Tag Archives: veggies

can guinea pigs eat green tomatoes

Can Guinea Pigs Eat Green Tomatoes?

Green tomatoes are those tomatoes that have not ripened as yet and have not developed their color.

They grow a green color and then as they ripen and mature go yellow and then red.

They are much different from their red counterparts.

They are extremely firm and not welcoming to bite into because of their hardness. 

Often they are seen as untouchable as they are so sour when they are raw.

However, they are often used in recipes as they can be cooked and are well known for being coated in cornmeal or flour and then pan-fried to a crisp.

This makes them very edible and delicious for so many.

Indeed there are a great many recipes which use cooked green tomatoes including pickles and chutneys.

Their bright flavor contributes much to these culinary creations and gives an added zing. 

So let’s take a look at what tomatoes contain.

As far as Guinea pigs are concerned we are interested in their acidic water, sugar, fat, salt, calcium and phosphorus content. 

Nutritional value per 100 g (3.5 oz)Energy74 kJ (18 kcal)

Carbohydrates 3.9 g
Sugars 2.6 g
Dietary fiber1.2 g
Fat 0.2 g
Protein 0.9 g
VitaminsQuantity%DV†Vitamin A equiv.
beta-Carotene
lutein zeaxanthin 5% 42 μg 4% 449 μg 123 μg
Thiamine (B1) 3% 0.037 mg
Niacin (B3) 4% 0.594 mg
Vitamin B6 6% 0.08 mg
Vitamin C 17% 14 mg
Vitamin E 4% 0.54 mg
Vitamin K 8% 7.9 μg
Minerals
Quantity%DV†
Magnesium 3% 11 mg
Manganese 5% 0.114 mg
Phosphorus 3% 24 mg
Potassium 5% 237 mg
Other constituents
Quantity
Water 94.5 g
Lycopene 2573 µg


Can guinea pigs eat green tomatoes?

Unfortunately, they are unable to eat any kind of tomato as they are too acidic for guinea pigs to eat. They should be avoided as food for them.

What about fried green tomatoes? 

Cooked foods are not good for Guinea pigs to eat and tend not to interest them.

They lose their nutrients and out fruit and veggie loving piggies will not get anything from them.

They still maintain some of their acidic nature though and so won’t benefit a piggie with that. A food to steer clear of feeding them. 

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

To find out about other tomatoes and whether piggies can eat them, check out this post ‘can guinea pigs eat tomatoes?

can guinea pigs eat swede

Can Guinea Pigs Eat Swede?

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 sugar snap peas

Can guinea pigs eat sugar snap peas?

Sugar snap peas, are a cultivar group of edible-podded peas that differ from snow peas in that their pods are round as opposed to flat.

The name mangetout (French for “eat all”) can apply both to snap peas and snow peas.

Snap peas are often served in salads or eaten whole.

They may also be stir-fried or steamed.

Before being eaten, mature snap pea pods may need to be “stringed,” which means the membranous string running along the top of the pod from base to tip is removed.

Over-cooking the pods will make them come apart.

Snap peas, like all other peas, are pod fruits.

Can guinea pigs eat sugar snap peas?

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 176 kJ (42 kcal)
Carbohydrates
7.55 g
Sugars 4.0 g
Dietary fiber 2.6 g
Fat
0.39 g
Saturated 0.0039 g
Monounsaturated 0.021 g
Polyunsaturated 0.089 g
Protein
2.8 g
Tryptophan 0.027 g
Threonine 0.099 g
Isoleucine 0.161 g
Leucine 0.228 g
Lysine 0.202 g
Methionine 0.011 g
Cystine 0.032 g
Phenylalanine 0.090 g
Tyrosine 0.099 g
Valine 0.273 g
Arginine 0.134 g
Histidine 0.017 g
Alanine 0.058 g
Aspartic acid 0.228 g
Glutamic acid 0.448 g
Glycine 0.072 g
Proline 0.063 g
Serine 0.125 g
Vitamins
Vitamin A equiv.
beta-Carotene
lutein zeaxanthin
(7%) 54 μg
(6%) 630 μg
740 μg

Vitamin A 1087 IU
Thiamine (B1) (13%) 0.15 mg
Riboflavin (B2) (7%) 0.08 mg
Niacin (B3) (4%) 0.6 mg
Pantothenic acid (B5) (15%) 0.75 mg
Vitamin B6 (12%) 0.16 mg
Folate (B9) (11%) 42 μg
Choline (4%) 17.4 mg
Vitamin C (72%) 60 mg
Vit E (3%) 0.39 mg
Vitamin K (24%) 25 μg
Minerals
Calcium (4%) 43 mg
Copper (4%) 0.079 mg
Iron (16%) 2.08 mg
Magnesium (7%) 24 mg
Manganese (12%) 0.244 mg
Phosphorus (8%) 53 mg
Potassium (4%) 200 mg
Sodium (0%) 4 mg
Zinc (3%) 0.27 mg
Other constituents
Water 88.89 g

Source Wikipedia

Analysis

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

This means that guinea pigs can eat them in small amounts.

How should sugar snap peas be prepared for guinea pigs?

Two or three at a time should be more than sufficient for a guinea pig. Make sure they are well cut up and washed before you fed them to a piggie.

They will enjoy sugar snap peas very much so be careful with how much you feed to them, as they will eat 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 spring cabbage

Can guinea pigs eat spring cabbage?

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 spring greens

Can guinea pigs eat spring greens?

Can guinea pigs eat spring greens? Spring Greens are similar to kale, in which the central leaves do not form a head or form only a very loose one.

It is considered to be closer to wild cabbage than most other domesticated forms and is grown primarily in northern Europe, where its tolerance of cold winters is valued for an early spring supply of edible leaves.

