot who is going to thrive is to look at one thing: their hay pile. Not their pellets. Not their treats. Hay. For both species, hay is more than “something to nibble.” It is the engine that keeps the gut moving, the toothbrush that wears...

Switching Pellet Brands Safely for Rabbits and Guinea Pigs

Pellets feel like the “easy” part of feeding rabbits and guinea pigs, until you switch brands and suddenly you are staring at soft stool, smaller droppings, or a pig who looks personally offended by the new smell. Because both are fiber-dependent herbivores with delicate guts, the safest approach...

Safe and Toxic Vegetables for Rabbits and Guinea Pigs

If you have ever stood in the produce aisle with a bunch of greens in your hand thinking, “Is this a healthy salad… or a vet visit waiting to happen?” you are not alone. Rabbits and guinea pigs are both small herbivores, but their digestive systems are picky, their calcium and gas sensitivities...

Daily Feeding Schedule for Adult Rabbits and Guinea Pigs

If you have ever found yourself holding a salad bowl at 9 p.m. thinking, “Did I already feed pellets today or was that yesterday?”, you are in excellent company. Adult rabbits and guinea pigs do best with a predictable routine built around unlimited hay, measured pellets, and fresh greens served in...

Daily Vitamin C for Guinea Pigs

Guinea pigs are tiny hay-powered athletes with one very non-negotiable nutrition rule: they must get vitamin C daily. Unlike most mammals, guinea pigs cannot make their own vitamin C, and they store very little of it. Miss it for long enough and you can end up with scurvy, which is as miserable as...