Can Guinea Pigs Eat Carrots?
Carrots are a safe vegetable to give your guinea pigs and one that most guinea pigs love to nibble on. They also love the carrot tops or greens but how much of this vegetable can they eat safely?
Let’s take a closer look at the nutrition a carrot offers and find out how much and how often they can eat this vegetable.
How much sugar is in carrots
For a vegetable, carrots are very high in sugar with 4.7mg per 100g. This means they have more sugar than raspberries and nearly as much as strawberries.
It’s important that guinea pigs don’t consume too much sugar in their diet as it can lead to diarrhea or health problems.
Vitamin C in carrots
The amount of vitamin C in carrots isn’t that high compared to other fruits and vegetables and it’s important your guinea pig’s diet provides them with enough of this essential vitamin.
Carrots do have more vitamin C than lettuce, celery and cucumber, however, sweet peppers have about 20 times as much of this vitamin than carrot. So if you’re looking for a vegetable that provides your guinea pig with more vitamin C, peppers would be a better option.
Can guinea pigs eat carrot tops (leaves / greens)?
If you can buy your carrots with the leafy greens attached then you can also feed these to your piggies. There is not much nutritional data available on carrot tops but these luscious green leaves are certainly safe and healthy for your guinea pigs to eat.
Can guinea pigs eat carrot skin?
There is a lot of nutrition in the skin and just under the skin of a vegetable so there is no need to peel them. In fact, if you are peeling carrots for your own meal, you can give the carrot skin to your piggies. But always make sure you wash them thoroughly and, if you can, try and buy organic carrots.
Can guinea pigs eat baby carrots?
Baby carrots are also good to give your guinea pigs and in fact our piggy friends often prefer the younger, sweeter veggies and leaves.
How often can guinea pigs eat carrots and carrot tops?
Carrots can be fed a few times a week but don’t give too much and try not to feed them carrots everyday.
An inch of carrot or so in a meal should be mixed in with other veggies. You can also include some carrot greens if you have them. Their total fresh food portion should consist of about a cup of vegetables with the option of a very small portion of fruit occasionally.
Just remember that everything in moderation is good and providing as much variety in your guinea pig’s diet will help reduce the chances of deficiencies, disease and other health problems.
Nutritional information for carrots
Below is the nutritional value per 100g of carrots
- Vitamin C: 5.9 mg
- Calcium: 33 mg
- Phosphorous: 35 mg
- Fiber: 2.8 g
- Sugar: 4.7 g