Guinea pigs are fond of anything that is sweet, tasty and the ultimate threat to their bellies. Such is the relationship of these adorable rodents with several other wholesome fruits.
Many owners have this query due to the mixed advice that they receive on the subject. Luckily, the answer to your question is right here. Read on to find out!
Is it safe to feed bananas to your guinea pig?
Yes, give your guinea pigs a banana and watch how they squirm and squeal in delight because these cute rodents absolutely love the taste of a ripe banana.
However, although it is safe to feed your guinea some bananas in moderation, they are not entirely the best food item for them.
This is because bananas contain a high amount of sugar in them, which can be dangerous to the health of guineas. Although bananas are not entirely poisonous for your guinea pig, they contain 12% sugar in them.
This can lead to the obesity of your furry rodent, which is never healthy for any pet, especially guinea pigs.
In fact, you should avoid feeding your guinea pig any fruit excessively, since this can cause diarrhea and constant upset stomach in your pet as well.
For this reason alone, it is always a better idea to provide your guinea pig that is rich in plants and vegetables, rather than fruit.
However, it is completely safe to feed them bananas a couple of times in a month as a treat, since they genuinely love the taste of these sugary, sweet fruits.
Bananas also contain vitamin C, which is important to the health of guinea pigs. Due to the excessive sugar, they should be given in moderation.
As owners, one should always be cautious of how much sugar is being fed to your guinea pig for the sake of their health and wellbeing.
Why is sugar bad for guinea pigs?
Most fruits contain a high amount of sugar in them and can cause adverse reactions in the digestive system of your guinea pig. This is because sugar has an immediate and negative effect on the gut flora of guinea pigs, which actually leads to the promotion of harmful bacteria.
The digestive system of a guinea pig is a lot more sensitive than most rodents or animals. So feeding them excessive sugar can cause a lot of harm to them.
Therefore, if you do end up feeding your guinea some fruits every now and then, make sure that they are given as a treat and not as their regular diet.
It is also important to mention that feeding your guinea pig bananas too often can also lead them to develop diabetes or other digestive problems, which can also cause death in many cases.
Can guinea pigs eat banana peels?
Many owners believe that banana peels are not harmful to the health of their guinea pigs – at least not as harmful as the fruit itself. While this is true, even banana peels should not be fed as often or become a part of their regular diet.
However, if you ever decide to feed a banana peel to your guinea pig, you should always make sure that it is thoroughly washed and cleaned before it is given.
Additionally, you should never feed your guinea pig dried or old banana peels, as they add zero nutritional value to the diet. Always ensure that the banana or the peels that are being fed to your guinea pig are ripe and washed properly beforehand.
How to feed a banana to your guinea pig?
Despite their long, sharp front teeth, guinea pigs should not be given large items. Not only is this harmful for their teeth in many cases, but the food can contain antioxidants that are not safe for your guinea in any case.
Thus, you should always know how to introduce a fruit or any other food to the diet of your guinea pig.
When trying to feed banana or banana peel to your guinea pig, you should first make sure that the banana is ripe and sweet – rather than an old, dried banana.
If you are just feeding the peel, then make sure that it is washed properly and shredded before you put it in your guinea’s food bowl. Do not give the entire peel to your guinea pig without washing properly.
When feeding a banana to your guinea pig, always make sure that you cut it up properly. Slicing up the banana will also help you feed it to your guinea in moderation. Your guinea does not need a whole banana in one go, so slicing up only a quarter or half of it is the ideal option.
Once that is done, just place the slices in your guinea pigs bowl and watch how they devour the juicy, sweet fruit!
Do not feed citrus fruits to guinea pigs
Even though the diet of a guinea pig should have an adequate amount of vitamin C present in it, citrus fruits are still not a good idea for your rodent.
These can cause harm to the metabolism of your guinea pig due to their acidic nature. Guinea pigs can also develop mouth sores because of regular consumption of citrus fruits. However, feeding them a slice of an orange every now and then is fine.
One of the best green food for your cavies is spinach leaves, it has high amounts of vitamin C, carotenoids, vitamin K, folic acid, iron, and calcium.
For more information regarding the health and wellbeing of your little guinea pigs, subscribe to my newsletter to receive routine updates. For any questions or queries regarding the subject, feel free to comment below and share your experiences!
Lydia King is a huge animal lover and has always been fascinated with learning about the animal kingdom. She enjoys writing about anything animal related from scientific information about rare species to animal references in pop culture.
