What Do Guinea Pigs Drink and the Best Way to Offer It

If you’re an overthinker like me, you might be wondering how to set up your guinea pigs’ water. What temperature should it be? Do they prefer bowls or bottles?

The best thing for guinea pigs to drink is soft or filtered tap water at room temperature. Most guinea pigs prefer water bottles, but a few drink better from bowls instead. It’s best to offer both at first as you learn their preferences.

In this article, we’ll discuss what guinea pigs drink, whether guinea pigs can drink tap water, and more.

What Can Guinea Pigs Drink?

Guinea pigs should only drink water. Please don’t share other beverages with them! It’s best to keep their water around room temperature, but don’t stress too much so long as it’s not extremely hot or cold.

Please don’t add anything to your guinea pigs’ water, including vitamin C. These drops don’t have much benefit since vitamin C disintegrates when it hits the light. Many guinea pigs don’t like the taste and it causes them to drink less, which can cause health problems.

Feed a mix of daily vegetables instead, especially those high in vitamin C such as bell pepper.

What Do Baby Guinea Pigs Drink?

Of course, baby guinea pigs also drink their mothers’ milk. If you’re worried that your baby guinea pigs aren’t getting enough milk, have a conversation with your vet about the best course of action. They may recommend carefully syringe-feeding a guinea pig formula or Critical Care.

Never give baby guinea pigs cow’s milk or kitten formula.

Can Guinea Pigs Drink Out of a Bowl?

Guinea pigs can drink out of a bowl, and I always recommend offering both a bowl and a bottle to your newly adopted piggies. This can especially help if you’re unsure what they drank from in their old home, though most people do use water bottles.

Make sure the bowl is heavy and can’t be toppled over, as a spilled dish can leave your guinea pigs without water! It’s also not good for them to sit in wet bedding.

Bowls can also be a challenge to keep clean. Most guinea pigs will kick debris into their water bowl, such as poops or bedding. This is a huge reason that most people prefer water bottles.

Water Bowls vs Water Bottles for Guinea Pigs

Most guinea pigs seem to prefer water bottles to water bowls and drink from them more frequently, which is better for their health. Water bottles provide mental enrichment as well.

If your guinea pig drinks from their water bottle, it’s likely the best choice–but every piggy is different, so go with their preferences.

Also, keep in mind that guinea pigs can be taught to drink from bottles if they don’t know how! They can learn from each other, or you can try showing them yourself by tapping the spout with your finger.

How Many Water Sources Do Guinea Pigs Need?

Your cage should always have at least two water sources. This can mean two bowls, two water bottles, or one of each. Sometimes bowls get spilled or soiled or water bottles stop working, and it’s important to have a backup in these cases.

If you have more than two guinea pigs, I recommend having one bowl or bottle per pig to reduce territorial disputes.

Can Guinea Pigs Drink Tap Water?

Many guinea pigs do just fine drinking tap water but there is some debate about whether or not you should filter their water.

This is because many of us have hard tap water, which contains calcium. Too much calcium, or an improper calcium to phosphorus ratio, can cause bladder stones.

If your guinea pig is prone to bladder stones and you have hard tap water, your vet may recommend filtered water. But, I wasn’t able to find any studies showing a link between tap water and bladder stones in guinea pigs.

Anecdotally, I always gave my guinea pigs tap water without issues. However, there is a genetic component to think about–and it might just be that my guinea pigs weren’t as prone to stones as some others. When I adopt again in the future, I’ll likely filter their water just to be safe!

How Much Water Do Guinea Pigs Drink?

How much water your guinea pig drinks will depend on their diet and the season. Many piggies drink more in the hot summer months and less in winter.

If you’re feeding a lot of watery veggies, you’ll also notice a decrease in their water intake. This is normal and not a concern!

If your guinea pig’s water habits change without cause, bring them to the veterinarian as this can indicate a medical issue.

Overall, most guinea pigs do best when given filtered, room temperature water out of a water bottle. However, there are always exceptions!

If you don’t have hard water, there’s likely no need to filter it. And if your guinea pig will only drink from a bowl, that’s okay too.