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When the summer months roll around, gardens across the country start producing more zucchini than we can handle! The good news is that if you’re trying to get rid of some extra zucchini in your garden, it’s a great treat option for guinea pigs.
Always thoroughly wash the zucchini before giving it to your guinea pig, though, and if they don’t seem too fond of it at first, we’ve highlighted some great ways you can get them to eat it for you below.
Benefits of Feeding Your Guinea Pig Zucchini
When it comes to benefits from food, few foods offer as much for your guinea pig as zucchini. Zucchini comes packed with vitamin C, vitamin A, and vitamin B6, in addition to tons of other nutrients your guinea pig needs.
These nutrients include potassium, folate, and fiber. With so many great benefits, it’s no wonder that you can’t go wrong with feeding your guinea pig zucchini as part of a balanced diet!
Do Guinea Pigs Like Zucchini?
While zucchini is great for guinea pigs, that doesn’t mean they’ll gobble it up every chance they get. However, the truth is that most guinea pigs like zucchini. However, some guinea pigs won’t eat the seeds or the skin of the zucchini, so you’ll need to watch your guinea pig and figure out what’s best for them.
But if your guinea pig doesn’t mind the seeds or the zucchini skin, there’s no reason you can’t slice it all up and feed it to them.
Other Great Healthy Treat Options for Your Guinea Pig
You can absolutely feed your guinea pig zucchini, but there are also tons of other treats and foods you can give them. We’ve highlighted a few of our favorite options for you to consider here:
1. Celery
Celery is a great choice to feed your guinea pig, even though it doesn’t have a ton of nutritional benefits. It does have some vitamin C, and one area it helps is to help grind down your guinea pig’s teeth. Because of this, we recommend feeding your guinea pig celery in moderation.
2. Green Leaf, Red Leaf, and Romaine Lettuce
Lettuces are great choices for your guinea pig, as long as you’re not feeding them iceberg lettuce. Iceberg lettuce won’t hurt your guinea pig, but it doesn’t offer much nutritional value. Meanwhile, guinea pigs love green leaf, red leaf, and romaine lettuce, and it offers tons of nutritional benefits.
3. Bananas
If you’re trying to get rid of some extra bananas or just want a cheaper treat for your guinea pig, bananas are an outstanding choice. They’re high in potassium, which is great for your guinea pig, but you should feed them bananas in moderation because of their high sugar content.
4. Orange
Oranges are another healthy treat you can feed your guinea pig—peel and all. Oranges have tons of vitamin C, which your guinea pig needs a ton of, but just like with bananas, you should feed your guinea pig oranges in moderation because of the higher sugar content.
Treats to Avoid Feeding Your Guinea Pig
While there are plenty of great treats for your guinea pig out there, there are also tons of foods you need to avoid. We’ve highlighted four foods you should never feed your guinea pig for you here:
1. Rhubarb
Rhubarb might be a surprising addition to our list to you, but it’s extremely poisonous for guinea pigs. Even a little bit can make them sick, and it doesn’t take much rhubarb to become fatal for a guinea pig. Keep your guinea pig safe by keeping the rhubarb far away.
2. Alliums
Alliums are members of the onion family, and no matter which type you’re looking at, you shouldn’t feed them to your pet. This includes leeks, onions, chives, shallots, and garlic. While the effects aren’t usually immediately noticeable, too much can kill your guinea pig.
3. Chocolate
There’s zero reason to ever give a guinea pig chocolate. Not only is it high in sugar, but the caffeine and theobromine in chocolate are toxic for guinea pigs. Even small amounts can be fatal, so never leave chocolate anywhere they can reach it.
4. Avocados
Avocados contain persin, and persin is an ingredient that’s toxic for guinea pigs. Even if your guinea pig could handle persin, the fat content in avocados makes it a no-go for guinea pigs. Save the guac for yourself and keep it away from the guinea pigs!
Final Thoughts
If you have a few extra zucchinis lying around the house or you are just trying to come up with some healthy treat options for your guinea pig, you really should consider adding some zucchini to their diet. Since most guinea pigs love the taste of zucchini, they are getting a healthy treat!
Just ensure you give them enough variety to meet all their nutritional needs, even if you are trying to get rid of a surplus of zucchini.
Related Reads:
- Can Guinea Pigs Eat Squash? Vet-Reviewed Nutrition Facts & FAQ
- Can Guinea Pigs Eat Orange Peels? Vet-Approved Benefits, Drawbacks, & FAQ
