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What Fruits Can Guinea Pigs Eat? Vet-Approved Facts & FAQs

Beth Crane

By Beth Crane

close up of a guinea pig

Vet approved

Dr. Luqman Javed Photo

Reviewed & Fact-Checked By

Dr. Luqman Javed

DVM (Veterinarian)

The information is current and up-to-date in accordance with the latest veterinarian research.

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Guinea Pigs are exotic rodents hailing from the Andes in South America. Because of their herbivorous natures, guinea pigs need the correct diet to thrive. Of particular importance is the inclusion of vitamin C, which the pigs can’t make or store themselves. Fruits are a great way to get more vitamin C into a guinea pig’s diet, but they shouldn’t make up more than 5-10% of their daily diet. Of course, we want to ensure each fruit counts, so what fruits are the best for them? Read on to find out!

The 10 Vet-Approved Fruits That Guinea Pigs Can Eat

1. Oranges

sliced orange
Image Credit: JumpStory

Oranges are a fantastic treat to feed your guinea pigs. They are tasty and contain a huge amount of vitamin C that’ll add to your pig’s daily needs!1 Like any fruit, oranges should be given in single slices to your guinea pig and only as a treat, but they provide calcium and vitamin A as well as a healthy dose of vitamin C. Just be cautious with the amount given, as they contain a lot of sugar!


2. Kiwi

kiwi fruit
Image by Steve Buissinne from Pixabay

Kiwi is another fruit that guinea pigs love; each tasty slice will give your cavy a big dose of vitamin C. The green, furry fruits also contain loads of fiber and less sugar than oranges. Most guinea pigs love kiwi, but the seeds and skin can sometimes be off-putting. Also, while kiwis have less sugar than oranges, only a slice should be given at a time.


3. Berries like Raspberries and Blackberries

blackberries on a plate
Image Credit: Ajale, Pixabay

Berries are one of the best fruits you can give your guinea pigs as a treat. Blueberries, blackberries, and raspberries are all good choices,2 and they can be served whole for added enrichment. Berries are packed full of vitamins C and A, fiber, and antioxidants, so they’ll help your cavies fight off oxidative damage while also being a refreshing, juicy treat! One or two berries a week are just enough for your guinea pig since all berries naturally contain sugar.


4. Strawberries

strawberries on wooden table
Image Credit: Engin Akyurt, Pixabay

Strawberries are tasty and popular for a reason. These members of the rose family are jam-packed with vitamin C and antioxidants known as polyphenols, which can protect your guinea pig from oxidative damage in the body. They’re also fibrous, as most fruits are, and they can be a refreshing treat on a hot day. However, a couple of strawberries are enough as a portion size for a cavy, as again, they have too much sugar in them to be eaten any more than once or twice a week.


5. Bell Peppers

several slices of red bell pepper
Image Credit: Oleksandr Berh, Shutterstock

Bell peppers are fruit despite commonly being mistaken for vegetables. Bell peppers are great treats to give your guinea pig, and they contain even more vitamin C than oranges and are much lower in sugar! Ideally, guinea pigs should be given red or green peppers since they have less sugar and more nutrients than the orange variety. A couple of slices are the perfect portion size; they’ll provide your pig with vitamins A, C, E, and B6.


6. Banana

peeled banana
Image Credit: t_watanabe, Pixabay

Most guinea pigs will go bananas for bananas! While they’re admittedly not the healthiest of the fruits for them, most guinea pigs find bananas so delicious that they’re a valuable asset when training them. One small slither of banana once a week is just enough, as they’re very high in sugar.

Your guinea pig can eat the skin as a chewy treat as long as it’s thoroughly washed, and they’ll get vitamin C and fiber from the fruit as well as sugar. If your cavy suffers from obesity, kidney problems, or diabetes, avoid bananas unless you’ve cleared it with your veterinarian.


7. Apples

apple slices
Image Credit: PIX1861, Pixabay

Your guinea pig can share an apple with you as an enriching snack. A quarter of an apple is a good amount to offer them, and they can eat the skin and the flesh as long as it’s been washed thoroughly. Try to avoid serving the apple seeds to your guinea pig. The sweet-tasting flesh of an apple is also high in vitamin C, and the skin contains plenty of fiber and antioxidants.


