Flavored with tart and sweetness grapes are refreshing snacks for us. But can we share it with our guinea pigs? Can Guinea pigs eat grapes? I have found myself wandering the same a few years back. And here is what I found out.
Guinea pigs can eat grapes along with their skin, but only in moderation. Too many grapes can cause digestive problems and obesity in guinea pigs; it’s crucial to offer small amounts. Also, make sure you remove the seeds or serve the seedless variety only.
You can just toss in a small piece of grapes to see if your guinea pigs will eat grapes or not.
Just like human beings, every guinea pig is different, and everyone has their own preference for food. You should never force any particular type of food to your guinea pigs as it might not be suitable for their health.
If you see your guinea pig is just nibbling at grapes and then leaving it then its a clear indication that they didn’t like it.
You can always serve them with other fruits like Apples, Watermelon, Strawberry, Peaches, etc. I definitely recommend you to go through our articles on these fruits before serving it to your guinea pigs.
If you are not sure what are some of the best food for your guinea pigs then you should definitely read our article on what Guinea pig can eat?
Nutrition in grapes?
Grapes are one such fruit which we enjoy as snacks mostly all around the year. But how nutritious are grapes? Is there something good for our Guinea pigs?
Source: USDA National Nutrient data base
Grapes usually contains a modest amount of vitamin c, vitamin A, and Vitamin B-6 in them.
Vitamins are an essential need for the body. It helps in the proper functioning of the body.
It also helps in strengthening our immune system of the body.
Grapes also contain the right amount of calcium in it. Calcium is an integral part of the diet.
The body needs calcium for proper development of our bones and teeth.
Calcium is also an essential part of the food for young ones as the body needs a high calcium diet when it is growing fast.
Potassium and Phosphorous are also present in an adequate amount in guinea pigs.
Potassium often helps in preventing kidney and bladder stones. Phosphorous is essential for the formation of new teeth and bones in the body.
Grapes are also rich in antioxidants. These are really helpful in flushing out toxins from the body. It also helps in preventing various health diseases.
Are Grapes Good For Guinea pigs?
Yes, Grapes are suitable for guinea pigs. But we must surely consider the quantity we are serving to our guinea pigs. Guinea pigs need a variety in the diet to live a long and healthy life.
Vitamin C and Vitamin A are one of the most essential parts of a guinea pig diet. It helps in keeping the body healthy as well as make the immune system strong.
Guinea pigs need an abundance of these vitamins in their diet. Although grapes do not have these in a significant amount, still, it does contribute towards the dietary needs.
Grapes are also rich in calcium, which is really a necessity for young and pregnant guinea pigs. Calcium is an elemental part of the diet as it helps in the formation of bones and teeth in the body.
Grapes are also a great source of potassium and manganese. It helps in preventing diseases like bladder stones, which is a common disease seen in many guinea pigs.
Grapes are also rich in antioxidants, which helps in maintaining overall health as well as preventing many types of conditions.
Are Grapes Bad For Guinea pigs?
Grapes are full of antioxidants and other nutrients, which makes them a favorable choice but on the flip side, they also are packed with sugar(16%) which is really harmful to your Guinea pigs.
Sugar is the root cause of a handful of diseases in guinea pigs. Right from diabetes to stomach upset to obesity to many more. Most of the disorders accompany if your diet contains a lot of sugar in it.
You must absolutely serve a limited amount of sugar in the food. Grapes also contain the right amount of calcium in it. Although calcium is suitable for young guinea pigs; later, calcium in diet needs to be strictly limited to prevent bladder stone.
So, for a matured guinea pigs grapes should be an occasional feeding choice. Grapes also contain a lot of phosphorous.
A high amount of phosphorous often leads to metastatic calcification and weak growth. This can be a severe issue in the long-term. Various types of kidney diseases are also rumored to be caused due to grapes.
How many grapes can guinea pigs eat?
We should not feed our Guinea pigs with more than 1-2 medium size grapes. Also, we should only feed it once a week.
The number of grapes we feed to our Guinea pigs should be strictly monitored. Grapes are more like a sweet treat for Guinea pigs.
They don’t contribute the whole lot to Vitamins and minerals but at the same time are essential for bringing a change in taste in guinea pig’s diet.
Grapes are served as a treat to them and should not be an integral part of their diet. Try to help other nutritional fruits like apple and strawberry instead of Grapes.
We might get tempted to feed them with more grapes by falling in love with their charming, demanding personality.
But we must keep our emotions in control and only feed them with what is right. The line for overfeeding is very thin when it comes to grapes.
We must always keep in mind that the integral part of guinea pigs diet is hay. It is something you should feed them most of the time.
Vegetables and fruits are often the only way to supplement their diet with vitamins and minerals needed by their body.
Can guinea pigs eat grapes with seeds?
No, You cannot feed grapes with seeds in them to your Guinea pigs. Guinea pigs have very delicate digestive and body system.
