What Can Guinea Pigs NOT Eat? – Foods To Avoid

When thinking about sharing food with your guinea pig, think like a guinea pig. What is available to your guinea pig as its natural diet?

What do you feed them? Well, that depends on what they will accept and enjoy.

What guinea pigs can not eat

If you have no idea what food guinea shouldn’t eat, here is a list of some of the foods and plants you should avoid providing the little guy at all costs.

Some Vegetables

Vegetables are a good source of vitamins for piggies’ diet, but not all of them are proper food for your little guy. There are some of the vegetables that guinea pigs should not eat at all costs.

Onions And Garlic

Onion and garlic are toxic in your cavy’s diet. It also explains why guinea pigs shouldn’t feed on human foods because they mostly contain these two ingredients.

Garlic contains a toxic acid called oxalic which causes stomach upset in guinea pigs. Also, the strong Aroma of garlic could cause allergies to them.

On the other hand, onions are very toxic, and when your little piggy feeds on them, it can cause urinary tract damage. Guinea pigs shouldn’t eat onions because the poisonous chemicals in guinea pigs kill red blood cells in oils which transports oxygen.

We all know oxygen is essential for any living thing to live, and if it happens your pet has ingested onions by mistake, call your vet right away.

Iceberg Lettuces

Lettuce generally is not poisonous, but it’s worth mentioning that it can trigger health issues when eaten by guinea pigs. Iceberg lettuce causes your cavy to have diarrhea, and I am certain no one wants to see their piggy have a poopy bottom.

Besides, iceberg lettuce doesn’t have any nutritional value in guinea pigs’ diet, so there’s no harm avoiding it.

Cabbage

I am not saying cabbage is poisonous; in fact, it is an excellent source of vitamin C to guinea pigs.

However, you should avoid feeding them to your guinea pigs as it can trigger severe bloat to them. Guinea pigs don’t have the system to passing out extra gas as we humans do

Rhubarb

It is rich in oxalic acid, toxic to cavies, and might cause urinary tract stones in your tiny friend. However, feeding them with moderation can cause no harm.

Leeks And Chives

They belong to one category as onions. And as mentioned earlier, onions cause blood disorders by killing red blood cells, so do leeks. So please eliminate them as part of a diet plan for your furry buddy.

Jalapenos

Guinea pigs should not eat jalapenos, despite them being popularly known for their vitamin C content. Jalapenos are spicy, and guinea pigs tend to react badly to spicy stuff.

Jalapenos are too hot for your little piggy friend to handle and pose severe stomach upset and cramps. Kindly avoid any spicy food as they burn them from inside.

Mushrooms

You should avoid feeding your guinea pig with any wild mushroom. I am not saying all mushrooms are poisonous, cultivated mushrooms are good, but they don’t have any nutritional value in a pig’s diet, so there’s no point feeding them something with no nutritional value at all.

Ginger

It has high calcium and sugar content and is generally not recommended as part of cavy’s diet plan. Also, the taste of ginger is spicy; Guinea pigs can’t tolerate spicy stuff and can trigger bloat and diarrhea.

Excess calcium causes a urinary issue to rodents, and guinea pigs are not an exception. Ginger can cause mouth irritations due to its Aroma, and we agree that ginger has a strong taste even to us humans that’s causes irritation and itching in the mouth.

Asparagus

Asparagus causes vomiting and diarrhea in guinea pigs. Also, it has a lot of calcium that causes kidney stones because of oxalic acid present, and it should be fed in moderation, like 2-3 times a week, or avoid it at all.

Carrots

Guinea pigs should not eat carrots because their roots are poisonous when consumed in large quantities.

Potatoes

Besides it being high calories food, it has no nutritional value in guinea pigs’ diet. The starch alone cannot be tolerated in piggies’ digestive system. They enjoy munching on potatoes a lot, but it is best to avoid giving them because of the high alkaloid content, which can seriously affect piggies’ health.

Kales

Guinea pigs should not eat kales because it contains indole alkaloid toxins.

Celery

This vegetable has caused severe stomach problems in some cases, and you should not feed guinea pigs with it.

Certain Fruits

Few fruits that are poisonous to guinea is and should not be included in their diet or, if need be, should be fed in moderation.

List of things guinea pigs can not eat

Avocado

Guinea pigs love the taste of avocados so much that they can’t resist the sight of it.

However, how much they love them, it is advisable to avoid incorporating avocados in their diet. Reason? Some parts of avocados contain a toxic substance called persin and are not safe to be eaten by Guinea pigs and can cause diarrhea.

