Can Guinea Pigs Eat Watermelon? (How Much is Safe)
Guinea pigs are strict herbivores that love to eat fruits and vegetables. As a responsible Guinea pig owner, it’s important for you to provide your furry pet with a healthy and balanced diet.
Whenever you are introducing your pet to a new taste, it’s always a good idea to double-check whether that new food is good for your pet’s health or not. Although Guinea pigs love eating bananas, apples, strawberries etc. But, what about watermelon? Can guinea pigs eat watermelon too?
In short, yes, your piggy can eat. Watermelon is a safe and healthy treat for guinea pigs as long as it’s given in moderation. However, if provided in excessive amounts, your little guinea pig may experience digestive issues.
But what should be the exact safe quantity of watermelon? What about watermelon seed and rind? Read on as this article is going to explore health benefits and risks related to feeding watermelon to your guinea pig, how much is safe and more. So let’s get started!
Can Guinea Pigs Eat Watermelon?
Mainly the guinea pig diet contains fresh veggies, hay and special guinea pig pellets. However, occasionally they may have a small fruit snack (only if that fruit consumption is safe for them).
This includes watermelon too. Your pet Guinea can eat watermelon but only in moderation. You can give your pet a small cube (approximately 1 inch wide) once or twice a week.
Do Guinea Pigs Like Watermelon?
As already mentioned, Guinea pigs are herbivorous and can eat a variety of fruits and veggies. When it comes to watermelon, its sweet, juicy, and refreshing nature make it the favorite fruit of everyone, and guinea pigs are no exception.
But it’s important to note that every piggy has its own taste preferences; not all of them may be interested in watermelon. Some may enjoy its sweet taste, while others may not find it as appealing.
Can Guinea Pigs Eat Watermelon Rind?
Yes, Guinea pigs can eat green hard watermelon rind and white parts too. This part is full of vitamins and minerals and contains little to no sugar. However, your pig may not like it as much as the soft red flesh.
It’s always a good idea to wash the rind carefully before feeding to remove all the dust and any potential traces of pesticides. Though the rind is less sugary, it’s still crucial to feed it in moderation, as its high water content can cause diarrhea in some pigs.
What About Watermelon Leaves? Can Guinea Pigs Eat Watermelon Leaves?
Guinea pigs can eat only young watermelon leaves, but when the leaves are seeding or after seeding, these become unsafe for adorable Guinea pigs, so avoid feeding such leaves.
Wash the leaves carefully before feeding them to your furry pet, as the leaves containing pesticides can be toxic and unhealthy for your little piggy.
How Often Can Guinea Pigs Eat Watermelon?
You can give a small amount of watermelon ( about a 1-inch cube) to your pig as a treat once or twice a week. Avoid feeding watermelon to your piggy every day as its high sugar and water content can cause health issues in Guinea pigs.
Also, don’t give watermelon to your piggy along with other sugary fruits and veggies, as consuming too much sugar at once badly affects the guinea pig’s health.
Can Guinea Pigs Eat Watermelon Seeds?
When it comes to watermelon seeds, actually, these aren’t poisonous for guinea pigs, but they are hard, slimy, and slippery, so they aren’t safe to eat. The size of the seeds is too big, presenting a choking hazard. So don’t feed watermelon seeds to your pigs.
Removing all the seeds from the watermelon before offering it to your piggy is always a good practice. You must also check the rind as well for seeds as occasionally seeds can turn up in the white part of the rind.
How to Feed Watermelon to Guinea Pig?
Raw fruit is the best form of watermelon for your pig. Avoid feeding watermelon candies, frozen watermelon, freeze-dried pieces of watermelon or any form of cooked watermelon.
First of all, take the red flesh or rind of the watermelon and cut it into small cubes of about 1 inch. Then carefully remove all the seeds from it and wash them before serving them to your piggy in order to remove all the pesticides and germs that might be present on the skin.
For easier digestion, always try to warm up the fruit to about room temperature before serving it to the pigs. If your pig is eating watermelon for the first time, then start with smaller amounts. Only offer a few bites or a small slice of rind or flesh to give their digestive system enough time to adapt to the new food.
Never serve rotten watermelon to your pet, and discard the leftover that your pig hasn’t eaten even after 4 hours of serving as it may contain germs now.
Benefits of Watermelon for Guinea Pigs
When too much watermelon is served to your cavy(pig), it can cause unwanted health issues like diarrhea, but if given in moderation, it can do wonders as it’s the pawsome source of minerals, vitamins and antioxidants that your pig needs to survive.
The nutritional value of 1
00 grams of raw watermelon is given below:
| Water | 91.4 g (gram) |
| Energy | 127 KJ |
| Protein | 0.61 g |
| Carbohydrate | 7.55 g |
| Fiber | 0.4g |
| Sugars, total including NLEA | 6.2 g |
| Fat | 0.15 g |
| Calcium | 7 mg (milligram) |
| Vitamin A | 28 ug (microgram) |
| Vitamin C | 8.1 mg |
Watermelon stays true to its name; it’s a big source of water. But as you can see in the table, it contains all the nutrients that are necessary for your guinea pigs. Of these, vitamin C is not naturally produced in Guinea, so they totally rely on outer sources to fulfill their vitamin C needs to protect their immune system and oral hygiene.
It’s worth bearing that though watermelon contains vitamin C, its amount is not enough for your piggy. There are other options like strawberries, Kale, Kiwi, and pineapple that contain high amounts of vitamin C, so they can be considered overall a better choice as vitamin C sources.
Overall we can say watermelon is a good source of hydration, antioxidants, and fiber, but when it comes to providing Vitamin C, it’s not a reliable source. Nevertheless, you can safely introduce watermelon to your piggy’s diet as an occasional treat.
Important Facts About Sheltie Guinea Pigs
Though watermelon is full of nutritious food, consuming too much can result in your piggy’s upset tummy. Really not good! Some of the potential risks are mentioned below:
The sugar content of watermelon is high, so that can be difficult to consume for Guinea pigs’ little tummies. If eaten in excess, it can cause severe health issues like diabetes.
The other hazard is watermelon seeds! Yes, you read the right. Though they aren’t toxic, they can get stuck in your piggy’s throat, so it’s always a good practice to remove all the seeds before serving a watermelon chunk to your little furry pet.
Sometimes harsh chemicals and pesticides are used to treat watermelons, and these can be dangerous for your pig. Ideally, you must give your piggy the “organic watermelon” as it may not contain harmful chemicals. The other precaution you can adopt is to wash the melon before offering it to piggies.
Other Fruits That You Can Feed Your Guinea Pigs
Guinea pigs are herbivores, so they depend solely on fruits and vegetables to fulfill their nutritional needs. Though watermelon is a safe and occasional treat, it’s essential to provide a balanced diet to your pig. 10 other safe fruit options for your Guinea Pigs are listed below:
FAQ’s
Final Thougths
All in all, it’s completely safe to feed watermelon to your guinea pigs. Just ensure to serve this food in moderation, as too much consumption can cause health issues in your little furry friend.
