It might come as a surprise to many, but cucumbers are botanically classified as fruits. However, due to their diverse use in the culinary world, most people consider them to be vegetables. While these fruits have only goodness to offer
It might come as a surprise to many, but cucumbers are botanically classified as fruits. However, due to their diverse use in the culinary world, most people consider them to be vegetables. While these fruits have only goodness to offer us, it is natural to wonder if your pet guinea pigs will benefit from eating them as well.
Can guinea pigs eat cucumber? Cucumbers are healthy and hydrating treats for guinea pigs. They can eat all parts of the cucumber, including flesh, skin, seeds, and leaves. However, overconsumption can be detrimental to guinea pigs’ health, so practice moderation.
Cucumbers are very healthy treats. for guinea pigs. Guinea pigs can also safely eat other cucumber varieties, like the lemon and the Lebanese cucumbers. They are hydrating, and their crunchy texture is appealing to the guinea pig’s cheek teeth. Also, their vitamin C content is a great benefit for these small animals. However, do be careful not to overfeed them with cucumbers. It contains a lot of water, and it can cause diarrhea if consumed in large quantities.
Stay with me till the end to learn everything there is to know about feeding cucumbers to guinea pigs.
The nutritional value of cucumbers
Cucumbers are juicy, crunchy, and refreshing fruits. Eating them naturally makes us feel better, especially on hot summer days.
Let’s take a look at the nutritional composition of these fruits to understand their nutritional value better:
|Vitamin A||4.5 mcg|
|Vitamin B1 (Thiamin)||0.027 mg|
|Vitamin B2 (Riboflavin)||0.033 mg|
|Vitamin B5 (Pantothenic acid)||0.259 mg|
|Vitamin B6 (Pyridoxine)||0.04 mg|
|Vitamin C||2.8 mg|
|Vitamin K||16.4 mcg|
|Iron, Fe||0.28 mg|
|Manganese, Mn||0.079 mg|
|Potassium, K||147 mg|
|Magnesium, Mg||13 mg|
|Copper, Cu||0.041 mg|
|Calcium, Ca||16 mg|
|Phosphorus, P||24 mg|
|Zinc, Zn||0.2 mg|
|Dietary fibers||0.5 g|
Serving size: 100 grams
Are cucumbers good for the health of guinea pigs?
Now that you’ve taken a look at the nutritional composition of cucumbers, let’s dive into what these fruits have to offer to your pets:
- Cucumbers have low sugar and fat content, as well as a low calorific count, which makes them easily digestible for your guinea pigs. It also ensures that your pets will not gain extra weight by eating them. And for pets that are highly susceptible to weight gain, that’s a huge relief.
- As you can see in the table above, about 95% of cucumber is water. This means that eating these fruits can keep your pets hydrated for a long period of time, which is particularly more beneficial during summers when they desperately need hydration.
- Because cucumbers have zero cholesterol, they’re great for the cardiovascular health of your little pets.
- Cucumbers are rich in Vitamin A, which strengthens their vision and maintains the smooth functioning of their liver, kidneys, lungs, heart, skin, and brain. Additionally, this vitamin also helps them fight against inflammation.
- Pyridoxine, or Vitamin B6, is essential for guinea pigs as it has the ability to calm their nerves, reduce stress, and provide them a good sleep.
- Vitamin C, which strengthens their immune health, is also present in cucumbers. Apart from improving their immune health, it also protects them from Scurvy, a Vitamin C-deficiency disease that can be lethal for them.
- The Vitamin K present in these fruits promotes healthy blood coagulation in their body.
- Cucumbers also contain several antioxidants that protect the guinea pig’s body from free radical damage and reduce the risk of diseases and infections.
Risks involved with feeding cucumber to guinea pigs
The only problem that your pets can have from cucumbers is when they start overeating them:
- Cucumbers have a high Calcium content. When overfeeding on these fruits, the guinea pigs will consume more Calcium than they need, which would lead to the build-up of this mineral in their urinary tract. This will result in kidney or bladder stones, a painful condition that can also end with kidney failure and death.
- Because cucumbers are watery fruits, their over-consumption might upset their fragile digestive health and lead to stomachache and diarrhea.
Are the seeds of cucumbers safe for guinea pigs to consume?
As we’ve mentioned above, cucumbers are basically fruits. And when it comes to feeding fruits to your pets, the seeds are often the most worrisome part. Some fruit seeds and pits contain toxic chemicals to your pets, while others are too large or tough and can pose a choking threat.
We know that cucumbers have an uncountable number of seeds, and removing them can be very tedious. Therefore, before you go through all that trouble, let’s find out if it is even necessary or not?
No, it isn’t. The seeds present inside cucumbers are just safe for your pet’s consumption are they are for your own. They’re free from any kind of toxic chemicals and als