Guinea pigs are picky eaters.
They have a sensitive digestive system, and all types of food don’t agree with them.
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This makes it difficult to plan a diet for guinea pigs.
As loving and caring owners, we want to provide the best options to our guinea pigs.
Diet is one of those concerns we have to deal with, even before bringing our furry friends home.
Guinea pigs will reject your food offerings in a second if they will.
It takes a while to figure out which food items you should include in his/her diet.
Now, as difficult as it may seem, a little bit of knowledge can make everything easier to understand.
How do Fruits and vegetables benefit guinea pigs?
Guinea pigs love particular fruits and vegetables, but not all of them are good for their health.
Fruits, such as apples, oranges, and pears, contain sugar along with important minerals and vitamins.
Even though vitamins and minerals are essential, sugar can cause harmful effects.
Guinea pigs cannot digest excess sugar.
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It causes indigestion and pain. Some guinea pigs get diarrhea after eating fruits and vegetables.
Seeds and fruit cores pose choking hazards for them.
And oxalate acid in some fruits and vegetables can also have terrible health effects.
So, do you deprive your guinea pigs of fruits and vegetables?
Don’t we all deserve to enjoy the offerings of mother-nature and indulge in them?
Moderation is the key here. You may have heard the saying, “excess of anything is bad.”
The same case applies here. Fruits and vegetables can only make good treats for your guinea pigs.
This means that you only give it to them once or twice a week.
So, can I give mangoes to my guinea pigs?
Yes, you can. Guinea pigs love and enjoy mangoes as much as we do.
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However, mangoes have high sugar content.
And as mentioned earlier, guinea pigs have a hard time digesting sugar.
If you can give it to them in controlled portions (few slices once or twice a week), it wouldn’t negatively affect them.
Can guinea pigs eat dried mangoes, mango skin, and pit?
Mango skins tend to carry pesticides, and accumulated pesticides can cause serious health problems.
Moreover, the skin is hard to chew, and it may choke your tiny furballs.
The pit isn’t beneficial in any way either.
Dried mangoes may not appeal to your guinea pigs. Besides, it contains way too much sugar for them anyway.
The same goes for mango juice. The high sugar content will result in diabetes, as well as indigestion and diarrhea.
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Guinea pigs need lots of hay (timothy hay) in their diet.
Along with that, they need vitamin C pellets, dark greens, and freshwater.
Fruits and vegetables can come after these basic needs are provided for.
Every week, you can treat your guinea pigs with various fruits and vegetables in small portions.
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But to give them the best diet possible and prevent any sort of illness, moderation is important.
The more you feed them, the more they’ll eat. So, it’s up to you to make sure that they don’t overindulge.