The term is also used more loosely to refer to thinnings and trimmed-off leaves of other types of Brassica, including turnip and swede leaves, surplus thinned out young cabbage plants and leaves from cauliflower and brussels sprouts. (source)

Can guinea pigs eat spring greens?

They can eat them in small amounts. Don’t feed them too much due to the amount of water content that they contain, however, they will enjoy them and will eat as much as you give them.

Just make sure that the spring greens are washed thoroughly before you feed to them, so that they are free of bugs and unfriendly bacteria.

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

 

can guinea pigs eat shallots

Can guinea pigs eat shallots?

Shallots probably originated in Central or Southwest Asia, traveling from there to India and the eastern Mediterranean.

The name “shallot” comes from Ashkelon, an ancient Canaanite city, where people in classical Greek times believed shallots originated.

Shallots are used in fresh cooking in addition to being pickled.

Finely sliced, deep-fried shallots are used as a condiment in Asian cuisine, often served with porridge.

As a species of Allium, shallots taste somewhat like a common onion but have a milder flavor.

Like onions, when sliced, raw shallots release substances that irritate the human eye, resulting in production of tears. (source)

Can guinea pigs eat shallots?

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 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
Vitamins
Thiamine (B1) (5%) 0.06 mg
Riboflavin (B2) (2%) 0.02 mg
Niacin (B3) (1%) 0.2 mg
Pantothenic acid (B5) (6%) 0.29 mg
Vitamin B6 (27%) 0.345 mg
Folate (B9) (9%) 34 μg
Vitamin C (10%) 8 mg
Vit E (0%) 0.04 mg
Vitamin K (1%) 0.8 μg
Minerals
Calcium (4%) 37 mg
Iron (9%) 1.2 mg
Magnesium (6%) 21 mg
Manganese (14%) 0.292 mg
Phosphorus (9%) 60 mg
Potassium (7%) 334 mg
Zinc (4%) 0.4 mg

source wikipedia

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

This means that unfortunately, guinea pigs cannot eat shallots. They are too acidic for guinea pigs to eat and will make them unwell if they are eaten.

They should be avoided as a food for them and they shouldn’t even nibble them.

If they do happen to nibble one, keep the piggie under close surveylance and check for any symptoms of unwellness.

If they take turn for the worse, then consider taking them for a veterinary surgeon check up.

What other veggies could guinea pigs eat in their place?

There are many other veggies that guinea pigs could eat in their place, for instance bell peppers, carrots, kale, spring greens are great for guinea pigs to eat.

They give them the nutritional value that guinea pigs need and provide a healthy back up for their main staple diet of hay, guinea pig mix and water along with fruit.

A good balanced diet is great for a guinea pig and their long term well being.

They love vegegables and will eat them all day, however, they aren’t the best to be be eaten all of the time though.

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

can guinea pigs eat rhubarb

Can Guinea Pigs Eat Rhubarb?

Rhubarb is a herbaceous perennial which is used widely around the world in culinary dishes of different varieties.

Their fresh raw leaf stalks (petioles) are crisp with a strong, tart taste.

Although rhubarb is not a true fruit, in the kitchen it is usually prepared as if it were.

Most commonly, the stalks are cooked with sugar and used in pies, crumbles, and other desserts.

A number of varieties have been domesticated for human consumption, most of which are recognized as Rheum x hybridum by the Royal Horticultural Society. (source)

Can guinea pigs eat rhubarb?

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 88 kJ (21 kcal)
Carbohydrates
4.54 g
Sugars 1.1 g
Dietary fiber 1.8 g
Fat
0.3 g
Protein
0.8 g
Vitamins
Thiamine (B1) (2%) 0.02 mg
Riboflavin (B2) (3%) 0.03 mg
Niacin (B3) (2%) 0.3 mg
Pantothenic acid (B5) (2%) 0.085 mg
Vitamin B6 (2%) 0.024 mg
Folate (B9) (2%) 7 μg
Choline (1%) 6.1 mg
Vitamin C (10%) 8 mg
Vit E (2%) 0.27 mg
Vitamin K (28%) 29.3 μg
Minerals
Calcium (9%) 86 mg
Iron (2%) 0.22 mg
Magnesium (3%) 12 mg
Manganese (9%) 0.196 mg
Phosphorus (2%) 14 mg
Potassium (6%) 288 mg
Sodium (0%) 4 mg
Zinc (1%) 0.1 mg

source wikipedia

As you can see, rhubarb contains a hint of salt and fat, a little phosphorus and sugar, quite a lot of calcium and a lot of acidic content.

Rhubarb leaves are said to contain oxalic acid which is nephrotoxic and corrosive acid. Human beings are said to have been poisoned by eating the leaves. The oxalic acid can also be found in the stalks of the rhubarb stick.

This means that guinea pigs cannot eat rhubarb. It is very poisonous to them and will make the unwell if not kill them.

There are guinea pig owners who have professed to their piggies, unfortunately, dying because of eating rhubarb.

It is definitely a food to steer clear of feeding them as it will harm them severely.

This means any kind of rhubarb whether cooked or raw as both forms will have the same effect.

Unfortunately, not all veggies are the same in terms of their content. Some are good for piggies to eat and some should be avoided and rhubarb comes into the latter category.

Guinea pigs are great fans of veggies and will look to eat if you give it to them so do avoid even having it near them.

What can guinea pigs eat instead?

There are much better vegetables that you can feed your guinea pigs to eat.

Bell peppers, kale, green beans, cabbage, and carrots, for instance, can be fed in small amounts and will give a healthy balance to a guinea pig’s diet of guinea pig mix, hay, water and a little bit of fruit.

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?

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.