Guinea pigs are one of the most delightful flowers-eating pets you can have. These rodents actually love almost all types of fruits and veggies as they are pure herbivores. Their diet mostly includes fiber-rich food to support their digestive system. Fruits are good for guinea pigs as they contain vitamins and minerals but you should be knowing the frequency of feeding.
Coming back to the question, CAN GUINEA PIGS EAT BLUEBERRIES? The straight and simple answer to this is, Yes, guinea pigs can eat blueberries but with caution as it contains a lot of sugar. While they have a varied diet and they are not so common pets to keep, they are also very sensitive to what they are fed with.
The keeper should be culpable to know if they can feed their pigs the blueberries, or what should be the right portion for the pigs to consume. Let’s take a closer look.
Benefits of feeding Blueberries to Guinea Pig
Let’s first take a look at the nutritional info about blueberries.
| Nutrients | Approx value |
| Vitamin C | 9.7 mg/ 100 g |
| Vitamin A | 54 IU |
| Vitamin K | 19.3 ug / 100 g |
| Calcium | 6 mg/ 100 g |
| Phosphorous | 12 mg/ 100 g |
| Potassium | 77 mg/ 100 g |
| Water | 84.21 g/ 100 g |
| Calories | 57 Kcal |
| Carbs | 14.49 g/ 100 g |
| Protein | 0.74 g/ 100 g |
| Sugar | 10 g/ 100 g |
| Fiber | 2.4 g/ 100 g |
Blueberries contain a high amount of Vitamin-C which is healthier than any other nutrients for these pets. Blueberries are also high in antioxidants that can help pigs to have proper brain function, blood pressure, and even prevent cancer. Apart from this, there are many more benefits of this fruit if you feed it to your cute little guinea pig.
- One most important benefit is that blueberries comprise 0.5g fat in each 100g of the quantity which makes this fruit much lower in fat as compared to the other pet food. The main thing to remember is that too much fat in the diet of guinea pig can upset their stomach.
- The production of Vitamin-C in guinea pigs is not so common as compared to human beings or any other animal, so the keeper should manually feed Vitamin-C to the piggy to avoid any kind of deficiency and illnesses linked to it. The high content of Vitamin-C in blueberries makes it a rich diet for Guinea Pigs.
- The right amount of calcium in Guinea Pigs decreases the chance of bone diseases in their adult age and blueberries are one such natural resource that can help maintain the calcium level in the pigs. Calcium is also very essential for the female guinea pig while in the pregnancy period.
- Likewise, protein is also one such nutrient found in blueberries which is also very essential for the diet to have a healthy growth of guinea pigs, especially during their youth age when they require it for both their physical and mental growth.
Must Read: GUINEA PIGS DIET – WHAT AND HOW MUCH TO FEED?
Risks of feeding Blueberry to Guinea Pig
Where there are so many benefits of blueberries, there is also a risk of high sugar and acidic content which is a matter of little concern while considering feeding blueberries to Guinea Pigs.
- The first time you will offer them blueberries, you will discover that they love and enjoy them a lot that they can have it every day but too much of this fruit is not good for your little one.
- Blueberries are high in sugar as many fruits and berries do. But it is necessary to remember that sugar in berries and fruits is not refined sugar which can make guinea pigs overweight and lazy. The obesity in Guinea pig can increase blood pressure and stroke chances.
- For pregnant cavies, too much blueberry can be a tricky thing. They have a lot of nutrients and nutrients in these varieties might be excessive for females and the unborn guinea pig. In such cases, the keeper should always consult from the doctor while feeding blueberries to the piggy.
- Whereas the high acidic content can have different side effects like a sore mouth, teeth degeneration, and enamel damage over the period of time.
How many blueberries can a guinea pig eat?
The presence of sugar content does not mean that you cannot feed your guinea pigs with blueberries since they have way more health benefits too. So, we prescribe you to give a few in a week as a snack and not as a full meal.
Since it has excessive sugar content and can increase the pig’s weight, a limited amount of blueberries could be a good choice to maintain the nutrients level in the right quantity.
As there is no right answer to the number of blueberries in each portion, but limiting up to 3 blueberries each time twice a week or maximum of thrice a week would be enough for your piggy and the keeper should make sure that the berries are washed properly to avoid any kind of indigestion in the piggy.
If you are feeding one or more Guinea Pigs, you should make sure that they share their treat fairly and equally. Otherwise, one can have them all and later have side effects.
Blueberries as a treat
There are plenty of fruits and vegetables that make your guinea pigs excited while you feed them but some are just much better than others. They love all the green leafy vegetables because of their high content of either fiber, vitamin – C, water, or sugar.
It is recommended to feed them with fruit twice a week and that too when it is blueberries, it is definitely not less than a party for them. They express their joy by making different sounds and giving a happy signal to the keeper.
The keeper should often throw such parties to their little pets, parallelly being conscious of the right amount of the nutrients.
Related FAQs
Q. Can guinea pigs eat frozen blueberry?
A. Yes, guinea pigs can definitely eat frozen blueberries. But first you should take them out from the fridge and wait until its at room temperature. then you can serve them with adequate quantity as mentioned above.
Q. Can guinea pigs eat blueberries leaf?
A. Yes, guinea pigs can eat blueberries leaf for sure. its leaf contains antioxidants which is better so you can give leafs more often.
Q. Can guinea pigs eat dried blueberries?
A. No, guinea pigs should never have dried blueberries because of their higher sugar content than fresh blueberries. Dried blueberries have sugar almost double the amount of fresh blueberries.
Q. Can guinea pigs eat raspberries?
A. Yes, guinea pigs can surely have raspberries. Raspberries too have antioxidants but also have a significant amount of vitamin C as compared to blueberries.
Q. Can guinea pigs eat cranberries?
A. Yes, guinea pigs can have cranberries as they have less sugar compared to blueberries and cranberries. But it also contains a good amount of oxalate which is bad for your guinea pig health as it can lead to bladder stones. So be careful with the quantity of cranberries.
Conclusion
While it’s really very healthy to add fruits in Guinea Pigs’ diet but it should always be done in moderation and blueberries can definitely be added to their diet. Guinea pigs can eat blueberries, considering the level of nutrients in blueberry, you can feed the right quantity with other fruits and vegetables.
The keeper should always keep in mind the sensitivity of Guinea pigs towards every food they eat and the feeding of only one such fruit should be avoided. Keep up the variation in Guinea Pigs’ diet and you are good to go. Feel free to treat them blueberries munching and your little pet would love such surprises.
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