The safe part of the avocado is high in fat and can make guinea pigs overweight, posing a health threat. as a guinea pig owner, you should think twice before feeding it to your pet.

Also, this fruit contains an enzyme called alpha-amylase, which breaks down starch into sugar. The result? A diabetic coma in your little piggy

Kiwi, Lemmon, And Mandarin

Do not feed your guinea pig with these fruits as the bitter taste irritates the guinea pig’s mouth.

Tangerines

Tangerines contain tannins which damage the liver tissue of your cavy.

Pears

It causes diarrhea, and it is advisable not to feed diabetic pigs due to its high sugar content.

Bananas

Too many bananas in its diet Lead to constipation. Also, if your piggy is diabetic, you should avoid bananas at all costs.

Apples.

Apple seeds contain cyanide, a very toxic chemical to guinea pigs

Coconuts

Avoid feeding your pet with coconuts because they are high in fats, leading to liver damage and atherosclerosis in guinea pigs. If need be, then do it with moderation.

Some Weeds

How lovely to observe a tiny friend roam around your backyard playfully, but you should know what grows in your backyard is safe for your pet to munch on. Guinea pigs can eat some weeds, and some are poisonous.

Here are some poisonous weeds that guinea pigs should not eat, and you should destroy them if they grow in your garden.

Creeping Charlie

Also known as ground ivy, run away robin, cat foods, etc., the question is, should you feed your cavy with creepy Charlie? No, it is a very poisonous weed and not safe to be eaten by a guinea pig.

Deadly Nightshades

Nightshade family of weeds are very poisonous when eaten by guinea pigs, especially when taken in large quantities. They contain a toxic chemical called solanine which is deadly to guinea pigs. Nightshades family includes tomato leaves, potato leaves, pepper plants.

Bindweed

They are commonly known as the morning glory family. It is not safe for your cavy friend to feed on bindweed because it is poisonous and will make them sick.

Certain Flowers

You might have planted certain flowers in your garden and are good, and some are poisonous to your fluffy friend. Examples are:

Daisies And Buttercups

Mostly, this is found growing alongside grass, especially during spring and summer. They are poisonous and should not be eaten by guinea pigs.

It would be best to be extra careful when cutting grass for your piggy in the garden because you can mistakenly pick this flower alongside grass. Also, please do not feed your piggy pet with mowed grass because it can contain these poisonous flowers.

Hostas

Hostas are very poisonous plants not only to guinea pigs but also to other animals. Don’t take the chance of planting hostas in your garden surrounded by herbivorous pets such as guinea pigs.

Dandelion

The root is poisonous when ingested by guinea pigs.

Dairy Products, Meat, And Eggs

As you know, guinea pigs are strictly herbivorous and shouldn’t eat any of these foods. It poses severe digestive tract problems because they cannot digest things like meat.

Meat by-products such as chicken feet, tripe, oxtails, sheep heads, cow brains, horse hooves, goat horns, lamb hearts, pork ears, and beef cheeks have been found to carry harmful parasites.

Parasites can make your pet very ill if he eats enough of them. So don’t give any of this stuff to your pet!

Raw eggs can cause salmonella poisoning, which is dangerous for your guinea pig. Salmonella causes diarrhea, fever, vomiting, abdominal cramps, headache, muscle aches, joint pain, and sometimes death.

Bread

Guinea pigs should not eat any bread. Bread contains many sugars and fats that can make your pet overweight; preservatives found in bread are not suitable for your tiny furry pal. Also, it can cause choking when it gets sticky in the mouth.

Sweets, Candies, And Chocolates

Kids at times can be excited with the presence of this cute furry rodent such that they want to share their piece of sweet treats with it.

Sugar in these treats can cause severe health issues, such as diabetes, blindness, and indigestion issues. Guinea pigs should not eat Any food high in sugar content.

Junk Foods

Guinea pigs should not be fed junk foods. Too many fats and carbohydrates can cause rapid weight gain to your furry friend leading to health problems.

Walnuts, Peanuts, And Any Nuts

They are rich in fats, and giving them to your guinea pig pet can cause weight gain that can trigger obesity.

Conclusion

To be a good pet owner, it is crucial to know what foods are safe for pets. Guinea pigs are susceptible little creatures, and they need to be fed suitable types of food.

If the wrong kind of food gets into their system, it can cause serious health issues and even lead to death. Try not to administer the wrong type of foods to your guinea pig at all costs, which will reduce health risks in your furry buddy.

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