Sweet potatoes belong to the Nightshade family and originate from eastern parts of India. We often eat them as a sweet snack. But is it safe for your Guinea Pigs too?
So, Today’s questions is:-Can Guinea Pigs eat Sweet Potatoes?
Are sweet potatoes good for Guinea Pigs? You might ask that question since they are enjoyed by people all over the world. This does not mean, however, that it’s perfect for them just because potatoes seem to fit into a vegetarian diet your rabbit could be following.
Your pig is not suitable for sweet potatoes. That’s because it contains carbohydrates and starches which can negatively affect them. They cannot digest such sugar-rich food. The diet of a guinea pig should be rich in fibre.
Before you introduce sweet potato into your guinea pig’s diet, go through this piece first & understand: although they aren’t highly toxic to pigs, sweet potatoes are also not highly recommended compared to other foods.
Can guinea pigs eat sweet potatoes?
When offering your guinea pig a new type of food, care is important. Can Guinea Pigs eat sweet potatoes? While they might be herbivores, generally, they are fed on vegetarian feeds. Think twice about giving them sweet potatoes then.
But clearly they cannot feed their pets sweet potatoes since these are not poisonous and do not cause much damage to Guinea Pigs.
However, it could indirectly impact on their health. It would be better to avoid what is useless for them in terms of food.
Guinea Pigs and sweet potato
In the same vein, these foods have no nutritional value, but rather have sugar content hence unnecessary in your pet’s diet. Otherwise, you can give them some chunks if you want to use it as a snack.
For why are sweet potatoes bad for Guinea Pigs?
Guinea Pigs need low-calorie foods like hay or leafy greens. The major ingredients in sweet potatoes include sugars and starches which are not required by Guinea Pigs’ bodies.
There is so much sugar and starch in sweet potatoes that exceeds the naturally calorific range of a guinea pig thus making it sick in its stomach too.
It is important to note that Guinea Pigs should not be given sweet potatoes as they can cause severe digestive disorders. This may make the guinea pig sick and stop eating their normal food altogether. It may result in obesity and even diabetes.
Problems of feeding sweet potatoes to your Guinea Pigs:
Gut inertia
One of the common causes of gut inertia in these animals is a diet that has extremely high levels of carbohydrates and fats. They need high fibre content in their feed. Usually, sweet potatoes have more sugar and starch which can affect their digestion badly.
Organ failure and death occurs if GI stasis does not get treated immediately.
The other dangerous thing for your little piggy is diarrhea. Guinea pigs have a hard time digesting large amounts of starch that are present in potatoes. Fasting food without fibre leads to poor digestion.
If a guinea pig has loose stool or any change in behaviour it may be an indication that they have developed diarrhoea. The best thing one can do for such a case is to provide them other feeds like hay, water etc.
Avoidance of Eating Undigested Food
Failure to eat undigested food may be associated with the consumption of inadequate fiber diets or eating too many certain foods such as sweet potatoes. You should not feed your rabbit this kind of diet frequently. You can give them as a supplement.
Fatness
Overfeeding guinea pigs with meals that have plenty of starch is one way for them to become obese. Guinea pig’s consumption of starch per day could be below 140g.
However, while 140 grams is already too much, Guinea Pigs cannot digest any amount of starch. Besides that, obesity brings numerous other threats along with it. For example, avoid starchy foods for your Guinea Pigs.
How much sweet potato can a guinea pig eat?
Sometimes even though they are not recommended for Guinea Pigs you may give them small amounts once in a while because it isn’t actually directly toxic and cannot hurt your pig if given in relatively small amounts.
Sweet potatoes contain nutrients (starches and carbohydrates) like others that do not benefit Guinea Pigs, so don’t overfeed them using these substances. A few slices will suffice as their meal.
Why can’t Guinea Pigs eat potatoes?
Potatoes are people’s best friend. But, the same does not hold true for Guinea Pigs who might be better off without it. This is due to a fact that the carbohydrates and starch they contain can cause digestion issues and serious complications to them.
