Can Guinea Pigs Eat Green Beans? Complete Feeding Guide Guinea Pigs

Guinea pigs are herbivore animals, and therefore, they enjoy all kinds of green leafy vegetables.

Pigs can eat green beans, which can be an important part of their diet. Green beans contain calcium along with other nutrients that are beneficial for the growth and development of guinea pigs.

Considering their small delicate bodies, you must be worried about their diet. Are green beans safe for their consumption? What if they are given green beans for the whole day? All these questions will be answered in this article.

The digestive system of guinea pigs is formed in such a way that it allows the maximum breakdown and absorption of complex polysaccharides into glucose. Starting from their broad premolars and molars that help in proper mastication of foods, the digestive system includes numerous enzymes along with the helpful bacteria present in the guinea pig's intestines. The microbial biome helps in breaking down the starch obtained from plants by the process of fermentation.

Therefore, green beans can be easily digested by guinea pigs. However, feeding guinea pigs with only green beans will not result in their complete growth and development. Just like human beings and other animals, the pigs also require a balanced diet consisting of all the essential nutrients in the right amount. Guinea pigs require an ample amount of Vitamin C from food sources because they are not able to synthesize it in their body. Vitamin C helps in the prevention of scurvy and boosts their immune system. Therefore, it should be incorporated into their diet from other food sources. Supplements can also be given to guinea pigs.

Read on to learn the various benefits of green beans in the diet of guinea pigs.

Benefits Of Green Beans For Guinea Pigs

There are numerous health benefits of feeding your fluffy guinea pig pets with green beans. 3.5 oz (100 g) of green beans contain about 0.11 oz (3.3 g) of sugar, 0.12 oz (3.4 g) of fibers, 0.003 dr (6 mg) of sodium, 0.11 dr (209 mg) of potassium, 0.06 oz (1.8 g) of protein, 0.02 dr (37 mg) of calcium, and about 93% water content.

Green beans have the ability to improve the heart health of guinea pigs due to the presence of potassium and fibers. These serve to lower blood pressure, hence minimizing chances of cardiovascular disorders in guinea pigs. You must be thinking if heart diseases really occur in guinea pigs. Yes, they do occur if they are fed with food that contains a high amount of fat or sugar content. Additionally, green bean contains a very low amount of sodium, which is only about 0.003 dr (6 mg). Sodium increases blood pressure, which leads to excess water retention in the body. This can cause bloating in guinea pig pets. So, green beans are a really healthy snack option for them to binge on.

Another important benefit of green beans is the high content of Vitamin A, which is essential for good eyesight. Just like human beings, guinea pigs too undergo poor eyesight with age. For maintaining proper eyesight and the development of eye muscles, like the ciliary body as well as the iris, guinea pigs must consume foods containing Vitamin A. As their damaged eyesight cannot be corrected, it is necessary for the guinea pig owners to provide them with supplements from time to time.

Guinea pigs require to eat about 0.014-0.02 dr (25-40 mg) of Vitamin C on a daily basis in their diet. This is because they are unable to synthesize this particular nutrient in their body. Food rich in Vitamin C can help build their immune system and help in the smooth healing of their wounds. Scurvy and other gum-related disorders in guinea pigs can be prevented.

Apart from the above-stated nutrients, green beans are also enriched with essential microelements like magnesium, iron, folate, manganese, phosphorus, as well as Vitamin K. Formation of blood clotting factors in guinea pigs is enhanced by the uptake of Vitamin K.

Are green beans poisonous to guinea pigs?

Although green beans are not poisonous for guinea pig pets to consume, overfeeding can lead to bloating and other health conditions in them. Maintaining a balanced diet is essential, and therefore, the pet owners must serve them the right quantity of green beans.

