Can Guinea Pigs Eat Apples? Everything You Need To Know

These small rodents are very cute and are a very good option if you want a small pet.

These small creatures, known as guinea pigs, are from the Caviidae family. These are domesticated guinea pig breeds found in many houses around the world.

This species is also called the cavy or domesticated cavy as they belong to the genus Cavia. While in scientific and laboratory settings, the term cavy often refers to the animal, it is also commonly used to refer to a guinea pig. Guinea pigs are not native to Guinea and are not related to pigs. The origin of the name remains unknown. This species is from the Andes of South America. Guinea pigs can't jump high because they have small limbs and legs. These species weigh between 1.5-2.6 lb (700-1,200 g). The adult guinea pig is measured between 8-10 in (20-25 cm) in length. Guinea pigs can learn to navigate through food. They can also remember a path for months. They can also startle easily and run for cover rapidly. Guinea pigs tend to eat grass, which is their natural diet. They have a long digestive tract and are big enough to consume all of their feces. However, they do not consume all of their feces and produce cecotropes, which are soft pellets that are made from B vitamins, fiber, and bacteria. The cecotropes are then eaten directly from the anus, recovering the vitamin B and required bacteria. Unlike humans, guinea pigs do not have the capacity in their digestive system to produce their own vitamin C. This vital nutrient vitamin C can cause scurvy if they do not obtain enough.

If you enjoyed this article why not read about can guinea pigs eat corn or can guinea pigs eat grapes here at Kidadl!

Are apples safe for guinea pigs?

Like any other animal, guinea pigs also need a proper diet to live long and healthy lives and every nutrient is consumed in a proper amount, otherwise it can affect the health of the creature.

Fresh apples contain a higher sugar content than grass or hay. The percentage of volume is much more in apples. Although guinea pigs are not overeaters, the high sugar content present in apples can affect a guinea pig. In general, you can feed your guinea pig small amounts of apple as it is a good to give your little guinea pig a treat once in a while. These little pigs make a great pet but they need a constant supply of essential nutrition, present in grass or hay. Otherwise, it may affect the complicated digestive system of guinea pigs. There are also some reasons why we shouldn't pet these cute guinea pigs. These little adorable pigs are very temperature sensitive. They can't tolerate a temperature of lower than 41 F (5 C) as these guinea pigs will freeze. They cannot tolerate a temperature of more than 176 F (80 C), as they will boil to death. Guinea pigs need more vitamin C in their nutrition and guinea pigs consuming fresh apples is like eating too many sweets and calories in their diet. Studies say that you should only feed guinea pigs a certain amount of around two to three apples per week. These sweet apples should be cut into small slices. Apple peel should generally be avoided by guinea pigs as the peels are acidic and can cause mouth sores and other health issues such as diarrhea if consumed too much.

If you pet a guinea pig, you may ask can guinea pigs eating apples? You should know that small guinea pigs like eating fresh sweet apples and they like it as treat. However, guinea pigs eating apples with seeds is obviously not a good decision. When you serve apple to your guinea pig, you should give it to them as a treat, please make sure you have removed the apple seeds. The skin and core of the fruit are more beneficial for the guinea pig than the apple itself. However, the apple skin and core contain more sugar and is more acidic which can affect your guinea pig's health if given in large quantities. They like to eat apples but we should provide them with small pieces otherwise it may cause diarrhea. If you see your guinea pig keeping its mouth open for a long time, then it's because of the acidic substances present in the apple.

Benefits Of Apples For Guinea Pigs

Have you ever looked at your fruit basket and thought, can little guinea pigs eat apples kept in your fruit basket?

As we have heard, an apple a day keeps a doctor away! Though it will be a fun fact for guinea pigs, is it true? Although fruits are beneficial for humans, what can we say about small pets like guinea pigs? Well actually yes, guinea pigs eat apples as a treat in their diet. Apple cores for guinea pigs have many health benefits. These small guinea pigs are easy to maintain as pets in your houses. These cute species are never a wrong decision! Guinea pigs are very fond of fruits and vegetables and easy to handle. These tiny guinea pigs are obviously vegetarians and love food. In nature, they are fed with grass so their favorite food is grass, with hay coming in close second. As they also like fruits and vegetables, apples are a good choice for them. As humans like apples in their diet, does it mean that guineas pigs will also like the odd slice of this fruit? Most of us would prefer giving some apple pieces to our cute pet instead of throwing it in the dustbin. Apples are also one of the most abundantly found fruits around the world. They account for approximately 15% of the fruit grown and consumed on the planet. Some types of apples are quite acidic like Granny Smith or Pink Lady which should be avoided.

