Can guinea pigs have mango seeds?

Guinea pigs are small rabbit-like animals that are extremely cute and cuddly.

Guinea pigs are herbivorous in nature and spend their time mostly eating hay. And if not hay then vegetables.

But sometimes they don't get enough nutrients from hay and vegetables. And at that time, fruits need to come to the rescue. Fruits like mangoes are guinea pigs' all-time favorites.

Fruits that are rich in vitamins can be given to guinea pigs as some compliment minding the serving size. Fruits don't count in their natural diet because they have high sugar content in them and can only be given one or two times a week. Mangoes are fruits that have comparatively less sugar and more vitamin C. So can guinea pigs eat mangoes? Let's read the article and find out!

And if you like reading such fun facts then also mind reading our facts on can guinea pigs eat apples and can guinea pigs eat grapes.

Can guinea pigs eat dried mango?

This is a common question every owner has in their mind about them feeding mangoes or mango juice to their pet guinea pigs. Yes, guinea pigs can eat mangoes as some of them have less sugar content in them and are nutritious at the same time also but try to avoid giving them mango juice. Most of the mangoes are high in sugar so choose wisely. The number of health benefits that mangoes have, the same amount of damage they can cause if given in a high quantity, so always feed a small amount.

A simple answer to the question 'can guinea pigs eat mango' is yes. Guinea pigs are small herbivores who mainly feed on vegetables and fruits. This food contains essential nutrients that are needed for healthy growth. Always give them food that is high in vitamin c and has less calcium content. In vegetables, you can simply give them carrots, lettuces, cauliflower, and broccoli. And in fruits, you can simply give them oranges, grapes, and mangoes. As this article is about whether or not guinea pigs can eat mango, we shall be discussing the mango only.

Mangoes are generally good for guinea pigs. They have several health benefits and have high nutritional value. It is better to feed them fresh mangoes and not tinned or dried mangoes. Guinea pigs will eat any vegetarian food that is given to them, but it's your duty as an owner to check whether the food you are going to feed them is good for them or not. If you give dried mangoes to your pet, they will surely take a bite. But do you know how dangerous can it be for your pet? Mangoes, when fresh, have several nutritional values but when they are dried, they lose all the nutrients and what stays back is mostly sugar. Dried mangoes have high sugar content which is very bad for guinea pigs and can cause several diseases. Though diabetes is very rarely seen in guinea pigs, still there are several reported cases of diabetes found in guinea pigs. A guinea pig's diet should mostly consist of hay and vegetables, fruits can just be treats. As fruits not only have vitamins but also have calcium and sugar. Both calcium and sugar are bad for your pet. We know calcium helps in building strong bones and teeth but in guinea pigs, they cause adverse effects if consumed in a high quantity. In guinea pigs, if calcium is taken in high quantity, gets accumulated and form bladder stones. So avoid food items that are high or have a moderate amount of calcium also.

Benefits Of Mango For Guinea Pigs

Guinea pigs simply love eating mangoes. But that doesn't mean you can give it to them every day. If you feed them mangoes every day, it will create a high sugar content in their body causing several health issues. So what to do? When to feed them mangoes and how much? Always remember that mangoes are treats that are given to them, it is not a part of their diet. Still, mangoes have several health benefits, and now let's discuss them!

The most wonderful thing about mangoes is that they are packed with lots of essential vitamins such as vitamin C, vitamin K, vitamin E, and others. These essential nutrients strengthen the immune system and help guinea pigs fight several health issues. Some mangoes also have less sugar content. The antioxidants present in mango reduce the free radicals that are present in their body. Free radicals harm cells and can also cause cancer. Mangoes can be beneficial in lots of ways. Vitamin C is one of the most important nutrients that is required in a guinea pig's body. They need vitamin c to strengthen their immune system for foreign attacks. Mangoes are rich in vitamin c and feeding mango can supply enough of this nutrient in their body. If enough vitamin c is not provided to your cavy, you may see several complications in its body and the most common is scurvy. It can also weaken their immune system and that will make their body prone to several diseases. A guinea pig's diet mostly consists of hay and vegetables and that sometimes doesn't meet the requirement of vitamin c in their body, during that time feeding them fruits like mangoes can help meet their vitamin c requirement. Another good thing about mangoes is that they are low in calcium if compared to other fruits. Well, it is not like calcium is totally not needed in their body. All animals need calcium for strong bone development and other things. The same thing is up with guinea pigs but in a bit different way! Guinea pigs also need calcium for good bone development but the amount required is very less. If guinea pigs consume calcium in a good quantity, it can cause severe health problems. Calcium in high quantity in their body gets accumulated and form stones in their kidneys and bladder. And it can take their life as well! Another thing about mangoes that make them a good treat is that they are low in sugar also again if compared to other fruits. But still, mangoes have enough sugar that can cause diarrhea if given in a high quantity. All in all, mangoes are very good for guinea pigs, but the serving size should be small. Mangoes are actually occasional treats that complement their mood. For knowing more about the pros and cons of mangoes, contact a good veterinarian.