8. Grapes

Grapes
Image Credit: Pexels, Pixabay

Grapes should be a rare treat for your guinea pig. Similarly to bananas, grapes contain a lot of sugars, nutrients, and fiber, so only one or two medium grapes a week should be given as a portion. guinea pigs can eat red, green, and purple grapes, but you might find they have their own preferences!

Green grapes are high in vitamins C and K, red grapes contain loads of antioxidants such as flavonoids and polyphenols, and purple grapes have high amounts of the antioxidant anthocyanin that gives them their color. Darker grapes are better than green grapes, as they have more benefits and less sugar.


9. Pineapple

bowl with fresh sliced pineapple
Image Credit: New Africa, Shutterstock

Pineapple is an exotic treat to feed your guinea pig. Pineapple has high amounts of vitamin C and relatively low amounts of sugar compared to some other fruits on this list, but they can sometimes be an acquired taste! Some guinea pigs will love pineapples, but others will take one sniff, then run. Either way, pineapple should only be given as a couple of chunks once or twice a week at most, as it still contains sugars that your cavy can find difficult to break down. Bromelain, one of the antioxidants in pineapple, has anti-inflammatory and pain-relieving properties, which could benefit older guinea pigs alongside veterinary treatments.


10. Melon

bowl of watermelon pieces
Image By: MaraZe, Shutterstock

Honeydew, cantaloupe, and watermelon are excellent, hydrating treats for your pet! They’re full of fiber to keep them regular and contain vitamins C, A, and B. Melon also contains antioxidants such as lycopene (particularly in watermelon). If you serve melon to your guinea pigs, make sure you remove the seeds and only give them a small slice once or twice a week.

What Fruits Can Guinea Pigs Not Eat?

Just like most pets, there are some foods that you should never give your guinea pigs, including certain fruits. Some fruits are toxic, such as avocado, while some are dangerous in other ways.

The following fruits should never be given to your Guinea Pig to eat:
  • Avocado: The entirety of the avocado plant can cause serious damage to your guinea pig if eaten, including the fruit, stem, leaves, or seed. A substance called persin can cause heart failure and severe heart toxicity, so guinea pigs should never be fed any part of it.
  • Rhubarb: Rhubarb is another dangerous food for guinea pigs since it contains oxalic acid. Oxalic acid can cause kidney failure in guinea pigs in severe cases, but it can also cause the build-up of bladder stones and sludge.
  • Tomato vines and leaves (the fruit is safe): While the ripe, red fruit of the tomato plant is safe to feed your cavy in small amounts, the vines, leaves, stems, and any green tomatoes are toxic to them due to a substance called tomatine. The green parts of the plant contain more of this, so they should be removed and discarded safely away from your guinea pig.

Why Is Vitamin C Important for Guinea Pigs?

Some animals, like guinea pigs and humans, can’t make or store vitamin C in their bodies. guinea pigs rely on their diets for vitamin C, so it’s up to us as owners to provide them with everything they need. Vitamin C is important for many functions in your guinea pig’s body, including proper bone and tooth health, skin health, joint maintenance, and the health of gums.

Guinea pigs can get scurvy if they don’t get enough vitamin C, and they can suffer from unhealthy coats, bone problems, pain, and even be more prone to infections if they suffer from it. Dietary vitamin C is important, and if your guinea pig is pregnant, lactating, or unwell, it may need additional vitamin C supplementation.

What Should the Rest of My Guinea Pigs Diet Look Like?

Most of your guinea pigs’ diet should be composed of high-quality hay such as timothy orchard hay; this is because guinea pigs need lots of roughage to keep their digestive tracts healthy and their teeth ground down. Leafy green vegetables and guinea pig pellets should make up the rest of the diet, with fruits as a treat very occasionally (no more than 5-10% of the total diet).

Final Thoughts

Guinea pigs should get to have treats on occasion, as they provide variety and enrichment in their lives. Fruits are the perfect treat for them as they’re full of moisture and tasty, but they are full of sugar. A guinea pig should only be fed a few small pieces of fruit a week to keep them trim and healthy. Try to choose fruits with a high amount of vitamin C, and wash the fruit before serving it to your cavy. Remove any fruit that hasn’t been eaten right away to keep their cage clean, and try to feed your guinea pig a variety of fruit.

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Featured Image Credit: Miroslav Hlavko, Shutterstock

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