Kiwis are those little organic products with green flesh stuffed with a sweet and tart flavor and a punch of Vitamins and minerals in it. Just like me, you might have also wondered if you can share this remarkably nutritious meal with your guinea pigs as well. So, Can Guinea pigs eat kiwi? Let’s find out!
Guinea pigs can eat kiwi for sure. Kiwi is rich in Vitamin C that is essential for our guinea pigs; however, it also contains some natural sugar, leading to obesity. It is recommended to serve a small quantity once a week to our guinea pigs.
As I generally state, each pet is unique.
Just because you realize that your guinea pig can eat kiwi doesn’t infer that he will love the taste and begin eating it when you offer it to them.
Some guinea pigs may appreciate the taste while some don’t. It’s totally normal.
Additionally, be cautious if you are presenting kiwi for the first time.
Keep a nearby watch on their stool and make necessary changes if you discover any indications of the bowels’ looseness or other medical problems.
At last, Keep encouraging your guinea pigs with their staple eating routine i.e., Hay in many parts.
Just feed with fruits and vegetables as an enhancement for vitamins and minerals now and then.
Nutrition in a Kiwi?
Source: USDA National Nutrient database
| Vitamin C | 92.7 mg/ 100 g |
| Vitamin B-6 | 0.063 mg/ 100 g |
| Vitamin A | 4 ug/ 100 g |
| Calcium | 34 mg/ 100 g |
| Phosphorous | 34 mg/ 100 g |
| Potassium | 312 mg/ 100 g |
| Fiber | 3 g/ 100 g |
| Sugar | 8.9 g/ 100 g |
| Protein | 1.14 g/ 100 g |
| Carbs | 14.66 g/ 100 g |
| Calories | 61 Kcal |
| Fat | 0.52 g/ 100 g |
| Water | 83.07 g/ 100 g |
Kiwi is once such fruit that contains an epic measure of Vitamin C in it. Vitamin C is a fundamental vitamin for the body as it helps fortify the body’s immune system.
It additionally helps in keeping our heart and body healthy. Kiwi also has other much-needed vitamins and minerals like Vitamin E, Vitamin K, Vitamin B-6, Magnesium, Iron, and potassium.
These vitamins are also an integral part of the diet. It helps in maintaining the overall health of the body. Kiwi also has a decent share of calcium and phosphorous in it.
Calcium and phosphorus are needed for healthy bones and teeth. These minerals help in maintaining the heart healthy and body muscles to work correctly.
Kiwi also contains a decent amount of fiber in it. Fiber is an essential part of the diet as it helps maintain the digestive system and prevent diseases like diarrhea.
Is kiwi good for guinea pig’s health?
Yes, Kiwi is an excellent fruit that can be served every once in a while. Fruits are an essential part of a diet needed for catering to Vitamin C needs in their body.
Kiwi contains a massive (92.7 mg/100 gram) amount of vitamin C in it. Vitamin C is an essential part of a guinea pig’s diet.
Guinea pigs cannot produce their own vitamin, so their diet needs to be supplemented with vitamin C to fulfill its deficiency in their bodies.
Adding fruits like Kiwi, even in small quantities, can be a massive boost for their Vitamin C needs.
Kiwi also contributes towards other vitamins like Vitamin E, Vitamin K, Vitamin B-6, and other minerals, which is a bonus for our guinea pigs.
These vitamins are essential for the overall growth of guinea pigs. Kiwi also contains the right amount of potassium in it.
Potassium is beneficial for guinea pigs as it helps prevent calcification, and thus, chances of suffering from bladder stones will go down drastically.
Kiwi also contains a small amount of fiber in it. Fiber is an essential part of a guinea pig’s diet as it helps to get their digestive system balanced. Having a diet rich in fiber benefits the overall health of guinea pigs.
Is kiwi bad for our guinea pigs?
Everything in excess is bad, and the same applies to kiwi, as well. Kiwi is packed with Vitamins and minerals, which is vital for the body, but at the same time, there are few things to consider before adding it to our guinea pig’s diet.
Kiwi contains a substantial amount of calcium in phosphorous in it. While calcium and phosphorous are suitable for young and pregnant guinea pigs, it can be pretty harmful to matured guinea pigs.
