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can guinea pigs eat pak choi

Can guinea pigs eat pak choi?

Pak Choi is also called Chinese cabbage (Brassica rapa, subspecies pekinensis and chinensis) and can refer to two groups of Chinese leaf vegetables often used in Chinese cuisine: the Pekinensis Group (napa cabbage) and the Chinensis Group (bok choy).

These vegetables are both variant cultivars or subspecies of the turnip and belong to the same genus as such Western staples as cabbage, broccoli, and cauliflower.

Both have many variations in name, spelling, and scientific classification, especially bok choy cultivars. (source)

Can guinea pigs eat pak choi?

Let’s take a look at its nutritional data and find out more.

In particular, its acidic, water, sugar, fat, salt, calcium and phosphorus content is of most interest as far as guinea pigs are concerned.

% Daily Value*
Total Fat 0.2 g 0%
Saturated fat 0 g 0%
Polyunsaturated fat 0.1 g
Monounsaturated fat 0 g
Cholesterol 0 mg 0%
Sodium 65 mg 2%
Potassium 252 mg 7%
Total Carbohydrate 2.2 g 0%
Dietary fiber 1 g 4%
Sugar 1.2 g
Protein 1.5 g 3%
Vitamin A 89%
Vitamin C 75%
Calcium 10%
Iron 4%
Vitamin D 0%
Vit B-6 10%
Vitamin B-12 0%
Magnesium 4%

source google

As you can see pak choi contains a lot of calcium, a little sugar, a hint of salt, and a hint of fat. It will also contain a large amount of water content which hasn’t been disclosed above.

This means that they can eat pak choi in small amounts on an occasional basis.

It is not a food to be fed to them regularly because of the large amount of calcium content it has.

It should be eaten raw only and not cooked at all. They much prefer raw veggies only.

Just cut it up into small pieces for them and don’t feed them too much as they will eat everything you give them.

They will be great fans of pak choi as it is a green vegetable, which always goes down well with piggies not matter what it is.

Its place in their regular diet

Pak choi is a good back up food for them. Although it has a high amount of calcium and should only be fed occasionally to them, it will provide a good amount of nutrients for them as part of their diet.

Fed to them occasionally alongside their regular diet of hay, guinea pig mix, other veggies, fruit, and water, it will help provide a good balance to a guinea pig’s diet.

There are better veggies for them to eat such as bell peppers, but pak choi is a nice occasional vegetable.

For more foods that guinea pigs can and can’t eat, check out our guinea pig food list.

can guinea pigs eat orchids

Can guinea pigs eat orchids?

The Orchidaceae are a diverse and widespread family of flowering plants, with blooms that are often colourful and fragrant, commonly known as the orchid family.

Along with the Asteraceae, they are one of the two largest families of flowering plants. The Orchidaceae have about 28,000 currently accepted species, distributed in about 763 genera.

The determination of which family is larger is still under debate, because verified data on the members of such enormous families are continually in flux.

Regardless, the number of orchid species nearly equals the number of bony fishes and is more than twice the number of bird species, and about four times the number of mammal species.

The family also encompasses about 6–11% of all seed plants.

The largest genera are Bulbophyllum (2,000 species), Epidendrum (1,500 species), Dendrobium (1,400 species) and Pleurothallis (1,000 species). (source)

Can guinea pigs eat orchids?

No they can’t eat them unfortunately. Orchids are poisonous for guinea pigs to eat and will harm them if eaten.

They are best avoided as much as possible.

For more foods that guinea pigs can and can’t eat, check out our guinea pig food list

can guinea pigs eat mice

Can Guinea Pigs Eat Mice Food?

Many guinea pig owners own multiple pets and so buying food becomes quite an expensive business.

There are many different pets out there that are popular in this day and age which need feeding and maintaining so as to give them a good quality of life.

Pets such as rabbits, mice, rats, hamsters, gerbils, chinchillas to more elaborate pets such bearded dragons and chameleons. They all need looking after.

So if we take mice for instance, can guinea pigs share food with mice so that their owners don’t have to pay out for different types of food?

