Can guinea pigs eat hamster food or will they get sick?
I am out of food for my guinea pig and the local pet store is out and will not be getting a shipment in till the next of next week. I ordered some online but it won’t be here until Tuesday. I have some hamster food that was left over from when my son was watching his friend’s hamster while he was away on VK. Would these be okay to feed my pig for now?
Yeah you can feed them hamster food. A lot of people do this to help them with weight loss and other health issues. You will want to add a vitamin c supplement though as most hamster food is too low in c!
I have never heard of anyone doing this but if you look at the ingredients of them, they are pretty similar. I looked it up and it is safe to feed but not for long. I saw it was recommended not to feed them this food more than 5 days in a row.
Hamster food is hamster food. There is not some scheme behind this or anything. You need to stick to which animals they say they belong to because the vitamin and mineral content is adjusted for their typical weight and digestive system.
I am going to just assume you did this and because it was only for a few days, I am sure it was fine. I have had to do this in a pinch but mine is WAY too picky and ended up snubbing everything other than fresh vegetables. The store was out so I had to order it online.
I pulled a bit of an article for you from another website. I will link to it. I think this covers everything you would want to know about the question!
https://ultimatepethub.com/can-a-guinea-pig-eat-hamster-food/
" The answer to this is yes. However, the hamster food you feed your guinea pig needs to be regulated. Also, while there are particular foods in the hamster’s diet that you can feed a guinea pig, not all of the hamster’s food qualify.
Most of the hamster’s food comprises crunchy foods like seeds, nuts, and corn. But you cannot feed your guinea pig these as it could result in choking.
Hamster Nutrition Percentages
Hamster food is rich in the below nutrients, which can go a long way in helping your guinea pig’s health.
Fiber – most hamster foods are rich in fiber, which helps in digestion and enhances bowel movement.
Vitamin A – vitamin A helps in boosting the body’s immunity and eyesight
Minerals – these help in reducing heart problems
Antioxidants – help reduce oxidation "
^ That is actually something I didn't even think about when I was reading this thread. They can choke on the small pieces! My friend's hamster eats what looks like trail mix food so unless the food is pellets and they are not tiny ones, I wouldn't feed you piggy this food!
I would not do this. Hamster food tends to be a lot different from guinea pig food not only in texture and taste but in nutrition.
I had a friend who owned 2 guinea pigs and some gerbils. One day he was letting his piggies out to run around in the dining room, this is where he allowed them to be since it was a hardwood floor and he had gated the room in, one of them tore into his gerbil food bag and ate some of the food. She ended up choking on it and needed to get emergency surgery to survive. It cost him $600.
As an absolute last resort, maybe.
But you'll surely have something more suitable in your fridge. Most fruits and vegetables for example.
Thanks everyone for replying.
I didn't feed him hamster food and instead went with some green pepper and carrot. He loved it!