Are cherries safe for guinea pigs?
Yes, guinea pigs can eat cherries. In fact, they love them as much as humans do. Guinea pigs love sugary foods and cherries are high in sugar. This fruit can even provide several health benefits to your pet.
- Cherries contain a lot of antioxidants which help your cat’s body stay active
- Sometimes, the fruit has an anti-inflammatory effect due to its ORAC value.
- Cherries are a source of vitamin C. Guinea pigs are often deficient in vitamin C, and this is one way to help boost their vitamin levels.
- Your piggy’s heart can benefit from cherries because they control cholesterol levels.
- They can boost your pet’s metabolism and help them stay active.
- Cherries have even been found to lower the risk of cancer in some guinea pigs.
- Cherries are also a source of thiamine, vitamin B6, folate, vitamin K, calcium, iron, and zinc.
- There is a lot of water in cherries that can hydrate your pet.
With all of these benefits, it might seem like a good idea to feed your cavy cherries all the time. But it is important to remember that too many cherries can cause health problems to arise and make them sick.
How many cherries can guinea pigs eat?
You should moderate the number of cherries your guinea pigs eat. Cherries contain high levels of acid that can burn their mouths and hurt their stomachs.
If they damage their mouths, it is hard for them to eat healthy foods later, and this can lead to serious weight loss and a lack of proper nutrition. There is a high amount of fiber in cherries as well. This can cause constipation and upset their bathroom habits. If you notice a change in their bathroom habits, you should stop feeding them cherries and contact your vet for more advice.
You should never feed them more than one cherry a day. Baby cavies only need half of a cherry in a single day because their stomachs and bodies are more sensitive.
Cherries should not be given more than three times per week or they will start to experience issues. They love the sugar found in the fruit and will eat too much if left alone.
Always monitor your guinea pig’s behavior before, during, and after feeding them cherries. This is the best way to make sure they stay healthy and that the fruit does not make them sick.
Can guinea pigs have pitted cherries?
Do not feed your guinea pigs cherry pits. Pitted cherries contain cyanide which is poisonous to humans and cavies. It is vital that you remove any pits from the cherries before feeding it to them. In fact, it is never safe to give them pitted fruit of any kind unless you properly remove the pits.
They can easily break their teeth or swallow shards of the pit. If either of these things happens, they could experience trouble swallowing or even death. I wrote an article about all the food that can kill your cavy you can check it out.
More advice on feeding guinea pigs cherries
There are a few more things you should know when it comes to giving cherries to your guinea pig. You want to make sure they are properly cared for, and following this advice will keep them healthy.
- Only feed them organic cherries. Avoid purchasing fruit that has chemicals or pesticides on it.
- Do not feed them cherry stems. This part of the plant also contains cyanide like the cherry pits, which can kill your pet.
- If they are not interested in eating the fruit, take the cherries out of their crate. This keeps them from overeating later or making a mess in their bedding.
- Cut cherries up into small bites for your cavy before serving them. This helps them slow down when they eat and enjoy the sweet treat a little longer.
- Some guinea pigs love sweet fruits and others do not. There is no reason to be alarmed if they do not seem interested in eating cherries. This could just be their personal preference.
Do guinea pigs eat cherry tomatoes?
Yes, all types of tomatoes are safe for guinea pigs to eat, including cherry tomatoes. You can provide them with an entire cherry tomato since they are much smaller than other varieties of the fruit.
It is still a good idea to cut up the cherry tomatoes though and only offer a small amount at a time. This will give you plenty of time to determine if the cherry tomato upsets their stomach before feeding them more.
Just like with regular sweet cherries, the vines, stems, and leaves of cherry tomatoes are not safe for cavies. You must be sure to remove all of these pieces from the tomato because they can poison your pet. Don’t leave tomatoes in their cage for more than an hour.
Fruits that are softer can collect a lot of germs or bugs overtime. According to PetSmart, no food should be left in their food bowl for longer than four hours.
Cherry tomatoes contain 14mg of vitamin C per 100g and 10mg of calcium. In small amounts, they can actually be healthy for guinea pigs and improve their wellbeing.
Limit feeding them cherry tomatoes to only two or three times a week. Like sweet cherries, cherry tomatoes contain sugar which is not good for them in large quantities.
Conclusion
Sweet cherries and cherry tomatoes alike make great treats for guinea pigs. They will be delighted by the juicy fruits that contain the sugar they love so much.
As with all treats, avoid overfeeding your pet so they stay healthy for a long time. Don’t forget to remove any pits or stems from cherries or leaves and vines from tomatoes. These are poisonous to cavies. If you follow these guidelines and monitor your pet’s diet, they will have well-balanced nutrition and immune systems.
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.
