Can Guinea Pigs Eat Cucumber?

Can Guinea Pigs eat Cucumber? Since guinea pigs can eat many fruits and vegetables without any problems, you may be wondering if it is healthy to give your pigs cucumber.

Here in this article, you will learn whether your Guinea Pigs can eat Cucumber or not, the safe amounts, health benefits, and the risks of Cucumber.

Cucumber is fresh long vegetables with a bland or neutral taste. Close to 97% of the Cucumber content is water with a trace amount of other nutrients. Some of these nutrients include Sodium, Phosphorus, Magnesium, Pantothenic acid, Vitamin A, Vitamin C, Vitamin K, and so on. Also, cucumber has low sugar and fat content.

With all these nutrients and minerals, it is evident that cucumber is healthy and safe for your pets. Therefore, guinea pigs can eat cucumber safely without any problems as long as it is eaten in the right amount.

Although, the minerals and nutrients in cucumber are small compared to other fruits and vegetables like Avocado, Pear, Kiwi fruit, and others. So, it may not be a good choice of vegetables to supplement your pets’ nutrients. It is only effective in hydrating guinea pigs as it contains a high amount of water.

In addition, guinea pigs can eat all parts of the cucumber ranging from the seeds to the inner juicy parts and even the cucumber peel. They are all safe and non-toxic, especially for fresh ones. Although you may need to wash your cucumber peel adequately before serving to your pets to avoid chemical poisoning or go for organic.

Can Guinea Pigs eat Cucumber every day?

Even though it is safe and healthy to serve guinea pigs cucumber, there has to be a limit. Cucumber may contain a lot of beneficial nutrients that doesn’t mean it should be served every day.

When you serve your pets cucumber every day, it may lead to accumulation of the trace minerals like Calcium, Phosphorus, and others. Meanwhile, Calcium is not useful for pigs and it may result in blockage of the urinary system or organs.

Apart from that, cucumber has huge water content which can result in bloating, discomfort, diarrhea, and stomach upset if taken frequently. Also, cucumber produced a toxin known as Cucurbitacin which is dangerous for the pigs when ingested too much.

Therefore, it is dangerous for guinea pigs to eat cucumbers every day. If you wish to serve your guinea pigs some cucumber, at most 2 to 3 times a week is safe.

How Much Cucumber Should I Give my Guinea Pigs?

According to many experts, only 5% of the guinea pigs’ food should be fruits and vegetables while others should be hays and grasses. This is because guinea pigs’ digestive system knows how to handle grasses and hays better than fruits and vegetables. Therefore, it is very important to give your pets a slice of cucumber to test before giving the rest.

Giving too much cucumber can result in diarrhea, discomfort, or stomach upset. It can also lead to bladder stones, Kidney stones, and other Urinary problems as a result of accumulations of Calcium and other minerals. Thus, giving some slices of cucumber 2 to 3 times a week is enough.

In addition, when serving guinea pigs cucumber, you should ensure it is organic and fresh. If not you need to wash the skin thoroughly to prevent poisoning from pesticides. It is also important to taste the cucumber before serving your pets. This is because cucumber produced a natural toxin called Cucurbitacin which is bitter to taste and dangerous for guinea pigs. By tasting you can prevent serving toxic and unfresh cucumber for your pets.

Can Guinea Pigs eat Cucumber Seeds?

Yes, cucumber seeds are safe and healthy to eat by guinea pigs. It is soft, small, and easy to chew. Also, cucumber seeds contain all the nutrients that can be found in the cucumber which makes them beneficial to pigs. Although, like every other fruit and vegetable part, cucumber seeds should be served in moderation to prevent any problems.

Can Guinea Pigs eat Cucumber Peels?

Unlike many fruits and vegetables, cucumber peels or skins are healthy and good for guinea pigs. It is not toxic, it is beneficial to guinea pigs as it contains roughages that prevent diarrhea. Apart from that, there are many other important nutrients that it contains.

Although, cucumber peels must be washed thoroughly before serving to prevent poisoning especially if it is not organic. Also, moderation is the key to serving guinea pigs cucumbers without any problem.

Can Baby Guinea Pigs eat Cucumber?

Baby guinea pigs are just starting and should be nurtured by mother’s milk alone within their first 3 to 6 weeks of life.

Apart from that, baby pigs’ stomachs are usually sensitive and may be unable to handle cucumber. Therefore, they should not be served cucumber for any reason whatsoever.

Can Cucumber be used to Treat Dehydration?

As mentioned earlier, 95% of nutrients in cucumber are water which means it has high water content. Thus, making it beneficial in hydrating your pets, but this does not mean it can be used to treat severe dehydration. There is no scientific evidence that shows cucumber can treat dehydration.

Can Cucumber cure Scurvy?

