Avoid Scurvy: Your Pigs Aren't Pirates!

Guinea Pigs are one of the few animals that cannot synthesize Vitamin C on their own, and need it supplemented into their diet. In this article, we'll go over the importance of Vitamin C, and the detrimental effects of Vitamin C deficiency in a Guinea Pig's diet.

Why is Vitamin C Important For My Piggies?

As previously mentioned, Guinea Pigs cannot synthesize Vitamin C on their own, which means that they are unable to create Vitamin C on their own, and therefore need it supplemented into their diet. Vitamin C deficiency can cause a whole handful of issues in Guinea Pigs, including but not limited to lethargy, patchy hair, hair loss, bleeding gums, swollen joints and difficulty walking. If left untreated, they will develop scurvy.

What is Scurvy?

Scurvy is a condition caused by a lack of Vitamin C. Scurvy is often fatal and is harder to treat than it is to avoid all together. The symptoms of Scurvy are similar to the symptoms of Vitamin C deficiency, with the added symptoms of severe weight loss, inability to walk and extreme joint pain.

How Do I Ensure My Piggies Have Enough Vitamin C?

Your Guinea Pigs should be fed a Guinea Pig specific pellet, we recommend Oxbow's Adult Guinea Pig food for your piggies. Guinea Pig specific pellets have Vitamin C added directly into it, which is essential for their daily diet. Ensure that the Vitamin C in the pellet is stabilized, or it is an unreliable source. You can also supplement Vitamin C in your Guinea Pig's diet with Vitamin C treats and Vitamin C rich veggies such as bell peppers, guava and cilantro.

We highly recommend supplementing your Guinea Pigs with Vitamin C, even if their pellets have Vitamin C in them. Vitamin C in Guinea Pig pellets can degrade over time if it is not a stabilized source of Vitamin C.

Written by Hay Walker, 5/8/2026