Fresh vs Tinned Mangoes

Mangoes are guinea pigs' all-time favorites. Their enchanting smell with pulpy sweet taste makes everybody's mouth watery. Guinea pigs like mango so much that guinea pigs eat mango skin also if given to them. It is good to feed mangoes to your cavy as mangoes are filled with vitamins and contain less calcium. At the end of the day, the main concern is to keep your cavy healthy, and mangoes have many essential nutrients that help in keeping guinea pigs healthy.

But it is true that in today's world, it is a bit tough to get fresh mangoes. And that is why many people have this question in their mind if they can feed tinned mangoes to their pet guinea pig. Well, the straight-cut answer is no. You should never give them preserved foods. There are many reasons behind this statement. The biggest and the most important reason is that tinned mangoes are dipped in preservatives. Preservatives are not at all good for guinea pigs. If they consume them, they might face issues in their digestive system. Another issue is that tinned mangoes have higher sugar content. When they are processed, extra sweeteners are added to them for making them more sweet and supple. Humans are actually capable of breaking down sugar in our body and transferring that into energy but guinea pigs can't do that. In guinea pig's body, sugar doesn't get broken down and just travels through their intestine and gets thrown out of the body. This sometimes causes allergic reactions also. So it is better to give them less sugar. People sometimes also ask if they can feed mango juice to their cavy. Again the answer is no. Tinned mangoes have high preservatives while artificial mango juice has no trace of real mangoes but has a high level of sugar. Feeding mango juice is like giving sweet poison to your guinea pig. Guinea pigs love to eat mango but only when they are real and fresh. Fresh mangoes are high in vitamin c which provides strong immunity. Fresh mangoes also have less calcium, reducing the chance of having kidney or bladder stones. Mangoes are beneficial but don't feed them too much. You can give mango to your guinea pig twice a week. Actually, their diet mainly consists of hay and veggies. Fruits like mangoes can only be occasional treats. Mangos have natural sugar so eating too much mango can affect their digestive system and cause diarrhea.

Risks To Consider While Feeding

Guinea pigs are small rabbit-like animals. They are herbivorous and mainly eat hay and vegetables. Fruits can also be given to them as occasional treats. Now if you are a new guinea pig pet owner, you need to learn a lot of things, starting from how to feed them properly to how to properly take care of them.

Feeding is a very sensitive part of guinea pigs. They eat hay and veggies but also need a nutrition boost from other foods too like you can say fruits. But while feeding them, a lot of things need to be checked and double-checked. First, let's discuss what nutrients they require for maintaining their health. The most important out of these are vitamins, specifically vitamin C. In shortage of vitamin C, their immunity gets reduced and they become prone to many diseases. Also scurvy happens if there is a lack of vitamin c and can be very painful. Guinea pigs will eat anything that you will serve them but as an owner, it's your responsibility to understand what is good and what is bad for your pet. There are lots of food items that are normal for us but can be highly toxic for guinea pigs and can even cause their death. Such foods are nuts, seeds, onions, onion grass, potato tops, and avocado. A balanced diet guinea pigs can have is a diet that contains more fiber and fewer carbohydrates. Seeds and nuts are rich in fats and carbohydrates so it's better to not give them such food. While feeding them other foods also, keep this in mind to check the quantity of calcium and natural sugar it has in it. These two substances are very much risky for guinea pigs in two different ways. Always go for foods that have vitamin c content more than calcium. Consuming calcium in high quantity forms crystal in ducts and cause stones in the kidneys and bladder which can be fatal. And about sugar, if simply said, it makes your guinea pig fat and makes it prone to health issues. We, humans, are equipped to break sugar into energy but guinea pigs don't really have this ability. Sugar doesn't get broken down and makes your guinea pig to put on weight. Sugar in high quantity also results in digestive malfunctioning. As this article is about guinea pigs eating mangoes, you should keep this in your mind to not feed too much mango to your guinea pig as it can be bad. You can simply cut mangoes into small pieces and give them to them but in small amounts and that too for one or two times a week. Guinea pigs love mango so much that they can even eat mango skin and mango leaves also. But never give mango seeds to your guinea pig. Mango seeds are hard and if eaten can result in choking hazards. Give your guinea pig only fresh mangoes, not frozen, tinned, or dried. And yes, always keep water in their cage so that they can quench their thirst whenever they want.

Here at Kidadl, we have carefully created lots of interesting family-friendly facts for everyone to enjoy! If you liked our suggestions for can guinea pigs eat apples then why not take a look at can guinea pigs eat avocados or rex guinea pig facts.

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