Variation is an important thing to consider while feeding guinea pigs. For this, you should also serve them with other vegetables and fruits. Also, cooked foods should not be given to them. Overfeeding then with green beans can lead to several digestive issues. This is because of the excess calcium content in green beans, which can give rise to bladder stones in them. In fact, most guinea pigs suffer from this common condition, and therefore, you should keep a check on your guinea pig's excess eating habits. Also, there are proteins called lectin present in green beans, which are harmful to guinea pigs if they consume them in excess.

Green beans can only become poisonous to guinea pigs if they are served with too much processing or if they are cooked. Frozen green beans are also harmful to them. These are only beneficial for the guinea pig's body when raw. Apart from these, you should also know that green beans are rich in oxalic acid. So it is better to feed them with one or two beans per day or a handful of beans once per week. Cooked food is also rich in sugar and oil, and therefore, feeding these daily may lead to increased magnesium and other minerals in the blood of guinea pigs, which may eventually lead to the formation of stones in their kidney or bladder. So make sure that you are not serving them canned beans, processed beans, cooked beans, and even frozen beans.

Other side effects of feeding guinea pigs with beans include the food-body interactions in them and excess deposition of calcium crystals in the blood. The occurrence of side effects increases more when pigs are introduced to new foods for the first time. Therefore, be careful to slowly incorporate small amounts of green beans into their diet.

Can guinea pigs have green bean leaves?

Yes, guinea pigs eat green bean leaves. Just like other herbivore animals, pigs eat all types of vegetables and fruits.

Green bean leaves also contain high Vitamin C content, protein, magnesium, other nutritional minerals as well as healthy fiber. Therefore, numerous nutritional benefits can be obtained by feeding them with green bean leaves. Apart from these leaves, you can also feed guinea pigs with different kinds of fresh vegetables, which include arugula, lettuce, parsley, basil, carrot, cilantro, broccoli, brussels sprouts, and many more with the lesser calcium content. Pellets and supplements also come with plenty of health benefits. The number of green beans that these pigs are fed on should be checked. You can also include string beans in their diet, which are enjoyed by guinea pigs.

You must feed them with fresh hay, alongside Vitamin C fortified pellets, and also a cup of crunchy green vegetables that may also include green beans. Excess green beans or green bean leaves can make their stomach upset. So rotating food items daily or maybe three times a week is a great way to reduce their chances of deteriorating health. Also, make sure to clear out their cages before serving them food. They have no control over their eating, and oftentimes they feed on their own poop and other dirt in the cage, which results in severe health issues.

Are green beans safe for guinea pigs?

Guinea pigs eat green beans, which are healthy. These beans are only safe when they are fed in the right amount to guinea pigs. Cooked or boiled, processed, frozen, and canned foods can kill guinea pigs by causing severe damage to their digestive system. They can only eat raw beans and other raw veggies. Guinea pigs also enjoy eating green bean seeds, along with their leaves. However, eating too much of the seeds can lead to an excess accumulation of phosphoric and calcium, which may affect the health of guinea pigs.

Adult guinea pigs eat without any control over their food. Only two green beans should be served to them. Along with this, make sure that guinea pigs eat other food and supplements rich in vitamins and minerals that are essential for boosting their immune system. A healthy digestive system of guinea pigs is only possible if the right amounts of food are served to them. Guinea pigs can eat green vegetables and fresh fruits that are rich in nutrients. Also, the newly brought guinea pig should be given enough amount of time to settle with its new diet. You should start serving them with a lesser number of beans or other veggies and keep a close eye on their eating behavior. You can also get to know a lot about their health from their urine and feces.

Make sure that the beans you are serving are fresh and clean. Avoid plucking them off from a lawn or a garden where pesticides or other chemicals are sprayed. If you are buying these from the market, then make sure to thoroughly rinse them off before giving them to your guinea pig pets to eat. Often, beans that are not properly washed contain several bacteria, fungus, and parasites. Even eggs of parasites are also present on them. Upon ingestion, these can lead to several diseases in guinea pigs. Allergies can also take place, with redness, coughing, and sneezing, being the common signs and symptoms. If any of these signs are noticed, then they should be rushed to the vet immediately.