Diet

The cavy's diet is very important. Cavies do not produce their own vitamin C, so there food has to make up for that. For adult cavies (6+ months) they will need 1/4- 1/8 cup of plain pellets a day. Do not give your cavy unlimited food, this could make them gain too much weight. Kleenmama's and Cavy Cuisine are very good brands of food. Make sure that the pellets you use are plain (no mixed in hay, nuts, or dried fruit) and that it says it is for cavies (or guinea pigs), NOT rabbits) Their food bowls should be washed daily and they need to be given fresh food every day. They will also need a good supply of fruits and vegetables. For every cavy you have, give them one cup of fruits/veggies up to three times a week. Cavies must have unlimited timmothy hay. Alfalfa hay is ONLY for cavies under 6 months, pregnant cavies, or underweight cavies. Alfalfa hay has too much calcium and can cause kidney stones in cavies over 6 months. 

GOOD fruits and vegetables:
Bell peppers (green is best!)
apples
carrots
romain lettuce
pears
brocoli
corn
parsley 
grass
cucumber
strawberries


BAD fruits and vegetables :(
celery
oranges (you thought these were good right? we did too, but too much sugar is in them!)
grapes
anything with seeds that they could choke on
any HOT peppers
iceberg lettuce
nuts
rhubarb

remember, don't let them eat people food!!

Water

Picture
You will need to get your cavy a water bottle like the one pictured. Don't go for the cheapest one, because cheap usually means low quality and will not last you very long. Make sure the water bottle is a good size, and will not leak or spill. Whenever you get a new water bottle (or food bowl, or toy) always wash it out with soap and warm water. Only fill the water bottle as with as much water as your cavies can drink in one day. If you only have one, you will only need to fill the bottle about half way. Why? Well, because the water bottles need to be rinsed out and fresh water needs to be given daily. Never wait until they run out of water to refill it. This will give algae a chance to grow,and it is very hard to get rid of! Its a good idea when your rinsing the water bottle to rinse the top off too. Never use vitamin c drops, or put anything besides water in their bottle. Room temperature water is fine. Don't give them ice, or hot water.

Outside/floor time

Cavies are social creatures, and although they enjoy the company of their cagemates, they will greatly benefit from time with you too! Taking your cavies out of the cage for some floor time is a good way to let them get some exercise, and let them bond with you. Make sure you put plenty of towels down to avoid a mess though. Cavies will also enjoy some out door time to eat some grass. However, don't just let them run wild, the best thing to do is get a corral for them to run in, or you could just put the cage top (if its detachable) over them. The most important this is make sure they are in the shade! They should be allowed 1-2 hours of grass time. You let them have outside time about 3 times a week.