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Is it okay for guinea pigs to eat only grass, completely replacing hay?

Updated On September 23rd, 2025

Pet's info: Exotic | Unknown - Exotic | Male | 6 months and 23 days old

Can the hay for guinea pigs be completely substituted with grass(i.e only feeding fresh grass and no hay at all)?

2 Answers

Most Helpful Answer

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Answered By Karly Macon, DVM, MS, CVA Certified Veterinary Acupuncturist

Veterinarian

Published on June 7th, 2017

Fresh grass along with some green vegetables are a fine substitution for most small herbivore species like guinea pigs and rabbits, but any food change must be done gradually to avoid diarrhea. If you can get fresh grass year-round, this is a fine option, but make sure to stay away from legumes like alfalfa as this is too fattening for guinea pigs long-term and should only be used as a treat. Don't forget to add vitamin C either to the water or as a food supplement as this is required for pigs!

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    Answered By Dr. Massimo Orioles, DVM, Cert AVP, MRCVS

    Veterinarian

    Published on

    Yes, theoretically you can. It wont do them any harm, just make sure it hasn’t been treated with chemicals or pesticides. Switch gradually the hay with grass as often can cause gastrointestinal signs like diarrhoea. Wet grass should not be used. I often recommend to keep a 30-40% of timothy hay anyway.

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