Can guinea pigs eat apples?

Apples are one of the most common fruits on the planet.

This is because they are unpretentious and contain many useful components. Today we will answer the question: can guinea pigs eat apples?

This fruit includes a stock of nutrients consisting of fats, proteins, carbohydrates, dietary fibers (pectin). Also, the apples have a lot of vitamins A, B, C, and provitamin acids.

Such components are necessary for many living organisms, so the consumption of these fruits has an overall positive effect on the body. Also, in addition to useful nutrients, in apples some fibers physically cleanse the intestines, restoring the digestive tract.

Guinea pigs are no exception, they also need vitamins and nutrients, so these fruits are also useful to them. In addition to the fruit, for guinea pigs are very useful seeds of this fruit, they clean the teeth of the pet well.

Fresh or dried: which is better to give?

Fresh apples are a very useful product for feeding. They contain all the vitamins and nutrients in their entirety. Before giving the fruit, it should be washed and cut into slices, because the mouth of the pigs is small and they are not adapted to biting off large objects. The whole apple of the mumps can not eat. It is not necessary to remove the seeds.

The apple should not be overripe or too soft. Such fibers are clogged between the front incisors of the mumps and cause discomfort.

Also, if it is too juicy, it will stain the muzzle, which can lead to pests with different diseases. Also, the fruit should not have rotting and moldy areas.

Do not use acidic, immature fruits. Until the apple has ripened, it contains some aggressive components – acids in a high concentration. This composition leads to irritation of the mucous membranes of the digestive canal.

It is also possible to give dried apples to the pet. They contain less useful elements because in the process of drying many molecules break down.

But, hard dried slices have another equally important function in guinea pig’s body – grinding of chisels. Guinea pigs, because they are rodents, have one important device – the front (and only) teeth grow constantly.

If the guinea pigs cannot grind them, the jaw will not stop closing. Because of this, the animal must constantly chew hard objects. In nature, these are young shoots of trees, shrubs. In the home, the role of sharpeners:

  • dried fruits;
  • nutshells;
  • chicken bones;
  • stones for grinding.

In no case, do not give mumps fruit from the compote.

Its digestive system is not designed to digest soft boiled mass, so there may be a slippage of digestive lumps in the stomach. Also, because the pet is adapted to eat solid food, he can easily choke on water from such pieces.

How many times a day?

For guinea pigs, it is recommended to eat twice a day. They have a very small stomach, so the animal should eat all the time.

If you put food with food for the whole day, the guinea pigs can jam it and mix it with feces. So, if there is no bowl that the mumps will not turn over, it is better to put the food during the day. Juicy fruits and vegetables, including apples, should be given in the morning so that the pet ate everything in the morning. This is because at night mumps eats less often, pieces of fruit may sour and attract fruit flies. At night, it is better to give dry food to the piggy.

Size of portion

When feeding guinea pig apples, there are three factors to consider:

  • High sugar content;
  • Large amounts of vitamins;
  • A high concentration of acids.

All these components, if excessively high, can lead to digestive disorders, mucous membrane irritation, and deterioration of the pet.

In this regard, to feed guinea pig fresh apples is not more than three times a week. And give it 2 – 3 slices, depending on the size of the fruit.

Dried fruit can be given in a bowl – every day in the morning 3 – 4 slices.

Guinea pigs like apple seeds, and in juicy fruits, it can be given them.

But, you should not collect these seeds, store them separately for a long time and sprinkle them with a handful. The fact is that the seed peel contains cyanic acid. Its concentration increases over time, which makes them poisonous. A large number of seeds, especially after long storage lead to serious poisoning and even death of the pet.

Thus, a guinea pig can be fed fresh apples three times a week, dried – every day in the morning. You should not give wet apples or boiled from the compote. Apple seeds can be given only from fresh fruits a few pieces, and seeds should not be collected and stored separately, as they accumulate extremely poisonous cyanide acid.

Funny video

See also 24 interesting facts about guinea pigs

See also  Are chameleons good pets?

Leave a Reply
