Can Guinea Pigs Eat Strawberries?
Strawberries are berries high in vitamin C and also have sugar content. Humans love Strawberries but Do Guinea pigs like them too? Can Guinea Pigs Eat Strawberries? There are however some warnings before feeding strawberries to guinea pigs because strawberries are known to have a lot of chemicals and pesticides over them and this may be dangerous for pets so an extra wash before feeding is always recommended. Along with vitamin C and sugar, strawberries are also packed with a punch of potassium and fibre. We know that just like humans even Guinea pigs cannot produce their vitamins and minerals. Thus, they have to depend on outside sources for such vitamins and minerals, strawberries can be a good provider of such minerals.
Can Guinea Pigs Eat Strawberries?
Yes! Guinea pigs can eat strawberries as they are beneficial for them and prove a good source of vitamins and minerals essential for the health of Guinea pigs. They can eat strawberries and they love eating strawberries given you feed them in a controlled amount. Strawberry is rich in vitamin c and may contain high sugar contents due to which it may be dangerous for your Guinea pigs for high sugar-containing food items are not advised for Guinea pigs.
How To Prepare Strawberries For Your Guinea Pig?
The preparation is quite simple, all you need to do is soak the strawberries in a vinegar solution for about 20 minutes and after that, you can take them out and towel dry. One strawberry is nothing for a human being like us but a guinea pig is much smaller in size that is why one strawberry is enough for a guinea pig it is recommended that you feed one-fourth of a strawberry once or twice a week. the guinea pig may or may not like the main red fleshy part of the strawberry and at times may choose the strawberry top. Choose only the part your Guinea pig likes to eat and feed accordingly.
Edible Parts Of A Strawberry For Guinea Pigs
When we take it from a Guinea pig’s perspective the strawberry contains only three parts, the strawberry top, the strawberry leaves and the main fruit pulp. A guinea pig may prefer any of these parts depending upon its own choice. Let’s talk about the strawberry tops, it is considered that the strawberry top is the favourite part of a guinea pig they generally like green leafy parts and when it comes to strawberry they prefer eating the strawberry top much more than the fruit pulp, but as we mentioned, it depends upon the Guinea pig itself. When we talk about the strawberry leaves, the Guinea pigs find the strawberry leaves as good as a strawberry top and at times prefer it over the pulp. Also, you can feed your anything with strawberry seeds the strawberry seeds are the tiny dots on the strawberry pulp itself the strawberry seeds are safe to feed but you should not feed your guinea pig strawberry jam or dried strawberries.
Harmful Effects Of Strawberries On A Guinea Pig’s Health
There are however several side effects that may originate due to strawberries. The first one being, strawberry has a high sugar content due to which excess feeding may cause an upset stomach, diarrhoea, and vomiting, You should keep in mind that the Guinea pig’s digestive system is much more sensitive than that of a human. A possible side effect we can also include is that the acidic nature of strawberry can harm the Guinea pig’s teeth. The final side effect that may take place is that due to the acidic nature the guinea pig may lead to sour lips. The biggest concern for a guinea pig consuming strawberries however is only the high sugar content in a strawberry. Just like humans even Guinea pigs can catch level 1 and level 2 diabetes.
| Features | Oxbow Essentials | Oxbow Essentials | Hartz Small Animal Pellets |
|---|---|---|---|
| Image |  |  |  |
| Brand | Oxbow | Oxbow | Hartz |
| Item From | Pellet | Straw | Pellet |
| Ingredients | Natural | Natural | Scientifically-Formulated |
| Veterinarian Recommended | Yes | Yes | - |
| Speciality | Perfect For Picky Eaters Fortified | Premium Quality Nutrient Rich Vet Recommended | Scientifically Formulated 100% Complete Nutrition Maintains Shiny Coat |
| Price |  | | |
Conclusion:
If you have already read the above-given points, you need not good for the conclusion for I will be discussing the above-mentioned points in a glossary over here.
Though it is not a topic to worry about if you are feeding your Guinea pigs once every week. Guinea pigs may choose strawberry or strawberry leaves over the fruit pulpy part. strawberries contain a lot of pesticides over them and that is why you must always soak a strawberry in a vinegar solution for about 20 minutes and then towel dry before feeding it to your guinea pig.
Just like humans even Guinea pigs do not produce their vitamins and minerals that is why they have to depend upon outsource is for such vitamins and minerals strawberries that are rich in vitamin c can be a good provider of this vitamin for a guinea pig. Dried strawberries should not be given do Guinea pigs and they may be cooked before feeding. the side effects of excess feeding of strawberries maybe diabetes diarrhoea and sold its acidic nature can even destroy the teeth of a guinea pig. a guinea pig meat used to eat the strawberry top the strawberry pulp on the strawberry leaves according to its own choice.
