What green vegetables can guinea pigs not eat?
Vegetables to avoid include: iceberg lettuce, potatoes, cabbage, and broccoli. Guinea pigs should eat a few types of vegetables regularly and new veggies should be introduced into the diet gradually to avoid diarrhea, bloat, and an upset tummy. Fruits should only comprise about 5% of the cavy's daily dietary intake.
Leafy greens like romaine lettuce, red and green leaf lettuces, kale, cilantro and parsley should comprise the bulk of your pig's fresh produce. It's best to provide variety by feeding different greens each day.
Make sure you do not feed your guinea pigs the following foods (this is not an exhaustive list): cereals; grains; nuts; seeds; dried beans, corn, and peas; buttercups; garden shrubs (such as hemlock or privet); lilies of any kind; sweet peas; nightshade; oak; avocado; onion grass; onions; potato tops; mushrooms; ...
If your guinea pig is new to fresh veg and greens, introduce it slowly, and don't give them more than the recommended daily allowance because it might cause an upset tummy.
It's best to limit feeding your piggy cabbage to around once or twice a week to prevent the occurence of any unwanted side effects. We recommended slowly and carefully introducing this leafy veggie to your guinea pig.
When taking into consideration all the nutrition factors, green bell peppers are the best for your guinea pig to eat, because of their lower sugar content. It has almost 2 g less than the other colors. However, all colors of bell peppers can be safely consumed by piggies.
Cucumbers are low in sugar which is good but they are also high in water and quite low in vitamin C and fibre so although it is fine to feed a few times a week to your guinea pigs, don't give them large quantities. A half inch chunk is plenty as part of their daily veggie portion.
Although spinach is safe for your guinea pigs to eat and most piggies love this green leaf, due to the high oxalate content, it shouldn't be fed to them too often or in large quantities.
- Tomatoes without stems or leaves.
- Cucumber.
- Zucchini.
- Kale.
- Cilantro/coriander.
- Mustard greens.
- Carrots.
- Parsley.
Cucumber: Guinea Pigs can eat both the flesh, seeds (not too much) and the skin. Green beans:These contain vitamin C, and can be fed in a raw state. However, be cautious as they also contain calcium and phosphorus. Peas: As with most vegetables, these contain Phosphorus and Calcium.
Can guinea pigs have celery?
Yes, your guinea pig can safely eat both celery stalks and leaves in moderation. Just make sure you rinse them off before feeding a small bite to your guinea pig.
Spinach contains a large amount of calcium, which can be a bad thing when it comes from calcium-rich oxalates. The overconsumption of foods with it can lead to the development of bladder stones, which can cause urinary tract issues.
Unfortunately, even with all the vitamins that carrots would provide your guinea pig, there are also some negatives to feeding them too much of it. Carrots have a high sugar content, which isn't good for your guinea pig because they increase the risk of obesity and diabetes.
Guinea pigs can eat foods such as Romaine lettuce, sweet bell peppers, kale, cucumber and coriander every day and some other green leafy vegetables too.
Hay and grass
Good-quality hay should make up most of your guinea pigs' diet, and they should always have it available to them. They should have fresh grass as often as possible too, ideally every day.
For example, the raw kernels of the corn should only be fed to your guinea pig a few times a week. It would be best to limit the amount you give to them—something like two or three kernels. The inner husks of the corn can be fed to guinea pigs daily!
The short and sweet answer (pun intended), is yes! Sweet potatoes are considered a crazy-healthy food for humans, and they're just as safe for guinea pigs to eat. (Keep in mind that guinea pigs can't eat potatoes, only sweet potatoes.)
Dr Moyes says: “Guinea pigs don't naturally eat fruit or root vegetables, but you can give them in small amounts as treats.” This could be small pieces of carrot or celery, a cherry tomato, a little bit of banana or an apple quarter.
Fortunately, guinea pigs can eat both the rind and the flesh of the pumpkin! You just have to make sure that you thoroughly clean the outside to rid the rind of any dirt and germs that may be there. We've mentioned time and time again that pumpkin is fine as long as it is served in moderation.
Bananas are rich in fiber, vitamin A, vitamin B-6, and vitamin C so it is very beneficial to your guinea pigs health. Vitamin B-6 maintains your guinea pig's fur by keeping it smooth and soft.
Can guinea pigs eat pickles?
It is generally not a good idea for guinea pigs to eat pickles. Pickles have been preserved in vinegar and spices, and while cucumbers can be a healthy part of a guinea pig's diet, the vinegar and spices in pickles can be harmful to them.
A vibrating guinea pig can mean a few things. It can mean that they are happy, angry, threatened, stressed or cold. Once you understand your guinea pigs behaviour more you'll begin to notice if this is a positive or negative mood.
Luckily, grapes are not known to be toxic to guinea pigs like they are to dogs and some birds. “That being said, [two to three] grapes per week are all you need for vitamin C benefits without overloading a guinea pig with sugar,” Henson said.
Tomatoes are safe for guinea pigs to eat. Tomatoes have many beneficial dietary benefits including: Great source of fibre - necessary for correct digestive health. High in Vitamin C - A necessary vitamin in their diet.
