Many pet owners seek different ways to save money on their animals. Whether looking on Facebook Marketplace to find a larger cage or make some toys for your guinea pig, you can find creative ways to keep the costs down.
One of the biggest ways to save money is by buying cheap guinea pig food. After much research, we have found several options that would suit your needs. So, what is the cheapest guinea pig food?
There are three categories of guinea pig food: pellets, hay, and treats. We have found the best food options are the ones you buy in bulk.
However, if you cannot afford a bulk item due to bills and other expenses, purchasing small, affordable bags multiple times a month is another option.
Here is a quick list of the pellets and hay we will review today:
- Kaytee Forti Diet Pro Health Guinea Pig Food
- Oxbow Essentials Adult Guinea Pig Food
- Vitakraft Menu Premium Guinea Pig Food
- Kaytee Timothy Complete Pet Guinea Pig Food
- Kaytee Supreme Guinea Pig Food
- Kaytee Timothy Hearty Hay for Guinea Pigs
- Oxbow Animal Health Western Timothy Hay
- Oxbow Animal Health Orchard Grass Hay
- Small Pet Select – Value Choice Timothy Hay
In this article, we will discuss the best budget-friendly guinea pig food. Also, we will talk about how much guinea pig food costs each month and how many cups of food should they have each day.
It is essential to know these things when considering having a guinea pig, let alone if you already have one you are taking care of. Together, we will overcome any financial obstacle you may have, so we highly encourage you to continue reading for more information.
Best Guinea Pig Food to Buy on a Budget
Guinea pigs have specific dietary needs that must be met to ensure their overall well-being. However, reducing the cost of feeding without compromising their nutritional needs is possible. All you need to do is find which food works best. Thankfully, we have researched and found excellent guinea pig food you can buy.
Pellets
The first thing to note is that pellets are essential to your guinea pig’s diet. It is imperative to know that there should be no other substitute for guinea pig food as their bodies need vitamin C to survive. Because they do not produce it independently, commercial guinea pig food is one of the best ways to provide them with necessities.
1. Kaytee Forti Diet Pro Health Guinea Pig Food – 25-Pound
If you can buy anything in bulk for your guinea pig, the Kaytee Diet Pro Health is the best option. It weighs 25 pounds and is just over $32. The unit price of this large bag is $1.30 per pound, which you cannot beat!
This particular food encourages healthy chewing activity, which helps support dental health. Many veterinarians recommend this brand to their clients for many reasons, such as providing your guinea pig with probiotics and prebiotics, which help support digestive health.
2. Oxbow Essentials Adult Guinea Pig Food – 5 lbs
The next guinea pig food on our list is Oxbow Essentials, explicitly made for adults with cavies 6 months and older. This food comes in a 5-pound bag listed at just under $9, with a unit price of 0.11 cents per fl oz.
Oxbow provides more than plenty of hay to help your rodent’s digestive system thrive while adding the essential vitamin C component that stabilizes their overall health. Lastly, there are no artificial dyes, preservatives, or flavors inside this.
3. Vitakraft Menu Premium Guinea Pig Food – Alfalfa Pellets Blend – 5 Pound
Here is yet another excellent pellet option. This packet is also 5 pounds and costs slightly more than its competitor above, but only by a few cents. However, the main difference is that this alfalfa pellet blend is for all stages of life and comes in fruit and honey flavors.
On the downside, this pellet blend had food dyes, making it not 100% natural, so if you need to ensure your guinea pigs’ food is naturally produced, this might not be the product for you. Still, if you are in a quick crunch for food, especially for your young guinea pigs, you might want to try it out!
4. Kaytee Timothy Complete Pet Guinea Pig Food – 9.5 Pound
Kaytee Timothy Complete is the go-to bag for all your guinea pig’s life stages. This 9.5-pound bag costs less than $15, making it an excellent choice if you are on a budget! It is the perfect product if you have multiple cavies.
