Can Guinea Pigs Eat Parsley?
Guinea pigs can eat parsley, and this herb is packed with nutrition for our small pets. Let’s find out more about the nutrition that parsley offers guinea pigs, how often they can eat parsley, and how much they should have in a portion.
How much vitamin C is in parsley?
We are always looking at the vitamin C content in a guinea pig’s food because it’s a very important part of their diet.
If guinea pigs don’t get the vitamin C they need they can get scurvy which causes lethargy, joint pain and other symptoms.
Parsley has an extremely high vitamin C content when compared to many other fresh fruit, vegetables and herbs which makes it a great food to give your guinea pigs.
This fresh green herb contains 1333mg per 100g which is slightly more than you would find in a sweet red pepper and it is nearly 3 times richer in vitamin C than an orange.
Is parsley low in sugar?
One of the nutritional advantages in herbs is that they have very low amounts of sugar. In fact carrots have 5 times more sugar than parsley.
Does parsley have high amounts of calcium?
Parsley also has high levels of calcium and this may concern some guinea pig owners who worry about bladder stones. But remember that guinea pigs do need calcium in their diet.
How much parsley should guinea pigs eat?
We always recommend that you don’t feed large amounts of any food (other than hay of course) and give a good variety of fresh foods each day.
Feeding a good range of foods will provide your guinea pigs with an excellent selection of nutrients rather than lots of a select few.
And feeding your guinea pigs a varied daily diet will give your them the best chance of avoiding health issues like this.
Can guinea pigs eat Italian (flat leaf) parsley?
Guinea pigs can eat Italian parsley, also known as flat leaf parsley as well as the curly varieties. They will enjoy the stalks and leaves of this herb too so there is no waste.
Parsley is easy to grow in your home
Parsley is easy to grow on your kitchen window sill which can save you having to keep buying it.
The supermarkets often sell parsley in pots so you don’t have to grow them from seed. All you need to do is place them into a larger pot so they have space to grow.
Doing this means you have a great source of food to hand for your guinea pigs as and when you need it.
In summary, parsley is a great herb to feed your guinea pigs and most piggies love it but don’t feed just parsley or just one vegetable. Give a good variety to help keep your guinea pigs fit and healthy.
Nutritional information for parsley
Below is the nutritional value per 100g of parsley
- Vitamin C: 133 mg
- Calcium: 138 mg
- Phosphorous: 58 mg
- Fiber: 3.3 g
- Sugar: 0.9 g