Can guinea pigs eat blueberries?

Guinea pigs eat a variety of vegetables and fruits, their diet is pretty wide. Guinea pigs like to eat blueberries. Blueberries are sweet fruits that guinea pigs eat, guinea pigs love to eat blueberries mainly because of its sweet and juicy taste, however you should be careful as the sugar content in raspberry is high, the amount of sugar just like its vitamin c content is high.

blueberries

“Can guinea pigs eat blueberries and raspberries? The simple answer to this is yes, guinea pigs can eat both blueberries and raspberries. Raspberries and blueberries are of great health benefits to guinea pigs.

Raspberries and blueberries contain some vital minerals and vitamins including vitamin c, vitamin k etc which are important for the growth and development of guinea pigs.

Because of the herbivorous nature of guinea pigs, they mostly eat vegetables and hay, however, you can sometimes give them fruits as a treat.

Health Benefits of Blueberries

Blueberries provide vitamin C for guinea pigs

Guinea pigs do not have the capacity to produce vitamin c for themselves, it thus means they would have to depend on their food sources to supply them with this important vitamin c. Luckily for them, blueberry contains vitamin C, an essential vitamin for the growth and healthy living of guinea pigs. Vitamin C deficiency can cause guinea pigs to have scurvy, a disease that is hazardous to the health of guinea pigs. With vitamin c, your guinea pig can stay active.

Blueberries help to keep the heart in a good condition

Blueberries are very good for the heart, it helps to regulate blood pressure. Overall, this fruit helps to keep the heart in a good working condition. Blueberries are equally good for human beings and also guinea pigs.

Blueberries are good for digestion

Blueberries help a guinea pig’s digestive system. It contains fibre which aids digestion. Guinea pigs are prone to digestive problems, however, blueberries help to get rid of this and ensure guinea pigs digest their food relatively well.

Blueberries contain antioxidants

Blueberries are full of antioxidants which are also of great health benefits to guinea pigs. It helps to develop a guinea pig’s immune system to be strong in order to fight against diseases. Antioxidants like anthocyanins are present in blueberries, they help prevent guinea pigs from getting sick. Blueberries also help to prevent inflammation in guinea pigs.

Even though raspberries has positive benefits, it is good for you to feed blueberries to your guinea pigs, however, you have to be extra careful not to feed your guinea pigs blueberries in excess.

Cons of feeding blueberries to guinea pigs

Feeding guinea pigs excess blueberries will have an adverse effect on them and rather cause problems to the guinea pigs. Some of the problems include:

Obesity

The sugar content level of blueberries is quite high for guinea pigs, thus, feeding guinea pigs many blueberries can make them fat and overweight. It is thus important that you only feed guinea pigs blueberries in small amounts because blueberries contain much sugar.

Acidity

Blueberries also contain some acids which when taken in large quantities can be harmful to guinea pigs. When you feed blueberries to your guinea pigs, they run a risk of this and can develop mouth sores along with some other complications.

Excess blueberries can cause stomach problems

Excessively feeding blueberries to your guinea pig will do it more harm than good due to the presence of fiber in blueberries. Although fiber aids digestion, excess of it would cause problems to the digestive system rather than helping it. It can cause diarrhea, anorexia and other stomach problems.

With all these problems your guinea pig face if you feed it excess blueberries, it is very important that you only feed your guinea pigs blueberries as a treat and the serving size you give to your guinea pig should be small. Once or twice in a week is enough, make sure your guinea pig is not allergic to blueberries and that it also likes it before feeding it.

This makes it safe for guinea pigs to eat blueberries. Blueberries are good for your guinea pig in a small quantity.

What fruits can guinea pigs eat?

Guinea pigs like a variety of fruits which are beneficial to them. They include: blueberries, raspberries, watermelon, cantaloupe, strawberries, orange, apple, pear, cranberries etc.

What can guinea pigs not eat?

Guinea pigs diet is limited to vegetables and fruits, however, not every vegetable is good for them. Guinea pigs cannot eat:

cabbage, seeds
junk foods
azalea
bread
potatoes
avocado
chocolate
peanut butter
meat
onions
garlic
mushrooms
iceberg lettuce
nuts
corn kernels
peanut butter
rhubarb
bok choy
dairy products

Can guinea pig eat raspberry?

Raspberry is a juicy fruit for a guinea pig, it is equally a healthy treat for a guinea pig. The only downside is to not feed it excessive raspberries as rather than benefiting the guinea pig, it would cause danger to it.

FAQs

Can blueberries make my guinea pig sick?

Yes, if you feed blueberries to your guinea pigs everyday or in large quantities, it can adversely affect your guinea pig. It can cause diarrhea, anorexia or other stomach problems. Frozen blueberries is also bad for your guinea pig, fresh blueberries in room temperature is okay for your guinea pig. Make sure the frozen blueberries are defrosted before feeding your guinea pig. Allowing your guinea pigs eat blueberries twice per week is okay and won’t cause health issues for your guinea pig.