It does your wallet justice and provides your guinea pig with everything: vitamins, minerals, prebiotics, probiotics, and more! Plus, there are no loose seeds or sugary fruit inside this bag.
5. Kaytee Supreme Guinea Pig Food 10 Pounds
The last pellet product on our list is from Kaytee Supreme, and it is perfect for any life stage your guinea pig is currently in. However, unlike the product listed above, this 10-pound bag is only $9.50, making it 95 cents per pound as of writing this article!
Like the other Kaytee guinea pig foods mentioned above, this bag does not contain artificial colors or flavors. It also includes long-lasting vitamin C, making it the perfect food source for your guinea pig.
Hay
For those who do not know, hay is essential to your guinea pig’s diet. Their teeth are constantly growing, so gnawing on hay helps them trim down, meaning it is the perfect way to keep their dental health in check.
Hay is also the perfect food source to ensure your guinea pig’s digestive system continues to work correctly. This is because hay provides plenty of fiber for your cavy. Here are the best budget-friendly options we have found for you.
1. Kaytee Timothy Hearty Hay for Guinea Pigs – 3 lbs
Kaytee is the #1 recommended brand of hay for guinea pigs in the USA. Unsurprisingly, their all-natural Timothy hay is 3 lbs (or 48 oz) and just under $12 when writing this article. It is perfect for guinea pigs that love a good crunch. The hay provides excellent dental and digestive health benefits as well.
2. Oxbow Animal Health Western Timothy Hay – 9 lbs
Look no further than Oxbow Animal Health Western Timothy hay for those looking to buy in bulk! This box is 9 lbs and will last a long time for only $25!
The Oxbow hay is also hand-picked by professionals trained in the growth production of hay. Also, this hay has no additives or binders, so you are getting one of the best options for your guinea pig. This hay also helps meet your guinea pig’s nutritional needs as it contains high fiber and is excellent for their dental health.
For those with multiple cavies who wish to buy even more in bulk, the Oxbow brand offers a 25-pound and 50-pound option.
3. Oxbow Animal Health Orchard Grass Hay – 2.5 lbs
Suppose you do not want your guinea pig to have Timothy hay. In that case, consider getting Oxbow Animal Health’s orchard grass. Although this option may be slightly more expensive than Timothy hay (in general), it still provides excellent health benefits. However, it may have a different flavor than the other hay types. Not only this, but this 40 oz bag is only a little under $12. However, if you want to try it out, snag up the 15 oz hay bag at just under $6!
4. Small Pet Select – Value Choice Timothy Hay – 8 lbs
For our last budget-friendly hay, we have 8 lbs of Small Pet Select, which is the pefect size for anyone who has a budget. This particular box is just under $20, so you can be rest assured that you will get the value of your money.
This company believes that you should provide your small rodent what they need while being extremely affordable. On top of this, if you are someone who does not use plastic, Small Pet Select prides themselves in a plastic-free packaging. This means the box it comes in can be used as compost and is 100% eco-friendly.
Treats
Although it is not 100% necessary to provide treats for your guinea pigs, it is good to find treats to help your guinea pig do some tricks, use the restroom (assuming you are potty training them), and it helps provide more benefits in the long run.
It is important to find good, affordable treats that do not contain artificial flavors or anything that will not help your guinea pig thrive. We also recommend giving treats on occasion instead of every day, as too much can hurt their bellies.
1. Kaytee Granola Bites with Superfoods Cranberry, Apple and Flax, 4.5 oz
As you may have already assumed, Kaytee products are one of the best affordable brands you can invest in for your guinea pigs. This particular snack is called granola bites with superfoods cranberry, making it an especially fun and healthy treat for your little pet.
The cranberry flavor contains a long-lasting vitamin C and provides immunity support due to the flax seeds, which contain omega 3’s. However, if your guinea pig does not like the cranberry flavor, you can always opt to buy the spinach and carrots flavor.
