Diet Recommendations for Exotics
Rabbits, Guinea Pigs, Chinchillas
Diet in Exotics
A balanced diet with adequate hay is important to keep your rabbit, guinea pig, or chinchilla healthy. It reduces the likelihood of dental disease or GI stasis. This page provides insight and diet recommendations for your rabbit, guinea pig, or chinchilla.
We always recommend keeping a bag of Critical Care by Oxbow in your home! In case you ever see a decline in your pet's appetite, it's important to keep them eating until you can get veterinary care whether the issue has to do with diet or not!
Feeding Recommendations
Hay
Hay should be available at all times. For adult exotics, timothy hay (2nd Cutting) hay is preferred as it is course enough to grind down their teeth.
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1st Cut Timothy Hay: More course; ideal for younger animals more prone to teeth issues or following corrective dental procedure
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2nd Cut Timothy Hay: Most common timothy hay by most brands. Ideal for the average healthy exotic.
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3rd Cut Timothy Hay: More leafy and soft; ideal for senior animals that may have loss teeth or have dental issues that are not able to be surgically addressed.
Alfalfa hay is ideal for young, growing animals (6 months and younger). This hay is high in minerals and sugar and is not ideal for grown rabbits, guinea pigs, and chinchillas.
Orchard grass hay can also be a healthy option for adults if the owner/human has allergies to timothy hay.
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Oat hay is a fun variety that your exotic pet may enjoy as a treat with their regular hay.
Vegetables & Fruits
We recommend offering fresh vegetables & fruit* at least once daily.
Okay foods:
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Vegetables: Leafy greens (including romaine, spinach, kale, mustard greens, collard greens, arugula, spring mix, etc), peppers, cucumbers, carrots, broccoli, cilantro, parsley, mint, rosemary, oregano
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Fruits: tomatoes, strawberries, bananas, melon, peach, apples, grapes, kiwi, apricot, raspberries, blueberries, blackberries, oranges)
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Avoid: Iceberg lettuce, cabbage (okay in small quantities), avocado, cauliflower (okay in small quantities), onions, garlic
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*Limit fruit as it's high in sugar and may make your pet less inclined to eat vegetables or hay
Pellets
This should be the smallest part of your rabbit, guinea pig, or chinchilla's diet. Feed according to the bag recommendations for their size. Try to avoid pellets that include seeds, corn, or other colorful bits. While these may look fun, they're not very helpful and can lead to your pet picking out the sugary pieces and eating less pellets or hay which in turn can cause other issues.
Brands we trust and recommend
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Small Pet Select: A vast variety of hays, pellets, and healthy treat options. Available on Amazon or directly from vendor site
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Oxbow: A long-time, high-quality source of exotic pet supplies including hay, treats, and more! Available on most online sites and in most pet- stores.