can guinea pigs eat pickles

Can Guinea Pigs Eat Pickles?

Written by: Annemarie Dutton

Pickles are tasty treats, but can guinea pigs eat them? If you need an answer to that question, continue reading this article. 

Can Guinea Pigs Eat Pickles?

The simple answer is no. This might not be the answer you expected because pickles contain a good number of vitamins and nutrients essential for guinea pigs’ growth and development. 

However, marinated vegetables are generally not a healthy food option for your guinea pigs. There are better choices of food for guinea pigs.

What Are Pickles?

In America, most people know pickles as marinated cucumbers. However, various other fruits and vegetables, like carrots, onions, radishes, asparagus, and green beans, can also be pickled.

Pickles are sweet-sour vegetables and fruits that are mostly eaten with sandwiches. To make pickles, you need to pour a salty or acidic liquid like vinegar or brine into fresh vegetables or fruits. They are then left to ferment, which gives them a distinct taste and preserves them for a long time.

You might also like: Can Guinea Pigs Eat Raisins?

Why You Should Not Feed Your Guinea Pigs Pickles

As mentioned earlier, pickles are simply fermented fruits and veggies. They are made by soaking fresh fruits in acidic or salty liquid. As a result, pickles are usually sour, salty, and they contain high sodium content.

Hence, you should not feed your guinea pigs pickles because it can increase their sodium content which is not good for them.

Also, the plenty of salt in pickles could cause mouth sores, bloating, diarrhea, high blood pressure, stomach pains, and acid reflux. Not only that but feeding your guinea pigs pickles might cause them to vomit.

Vomiting can, in turn, weaken your guinea pigs, making them dull and inactive. We are sure you won’t want that for your cute little pets.

Pickles are way too acidic for guinea pigs and can result in even more health complications than the already mentioned ones. There are many fruits and vegetables that your guinea pigs can eat but do not feed them pickles. 

What To Feed Your Guinea Pigs Instead Of Pickles

For your guinea pigs to live a long and healthy life, it is essential to keep their food as natural as possible. Below are some food you can include in your guinea pigs’ diet.

Hay

The largest percentage (about 85%) of your guinea pig’s diet should comprise fresh timothy or low-calcium hay. Hay aids digestion in guinea pigs. It also limits the rapid growth of their teeth and keeps them healthy.

Pellets

About 5% of your guinea pigs’ diet should be pellets. Choose pellets enriched in vitamin c without the addition of seeds and dried fruits.

Fruits and vegetables

About 10% of your guinea pigs’ meal should be made up of fruits and vegetables. Rather than feeding your guinea pigs pickled fruits and vegetables, feed them fresh ones.

Examples of fruits and veggies your guinea pigs can eat are apples, pears, carrots, cucumbers, bell pepper, tomato, asparagus, broccoli, cauliflower, cilantro, etc. Ensure to remove fruits and vegetables left uneaten after about 10 hours so your pets do not consume spoilt food.

You might also like: Can Guinea Pigs Eat Parsnips?

Should Guinea Pigs Drink Pickle Juice?

Again, the answer is no. You would only be causing health problems for your cute little pet if you let it drink pickle juice. Safe juice alternatives you can give your guinea pigs are organic, unsweetened juices diluted with water.

Why Should You Plan Your Guinea Pig’s Meal?

Guinea pigs are small adorable creatures which makes them an excellent choice of pets. Generally, guinea pigs have a life span between five to seven years, and they deserve excellent care during this time.

However, improper care can shorten their lifespan or make them sick. One of the ways to care for your guinea pigs is by planning their meals carefully. The food you give your guinea pigs will determine how healthy they will look, how active they will be, and how long they will live.

Conclusion

Pickles are tasty, nutritious, and healthy for humans. However, they are not healthy for your guinea pigs and should not be consumed. Even if your guinea pig seem to like pickles, you should endeavor to keep them out of your pet’s reach.

Our Latest Posts

can sugar gliders eat avocado
can sugar gliders eat broccoli
can sugar gliders eat blackberries
can sugar gliders eat oranges
can sugar gliders eat celery
what fruits can sugar gliders eat