Can Guinea Pigs Eat Avocado? Benefits and Risks🥑

Can Guinea pigs eat avocado? If you are the type that loves eating avocado, you may contemplate sharing some with your guinea pigs. Thus posing the question if Guinea pigs can really eat Avocado.

Avocados are popular delicious fruits often confused to be vegetables. Most people eat avocado alone as fruit or with other fruits in a salad. Some also squashed it to smoothies while some mixed it with desserts and so on.

If you are interested in finding out if your Guinea pigs can eat Avocado, how much they can eat, the benefits and risks. We advise you to meticulously read the whole article to know if Guinea Pigs can eat avocados.

Can Guinea Pigs eat Avocado?

Avocados are healthy and delicious fruits with a lot of nutrients in them. There are about 20 vitamins and minerals in the fruit as well as high-level monosaturated fats. Some of the vitamins include Vitamin K, vitamin C, Vitamin E, Vitamin B, folate, and so on. Also, avocado contains low sugar content making it healthy to eat for anyone including your guinea pigs, avocados also consist of vital minerals like calcium, sodium, potassium, protein, and so on.

With all these nutrients eaten by your guinea pigs, no doubt, they have no choice but to grow healthily. Your guinea pigs eating avocados makes it easy to acquire these nutrients.

Although it depends on the part of avocados being eaten by the pig. For instance, the meat of the avocado is safe for consumption and will give all the aforementioned nutrients while its other part is considered to be toxic.

If you have heard that avocados are unhealthy for guinea pigs, the avocados peel and some other parts are what is being referred to. Avocados peels, stems, leaves contain a high level of Persin, a toxic inorganic compound to both guinea pigs and humans. Thus, it is unsafe to feed your guinea pigs avocado peel or another unhealthy part. This Persin is capable of disrupting your pigs’ digestive system thereby affecting their well-being.

Further, the peel of the avocado contains a lot of monosaturated fat. Even though it is seen as healthy fat, it is also a form of fats that should not be taken too much to avoid any complications.

So, it is safe to say your guinea pigs can eat avocados meat but not the peel or other dangerous parts. If you intend to feed your guinea pigs with avocado, ensure you remove the peel and other part yourself. Give only the meat and keep the rest away from your pigs.

How Often Can Guinea Pigs eat Avocados?

What happens if my guinea pigs eat Avocado? Most guinea pigs owner are usually confused about how often their guinea pigs can eat avocados and still stay healthy.

Since avocado contains nutrients that can aid the growth of your guinea pigs as well as toxic chemicals. It is best to allow your guinea pigs to eat avocados once in a blue moon. Don’t give them too often to prevent the accumulation of those toxic compounds.

As for what will happen If your guinea pigs eat avocados, no one can tell until you give them. You should know that guinea pigs are also like human beings, some may eat it and no bad reaction while some develop adverse effects immediately even if it is a little portion. If you are not sure whether your guinea pigs can eat avocados, you can seek the help of a veterinarian.

Can Guinea Pigs eat Avocado Pit?

It is not uncommon to see pig owners asking if their guinea pigs can eat avocado pits. Remember we said earlier on that guinea pigs can eat avocado meat but not the peel and pit.

The avocado pit also contains a toxic chemical called Persin like the avocado peels. Thus, it is not healthy for your Guinea pigs to eat Avocado pits.

If you have been asking the question “can Guinea Pigs eat avocado seed?” now you know that the avocado seed is bad for the Guinea pig.

Can Guinea Pigs eat Avocado Leaves?

Similarly, Avocado leaves and stems also contain the toxic compound called Persin. So, it is unsafe for guinea pigs to eat avocado leaves, pits as well as peels.

As a Cavy owner are you still in doubt whether your guinea pigs can eat avocados? Below is a comprehensive list of the benefits and risks guinea pigs can get from eating avocados.

Benefits of Avocados to Guinea Pigs

Avocados are fresh and healthy fruits that are capable of boosting the overall wellbeing of guinea pigs when it is eaten in the right proportion. Giving your guinea pigs 3 ounces of avocados that are already squashed into easily digestible form has a lot of benefits than you think.

The supplemental fruit is rich in protein, potassium, calcium, essential omega fatty acids, and so on. It is also rich in antioxidants giving rise to shiny coats and healthy skin for your guinea pigs.