2. Timothy Hay Sticks Treats – 40Pcs
For those who want a special treat that is perfect for your guinea pig’s dental health, look no further than these Timothy hay sticks. Although the description initially says it is for rabbits, it is actually for multiple rodents, including gerbils, hamsters, parrots, chinchillas, and, of course, guinea pigs!
This treat is perfect for hand feeding, and would benefit you greatly if you need to bond with your guinea pig more. This is especially true if they are shy and need an extra boost. Not only that, but these sticks will last you a long time and only for $8, which you cannot beat!
3. Kaytee Timothy Biscuits Baked Treat – 4oz
The Kaytee Timothy biscuit baked treat is perfect if you want to provide your guinea pig with more vitamin C. Not only this, but these treats are ideal for playtime when you want to bond with your fur baby. Also, if your guinea pigs love the taste of molasses, apples, and sun-cured Timothy hay, they will adore these treats. For a little less than $4 per 4 oz bag, you cannot beat the price!
4. Vitakraft Drops Guinea Pig Treat – 5.3 Ounce
The last treat we discuss is the Vitakraft drops for your guinea pigs. These 5.3-oz treats are a little over $5 as of writing this article and contain ground-dried oranges and ascorbic acid, ensuring your fur baby gets exactly what it needs for its vitamin C intake. In addition, they contain no artificial colors or flavors, providing an overall healthy treat!
How Many Cups of Food Should a Guinea Pig Eat a Day?
A guinea pig should only have 1/8 cup of pellets one time a day. It would be wise to divide this into two increments: one in the morning and another in the evening to ensure your guinea pig’s food is spaced out. If you wish to do this, it would be wise to invest in a small 1/16th cup to keep in their food at all times. This is essentially 2 Tbsp spoonfuls per day.
Although that does not seem like a lot, a guinea pig should have daily access to hay. As mentioned earlier, their teeth continuously grow, so they need the hay to chew. Plus, it is excellent to help their bellies digest food properly. Ensure they fill their hay feeder often to ensure their endless supply never runs out.
Lastly, providing a handful to a cup of fresh fruit and vegetables daily is wise. This can also be divided into different sizes each day, so it would be wise to also do this once in the morning and once in the evening when you feed them their pellets.
How to Save Money on Guinea Pig Food
The biggest way to save money on guinea pig food is to buy it in bulk or from a local farmer. Bulk options are often easier because they are convenient: You can click a button and efficiently deliver the food to your doorstep.
However, sometimes purchasing from a local farmer might be more sustainable because you buy locally, helping their business and building a relationship. The better your relationship with the person, the easier it is to get deals.
The next thing to do is provide your guinea pig with a feeding schedule. This will help your guinea pig know when to be fed next and help you understand how much it eats.
Lastly, avoid overfeeding them, as this can drastically increase the cost of the food. If, for example, you give them food in the bowl every time it is empty, then it would be much harder to determine how much they eat. In this case, giving them only the amount they need instead of whenever they feel like eating is wise.
How Much Does Guinea Pig Food Cost Per Month?
Feeding one of your guinea pigs typically costs between $10 to $20 per month. However, multiple guinea pigs would most likely be anywhere between $20 to $40, depending on what brand you use. This is ideal when providing them pellets, hay, and fresh vegetables with occasional special treats or supplements.
Do Guinea Pigs Need Constant Food?
No, guinea pigs do not need constant food but continuous hay, as mentioned above. This is imperative for their overall health, as guinea pigs in the wild have access to hay day and night. For guinea pigs younger than a year old, provide them with Alfalfa hay, which provides calcium for growing bones. For adults, you can give them Timothy or orchard hay.
Final Thoughts
To summarize everything, you can cut down costs for your guinea pig in many ways, especially when purchasing the cheapest options out there! We hope this article helps you determine which guinea pig food is best for your fur baby.
If you have more questions about how to take care of your guinea pig, look no further, as we have multiple resources and articles on them. We encourage you to share with any other guinea pig owners, and without further ado, we wish you the best in being the best small pet owner you can be!
