Supa Guinea Pig Excel > Reviews (5)

On behalf of myself and my friend (fellow guinea pig enthusiast) I would say that this is definately one of the best guinea pig foods available. However, as a mass guinea pig owner/carer (I ran a rescue for 2 years) I would say that it is very over-priced if you have more than 2 piggies and it is not available (correct me if I'm wrong) in 15kg sacks.

It is a lucerne (alfalfa) based guinea pig food and has none of the usual 'coloured bits' and other gubbins that you usually find in cavy food. This is a good thing because guinea pigs don't really need the extra additives and colourants found in most foods! My only concern is that it is alfalfa based and due to the high calcium content in alfalfa, it may not be the best bet for older pigs or those susceptible to kidney/bladder stones. Alfalfa has been linked to this problem in older pigs. It is very good for growing piggies/younger cavies as they need a good kick of calicum for bone growth and for bone maintenance. If you have an elderly/older pig and wish to offer a high quailty piggy food then go for Oxbow Cavy Cuisine which is timothy hay based - not linked to bladder/kidney stones.

Some of the guinea pigs in my care when I tried this turned their nose up at it (the junk food 'coloured bit' addicts!) but others tucked in with some gusto so as with everything, it is a preference to the individual pigs...all of which usually prefer the veg and hay anyways!

I would point out that this is a complementary feed for guinea pigs, not a complete food. Even Burgess state it is 'complementary'. It still needs the supplementation of fresh vegetables (or a vitamin supplement - pigs prefer the veg though!). Although it has around 3 times as much vit C as other guinea pig feeds it is still not adequate and I would advocate giving fresh, *appropriate* veg/some fruits to your pet. I cannot stress the importance of the supplementation enough due to a cavies inability to synthesize vit C. In addition, ensure the food bought is fresh as vitamin content deteriorates over time.

As with ANY guinea pig food available, fresh hay MUST be available at all times to wear teeth down evenly, allow proper digestion and provide the cavy with a natural foraging/grazing situation. Obviously, water must be available.

I can safely say that yes, this product is excellent provided you supplement hay and veg and only have a few piggies. If you have 3 or more then I would suggest an alternative food available in big bags at a cheaper price because you will be spending money hand over fist. Additionally, if you must buy bunny food for your guinea pig, please check that there are no ACS sprays added to the food as this is very harmful to piggies. Also, seeing as guinea pigs are not rabbits and have different dietary needs and functions I would not actually advocate using rabbit food at all.

Hope this is helpful... and believe me, I've tried 'em all for the many, many g-pigs I've been lucky enough to rescue and rehome.