Furthermore, It is loaded with a lot of nutrients especially when the right portion, which is the avocado meat is given. Below are the nutritive contents that guinea pigs can get from eating avocados.

An intake of 100gm of avocados contains the following amount of nutrients, according to the USDA National Nutrient Database

• Energy – 160 kcal
• Protein – 2 g
• Sugar – 0.66 g
• Folate – 81 µg
• Carbs – 8.35 g
• Vitamin A-7 µg
• Vitamin B-6 – 0.257 mg
• Vitamin C-10 mg
• Vitamin E-2.07 mg
• Vitamin K-21 µg
• Calcium – 12 mg
• Selenium – 0.4 µg
• Iron-0.55 mg
• Magnesium – 29 mg
• Phosphorus – 52 mg
• Potassium – 485 mg
• Sodium – 7 mg
• Zinc – 0.64 mg
• Copper -0.19 mg
• Dietary fiber – 6.7 g
• Fat – 14.66 g.

Risks of Guinea Pigs eating Avocado

There are many risks that Guinea pigs can face from eating avocados especially the pits, leaves, and peels. Find below some of the dangers associated with guinea pigs eating avocados.

#1. Slows Down Digestive System

Avocados parts especially the pits, leaves, peels, and others when eaten too much by either humans or pigs can affect the digestive tract.

Allowing your guinea pigs to eat avocado every time may cause their indigestion thereby affecting their overall wellbeing and growth.

Also, pancreatitis is another digestive-related condition that your guinea pigs may suffer from after eating avocados. Since the pancreas is responsible for the digestion of fats, having too many fats and toxic chemicals passed to it can lead to it being inflamed. If your guinea pigs must eat avocados, ensure you are giving them in the right quantities to prevent any digestive system problems.

#2. Obesity/ Weight Problem

Do you remember us saying that avocados contain a high level of monosaturated fats? Even though it is a healthy fat, when taken in the wrong quantity, it can build up obesity in your guinea pigs.

Also, avocados contain a huge amount of carb with fats adding to the pig’s susceptibility to obesity. Guinea pigs that eat avocados frequently are likely to suffer from weight problems which are unhealthy for growth.

#3. Heart Issues

Furthermore, avocados can predispose your guinea pigs to heart problems due to their high fatty content. Excess fat in your pigs’ body can clog their arteries, veins, or other important parts.

Do you want to prevent your guinea pigs from heart issues and other complications? Keep them away from excess avocados.

#4. Urinary Problem

Closely associated with cardiovascular diseases is the urinary problem. Avocados consist of a load of vitamins and minerals that is healthy for the body.

Although these nutrients are healthy for growth, there is a measure of how much they should be in the body. Most Guinea pigs that eat avocados frequently are likely to suffer from nutrients overload especially sodium, calcium, and potassium. The excess nutrients are left in the body to form stones blocking the urinary system.

Thus, guinea pigs that eat avocados so much are likely to suffer from bladder, kidney, and other urinary system problems.

#5. Toxicity

This is one of the common problems guinea pigs can face from eating avocados. Like we said earlier, avocados are toxic to pigs especially the peels, pits, leaves, and another unhealthy part because of their constituent, Persin. The inorganic compound is capable of causing poisoning, distress, and vomiting to your pigs.

Further, avocados also contain Guacamole, harmful ingredients to pigs. In addition to the Persin, Guacamole is capable of causing toxicosis, diarrhea, and vomiting to your guinea pigs.

Read Also: Can Hamsters Eat Bananas? Benefits and Risks

Not only that there is the probability of accumulation of fluids around your pig’s lungs and heart because of the toxic compound. You don’t want such trouble for your guinea pigs, keep them away from avocados especially the unhealthy part!

Final Thoughts on How Guinea Pigs can eat Avocados

After reading this guide, you will have learned that avocados are not toxic to pigs especially when the right part is given in the right proportion.

Also, it can be unhealthy for guinea pigs to eat avocados if given frequently and in the wrong amount.

Remember that for your guinea pigs to eat avocado and still stay healthy, you must give the inner part alone which is the meat. Give once in a blue moon and Shun unhealthy parts like stems, pits, leaves, bark, and so on. On no account must the fruit be given with the peels, it must be plain and in small quantities.

If you follow all this, your guinea pigs can eat avocados and still be healthy!

FAQs

What other concerns do you have about your guinea pigs eating avocados? Make use of the comments section below, let’s hear your thoughts!