Tag Archives: forage

can guinea pigs eat dandelion leaves

Can Guinea Pigs eat Dandelion leaves?

Guinea pig foods, , , ,

Dandelion greens belong to one of the largest plant families, the Sunflower, which includes more than 22,000 species.

The first reference of dandelions being used as a medicine was written by Middle Eastern physicians in the 10th and 11th centuries.

Welsh medicinals concocted as early as the 13th century made use of both the roots and leaves.

After gathering this plentiful, easily recognizable herb, rinse them gently and pat them dry.

Then store them in plastic bags in a low-moisture refrigerator drawer.  (source)

Can guinea pigs eat Dandelion leaves

Yes, they can eat Dandelion leaves.

Just make sure they haven’t been sprayed with fertilizer or any kind of pesticide.

Dandelion leaves picked in the wild or a public place where you don’t know the land so well are not a good idea to feed to your guinea pig.

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

can guinea pigs eat dock leaves

Can Guinea Pigs Eat Dock Leaves?

Guinea pig foods, , , ,

Rumex obtusifolius, commonly known as a bitter dock, broad-leaved dock, blunt leaf dock, dock leaf or butter dock,

It is a perennial weed in the family Polygonaceae.

It is native to Europe but can now be found in the United States and many other countries around the world such as Australia and New Zealand. (source)

Can guinea pigs eat dock leaves?

Let’s take a look at 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 92 kJ (22 kcal)
Carbohydrates 3.2 g
Dietary fiber 2.9 g
Fat 0.7 g
Protein2 g
Vitamins
Vitamin A equiv. (25%) 200 μg
Thiamine (B1) (3%) 0.04 mg
Riboflavin (B2) (8%) 0.1 mg
Niacin (B3) (3%) 0.5 mg
Vitamin B6 (9%) 0.122 mg
Folate (B9) (3%) 13 μg
Vitamin C (58%) 48 mg
Minerals
Calcium (4%) 44 mg
Iron (18%) 2.4 mg
Magnesium (29%) 103 mg
Manganese (17%) 0.349 mg
Phosphorus (9%) 63 mg
Potassium (8%) 390 mg
Zinc (2%) 0.2 mg    source

As you can see dock leaves, are high in acidic content and phosphorus. They also contain a little calcium.

This means that they are not recommended for guinea pigs to eat and should be avoided due to the plant’s acidic and phosphorus content.

They do look like the kind of leaves you might be able to feed a guinea pig, but because of their content, they are not recommended.

If they happen to nibble one, then do keep an eye on them and if you see any detrimental effects then it would be worth consulting a veterinary surgeon.

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

can guinea pigs eat ivy

Can Guinea Pigs Eat Ivy?

Guinea pig foods, , , ,

As we are drawing towards Christmas there are bound to be plenty of Christmas type plants around.

One of those plants is ivy.

It is well known as a decorative plant and is often found amongst floral displays.

Of course it is usually found however climbing walls.

image wikipedia

Can guinea pigs eat ivy?

We know that ivy is poisonous for humans but is it poisonous to guinea pigs as well?

Unfortunately, it is incredibly poisonous for guinea pigs.

If your guinea pigs happen to eat them it is worth seeking veterinarian advice to check if they are ok.

But do not let them have it at all.

If you have any growing close to where your guinea pigs are, it is worth removing to a place where they cannot get to it.

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