How much vitamin C should my guinea pig eat?
Vitamin C is perhaps the most important nutrient for a guinea pig. Like humans, guinea pigs cannot make their own vitamin C and must get it all from their food. Without enough vitamin C, they can develop scurvy, which causes pain, infections, and other serious health problems.
What the Science Says
Scientific research into vitamin C for guinea pigs has been ongoing for decades. Some studies found that as little as 1mg per day could prevent deficiency in young animals, but most experts agree that 10mg to 20mg is a better target for optimal health. Interestingly, the natural diet of a wild guinea pig has been found to contain about 30mg of vitamin C per day.
Researching Pet Diets
Cavv wanted to see how much vitamin C is typically provided by recommended pet diets. They analyzed 64 daily diet examples from veterinary and rescue sources to see what experts actually suggest feeding.
Diet Analysis Results
Most expert diets were found to cluster closely around a specific range:
| Statistic | Vitamin C (mg) |
|---|---|
| Average | 25.30 |
| Minimum | 3.40 |
| 10th Percentile | 5.12 |
| Lower Quartile | 21.10 |
| Median | 28.25 |
| Upper Quartile | 31.83 |
| 90th Percentile | 34.70 |
| Maximum | 75.90 |
Recommended Daily Amount
The recommended target for a healthy adult guinea pig is 20 mg to 30 mg of vitamin C per day from fresh foods.
This range is supported by both scientific literature and the majority of expert feeding guides (the middle 50% of diets analyzed). Since vitamin C is water-soluble, any extra is usually passed safely in the urine, but consistent daily intake within this range is the best way to keep your guinea pig healthy and prevent scurvy.
For more details, you can read the full report here: Scientific and Practical Nutritional Guidelines for Pet Guinea Pigs.
