Feeding juvenile Texel guinea pigs at 6 weeks

Six weeks old is a really important stage — Texel guinea pigs are freshly weaned and their digestive systems are still adjusting to solid food, so getting the diet right now sets them up well. Before I give you specific portion guidance, just a quick but important note: guinea pigs are social animals and should always be kept in pairs or groups, never alone — so it's great you have two. Space is the other thing people consistently underestimate; most cages sold for guinea pigs are simply too small for a pair. Are you primarily looking for help with their food and portions right now, or are housing and enrichment also on your list?

A C&C cage — brilliant, that tells me you've already done your research. For two 6-week-old guinea pigs the hierarchy is: unlimited Timothy hay always, then a small measured portion of pellets, then fresh veg in modest amounts. At this age hay is the most important thing — it keeps their gut moving and wears down their continuously growing teeth. Are they currently on any specific pellet brand, or are you starting from scratch?

Perfect — clean slate is actually easier. For juveniles specifically I'd recommend Supreme Science Selective Junior Guinea Pig food. It's a single-component pellet, which matters because with muesli mixes young guinea pigs selectively eat the sugary bits and skip the nutritious ones. The Junior formula has slightly higher protein and calcium to support their growth phase, which is exactly right at six weeks. For portion size: around one level tablespoon per pig per day — so two tablespoons total for your pair. Alongside that, Timothy hay should be available 24 hours a day in a hay rack; think a bundle roughly the size of each guinea pig's body, refreshed daily. For veg, keep it small at this age — a small leaf of romaine lettuce or a thin slice of cucumber per pig is plenty. Avoid spinach, iceberg lettuce, and anything high in sugar for now.

Good question, and the answer is: if you're feeding fresh veg daily, you're largely covered. Guinea pigs can't synthesise vitamin C themselves, but Supreme Science Selective already contains stabilised vitamin C, and a daily piece of romaine or a small amount of red pepper tops it up naturally. Drops in water bottles aren't recommended — vitamin C degrades quickly in water and the taste can put them off drinking. A thin strip of red bell pepper two or three times a week is honestly the most reliable supplement you can give them at this age. Once they're a bit older you can introduce a wider variety of veg to keep things interesting for them.

Switch them at around six months old. By then their growth rate has slowed and the higher calcium in the Junior formula is no longer needed — in fact, too much calcium in adult guinea pigs can contribute to bladder sludge. Supreme Science Selective does an adult version in the same format, so the transition is easy and their digestion won't be disrupted. Just mix the two formulas for about a week to make the changeover gradual.