Kidney beans are eaten around the world in various dishes. We have them like most people in Chili Con Carne but they are an important part of Indian cuisine most notably, as well as cuisine in the deep south of USA and the Caribbean, where they are called ‘red peas’.

They can often be confused with other types of red beans such as azuki beans.

image wikipedia

So if we can eat them, can guinea pigs eat kidney beans, and if so how much can they eat?

Lets take a look at their nutritional data and find out a bit more about them.

As per usual, we’ll take a particular interest in the fat, sugar, calcium, phosphorus, and acid content which particularly affects guinea pigs.

Energy 1,393 kJ (333 kcal)
Carbohydrates 60 g
– Sugars 2 g
– Dietary fiber 15 g
Fat 1 g
Protein 24 g
Water 12 g
Pantothenic acid (B5) 0.8 mg (16%)
Folate (vit. B9) 394 μg (99%)
Calcium 143 mg (14%)
Iron 8 mg (62%)
Magnesium 140 mg (39%)
Potassium 1406 mg (30%)
Zinc 3 mg (32%)

source wikipedia

As you can see Kidney beans contain no phosphorus, but do contain some sugar and fat. But they do contain quite a bit of calcium and are very acidic.

This means that they really are not good for guinea pigs to eat, and definitely a food to steer clear of, with both hard and soft varieties.

If your guinea pig does eat one, they should be fine, but don’t let them have any more. If they eat any more however, it might be worth seeking some veterinary advice.