“Wheek, wheek!”
I’ve created dog and cat treat recipes, but no guinea pig recipes – and – seeing that we don’t have a dog or a cat, but we do have two adorable piggies!! (Peanut Butter (PB) and Cinnamon (Min-min) I was feeling a little guilty…. So, I created a recipe using their kibble, applesauce, shredded carrots and the fine hay bits from the bottom of their hay box. They were not a huge hit at first nibble – their treat of choice is fresh cilantro or berries…but I offered them several more times and they did enjoy gnawing on them. Guinea Pigs and rabbits have teeth that continually grow, so they need to gnaw a lot to keep their teeth from getting too long – these are perfect for that! …and they use up the kibble and hay bits from the bottom of the bins – bonus!
Looking for some other Guinea Pig Treat Recipes? I found these from Small Pet Select (where I buy our pellets & bedding.(
Note: The water/applesauce amount in recipe may need tweaking based on the texture of the particular type of kibble and hay. I adjust the water/applesauce amount based on how the mixture is looking. Applesauce is a little “stickier” and can be helpful for binding the mixture. You want to add enough so that it holds together. It’s a bit like making mud-pies when you were little!
Next time I make these I may try adding some pumpkin and oats as binders – I see this product from Small Pet Select and checked out their ingredients list/
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- 1 cup kibble (guinea pig or rabbit)
- 3/4 cup* water start with adding 1/2 cup, then add more as needed.
- 1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce plus more if needed
- 3/4 cup finely shredded carrot
- 1 cup small pieces of Timothy hay (I used the fine bits from bottom of box)
Ingredients
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- Preheat oven to 250 degrees.
- Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Mix together the kibble and 1/2 water to hydrate them.
- Stir in the other ingredients. Mixture should be moist enough to hold together. (May need to adjust the water/applesauce amount as kibble and hay textures can vary.)
- Spread mixture onto prepared baking sheet and pat until about 1/4 inch thick.
- Bake for 15 minutes.
- Remove from oven and use a pizza wheel to cut into squares (don't separate at this point.)
- Continue baking for another 15 minutes.
- Remove from oven and cut on the same scored lines, use a small spatula to turn the squares over and separate them on the baking sheet.
- Bake for 15-30 minutes more or until dried to the desired consistency. When they seem all dried, I usually turn off the oven, prop the oven door open slightly and let them cool in the warm oven - helps dry them out even more.
- Store in an airtight container.
I've been researching ways to get these to stick together better. I found a product from Small Pet Select that has oats and pumpkin - may give them a try in my next batch. I'll post the results!!
Love this idea!!
Our piggies love the hard hay cubes that Kaytee makes, but I like your idea of using up the left-over bits of hay and kibble and making our own even better!! I wonder if you could add some parsley to the mix too?
Hi Nicholle –
Glad you like the recipe!! I’m sure you can adjust the recipe with lots of different items! I need to bake up a batch myself! Will be a great stocking stuffer for the piggies!
Happy Holidays to you!
Tina ( :
How long do they last? I am wondering how much to make and save. Thanks!
Hi Emily!
I would say they last at least 2 weeks in an air tight container. We just kept them in a zip top bag.
My guinea pig “Butch” absolutely loves these, the only problem I have is trying to get them to stay in cubes.! They just seem to break up. I will just have to play with how much water and maybe bake them longer. Butch doesn’t seem to mind whether they are in a cube or not! LOL
Hi Beverly! I’m so glad Butch loves them!! Yes, sometimes you have to tweak the water – for me it depends what particular kibble I’m using at the time. Give Butch a pet for me! Take Care!
My piggie loves this stuff, too, and I also have a problem keeping it from just turning into a crumbly mess. By the time I get enough moisture added to keep it from crumbling they never really dry out during baking (~2 hrs at 300F). At least I know the ingredients are ok and I can just give them in a separate bowl.
Temp?
Hi Angela – See first direction – 300 degrees – Thanks!! Take care!
I’m making these for the first time! Fingers crossed they like them!
I made a batch for the guineas using guinea pig pellets and another batch for my rabbits using rabbit pellets!
The oven actually smells really good. Lol.
Hi Eric – Thanks for letting me know! I hope they love the recipe!!
We tried and they came out mush! They loved the mush. Suggestions to make them more bar like?
Yes, I find different brands of kibble can vary in texture. I say to start with 1/2 cup water in the recipe, but maybe you should start with no water, then add a tablespoon at a time once all the other ingredients are mixed in to make them soft enough to spread out. You can adjust the baking time too – as needed to dry them out. Enjoy!
These turned out amazing! My guinea pigs and rabbit love them. First off I did end up using the full amount of water, I used one average size banana since I didn’t have an apple which really made the kitchen smell so good! Then I just mixed all ingredients by hand to incorporate it evenly, followed directions on the recipe. The last 15 minutes of cooking time I turned the oven off and left them in there to completely cool. I hope this helps. I will make these from now on.
Great idea with the banana Kathy!! Glad they enjoyed – give them a pet from me!
How often can these be fed? I saw the comment above that they last approximately two weeks, but I’m unsure if I should cut the recipe in half or not.
Hi Brianna – you can always check with your vet, but I give them a few times a week. I’ve noticed that different brands of kibble can vary quite a bit in texture, so you can tweak the final texture with a little more water or applesauce if needed to help hold together.
I wonder if I could add a bit of flavour free gelatin to the water, to make the mix stick together since I tried only with water and they break and pulverize very easily… I was thinking about a fourth of an envelope, which is usually dissolved in 1 cup of water, I bought some treats that our piggie Chloe loves, that are hay and thyme and among the ingredients they list gelatin… She also loves the peanut shaped treats from Kaylee but they are difficult to find and relatively expensive ($4.99 for a pack of two). They have a thick hay base and then they have seeds and kernels on top: sunflower, wheat, corn, etc.
That’s a good question Monica – I would maybe double check with your vet to make sure the gelatin is safe first. I find I have to play around with the texture of the mixture as I’ve noticed different brands of kibble give me different results. Let us know what you find out – I’ll check with our vet on our next visit too!