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No, guinea pigs should not eat cheese, or any dairy. They are strict plant-eaters, and the Vet Desk explains they lose the ability to digest dairy properly after weaning. Burgess calls dairy particularly dangerous for guinea pigs, and it can lead to bloating and diarrhoea. That covers every cheese, plus milk, butter, cream and yoghurt.
| Safe? | No |
| How much | None |
| How often | Never |
| Best served | Not at all: offer a strip of pepper instead |
| Watch out for | Swollen belly, diarrhoea, fewer droppings, not eating |
Why can't guinea pigs eat cheese?
Because dairy is the wrong food for a plant-eater's gut. Guinea Lynx puts it simply: don't feed dairy or meat products, because guinea pigs are herbivores. Their digestion is built around hay, grass and leafy veg, with no animal food at all.
The Vet Desk explains that after weaning, guinea pigs lose the enzymes needed to digest dairy, so cheese gives them nothing they need. Food that isn't digested properly can lead to bloating or an impacted gut, both of which need a vet quickly. The ASPCA adds that pets make little lactase, the enzyme that breaks down milk sugar, so dairy often causes diarrhoea. Cheese is also high in fat, salt and calories, which a guinea pig doesn't need.
There is one more catch: the Vet Desk's vet-reviewed guide on meat notes that guinea pigs can't vomit, so anything that disagrees with them has to pass all the way through.
Every kind of cheese and dairy
- Hard cheese (Cheddar, Parmesan): no.
- Soft cheese (cream cheese, cottage cheese, Brie): no.
- Milk, cream and butter: no.
- Yoghurt and yoghurt drops: no.
- Cheesy snacks, crackers and pizza: no, and they add salt, starch and often onion.
- Dairy-free cheese: no.
What if my guinea pig has eaten cheese?
- Take away the rest. Check the floor, cage and bedding for crumbs.
- Note how much. A nibbled crumb and a whole slice are very different.
- Give hay and water. Fresh hay helps the gut keep moving.
- Watch for a day. Look for not eating, fewer or softer droppings, a hunched back or a tight, swollen belly.
- Ring the vet. Call if any signs appear, or straight away if a large amount was eaten. Guinea Lynx says bloat can be fatal if left untreated.
Don't wait overnight if your guinea pig stops eating. Guinea Lynx warns that the liver begins to suffer after as little as 16 to 20 hours without food.
Who is most at risk?
Babies and young guinea pigs, older animals, and any with a sensitive stomach. Smaller bodies are affected by smaller amounts.
What to give instead
For a soft, tasty treat, the Vet Desk suggests swaps such as cucumber, sweet pepper or a little fruit. Try cucumber or a strip of bell pepper. Other animal foods are a no too: see our pages on eggs and chicken. For the full list, read what can guinea pigs eat, our guinea pig diet guide and the guinea pig care guide.
Cheese questions
My guinea pig ate some cheese. What should I do?
Take away any more, give plenty of hay and fresh water, and watch closely for the next day. Look for not eating, fewer droppings, a swollen belly, a hunched back or diarrhoea. Ring your vet if any of these appear, or straight away if a large piece was eaten. The Vet Desk notes harm may not show at once.
Can guinea pigs drink milk?
Only their mother's milk as babies. The Vet Desk explains that guinea pigs lose the ability to digest dairy properly after weaning, and the ASPCA says pets make little of the enzyme that breaks down milk sugar, so dairy can cause diarrhoea. Adult guinea pigs need only fresh water.
Are yoghurt drops for guinea pigs safe?
We'd skip them. Yoghurt is dairy, which Burgess calls particularly dangerous for guinea pigs, and Guinea Lynx warns that yoghurt drops and similar treats crowd out the foods guinea pigs really need. A sprig of fresh herbs or a strip of pepper makes a far better treat.
Can guinea pigs eat vegan or dairy-free cheese?
No. Dairy-free cheese is usually made from oils, starch, nuts or coconut, plus salt and flavourings. VCA advises against foods high in fat and carbohydrate for guinea pigs, and the RSPCA lists coconut as a food they can't eat. The Vet Desk says there is no safe cheese substitute.
