Tag Archives: veggie

can guinea pigs eat swede

Can Guinea Pigs Eat Swede?

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Swede is a root vegetable that originated as a cross between the cabbage and the turnip.

The roots are prepared for human consumption in a variety of ways, and the leaves can be eaten as a leaf vegetable.

The roots and tops are also used as winter feed for livestock, when they may be fed directly, or by allowing the animals to forage the plants in the field.

Various European countries have a tradition of carving them into lanterns at Halloween. (source)

Can guinea pigs eat swede?

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.

Nutritional value per 100 g (3.5 oz)
Energy 157 kJ (38 kcal)
Carbohydrates
8.62 g
Sugars 4.46 g
Dietary fiber 2.3 g
Fat
0.16 g
Protein
1.08 g
Vitamins
Thiamine (B1) (8%) 0.09 mg
Riboflavin (B2) (3%) 0.04 mg
Niacin (B3) (5%) 0.7 mg
Pantothenic acid (B5) (3%) 0.16 mg
Vitamin B6 (8%) 0.1 mg
Folate (B9) (5%) 21 μg
Vitamin C (30%) 25 mg
Minerals
Calcium (4%) 43 mg
Iron (3%) 0.44 mg
Magnesium (6%) 20 mg
Manganese (6%) 0.131 mg
Phosphorus (8%) 53 mg
Potassium (6%) 305 mg
Zinc (3%) 0.24 mg

source wikipedia

As you can see swede contains a large amount of phosphorus, acidic content, a little calcium and sugar and a hint of fat.

This means that they can eat it in small amounts, however they can’t eat too much of it due to its acidic and phosphorus content that it has.

Eating too much of it will cause a guinea pig problems because of its acidity and so they are better off just having a few small pieces at a time, in fact two or three at the most.

Cut it up into manageable pieces that they can eat easily.

Also make sure it is washed thoroughly before you feed it to them.

As with most veggies, some piggies will enjoy swede and some won’t so it is defiantely worth a try with them, but don’t be alarmed if they don’t like it.

It is a veggie that will go nicely as part of a balanced diet for your piggies.

Give them water, hay, guinea pig mix and some pieces of fruit along with these veggies and will enjoy having a diet that will benefit them from a nutritional point of view and be varied and flavorsome for a piggie.

Can guinea pigs eat cooked swede?

No they can’t unfortunately. Cooked food is not good for guinea pigs to eat and they are much better with raw food. This includes if the swede is fried, stewed, baked, boiled,  or sauteed.

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

can guinea pigs eat spring cabbage

Can guinea pigs eat spring cabbage?

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Can guinea pigs eat spring cabbage? Spring cabbage is tender but delicious veggies which is one of the first crops of spring. It tends to be planted the previous autumn to overwinter and then produces heads the following year.

It is classed as a heavy feeding plant so need plenty of garden compost or well-rotted farmyard manure before it is planted out. (source)

Can guinea pigs eat spring cabbage?

They can eat it in small amounts. It’s not great to feed them lots of it because of the amount of water content it contains.

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

can guinea pigs eat pak choi

Can guinea pigs eat pak choi?

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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 parsnips

Can guinea pigs eat parsnips?

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The parsnip is a root vegetable closely related to the carrot and parsley.

It is a biennial plant usually grown as an annual. Its long, tuberous root has cream-colored skin and flesh; and left in the ground to mature, it becomes sweeter in flavor after winter frosts.

In its first growing season, the plant has a rosette of pinnate, mid-green leaves. If unharvested, it produces its flowering stem, topped by an umbel of small yellow flowers, in its second growing season.

By this time, the stem is woody and the tuber is inedible.

The seeds are pale brown, flat, and winged.

Can guinea pigs eat parsnips?

Let’s take a look at their nutritional value and find out more.

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

Nutritional value per 100 g (3.5 oz)
Energy 314 kJ (75 kcal)
Carbohydrates
18 g
Sugars 4.8
Dietary fiber 4.9 g
Fat
0.2 g
Protein
1.2 g
Vitamins
Thiamine (B1) (8%) 0.09 mg
Riboflavin (B2) (4%) 0.05 mg
Niacin (B3) (5%) 0.7 mg
Pantothenic acid (B5) (12%) 0.6 mg
Vitamin B6 (7%) 0.09 mg
Folate (B9) (17%) 67 μg
Vitamin C (20%) 17 mg
Vit E (10%) 1.49 mg
Vitamin K (21%) 22.5 μg
Minerals
Calcium (4%) 36 mg
Iron (5%) 0.59 mg
Magnesium (8%) 29 mg
Manganese (27%) 0.56 mg
Phosphorus (10%) 71 mg
Potassium (8%) 375 mg
Sodium (1%) 10 mg
Zinc (6%) 0.59 mg
Other constituents
Water 79.53 g

source Wikipedia

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

This means that parsnips are not a good food for guinea pigs to eat, unfortunately.

The huge amount of water that they contain is not good for them, not to mention the phosphorus and acidic content that they have is not good for their stomachs.

If they were to eat a little of it they would be fine, but it isn’t a food that is particularly good for them and isn’t a veggie to fed to them as part of their regular diet.

This means parsnips in any form or in any cooked state.

What other vegetables can guinea pigs eat instead?

There are better veggies for them to eat. Bell peppers, sugar snaps, kale are some of the veggies which are good for them to eat and will provide a better nutritional input for them.

Veggies are a vital part of a guinea pig’s diet as they provide them some of the nutritional benefits that other foods such as guinea pig pellets and mix don’t provide.

They also love them and will consume as much as you give them.

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

 

 

can guinea pigs eat purslane

Can Guinea Pigs eat Purslane?

Guinea pig foods, , , , ,

Also known as verdolaga, pigweed, little hogweed, or pursley, and moss rose, purslane is a plant reach have smooth, reddish, mostly prostrate stems and alternate leaves clustered at stem joints and ends. It can also reach 40 cm in height.

Can Guinea Pigs eat Purslane?

Can guinea pigs eat purslane, if they can how much can they eat?

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 piggies are concerned.

image wikipedia

Purslane, raw
Nutritional value per 100 g (3.5 oz)
Energy 84 kJ (20 kcal)
Carbohydrates 3.39 g
Fat 0.36 g
Protein 2.03 g
Water 92.86 g
Vitamin A 1320 IU
Thiamine (vit. B1) 0.047 mg (4%)
Riboflavin (vit. B2) 0.112 mg (9%)
Niacin (vit. B3) 0.48 mg (3%)
Vitamin B6 0.073 mg (6%)
Folate (vit. B9) 12 μg (3%)
Vitamin C 21 mg (25%)
Vitamin E 12.2 mg (81%)
Calcium 65 mg (7%)
Iron 1.99 mg (15%)
Magnesium 68 mg (19%)
Manganese 0.303 mg (14%)
Phosphorus 44 mg (6%)
Potassium 494 mg (11%)
Zinc 0.17 mg (2%)

source wikipedia

As you can see purslane contains a little calcium, phosphorus, a is a little acidic, it also contains a hint of fat.

The vitamin c content is also very good.

With this in mind guinea pigs can eat common purslane but only once or twice a week due to its phosphorus, calcium and acidic content.

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