Can guinea pigs eat mice food?

Mice should be fed a diet of mouse food and also bread as a treat. Bread that has been soaked in water and squeezed out is ideal for them.

Mice don’t actually eat cheese and omnivorous creatures.

In fact, it does not do them any good and is only used in mouse traps as it smells strong and has a good texture for putting on a spike.

How do you keep a mouse healthy?

To keep a mouse healthy, a highly palatable, nutritionally complete diet is needed to meet their specific dietary needs.

A good mix which is made up of wholegrain goodness and includes hazelnuts which are a good source of protein for mice and help maintain excellent health.

There should also be no added sugar, it should be rich in natural ingredients, no artificial colors, highly palatable, rich in natural oxidants, promotes dental wear, helps them maintain healthy skin and coat and suitable for all breeds.

A typical mix also contains such ingredients as wholemeal wheat flour, soybean meal, barley, hazelnuts, oats, dried apples, soya oil, diaclium phosphate, limestone flour, and salt.

All ingredients to give a pet mouse a well-balanced diet.

Can guinea pigs share this kind of food?

However, this type of mix is not good for a guinea pig to share. Sure, if they nibble some of it they will be fine.

But ingredients such as hazelnuts, salt, dried apples and soya oil are just not good for them.

This means that they shouldn’t share mouse food with a pet mouse as guinea pigs have totally different dietary requirements.

A good guinea pig mix will give them the nutritional benefits that a guinea pig needs for a healthy diet and it is not worth compromising on that.

Bread, which is such a good treat for mice, also has no nutritional benefit for guinea pigs either.

For more foods that guinea pigs can and can’t eat, check out our guinea pig food list.

can guinea pigs eat leeks

Can Guinea Pigs Eat Leeks?

The leek is a vegetable, a cultivar of Allium ampeloprasum, the broadleaf wild leek.

The edible part of the plant is a bundle of leaf sheaths that is sometimes erroneously called a stem or stalk.

The genus Allium also contains the onion, garlic, shallot, scallion, chive, and Chinese onion

Historically, many scientific names were used for leeks, but they are now all treated as cultivars of A. ampeloprasum.

The name ‘leek’ developed from the Anglo-Saxon word leac.

Two closely related vegetables, elephant garlic and kurrat, are also cultivars of A. ampeloprasum, although different in their uses as food.

Can guinea pigs eat leeks?

Let’s check out their nutritional data and find out more.

In particular, their acidic, water, sugar, fat, salt, calcium and phosphorus content is of most interest as far as guinea pigs are concerned.

Nutritional value per 100 g (3.5 oz)
Energy 255 kJ (61 kcal)
Carbohydrates
14.15 g
Sugars 3.9 g
Dietary fiber 1.8 g
Fat
0.3 g
Protein
1.5 g
Vitamins
Vitamin A equiv.
beta-Carotene
lutein zeaxanthin
(10%) 83 μg
(9%) 1000 μg
1900 μg
Thiamine (B1) (5%) 0.06 mg
Riboflavin (B2) (3%) 0.03 mg
Niacin (B3) (3%) 0.4 mg
Pantothenic acid (B5) (3%) 0.14 mg
Vitamin B6 (18%) 0.233 mg
Folate (B9) (16%) 64 μg
Vitamin C (14%) 12 mg
Vit E (6%) 0.92 mg
Vitamin K (45%) 47 μg
Minerals
Calcium (6%) 59 mg
Iron (16%) 2.1 mg
Magnesium (8%) 28 mg
Manganese (23%) 0.481 mg
Phosphorus (5%) 35 mg
Potassium (4%) 180 mg
Other constituents
Water 83 g

source wikipedia

Analysis

As you can see, leeks contain a huge amount of water, quite a bit of phosphorus, calcium, a lot of acidic content, a hint of fat, and a little sugar.

This means that leeks are not a good food for them to have as part of their regular diet.

They are too full of water and acidic content. This means that if they have too much of it, eating leeks may hurt them.

If they nibble at one, they should be fine. But a little nibble should be as much as they should have.