Apples are high in vitamin C, which is good for the heart and digestion. They also contain fiber, which helps keep the body balanced. Apple leaves are also very tasteful and beneficial for guinea pigs. You are lucky if you have an apple tree in your garden because you can provide them a branch with apple leaves as their meal. Guinea pigs eat the apple, their core, and the apple skin for guinea pigs is very enjoyable to feed on. The skin keeps a guinea pig's teeth trim. They play with the twigs with their little guinea pig arms!

How many apples can I give my guinea pig?

Apart from the question how many apples should we give to our guinea pigs are, is it ok to feed guinea pigs the flesh of the apple and are there any parts that we avoid feeding to these animals? Make sure to avoid giving them the whole apple.

Can guinea pigs eat apples? Yes, absolutely guinea pigs eat apples, cut a quarter of an apple, and let them play with it. If they do, make sure you cut the pieces into small pieces, otherwise they could be a choking hazard. Also, be sure to avoid feeding the guinea pig whole apple. There are some general questions like should we feed guinea pigs apple skin? Sure, apple cannot kill guinea pigs and the apple peel is a secret ingredient that makes apples look amazing. An apple also contains a lot of fiber which helps guinea pigs very much.

Are apples seeds good for guinea pigs? No, you should avoid giving apple seeds to your little pet. If the apple seeds acclimate, they may become toxic for your little guinea pigs. This is something you should be aware of if guinea pigs eat apples because apple seeds are poisonous. They may not directly kill your guinea pig but it can affect it in a harmful way. The apple cores should be cleared from seeds and cut into small quarter pieces before serving.

Too much apple is also harmful to a baby guinea pig and adult guinea pig. If your guinea pigs eat too many apples, then they may also suffer from a minor bout of diarrhea. There is no long-term sickness recorded of guinea pigs eating too many apples. If your guinea still suffers from any type of sickness, then remove the apples immediately and provide some hay or grass which is some basic food that guinea pigs eat. An apple can contain acidic substances and if taken in excessive amount, then a guinea pig can develop mouth sores. According to scientists, your guinea pig can feed on alfalfa which can recover amino acids, fiber, sugar, and protein in the diet.

Can guinea pigs eat green apples?

Green apples are fruits that contain many vitamins, however they have a high sugar content. There are many health benefits of feeding apples to your guinea pig because they contain many vitamins.

A serving of 3 oz (100 g) of green apples contains small quantities of 218823 J (52.3 kcal) energy, 0.01 oz (0.3 g) protein, 0.007 oz (0.2 g) lipid, 0.03 lb (14 g) carbs, 0.02 lb (10.5 g) sugars, 0.5% calcium, and many more vital nutrients that keep a guinea pig healthy. Although green apples are considered a healthy fruit, they can still cause problems for guinea pigs if they are fed too much apple. This is because the sugars in these fruits can cause severe problems for animals. Although green apples taste good and your little pet may like them very much, green apples may cause great harm to guinea pigs. Some of the benefits that we should keep in mind while feeding a guinea pig green apples are:

Healthy Weight: Green apples can help reduce weight gain and improve the health of guinea pigs. They can also prevent the development of certain health complications in obese guinea pigs.

Boost Immunity: Green apples can help improve the health of your guinea pig's immune system by providing nutrients that can help strengthen its nervous system. This is because these fruits contain complex B vitamins.

Antioxidants: The antioxidant content of green apples can help remove free radicals from the body. This can reduce the risk of diseases and infections caused by these harmful radicals.

Help In Digestion: Constipation and digestion is helped by feeding green apples in guinea pigs. Green apples are also given served as a treat to guinea pigs.

Scurvy Prevention: Vitamin C is a vital component of the guinea pig's health as it prevents a disease known as scurvy from developing. This illness can occur due to the lack of vitamin C. Getting the proper amount of this vitamin helps the pig keep its body from getting sick.

Here at Kidadl, we have carefully created lots of interesting family-friendly facts for everyone to enjoy! If you liked our suggestions for can guinea pigs eat apples, then why not take a look at can guinea pigs to eat bread or guinea pig facts.