Scurvy is a condition that occurs as a result of a deficiency in Vitamins C. Although Vitamins C can be found in cucumber little amounts. It can only prevent guinea pigs from developing Scurvy and not cure it. Therefore, Scurvy can not be cured by cucumber as it contains little amount of Vitamin C.

Can Guinea Pigs take Cucumber Juice?

Guinea pigs should be fed with fresh foods only, to prevent any problems. It is not advisable to serve cucumber juice for guinea pigs as it contains a lot of harmful chemicals. Cucumber juice will contain additives, sweeteners, and high sugar content which can be harmful in the long run.

Health Benefits of Guinea Pigs Eating Cucumber

Now that we have established that it is safe and healthy for guinea pigs to eat cucumber, find below the nutrients that can be found in cucumber with its benefits.

According to USDA National Nutrients Database, 100g of Cucumber contains the following nutrients value:

Water -95.2g
Energy – 15kcal
Energy – 65kJ
Protein- 0.65g
Total lipid (fat) – 0.11g
Ash – 0.38g
Carbohydrate – 3.63g
Fiber – 0.5g
Sugars, – 1.67g
Calcium – 16mg
Iron – 0.28mg
Magnesium – 13mg
Phosphorus – 24mg
Potassium – 147mg
Sodium – 2mg
Zinc – 0.2mg
Copper – 0.041mg
Manganese – 0.079mg
Selenium – 0.3µg
Fluoride – 1.3µg
Vitamin C – 2.8mg
Thiamin – 0.027mg
Riboflavin – 0.033mg
Niacin – 0.098mg
Pantothenic acid – 0.259mg
Vitamin B-6 – 0.04mg
Folate – 7µg
Choline – 6mg
Betaine – 0.1mg
Vitamin B – 120µg
Vitamin A – 5µg
Beta-Carotene – 45µg
Alpha-Carotene – 11µg
Beta-Cryptoxanthin – 26µg
Lutein + zeaxanthin – 23µg
Vitamin K – 16.4µg
Fatty acids – 0.037g

Are you still unsure whether cucumber is healthy for your guinea pigs, below are some of the health benefits of the nutrients it contains?

1. Boost Immune System

Vitamin C which is one of the main vitamins in cucumber is responsible for boosting the immune system. When you allow your guinea pigs to eat cucumber, it boosts their immunity against foreign infections. In addition, Vitamin C also aids healing of wounds.

2. Prevent Scurvy

Also, the presence of Vitamin C in cucumber helps to prevent scurvy in guinea pigs. This helps to prevent unnecessary bruises, lack of energy, weight loss that may result from the condition.

3. Improves Digestive System

Cucumber has a high water content with roughages which helps to aid digestion. Therefore, it helps to improve the digestive system’s health. Although it is advisable to take Cucumber sparsely to avoid diarrhea and stomach problems because of its high water content.

4. Aids Weight Loss

Due to its low sugar content and calories, Cucumber helps reduce weight. Also, it has low fat and a huge amount of water content which helps to aid the feeling of fullness. Thereby reducing the intake of excess food.

5. Antioxidants Properties

Cucumber contains antioxidants compounds like Lignans which help in reducing the risk of developing cancer. These antioxidants also protect the body against free radicals by fighting against them.

6. Promote Skin Health

Vitamin B6 in Cucumber helps to promote skin integrity. So, if you want your Guinea pigs’ skin to be shiny and smooth, you should feed them Cucumber seldomly.

Risk of Guinea Pigs Eating Cucumber

Despite how beneficial Cucumber is, some dangers and problems can occur when the pets are fed in large quantities and frequently. Below are some of the symptoms that can result from overfeeding your pets with Cucumber

Urinary Problems (include Bladder stone, Kidney stone, and others)
Bloating
Discomfort
Vomiting
Diarrhea
Stomach Upset and Ache
Skin Rashes

Ensure you always give a slice of Cucumber first to your pets and watch for any of these symptoms. If you find any of these symptoms after serving your pets with the vegetables, we advise you to refrain from serving the rest for the symptoms to subside. You can also seek the help of a veterinarian if it is getting severe.

FAQs

Can guinea pigs eat cucumber?

Yes, Guinea Pigs can eat Cucumber without any problems as long as it is not served frequently and in large quantities.

Can Guinea Pigs eat cucumber seeds?

Cucumber seeds are small, soft, and easy to chew which makes them suitable for Pigs to eat without any problems.

What Vegetables can Guinea Pigs eat every day?

Vegetables and Fruits are not part of the normal food eaten by the Guinea Pigs. Hence, it should not be more than 5% of the Guinea Pigs. This is to say it is not advisable to feed Guinea Pigs vegetables every day irrespective of how beneficial it is.

Conclusion

Cucumber has a lot of nutrients that are capable of aiding Guinea Pigs’ healthy growth and development. Therefore, Guinea Pigs can eat Cucumber without any problems. And all the parts of the Cucumber are safe and healthy to eat as long as it is fresh and washed thoroughly before it is served.

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