What can they have instead of leeks?

There are many other greens that guinea pigs can have instead if you are looking for vegetables to feed them.

Green bell peppers are a great example of a vegetable that they will really enjoy and provides a good nutritious food for them.

Feeding a veggie like this, along with a little fruit, a lot of hay and some guinea pig mix will provide your guiena pigs with the nutirtional intake they need as part of a balanced diet.

For more foods that guinea pigs can and can’t have, check out our guinea pig food list.

can guinea pigs eat boiled rice

Can guinea pigs eat boiled rice?

Rice is a staple food in not only Asia and Latin America, but across the globe, and is considered the most consumed food in the world.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture classifies rice as part of the grains food group.

200 g of cooked steamed white rice contributes 60 g (2 oz) toward the daily recommended 170 and 200 g (6 and 7 oz) for women and men, respectively.

It is considered a good source of micronutrients such as zinc and manganese.

Cooked rice refers to rice that has been cooked either by steaming or boiling.

The terms steamed rice or boiled rice are also commonly used.

Any variant of Asian rice (both Indica and Japonica varieties), African rice or wild rice, glutinous or non-glutinous, long-, medium-, or short-grain, of any color, can be used.

Rice for cooking can be whole grain or milled. (source)

Can guinea pigs eat boiled rice?

Yes, they can nibble it as long as it is cool. But it isn’t a food that they will naturally eat.

It has no nutritional benefit for them and they will probably turn their noses up at it as they do not usually eat foods that have been cooked.

It is probably a food that is best avoided as far as guinea pigs are concerned.

For more foods that guinea pigs can and can’t eat, check out our guinea pig food list.

can guinea pigs eat baby food

Can guinea pigs eat baby food?

Baby food is any soft, easily consumed food, other than breastmilk or infant formula, that is made specifically for babies, roughly between the ages of four to six months and two years.

The food comes in multiple varieties and tastes; it may be table food that the rest of the family is eating that has been mashed or otherwise broken down, or it can be purchased ready-made from producers.

Can guinea pigs eat baby food?

Yes, they can nibble it. It won’t do them any harm to eat.

However, it is not a food to feed them regularly as a part of their diet.

A one-off treat is more the case for this kind of food.

For more foods that guinea pigs can and can’t eat check out our guinea pig food list

For more foods that guinea pigs can and can’t eat, check out our guinea pig food list.

can guinea pigs eat degu food

Can Guinea Pigs Eat Degu Food?

Degu food is a special food that is made specifically for degus.

Every pet as a mix, muesli or pellets which they eat and can be purchased from pet stores.

These are made specifically for them which provide for their specific nutritional requirements.

For guinea pigs, guinea pig muesli or mix has vitamin c in it as guinea pigs need it as their bodies don’t produce it.

Degus do share a similar appetite for hays such as timothy hay and meadow hay as well as fresh veggies and fruit.

So they do share quite a similar diet.

Can guinea pigs eat degu food?

If they happen to nibble it they will be fine as degu food is not necessarily bad for them.

However, it should not be purposely be fed to them as it has no nutritional benefit for your guinea pig.

Degu food is made specifically for the nutritional requirements of degus in mind as perfect for them.

But not for piggies who should just eat their own food.

For more foods that guinea pigs can and can eat check out our guinea pig food list

For more information about what degus eat and how they live, check out our sister site Degu Pet Care

can guinea pigs overeat

Can Guinea Pigs Overeat?

If there’s one thing that guinea pigs are really good at, its eating.

They will have a nibble at anything and if like the taste of it, they will eat it.

One of the main reasons for this is that their teeth are constantly growing and they need to keep chewing in order to grind down their teeth.

So this means that they always looking for things to chew on. So is there a danger that they could over-eat at all?

Can guinea pigs overeat?

The answer is yes they can.

However, fortunately, most guinea pigs are pretty good at self-regulating themselves.

They don’t eat all the time and do get full like we do.

So it’s important that they always have access to hay to chew on to grind down their teeth as well as vitamin c pellets and fresh water.