Despite its high calcium content, mint has a good amount of vitamin C and is high in fibre so is a good food to include in your guinea pigs diet. Most guinea pigs really love this herb and you can feed mint a couple of times a week but make sure you don't feed too much.
| Foods to Feed | Foods to Avoid |
|---|---|
| Grass hay | Salt licks or mineral blocks |
| Plain pellets | Animal byproducts |
| Fresh vegetables (and the occasional fruit) | Seeds with kernels that cavies can choke on |
| Daily vitamin C supplement | Veggies with a lot of calcium |
Spinach: This green is a good source of protein, calcium, iron, magnesium and phosphorus. Kale: For Vitamin A, C, and K as well as calcium and potassium, Kale can be eaten. Red Leaf Lettuce: This lettuce type is low in calcium and oxalates which is a good thing for guinea pigs.
Also note that iceberg lettuce is not good to give to your guinea pig because it has so little nutritional value! Their spot in your guinea pig's meal is best taken by something else more nutritional.
Pneumonia. Pneumonia, or inflammation of the lungs, is a frequent cause of death in guinea pigs. Pneumonia in guinea pigs is usually caused by bacterial infection (most often Bordetella bronchiseptica, but other bacteria such as Streptococcus pneumoniae or Streptococcus zooepidemicus may also be the cause).
Guinea pigs as a group are unusually sensitive to certain antibiotics, whether they are given orally or by injection.
Can guinea pigs have peanut butter?
Excess fat in their diet can kill liver and pancreatic cells, deteriorating gastrointestinal function. Aside from this, peanut butter also contains a lot of sodium, sugar and too many calories. Peanut butter also has a dangerous mechanical effect, it is a choking hazard for them!
Guinea pigs can eat cucumbers with skin, and in fact some prefer the skin over the watery center.
The short and sweet answer is yes! Guinea pigs can eat pineapple, but in moderation. There are several different health benefits that this fruit can offer to your piggy, but there are a few drawbacks that you need to be aware of before you decide to include it into their diet.
Guinea pigs need fresh and dry food every day, along with an unlimited supply of hay. As a rule of thumb, each GP needs around one cup of fresh veg each day.
Yes, guinea pigs can eat oranges. In fact, some citrus fruits, including satsumas, tangerines, and clementines, can have definite health benefits for your guinea pigs. But not all citrus fruits are good for cavies. Those with a lot of ascorbic acid, like lemons, can be harmful.
So. While guinea pigs absolutely need a diet specialized for their needs, a salt (or mineral) lick isn't needed. Actually, it's best to totally stay away from them.
Adult Guinea Pig
Going without veg for a day or 2 here and there occasionally wont hurt them but it's important that they do get a good variety of fresh veg, salad and fruit in their diet daily for the rest of the time.
Iceberg lettuce and the lighter lettuces give guinea pigs diarrhea.
Many fruit seeds, including apple seeds, contain cyanide, which can make your piggy sick, or even kill them if they have more than one accidentally. Apples are also on the more acidic side, which is not good for the guinea pig's overall health.
So although it is high in vitamin C and fibre as well as being low in sugar, you should take care to feed broccoli occasionally and in small quantities to avoid any bloating as this can be very dangerous for a guinea pig.
What vegetables cause bloat in guinea pigs?
“Certain foods cause gas build-up and should not be fed to guinea pigs,” Dr. Hageman says. “These include all the cruciferous vegetables (cabbage, broccoli, cauliflower) and bok choy. Guinea pigs should be fed lots of timothy hay to keep their intestines moving smoothly.”
Guinea pigs can have sweet bell peppers a few times a week. We recommend giving them about an inch or two square of a pepper per guinea pig, mixed in with some other safe vegetables.
In short, it's safe to give your guinea pig a small slice of watermelon to enjoy but only in moderation. A piggy's diet should mainly consist of fresh hay, grass, high-quality pellets, and some nutritious veggies.
Carrots have a high sugar content, which isn't good for your guinea pig because they increase the risk of obesity and diabetes. The sugar can also be a cause of tooth decay, which can be hard to treat.
Can guinea pigs eat carrot tops (leaves / greens)? If you can buy your carrots with the leafy greens attached then you can also feed these to your piggies. There is not much nutritional data available on carrot tops but these luscious green leaves are certainly safe and healthy for your guinea pigs to eat.
Hay and grass
Good-quality hay should make up most of your guinea pigs' diet, and they should always have it available to them. They should have fresh grass as often as possible too, ideally every day.
Yes, your guinea pig can safely eat both celery stalks and leaves in moderation. Just make sure you rinse them off before feeding a small bite to your guinea pig.
Tomatoes are safe for guinea pigs to eat. Tomatoes have many beneficial dietary benefits including: Great source of fibre - necessary for correct digestive health. High in Vitamin C - A necessary vitamin in their diet.
Dairy, including yogurt, cheese, kefir, sour cream, cream cheese, and cottage cheese. Again, the guinea pig GI tract is not meant for anything but plants. They simply don't have the enzymes and other things they'd need to digest dairy products.