Although the dwarf seeds might not look like much for you. it can be a disaster for your guinea pigs.
Seeds often lead to choking hazard in guinea pigs, so it is best to clean out all the seeds of the grapes before serving it to your guinea pigs.
It would be best if you could get some seedless grapes for your guinea pigs.
Can guinea pigs eat grape leaves?
No, I would not feed my guinea pig with grapevines. Although thorough research has not been done on this topic; I believe we must not risk our pet’s life by feeding them anything we like. Not all plant leaves and grass are safe for Guinea pigs.
Grapes can be consumed by them in small quantity, but leaves of plants should be considered poisonous unless and until you have concrete evidence of it being safe.
How to prepare grapes for your guinea pig?
In order to get the best from the food, we must learn to serve them in the right manner. Let us today learn what are the right steps to prepare grapes for our guinea pigs.
- The first step is to choose the right grapes. You must only serve your guinea pigs with ripe and fresh grapes. Rotten and unripe grapes can lead to serious digestive diseases.
- The second step is to wash the grapes properly. Grapes are often sprayed with pesticides. We should ensure we wash away every bit of chemicals from them before we serve it to our guinea pigs.
- The third step is to cut the grapes in half and remove the seed. Make sure you remove the seed from all the grapes before we toss one in for our guinea pigs.
- The final step is to serve them grapes either by hand feeding or in a small food bowl. Just make sure you remove the uneaten grape or its residue which remains uneaten for a while to stop any bacteria buildup.
Quick Overview Of “Guinea Pigs And Grapes”
- Can Guinea pigs eat grapes? Yes, Guinea pigs can eat grapes but only in small quantities.
- Grapes are a great source of Vitamin C, Vitamin A, and calcium for guinea pigs.
- Grapes have a high sugar content, which makes it not a great choice.
- We can feed guinea pigs grapes in small quantities; one or two pieces once in a week.
- Grapes seeds must be removed before we feed it to our guinea pigs.
- Guinea pigs will not stop popcorning when they see a grape treat coming.
- Some people would also try feeding grape vines along with grapes; we should altogether avoid it. Those are not safe for your guinea pigs.
- Guinea pigs cannot eat dried grapes at all; Dried grapes contain a lot of sugar, which is really bad for your guinea pig. Although a piece will not kill them still, it’s best avoided.
- The Staple diet of any guinea pig is hay, which contributes over 80% and only 5-10% should be supplemented by fruits like grapes for fulfilling their vitamin needs.
Related questions
Can guinea pigs have purple grapes?
Yes, guinea pigs can eat purple grapes. Purple grapes are better than green one as they contain less amount of sugar as compared to green grapes. They also provide more antioxidants than green ones.
Can guinea pigs have red grapes?
Yes, Guinea pigs can eat red grapes. Red grapes are often considered the best ones. They have the highest number of resveratrol and antioxidants when compared to other grapes variety.
But, that doesn’t at all indicate that guinea pigs can eat lots of grapes. The feeding should be limited to 1-2, as suggested earlier.
Can guinea pigs eat raisins(dried grapes)?
No, Guinea pigs shouldn’t be fed with raisins. Although some people will debate on this saying a few won’t hurt. But as per the studies, raisins contain 59gm/100gm sugar, which is nearly 60% sugar content.
Guinea pigs are prone to various diseases due to high sugar content. So, I believe keeping them away from such treats would be a wise decision to make.
Can guinea pigs eat grapefruit?
Yes, guinea pigs can eat grapefruit. Grapefruits are a rich source of Vitamin C, and Vitamin A. Grapefruit contains over 52% of vitamin C and over 23% of vitamin A, which makes it an excellent vitamin Supplement.
But just like other fruits, they do contain the right amount of sugar. It also belongs to the citrus fruit family, which is naturally acidic in nature. So, as a whole grapefruit is not one of the best choices of fruit for regular feeding. How feeding them in moderation once a week or so can surely boost the vitamins in guinea pigs diet.
Quick tips:
So, coming to an end let us see what we have learned. Can guinea pigs eat grapes? I would say definitely they can eat grapes. But we must strictly monitor the quantity being served to them.
We must also be very while introducing a new fruit in guinea pigs diet. Guinea pigs are susceptible to diet changes. We must keep a close watch at their behavior and stool changes whenever we introduce something new in their diet.
Finally, I would say to feed your guinea pigs with their staple diet in most parts i.e., HAY. The fruits like grapes should only be given as a treat to them to change the flavor of their food.
Sources: Diabetes in guinea pigs, Grapes Benefits, Nutrition in Grapes, Diet Composition and Mineral Balance in Guinea Pigs, Dietary Vitamin C, and Vitamin E on Guinea Pig Immune Responses to Mitogens, Vitamin C requirements of the guinea-pig, Is Your Guinea Pig’s Diet Providing the Right Nutrients? Care of Guinea Pigs.
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