Have you ever thought about feeding your guinea pig radish?
These uniquely flavored veggies are usually spicy and healthy.
They are added to salad and eaten by humans, but can you include them in your pet’s diet?
Here, we talk about feeding radish and its leaves to your cavy.
Should your pet piggy be fed these vegetables? Let’s find out!
What do you need to know before feeding your guinea pig radishes?
Radishes have a spicy, peppery, and unique taste.
They belong to the mustard group. You’re probably familiar with the radish that has white flesh and red skin.
It is the prevalent type. However, radishes come in other colors too, although they are less known.
These include white, purple, green, yellow, and black. No matter the color, these vegetables still have the same nutritional content.
What are radishes made up of?
These vegetables pack a punch and are quite healthy.
Humans find them tasty and full of flavor too.
Radishes are made up of vitamins B5, B6, folate, and potassium. They also contain iron, riboflavin, and calcium.
Elements like zinc, manganese, phosphorus, and magnesium can be found in them too.
Radishes are fibrous and have low fat. These nutritious vegetables also contain carbohydrates and sugar.
Other substances present in radishes include fluoride, niacin, and protein.
These, along with oxalic acid and thiamine, are good for your furry friend’s health.
Your guinea pig has a specific requirement for vitamins A and C. As a cavy owner, you should know that your furry friend cannot produce its vitamin C.
So, your piggy would need all the vitamins it can get from the foods you give.
It is advisable to create a diet with ingredients that meet your furry friend’s nutrient requirements.
One cup of radishes has about 29% of vitamin C.
Though; these veggies contain a lot of vitamin C, they shouldn’t be fed to your guinea pig often.
It is because they have a very high amount of oxalic acid.
What amounts of radish should you feed your guinea pig?
When it comes to giving your pet some radish, a few slices would be enough.
It is not just about giving your furry friend a part of what you have on your plate.
You have to make sure that your piggy eats what’s right for it and gets the desired nutrients.
Radishes contain a lot of acids, mostly oxalic acid. They also contain high amounts of phosphorous, fat, sugar, acids, and calcium.
These are not recommended for your cute little cavy and are harmful in large quantities.
So, this vegetable is a healthy option for your sensitive piggy, only when fed in the right quantities.
Give radishes to your guinea pig only about one or two times a month.
This is because of the high amounts of oxalates present in this fruit.
In large amounts, oxalates combine with calcium to form bladder and oxalate stones.
Do not give your piggy large amounts of this vegetable. It will only harm your furry friend.
Make sure that you wash fruits and vegetables well before feeding your pet.
Wash them thoroughly to remove dirt and different types of germs. Radish leaves can be fed more often than the vegetable, though.
You can give these leaves to your furry friend about two or three times a week.
They should be well washed too and served fresh and crisp.
It would also be great if you could grow your radishes.
This way, you can be sure that what you are feeding your pet is free of pesticides and harmful chemicals.
These are poisonous and can affect your pet’s health negatively.
Feed your pet this amount of times per week. Three radish tops would be healthy and good for one cavy.
Conclusion
Radishes would make a great addition to your piggy’s diet. However, they can only be fed once in a while.
The leaves of this veggie can be eaten more regularly, though. Your piggy may or may not like radishes.
Try to notice how your pet reacts to being fed this veggie. It usually depends on its taste.
Do not overfeed your furry friend with radishes; respect the rules.
Feed it to your furry friend only once in a while. As said earlier, this veggie is best treated as a snack.
Do you have other pets?
Are you worried about feeding the right thing?
Click here to learn about great foods for your pet, and here to discover more about guinea pigs!