But just as importantly its good for them to have space where they can run around so as give them the exercise they need otherwise there is a danger they will get quite large.

What about overindulging piggies?

However, there may be some piggies who will overindulge and eat everything that they see. It’s quite interesting to watch then and why they eat.

Some will eat all their food and some will leave some of it depending on whether they like the food or whether they are full.

I have seen overweight guinea pigs and this can cause problems for them.

Just like us they are prone to be lethargic and to other diseases and ailments like Bumblefoot for example.

So watching and regulating what they eat is a good practice for the long-term well being of your guinea pigs.

How to regulate what your guinea pigs eat

A good practice to help this is to regulate what you give to your guinea pigs on a daily basis.

As mentioned before most guinea pigs will eat everything you give them especially if they enjoy it.

But if you limit what you give them to daily rations then you can stop this from potentially happening.

For example, you may choose to give a guinea pig 2 handfuls of guinea pig mix, 3 matchbox sized rations of veg and a little fruit.

Don’t forget that hay shouldn’t be rationed. Give them a limitless supply of to chew on and a limitless supply of water as well.

You may choose to change this as you see fit, you know your guinea pigs and what they are like.

But this guide should help you make a start with this and ensure that your guinea pigs don’t overeat or go hungry either way.

can guinea pigs drink soy milk

Can Guinea Pigs Drink Soy Milk?

Also called Soya milk, soymilk, soybean milk, fake milk, or soy juice, soy milk is a drink made from soy beans. It is a traditional drink in Asian cuisine and is produced by soaking dry soybeans and grinding them with water.

So can guinea pigs drink soy milk and if they can how much can they drink?

Unfortunately, guinea pigs cannot drink any kind of milk at all. Guinea pigs are strict herbivores and cannot have any kind of dairy product. They are just too bad for them and will hurt their tummies either making them sick or giving them diarrhoea.

So steer clear of giving them any kind of soy milk

can guinea pigs eat green onions

Can Guinea Pigs Eat Green Onions

 A green onion is another name for the vegetable that often goes by the name scallion, spring onion, salad onion, table onion, shallot, green shallot, onion stick, long onion, baby onion, precious onion, yard onion, gibbon, or syboe, depending on what part of the world you are in.

It has hollow green leaves but it doesn’t have a root bulb that is fully developed unlike a normal common onion.
We often have green onions as part of a salad and they taste just great.
So if we can eat them, can guinea pigs eat green onions and if so how much of them can they eat?
Let’s dig a little deeper and take a look at its nutritional data to find out a little more about this interesting vegetable.
As usual we’re looking at the phosphorus, sugar, fat, oxelate acid, and calcium content.
image wikipedia
A good amount of vitamin c and a is also incredibly beneficial.
Nutritional value per 100 g (3.5 oz)
Energy 301 kJ (72 kcal)
Carbohydrates 16.8 g
– Sugars 7.87 g
– Dietary fiber 3.2 g
Fat 0.1 g
Protein 2.5 g
Thiamine (vit. B1) 0.06 mg (5%)
Riboflavin (vit. B2) 0.02 mg (2%)
Niacin (vit. B3) 0.2 mg (1%)
Pantothenic acid (B5) 0.29 mg (6%)
Vitamin B6 0.345 mg (27%)
Folate (vit. B9) 34 μg (9%)
Vitamin C 8 mg (10%)
Calcium 37 mg (4%)
Iron 1.2 mg (9%)
Magnesium 21 mg (6%)
Manganese 0.292 mg (14%)
Phosphorus 60 mg (9%)
Potassium 334 mg (7%)
Zinc 0.4 mg (4%)
Link to USDA Database entry
Percentages are roughly approximated
using US recommendations for adults.
Source: USDA Nutrient Database
Green onions although deliciously tasty, are quite high in phosphorus, sugar, and has fractions of calcium and oxelates in them.
So there are a lot of nutrients that are not good for guinea pigs.
Because of this, green onions should not be given to guinea pigs and they should be unfortunately avoided if you own guinea pigs.