Can guinea pigs eat zucchini?
The simple answer is yes, they can! However, just like anything that you choose to include in your guinea pig’s diet, there is still some information you should know before you start introducing it to them.
The biggest thing that we want to emphasize is doing proper and thorough research into any foods that you plan on introducing to your guinea pig. You need to know as much as possible about anything that is going into their bodies not only to keep them healthy, but safe from any illnesses that could occur.
When it comes to zucchini, guinea pigs are able to consume them, but in carefully controlled and moderate amounts.
We've also got a Vegetable Master List that lists common veggies that your piggy can and can't eat!
What vitamins does zucchini contain?
Vitamin A
In general, a guinea pig requires a lot of Vitamin A in its diet. Unfortunately, the efficiency of their body’s ability to utilize it isn’t proportional to that need. It’s because of this that the piggies require Vitamin A from a variety of sources in their diet, especially if the amounts of certain food items need to be limited.
Vitamin A is great for maintaining good guinea pig eyesight. As piggy parents may know, guinea pig eyesight isn’t great to begin with, so it’s important to preserve what they’ve got! Vitamin A is also good for overall growth and development, as well as aiding the immune system.
Vitamin C
Guinea pigs are just as prone to scurvy as their human friends and it can be easily preventable by the consumption of Vitamin C from a myriad of foods in their diet. Zucchini contains a good amount of Vitamin C (12.9 mg), and can be utilized as a source of it.
Guinea pigs should have about 10-50 mg of Vitamin C daily. It helps with boosting their immune system as well, which is vital because we want to make sure their body is strong enough to prevent and fight infection. Infections are easy for guinea pigs to catch, so we want to defend against that!
Calcium
Calcium is required in guinea pig diets to balance out the phosphorus in your guinea pig’s diet. Both these work together when it comes to bone formation and maintenance! Calcium needs can vary between guinea pigs—some will need more depending on their age, gender, and overall health condition. For example, older guinea pigs will need more calcium because they need to maintain their aging bodies and make sure that they’re still strong!
What other benefits does zucchini provide for your guinea pig?
Zucchini is another one of those vegetables that is water-rich, which means it is very useful for keeping your piggy hydrated. Of course, they can get their hydration from plain water that you already provide, but getting it from their foods is also an efficient way to stay hydrated.What are the downsides about zucchini for guinea pigs?
While there are many great things that zucchini does for your piggy, it’s important to keep some of the negatives in mind as well. The amount you can give them depends on the rest of their diet. You always need to make sure the zucchini (as well as the other fruits and veggies you give them) is fresh. If there is any left over in your guinea pig’s cage, it is best to immediately remove it in order to prevent illness from rotted foods.How should you go about feeding your guinea pigs zucchini?
In general, guinea pigs should be eating about a cup of fresh fruits and vegetables a day in addition to the hay and food pellets that they receive—this is to provide a nutritious diet filled with variety. This means your piggy should not be receiving a whole cup of any one fruit or veggie, but a mix of different ones.
The ideal calcium to phosphorus ratio is 1.33. To figure out whether your guinea pig’s diet has a good Ca:P ratio, some simple math is required. Make sure you’re doing this math based on equal quantities of all the veggies you plan on feeding your guinea pig. For this example, let’s use 40 grams.
For zucchini, there is a 0.5:1 of Ca:P ratio. We’ll pretend we’re also going to feed them some kale (2.4:1), cucumber (0.7:1), and red bell pepper (0.5:1). Add up the total amount of calcium between all the foods (4.1) and then divide it by the number of foods (4). The number for that calculation is 1.02. Then add up the total amount of phosphorus (4) and divide up by the number of foods (4). The number for that calculation is 1. The Ca:P ratio for this pretend-meal is 1.02:1, which is pretty good!
Remember, guinea pigs need up to a cup (250 g) of fresh fruits and veggies to supplement their regular diet of hay and pellets, and should be getting their nutrition from a diverse diet! 40 grams of zucchini per day can be a good place to start, depending on the Ca:P ratio of the other foods. This can equate to a 1 in to 2 in section of an medium-sized zucchini.
Their need for Vitamin A and C can be fulfilled from the foods that you give them as well. The amount of fruits and veggies you feed your piggy can be determined by doing this calculation, and adjustments can be made once you’ve examined their urine.
Guinea pigs can eat zucchini, but do they like it?
They do, in fact, enjoy zucchini! However, you might notice that they don’t like the skin or the rind. The best way to ensure their 100% satisfaction is to remove the skin before you serve it to them.
Overall, it is OK to feed your guinea pigs zucchini!
The most important thing is keeping your guinea pig happy and healthy, and you can definitely achieve that by including carefully moderated amounts of zucchini in your guinea pig’s diet. However, just like with any foods you want to include in its diet, make sure you do plenty of research so you’re informed about everything your guinea pig is consuming!
What else can guinea pigs eat?
Check out our Vegetable Master List for an extensive list of vegetables for guinea pigs!
1 comment
Hi, can they eat the leaves off the plant rather than the fruit itself? Thank you