can guinea pigs eat spinach

Can Guinea Pigs Eat Spinach?

Spinach is a very popular vegetable loved the world over.

It has green leaves that are either ruffled slightly or flat. When they are young they are a brighter green then grow more intense in colour as they mature.

Most people either love or hate spinach because of its bitter flavour. It is often eaten in salads where the younger leaves are used or its older leaves are cooked.

Although it is an all year round veggie, it is at its very best between April and September and it is best to get spinach that is bright and crisp and avoid that is yellow and wilting.

can guinea pigs eat spinach

So in the interests of good guinea pig care, can guinea pigs eat spinach, and if they can, how much can they eat?

Lets take a deeper look…

Spinach, raw
Nutritional value per 100 g (3.5 oz)
Energy 97 kJ (23 kcal)
Carbohydrates 3.6 g
– Sugars 0.4 g
– Dietary fiber 2.2 g
Fat 0.4 g
Protein 2.9 g
Water 91.4 g
Vitamin A equiv. 469 μg (59%)
Vitamin A 9377 IU
– beta-carotene 5626 μg (52%)
– lutein and zeaxanthin 12198 μg
Thiamine (vit. B1) 0.078 mg (7%)
Riboflavin (vit. B2) 0.189 mg (16%)
Niacin (vit. B3) 0.724 mg (5%)
Vitamin B6 0.195 mg (15%)
Folate (vit. B9) 194 μg (49%)
Vitamin C 28 mg (34%)
Vitamin E 2 mg (13%)
Vitamin K 483 μg (460%)
Calcium 99 mg (10%)
Iron 2.71 mg (21%)
Magnesium 79 mg (22%)
Manganese 0.897 mg (43%)
Phosphorus 49 mg (7%)
Potassium 558 mg (12%)
Sodium 79 mg (5%)
Zinc 0.53 mg (6%)

source: wikipedia

Spinach is great for guinea pigs and they can eat it regularly. It is high in vitamin c and other types of vitamins and low in sugar, so really fits the bill when it comes to finding a good veggie supplement for them to eat.

However it is high in Oxalates and if mixed with calcium, it can form stones. So it is best fed in small amounts 1-2 times a week at a maximum.

What about spinach stalks?

Unfortunately, spinach stalks are not good for guinea pigs to eat and it is best to throw them away when preparing spinach for piggies.

What about other types of spinach?

Can guinea pigs eat….

Baby Spinach?

Baby spinach is so called as it used to describe spinach that has been harvest during the early stage of the plant’s growth. It has small leaves, a  tender texture, and a sweet taste in compared to mature, fully formed spinach leaves.

Guinea pigs can eat baby spinach and it is very popular, but only in small amounts because of its high calcium content.

Raw spinach?

Yes guinea pigs can eat raw spinach. This is the state it is meant to be fed to guinea pigs

English spinach?

Yes English spinach is fine for guinea pigs to eat, again in moderation.

Water Spinach?

We actually made a separate post here about water spinach right here.

Frozen Spinach?

Unfortunately, guinea pigs can’t eat frozen spinach as it is not good for the to eat frozen foods.

8 thoughts on “Can Guinea Pigs Eat Spinach?

  1. I feed our little piggie his bagged food in the morning. And maybe if he looks pittyful or starts to squeek I’ll give him alil hay around 4 or 5 in the evening and I have him trained to squeak and stand up at his cage at 9:45 since he wont get fed again until that time or later the next day anyway I fix him a little salad that consist of 1 small baby carrot, 1-2 tiny pieces of apple and maybe celery very small sliced very very small and finally small amount of coriander. Is that too much? He tolerates it with no problem and he is very happy. We have left his cage door open and he has never fryer to leave. Why should he? When he has it sooo good. But, really are we over feeding him?

    1. Am I over feeding our little piggie? He eats his bagged food in the a.m and if he looks pittyful or starts to squeek for extra attention I will give him some hay around 4-5. And we have him trained to stand and squeek and wake us up to remind us that it’s time for his night time salad. That consists of 1-2 very small pieces of apple, 1 baby carrot, 1 super small cut short then sliced in 1/4 and a small amount of coriander. We or he has had no problems. He very happy. We have left his cage open time to time an he has never tryed to leave but why should he when he has it so good? But seriously, are we over feeding him?

      1. Pamala…. you need to keep All Natural Timothy Hay out at all times. It helps the digestive system. You also need to keep their regular pellet foods out also all the time. They do not eat very much of each at a time. As for the fresh veggies, some diced tomato with the seeds cleaned out is great several times a day (which they will love you more for it). Also diced and peeled cucumber every couple of days along with some red apple, peeled and diced every other day. Keep a special small corn on the cob in their cage at all times, they love it and it is good for the teeth. I keep 3 small bowls in the cage with tomato, cucumber or apple in one, natural fruits, vegetables, seeds and nuts mix in another and her special feed pellets in the last all the time! Please keep an eye out for the back paws. their toe nails will grow to the point into swirling back into their little paws, did to barely snip the nail, but be careful of the flesh. Fresh water and lots of back of the head and neck scratches will keep him/her happy. I hope I helped you out. My little Rosie is a happy spoiled girl!

  2. Hi, would yup be able to explain how much is “not too much”…. My piggies love spinach but I need a clearer idea…just a couple of small leaves or a handful? Thank you!

  3. Hello I have 2 piggies and feed them spinach and kale daily as it’s their favourites . i usually feed them 3 times a day with small portions (bit like brekkie lunch and dinner) but they are so hungry innetween these hours they come up to the cage and squeak begging for more food. What can I do to help keep them in a routine ?

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