GuineaDad Food Blog: Can guinea pigs eat spinach?

(Updated 2023.08.07)

Hey Guinea Gang,

Have you thought, "can my guinea pigs eat spinach?" Well in this informational blog, we'll tell you the benefits of spinach, but also some caution when feeding them this tasty veggie. Watch the short video below for a quick summary!

The quick and easy answer is yes, guinea pigs are able to eat spinach. The question of should they eat spinach, however, is up to you once you’ve read more about what it contributes to their diet. 

The answer to most questions about guinea pig diets can usually be answered by taking a look at how much a food item should be fed to them. In the case of spinach, it’s fine as long as you don’t give them too much. We've also got a Vegetable Master List that lists common veggies that your piggy can and can't eat!

What vitamins and other nutrients does spinach contain?

Vitamin A

Guinea pigs need plenty of Vitamin A in their diet, despite the fact that their bodies can’t efficiently process it. Their bodies aren’t quite equipped for the breakdown of certain vitamins and nutrients, so it’s important that we give foods containing them in slightly larger amounts, or give them more variety containing these nutrients.

That’s why consuming different types of fruits and veggies rich in Vitamin A is the best way to incorporate the vitamin into their diet and ensure that they get the well-rounded nutrition they need. Vitamin A is great for maintaining guinea pig eyesight, which is important because it’s not that great to begin with!

Vitamin C

Scurvy can afflict guinea pigs that are Vitamin C deficient, so it’s important to include foods containing the vitamin in order to prevent this! Scurvy has a multitude of negative effects on the guinea pig body, including making it difficult and even painful for guinea pigs to eat. With guinea pigs finding eating uncomfortable, it can lead to dangerous weight loss and malnutrition.

It can even cause smaller wounds to bleed more than usual and make their blood take longer to clot. This is why it’s important that you’re providing vitamin C in large amounts throughout their diet. Guinea pigs also tend to catch infections pretty easily, so we want to make sure that we equip their immune system with the ability to fight these infections.It contains 28.1 mg of vitamin C in a 100 g portion.

Calcium

Spinach contains a large amount of calcium, which can be a bad thing when it comes from calcium-rich oxalates. The overconsumption of foods with it can lead to the development of bladder stones, which can cause urinary tract issues. However, calcium is still important to some degree for strengthening and forming bones, and you don’t want to cut it out of your guinea pig’s diet entirely.

Some guinea pigs will even need more than others, and it depends on a variety of factors. For example, young guinea pigs need more calcium because they’re still growing and developing, and they need to be fed calcium in order to help with that growth. It’s similar to how human children are always encouraged to drink lots of milk so they can grow tall and strong.

Shop tasty and healthy treats for your guinea pigs! Try out our 6 Sampler Treats to find out which treat is your guinea pig's favorite:

What are the downsides about spinach for guinea pigs?

Before reading this post, you may have been wondering: is spinach poisonous for guinea pigs, or is it good for them? As we mentioned before, spinach isn’t inherently bad for your guinea pigs, but the issue lies with the amount that is consumed.

We emphasize the importance of your guinea pigs not eating too much of foods containing high levels of calcium because the development of urinary tract issues can be very serious, and it’s important to prevent them from ever happening in the first place. 

Guinea pigs can eat small amounts of spinach, but do they like it?

Guinea pigs do, however, love spinach despite the fact that they shouldn’t have too much of it. It’s very similar to how dogs can’t have chocolate, but enjoy it if they can get their paws on it. 

How should you go about feeding your guinea pig spinach?

If you choose to feed your guinea pig spinach, it’s very important to limit it to controlled amounts. How much spinach can you give your guinea pig? We always emphasize that your piggies need a well-rounded diet in order to get the nutrients they need, so it’s good to keep that in mind. Guinea pigs need around a cup (250 g) of fresh fruits and vegetables to supplement their diet of hay and pellets. 

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 spinach, there is a 2:1 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 (5.6) and then divide it by the number of foods (4). The number for that calculation is 1.4. 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 1.4:1, which is okay, but it could be good to find another food even lower than some of the others to balance out the ratio more. 

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! You may be wondering, can I give my  guinea pig spinach everyday, and the answer is yes! 40 grams of spinach per day can be a good place to start, depending on the Ca:P ratio of the other foods. This would equate to around 4 leaves, including the stems.

Overall, it is OK to feed your guinea pigs spinach!

It’s very easy to get the same nutrients that spinach provides from other food sources as well, so it’s up to you if you want spinach to be one of them! Spinach is considered a superfood for a reason, but it’s still important to carefully consider all your options. A happy and healthy guinea pig starts with a well-rounded diet!

What else can guinea pigs eat?

Check out our Vegetable Master List for an extensive list of vegetables for guinea pigs!