Today we look at more unusual choices for Guinea Pig Treat Fruit and Veg (Part 1 can he found HERE)
Can Guinea Pigs Eat Bananas:
- Yes!
- Providing you thoroughly wash the skin of the banana there is nothing dangerous in either the fruit or the peel.
- In the past farms and smallholdings the skins/peels are often recycled into animal food.
- The skins especially are a good source of potassium (good for hearts) and fibre (good for digestion).
- Many Guinea Pig owners will report that their piggies enjoy the skins more than the fruit.
- However you should feed bananas only as a rare treat.
- This is because bananas are very high in sugar and could lead to diatetic or dental problems.
Can Guinea Pigs Eat Fine Green Beans:
- Yes!
- Please note: these are UK green beans also known as fine beans, I believe there is another legume known as green beans in the US that may not be as safe so do check with local owners if unsure.
- Fine green beans are a great source of vitamin C.
- But due to high calcium content they should be kept as a once a week veg.
- High calcium can cause bladder problems in some Guinea Pigs.
- Some owners have concerns that legumes would create gas in their Guinea Pigs; however it’s my personal opinion that you’d find it hard to feed them a high enough quantify for any gas to be harmful. Regardless; if kept for treats there is not going to be a problem, as ever; moderation is key.
- I hear loads of piggy keepers saying their piggies enjoy green beans but to be completely honest despite initial interest the majority of ours are not that interested in them at all and wouldn’t eat a whole one!
Can Guinea Pigs Eat Citrus Fruits? (Oranges, Clementines, Mandarins etc.):
- Yes!
- Citrus fruit like oranges, tangerines and clementines are an excellent source of vitamin C.
- Like humans Guinea Pigs cannot produce their own vitamin C so have to acquire it through their diet.
- However a high sugar content means you should limit their consumption.
- Too much sugar can cause digestive issues in the short term and diatetic problems in the long term.
- Additionally because of high citric acid content citrus can also cause sores around the mouth if fed too frequently.
- For this reason I would suggest not feeding lemons or grapefruits.
- Citrus peel is perfectly edible IF washed very well AND if your piggies will eat it…some strictly refuse.
- All of the Squidgypigs adore a bit of citrus fruit.
Can Guinea Pigs Eat Sugar Snap Peas?
- Yes!
- Guidelines are similarly to fine green beans..
- …Sugar snap peas are a great source of vitamin C…
- But due to high calcium content they should be kept as a once a week veg.
- High calcium can cause bladder problems in some Guinea Pigs.
- If you fed enough you’d probably stand a chance of giving your piggy wind.
- But, to be honest if kept as a treat this is not going to happen.
- Again; like the fine green beans the Squidgypigs were not overly fond of them.
Can Guinea Pigs Eat Kiwi Fruit?:
- Yes!
- Kiwi fruit is a good source of vitamin C.
- But like most fruit is high in sugar so definitely best kept as a rare treat.
- The furry skin is perfectly edible but should be thoroughly washed first.
- This was a real surprise hit with the Squidgypigs.
Can Guinea Pigs Eat Corn on the Cob?
- Yes!
- And usually they LOVE it!
- The husks and silks are very much edible and are high in fibre so a little like hay.
- However any hard outer leaves should be discarded to avoid feeding pesticide contaminated material.
- The corn itself despite being regarded as delicious by most piggies has very little nutritional value so is only suitable as a treat.
Please note: I’ve recently received some (largely well meaning) criticism on Instagram for appearing to feed the Squidgypigs a high amount of fruit and/or veg. As ever I urge people to remember the internet is rarely what it seems; and although it may seem that our piggies are in ‘an eternal diabetic hell of sugar overdose’ not all videos are filmed on the day they are posted and if I was in the habit of randomly binge feeding my pets I probably wouldn’t be writing about ‘Treat’ fruit and veg and how often to feed them…just saying…
In all seriousness though I am a fully functioning ‘grown up’ and would never feed anything I believed to be dangerous to any of our pets but again I repeat the age old advice of “moderation, everything in moderation”, there are many things in this world worthy of getting upset about, very pampered rescued Guinea Pigs are definitely not one of those things.
Hope you have enjoyed part 2 of our Guide to Treat Veg. What is your Guinea pig’s favourite treat? Let me know below.
Squidgypigs 