Can Pigs Eat Guinea Pig's Food?

 

Guinea pigs and pigs have a couple of differences. Sometimes they are categorized as the same, but they are not. If you use lay reasoning abilities, you might think that guinea pig is a type of pig that originated in Guinea; that was also my thought at first. Unfortunately, you are wrong. A guinea pig is not a pig at all, and they do not come from Guinea.

Instead, guinea pigs are simply rodents. 

Their scientific name is Cavia porcellus, which means "little pig" in Latin. They're also sometimes known as cavies. Their similarity to pigs is limited to their slightly pig-like shape, tendency to spend a lot of time eating and occasionally grunting like a pig.

Now that we know the difference and similarities between pigs and guinea pigs. We can now move on to answer the topic question: Can Pigs Eat Guinea Pigs' food?

Yes, pigs can eat the majority of foods that are known to be guinea pig food. They can even eat some food that guinea pigs cannot. 

Food that Guinea Pigs Eat

Guinea pigs, unlike pigs, are herbivores; they depend on plants and plant-derived food for sustenance. The major categories of food guinea pigs feed on include:

Hay 

Hay is a specific type of grass or a mixture of different cut grass clumped together.

Hay is also an ideal plant for livestock. 

Hay and grass should necessarily make up most of your Guinea Pig's diet. 

Some popular hays you can add to your guinea pig’s diet include Timothy hay, alfalfa hay, and oat hay.

Unlike guinea pigs, pigs cannot get long-term sustenance from hays. Don't get me wrong, pigs can also eat all types of hay, but it should not be their only source of nutrients. 

For a pig, hay is a low-calorie meal, and pigs would benefit best from the leafy hay.

Vegetables 

This should also make up a guinea pig’s diet. Serving vegetables in small portions would do your guinea pigs a lot of good. 

The following vegetables are safe for your Guinea Pig:  

Asparagus, broccoli, Cabbage, Carrots, Cauliflower, Corn on the cob, Green beans, Peas, Parsley, Raw beetroot, Sprouts, Spinach, Squash, Tomatoes, Turnip greens, Watercress, Red cabbage,   Red peppers, and so on. 

There are many more vegetables that are safe for consumption by your guinea pigs, but we cannot name them all here. 

As for the news you were waiting for, Pigs can also eat all these above-mentioned vegetables.  They all contain a series of nutrients that are needed by your pig. So feel free to add any of them to your pig’s diet also. 

Treats & chews 

This is a low-calcium, low-protein, and vitamin supplement that will simply help keep your guinea pigs healthy and happy.

The best treats to give guinea pigs are leafy green veggies, which they love, and occasionally some fruits would do. You should always give organic fruits and vegetables, as they serve them better.

Some treat and chew suggestions for Guinea pigs include Kaytee Chew, Timothy Biscuits, Baked Treats, Carrot, and so on. As long as they are healthy they are fine. 

If you happen to have a  pig also in your home, you can also feed them these treats and chews. They are among the Guinea pig food that pigs can also eat

Cecotropes 

Cecotropes can simply be described as a type of pellet excreted by rodents including guinea pigs. These pellets are packed with nutrients that their body has not absorbed. 

Animals like guinea pigs, hamsters, and rabbits cannot properly chew or digest the fibrous food that they primarily feed on. As a result of this these foods are excreted as pellets that are still packed with vital vitamins and minerals that your guinea will need to eat again to benefit from. Chances are low that you'll see these cecotropes around as guinea pigs eat them quickly after passing them. They are also softer and stickier than their usual poop pellets. Don't get disgusted. 

Fruits

Guinea Pigs can eat a wide variety of fruits but in limited quantities. Fruit should be fed mainly as a treat as they contain a lot of sugar. 

Some list of the  fruits that guinea pigs can eat include: 

Bananas: These should be fed rarely as they are high in sugar 

Blueberries: These can be fed frequently and they're a good source of vitamin C which is very much needed by guinea pigs.

Oranges: These should be fed occasionally as citrus can sometimes cause sore-mouthing in guinea pigs.

Pears: These should be fed occasionally, 

Pineapple: This should be fed occasionally as it's sometimes  acidic

Some other options include Plums 

, Cucumbers, Eggplants, Strawberries, and so on

Pigs can also eat any of these above-mentioned fruits and more. 

Moving on to several things guinea pigs cannot feed on

There are a few foods that are unsafe for your Guinea Pig and they should be avoided.

• Cereal - avoid them as a variety of them are not good for Guinea Pigs
• Meat - Guinea Pigs are herbivores and should not be fed like carnivores.
• Cooked foods - Guinea Pigs cannot digest cooked food
• potato plant - potato contains toxins that are said to be harmful to Guinea Pig
• Unripe tomatoes - they also contain toxins that can be harmful to Guinea Pig like wise Tomato leaves and stems 
• Rhubarb also contains toxins.
• Avocado - the skin is toxic. Although the flesh is not toxic it is, however, high in fat and this can slow down digestion for guinea pigs.
• Fruit cores, pits, and seeds - many of these cannot be eaten, so it's best to avoid them
• Buttercup - these contain acrid poison which can cause intestinal irritation in guinea pigs 
• Dairy products - dairy products such as milk, cheese, yogurt, etc derived from animals, should not be fed to  Guinea Pig
• Garlic - there is much debate about the safety of Garlic for guinea pigs. It's probably best to avoid it
• Juice - to be on a safe side Guinea Pigs should only drink water
• Onions - these should also be kept away from guinea pigs.
•  Nuts - these can cause digestive problems  so should be avoided 

Can pigs safely consume the above-mentioned unsafe food for Guinea Pigs?  

Several of them are safe for pigs to eat, and there are a few that are not...They are also some that are controversial.

Some safe food items for pigs include: 

• Cereal, as long as it is fed in moderation 
• Meat, pigs are omnivorous, they can eat meat safely
• Cooked food; pigs can eat cooked food, some foods are better fed to them cooked while some aren't.  Most vegetables are not best served in Cooked form as they can cause bloating. Ensure you do your research before cooking any vegetable for your pig.
• Potatoes are safe for pigs as long as they are cooked. 
• Dairy products are a  good source of nutrients for pigs
• Butter cups: pigs can eat buttercups but in moderation. Over-eating them would pose a danger to them. 
• Garlic: garlic can be added to a pig meal
• Nut: they are a few nuts that are safe for pigs to eat like peanuts, walnuts,  etc. You should do your research before adding any random nut to your pig diet. 
• Juice: pigs can also take the juice. As long as there is little to no sugar in the juice. Juices like apple juice, and watermelon juice, especially for pigs that cannot chew. 

Other food items that were not mentioned here would be best avoided for your pigs as well as guinea pigs. 

In Summary

Pigs can eat a wide range of guinea pigs' food. They are two different animals, but their food doesn't differ that much. Guinea pigs can't, however, eat the majority of pigs' food.