A high calcium diet often leads to diseases like bladder stones/sludge in guinea pigs.
Kiwi also contains sugar in a high proportion, which can be harmful to your guinea pigs. A high sugar diet often leads to diseases like diarrhea, Diabetes, and obesity in Guinea pigs.
How much Kiwi Can guinea pigs eat?
The key is to achieve a balance in serving. If we serve the right amount, we can rip the fruits’ benefits without suffering much from its ill effects.
The most appropriate serving would be a slice of kiwi every once a week or so. You can serve it more or less depending upon how you balance the other food components in their diet.
When it comes to fruits and treats, Guinea pigs can be very charming and persuasive and tempt you to go liberal and share some more of those with your guinea pigs.
But we must be careful and keep our emotions in control and serve only the suggested feeding to our guinea pigs.
Can guinea pigs eat kiwi skin?
I would definitely not serve kiwi with the skin to my guinea pigs. Kiwi skin is rough in texture, leading to choking in some cases with our guinea pigs.
Although some people argue that kiwi skin can be fine for our pigs, there is another concern except choking, and, i.e., the pesticides sprayed in kiwi can often get absorbed by the skin and remains there even when we wash it properly.
So, I think it is better to wash the fruit properly and peel the surface first before serving it to our guinea pigs. It is always a wise decision to be on the safe side.
Can guinea pigs eat kiwi seeds?
Yes, Guinea pigs can eat kiwi seeds. The critical point is to remove hard seeds like watermelon, Papaya, and Apples, but soft seeds like kiwi, tomatoes, and blueberries are quite fine.
Although while feeding young guinea pigs, it might be harmful in some cases because of their tiny throats. So, be cautious while feeding your guinea pigs with kiwis.
How to prepare kiwi for your guinea pigs?
Kiwi is an excellent addition to a guinea pigs diet. However, we need to prepare the fruit in the right way so our guinea pigs can enjoy it. So let us see how can we make kiwi for our guinea pigs:
- The first step is to choose the right kiwi for your guinea pigs. The kiwi we choose must be fresh and ripe. Guinea pigs often suffer from digestive diseases when they eat stale or unripe fruits.
- The second step is to wash the skin of your kiwi properly. Often kiwi is sprayed with harmful chemicals. Cleaning it properly ensures the substances are all cleared out. Now you can use a peeler or knife and peel the skin off.
- The third step is to slice the kiwi into 4 small slices. You can deseed the kiwi in this step if you wish to. Although it’s not that harmful, I believe it is wise to be extra careful with our pets.
- Finally, you can serve one or two small slices to your guinea pigs. They will not stop popcorning when they know you are getting a treat for them.
- Also, remember to remove any extra fruit leftover from the cage after a few hours. Fresh fruit or vegetable leftovers often attracts flies and rats.
Conclusion
Concluding the question we started with. Can guinea pigs eat kiwi? Yes, they definitely can eat kiwi, but the serving must be controlled so that they can get the best out of it.
We must always remember that fresh fruits are often just supplements for Vitamin C in guinea pig’s diet.
Under no circumstances, fresh fruits and vegetables should replace the staple diet of our guinea pigs. And, i.e., hay.
You can learn more about a balanced diet for Guinea pigs from our In-depth guide on Guinea pig’s diet.
Providing our guinea pigs with access to fresh hay and water at all times is the most basic necessity for our guinea pigs.
Fresh grass should be stapled as part of their diet, and then we must supplement it with vitamin-rich fruits and vegetables to make it a complete package for our guinea pigs.
Related Questions
Can guinea pigs eat golden kiwi?
Yes, Guinea pigs can eat golden kiwi. Golden kiwi has even higher vitamin C content than green kiwi in them. The key is to maintain the same serving size as green kiwi not to end up overfeeding your guinea pigs.
Can Guinea pigs eat dried kiwi?
No, Guinea pigs cannot eat dried kiwi. Dried kiwi often are coated with granular sugar, which increases the overall sugar intake in our guinea pig’s diet.
Sugar is something we must keep a strict watch on. If we feed our guinea pigs with a high sugar diet, then they shall be more prone to diseases in the long run.
Source: ISHS Horticulture, Asia Pacific Journal of Clinical Nutrition