What Should Rabbits and Guinea Pigs Really Be Eating?

Walk into most supermarkets or large chain pet shops and the rabbit and guinea pig food section looks almost identical to a breakfast cereal aisle. Brightly coloured bags, pictures of happy animals, words like "natural" and "nutritious" on the front. Inside, a mix of seeds, dried fruit pieces, coloured pellets, and puffed grains that looks varied and interesting.

We'll hold our hands up. We've stocked that kind of product too.

But the evidence against muesli-style mixes has been sitting in veterinary literature since 1996, when the University of Edinburgh published research showing that rabbits fed this way consistently eat the sugary, starchy pieces and leave the fibrous elements behind. The Rabbit Welfare Association and Fund has since linked muesli-style diets to life-threatening dental disease and digestive problems. A rabbit picking out the dried banana and leaving the pellets is doing exactly what the research predicted, and the consequences build up quietly over time.

Which is why, when people ask us what we actually recommend, the answer is always a plain nugget over a mix. Here's why it matters, and what the difference looks like in practice.

Rabbits: It Starts With Hay

The single most important thing to understand about rabbit nutrition is that hay should make up roughly 85 to 90% of their diet, available at all times and in unlimited quantities. Not as bedding. As food. According to the RSPCA, a rabbit should eat a bundle of hay roughly the size of its own body every single day.

The reason comes down to how a rabbit's digestive system works. It needs constant fibre moving through it to function properly. Without enough hay, the gut slows down, which can lead to a condition called GI stasis. It's serious, it can be fatal, and it's almost entirely avoidable with the right diet.

A rabbit that fills up on pellets or sugary treats has less appetite for hay, which sets off exactly the cycle you want to avoid. Hay first, everything else in small amounts alongside it.

We stock meadow hay from £1.99 and it goes out of the shop more consistently than almost anything else we sell. If we had to recommend one thing to any new rabbit owner, it would be to buy more hay than they think they need, and then buy some more.

Pellets: A Small Amount of the Right Kind

Pellets are a supplement to hay, not a replacement for it. A small adult rabbit needs roughly an egg-cup full per day. Look for a plain, uniform nugget with a fibre content of at least 18% and no added sugar, artificial colours, or dried fruit mixed in. The colourful muesli-style mixes already discussed are best avoided entirely.

The Science Selective and Burgess Excel ranges are ones we recommend regularly in the shop. Both are nugget-based rather than mixes, which means every mouthful contains the same nutritional balance and there's nothing for a rabbit to selectively pick out and leave behind.

Fresh Greens

Fresh leafy greens are a genuinely useful addition to a rabbit's daily diet. Good options include:

• Romaine lettuce (not iceberg, which has almost no nutritional value and can cause loose stools)
• Kale and spring greens, in moderate amounts
• Fresh herbs such as parsley, basil, and coriander
• Dandelion leaves, which many rabbits are particularly fond of

Fruit can be offered occasionally as a treat but in very small amounts. The sugar content is high and too much disrupts gut health over time.

Guinea Pigs: Everything Above, Plus One Important Difference

Guinea pigs share most of their dietary basics with rabbits. Unlimited hay, a small daily portion of a good quality plain pellet, fresh leafy greens, and treats kept genuinely occasional. The same muesli-mix caution applies equally here.

The key difference is vitamin C. Guinea pigs cannot produce their own, which means they need it supplied through their food every single day. Without it, they develop scurvy, a condition that causes joint pain, poor coat condition, and lethargy. It is more common in guinea pigs than most owners realise, and it is entirely preventable.

Good dietary sources of vitamin C for guinea pigs include:

• Red and yellow bell peppers, which are among the most consistently high sources available
• Leafy greens such as kale, parsley, and spring greens
• Small amounts of broccoli

Vitamin C degrades quickly once food is cut or prepared, so fresh greens should be given daily rather than prepared in advance. The vitamin C content in dry pellets also breaks down over time, so pay attention to best-before dates and avoid buying in quantities that will sit unused for weeks.

We stock the Burgess Excel Guinea Pig Nuggets with Blackcurrant and Oregano, which is one of the more reliable and well-formulated options available and a product we recommend regularly in the shop.

Foods to Avoid

Some foods that seem like a reasonable treat can actually cause real harm to both rabbits and guinea pigs. Worth knowing:

• Iceberg lettuce has almost no nutritional value and can cause digestive upset
• Yoghurt drops and confectionery-style treats are high in sugar and low in anything useful
• Fruit given daily, rather than occasionally, causes the same sugar problem
• Onion, garlic, and leek are toxic to both species
• Avocado should never be given to any small animal

A Note on Hay Variety

Not all hay is the same, and it's worth knowing the difference. Timothy hay is the most widely recommended for adult rabbits and guinea pigs, with a good fibre-to-protein ratio suited to daily feeding. Meadow hay is softer and works well for younger animals or fussier eaters. Herbal hays with added chamomile or dried flowers can help encourage reluctant hay-eaters to engage with it, though they work best alongside plain hay rather than as a full replacement.

We also stock the Natural Nibbles Timothy Hay Rolls, which serve double duty as both food and enrichment. Rabbits and guinea pigs that are bored as well as underfed tend to develop habits like bar chewing or overgrooming, so having something to interact with alongside their hay makes a difference.

We're Here to Help

If you're not sure whether your rabbit or guinea pig's current diet is right, come in and have a chat. We can look at what you're already feeding and suggest alternatives if something isn't working.

Pop in to see us at the Concourse Shopping Centre in Skelmersdale, or shop our full small animal range at sashandpepps.co.uk.