Can Guinea Pigs Eat Cucumbers? Feeding Guidelines

Guinea Pigs are one of the most popular small pets in the United States. One thing about these tame little creatures you must know if you adopt one is they eat constantly, so you’ll need to provide plenty of healthy, nutritious food and snacks for your Guinea Pig. If you’re wondering if that includes cucumbers, you’ll be pleased to know the healthy green fruit is okay to serve to your little piggy.

How many cucumbers can a Guinea Pig eat, and how should you serve them? Can they eat the entire cucumber or only parts of it? Cucumbers are a nutritious and delicious snack you can serve to your Guinea Pig in moderation. We have the facts, information, and advice below that’s vet-approved and will help you raise a healthy, happy Guinea Pig!

What Are the Health Benefits of Cucumber for Guinea Pigs?

Cucumbers are considered botanically as a fruit, although many people think of them as vegetables. As far as fruits go, cucumbers aren’t particularly packed with nutrients. They have a few, but compared to vegetables like broccoli, kale, spinach, they’re a little bit light on vitamins, minerals, and so forth. Cucumbers contain Vitamin C, which Guinea Pigs need daily because they can’t make it themselves. As an antioxidant, Vitamin C helps your Guinea Pig’s immune and skin systems stay strong, which helps your pet stay healthy and avoid illnesses and infections.

Cucumber also contains calcium, which all mammals need for strong bones and teeth. That’s especially true for Guinea Pigs, who use their teeth constantly to chew hay and other foods. Potassium, Vitamin K, beta carotene, and several other phytochemicals are also found in cucumbers. The fruit also has a moderate amount of fiber, which is good for your piggy’s digestion.

Lastly, cucumbers are packed with moisture, which can help your pet stay hydrated. Cucumbers are about 96% water, which is the highest water concentration of any fruit or vegetable on the planet!

Do Cucumbers Pose any Health Risks for Guinea Pigs?

What’s ironic about cucumbers is that, even though they’re 96% water and great for hydration, they can cause your Guinea Pig to have diarrhea. Diarrhea, in turn, can cause your piggy to become dehydrated.

Too much cucumber can also cause your Guinea Pig to become bloated and have an upset tummy and gas, which can be painful. For these reasons, veterinarians recommend feeding your Guinea Pig cucumbers in moderation.

How Much Cucumber Can a Guinea Pig Safely Eat Per Day?

Feeding your Guinea Pig cucumber daily is not recommended; instead, serve it only one to three times a week. It is recommended to use the 90/10 rule when feeding your Guinea Pig cucumbers. 90% of the food you feed your Guinea Pig on any given day should be their regular, vet-approved diet of good quality hay, around a cup of mixed vegetables and 1 tablespoon of guinea pig pellets, and the other 10% can be snacks like cucumber and other fruits. How much does that amount to per serving? One or two ¼-inch thick slices would likely be plenty for the average Guinea Pig.

Can Guinea Pigs Eat Cucumber Rind and Seeds?

The rind and the cucumber seeds are safe for Guinea Pigs to eat in moderation. The seeds are tiny, and they pose no health risk for your piggy. The rind, however, can be covered in pesticides, herbicides, and wax (depending on where you buy it) and so should be cleaned thoroughly before feeding it to your Guinea Pig.

Some Guinea Pigs like the texture of the rind even more than the cucumber flesh because it’s crunchy. If yours does, veterinarians recommend buying organic cucumbers to reduce the risk of chemicals. Look for cucumbers that haven’t been waxed, which is a common practice at many grocery stores.

Should You Give Your Guinea Pig Cucumber Juice?

It would seem like cucumber juice would be healthy for guinea pigs, but, in fact, it’s not. The reason why is the sugar, or, technically speaking, fructose. Fructose, or fruit sugar, is more concentrated when you make cucumber juice. Guinea Pigs can’t process a high amount of sugar, and thus, it can cause several health issues, including diarrhea and, in the long term, obesity.

How To Prepare Cucumber to Feed to Your Guinea Pig

Below are the steps to proper cucumber preparation so you can serve it to your piggy with no problems.

1. Clean and wash the cucumber well to remove the chemicals and wax.
2. If your Guinea Pig doesn’t like the rind, peel it off. If not, skip this step.
3. Slice the cucumber into ¼-inch thick pieces.
4. Serve one to three cucumber slices to your piggy.
5. Remove the leftover cucumber after 30 minutes so it doesn’t start going bad and forming bacteria.

If your piggy likes to play with toys, consider cutting up some cucumber and placing it inside an interactive toy. This will encourage your pet to work for its food, which will provide a healthy physical and mental activity.

Can Guinea Pigs Eat Pickles?

Feeding marinated or pickled vegetables and fruits to your Guinea Pig is unsafe due to their high sodium content. Too much salt can cause your Guinea Pig to become dehydrated, which can lead to their death in severe cases. That’s why veterinarians recommend you never feed pickles to your Guinea Pig or, for that matter, any other pets you might have in your home.

Which Other Fruits Are Good for Guinea Pigs?

Cucumbers shouldn’t form the mainstay of your Guinea Pig’s diet, you may be wondering which other fruits are suitable . Many others provide something to chew on for their teeth, vitamins and minerals for their overall health, and fiber for their digestive system.

Final Thoughts

Cucumbers are a nutritious and delicious snack you can serve to your Guinea Pig in moderation. They are relatively high in Vitamin C and some other vitamins and exceptionally high in water. Guinea Pigs can eat the cucumber flesh, seeds, and rind, but the rind should be cleaned well to remove wax and chemicals.

Remember that Guinea Pigs need to primarily eat hay and grass but also need some guinea pig pellets for vitamin C and a mix of vegetables. Anything else you feed your piggy, including cucumber, should be served in moderation.

See also:

• Can Guinea Pigs Eat Zucchini? Vet-Reviewed Diet Facts
• Can Guinea Pigs Eat Honeydew? Vet-Reviewed Nutrition Facts & FAQ