Therefore, Guinea Pigs cannot have potatoes. Nonetheless, it may be given a little amount of it as an occasional treat.
Can Guinea Pigs eat sweet potato skin?
Guinea Pigs need high fiber foods most of the time. Sweet potato skin doesn’t provide any of these fundamental nutrients.
The peels of sweet potatoes do not make good guinea pig food. Although this is all there is to it but why give something that doesn’t even work? You can give them other types of nutritional feeds.
Alternatives to Sweet Potatoes
There are many vegetables that make great substitutes for sweet potatoes. So here are some other vegetables apart from sweet potatoes:
Carrots: A lot of people love carrots because they’re healthy for their pet pigs and they should be –they’re packed with vitamin A, as well as other vitamins and minerals; so only give this in moderation as part of its overall diet plan.
Bell Peppers: Bell peppers often come in a variety of colours that may be green, red or yellow and apart from having an abundance of vitamin C that a guinea pig also needs.
Broccoli: Broccolis are another awesome veggie for Guinea Pigs but due to their high fibre content, they should be given sparingly. Additionally, broccoli is full of other minerals plus vitamins which makes it an excellent add-on on any rabbit’s plate
Celery: Celeries have a crispy texture that can just be chewed by a pig; further, this low-calorie food contains so much water which can help keep Guinea Pigs hydrated. See Can Guinea Pigs Eat Celery?
Zucchini: This vegetable has tasteless because it can also be eaten raw or cooked by pets. It is not fattening but it still provides them with essential nutrients needed for their health
Cucumbers: Sometimes Guinea Pigs choose to take up on this water-packed treat. For example, cucumbers comprise a lot of water and little calories therefore when eaten, they lead to the hydration of these animals.
Parsley: Parsley is safe in moderation for guinea pigs. It includes many different vitamins and minerals including vitamin C which would make it great for their diet too.
Also Guinea pigs can moderately eat this leafy green vegetable, spinach. It has a good amount of iron in it and other important vitamins that the guinea pigs need hence, they must be included in their extensive food range.
Lettuce: This is a kind of green leafy vegetables called Lettuce and should be given to Guinea Pigs sparingly. Due to its low caloric content, guinea pigs can use it for hydration.
These are just some examples of vegetables which are friendly to Guinea Pigs and you may substitute them with sweet potatoes. You are supposed to introduce new foods into your pig’s diet gradually while observing any adverse reactions. Besides, ensure that the vegetables you give your guinea pig are fresh, free from pesticides and clean.
FAQ
Can Guinea Pigs eat sweet potatoes raw?
Yes! There are some plants which can be toxic and make one seriously ill if consumed raw. However, sweet potatoes do not have these harmful effects whether they are eaten uncooked or processed.
Just ensure your guinea pig does not eat too much at once. Raw sweet potatoes would still pass as appropriate meals for Guinea pigs
Can Guinea Pigs eat sweet potato vines?
Certainly, your Guinea Pigs can eat sweet potato vines. It is full of fiber and protein, making it a good substitute for them.
Is sweet feed okay for Guinea Pigs?
Sweet feeds might be alright for your Guinea Pigs provided that they are given in minor quantities but commercially processed sweet dishes are not suitable for them.
Are sweet potatoes good for Guinea Pigs?
No, sweet potatoes are not that great for your pig. Sweet potatoes have no nutritious value and contain lots of sugar and starch which are unsuitable for guinea pigs.
Guinea Pigs have delicate stomachs when it comes to such sugar-rich feeds. Thus it would be better if you do not add any sweet potatoes to their meals.
Conclusion
If you want to include sweet potatoes in the diet of your pigs don’t. Sweet potatoes possess high level of starch and sugar which can deteriorate their digestive system.
The leaves as well as veins are fine for guinea pigs, besides they can also add nutritional value to them thus it is better.
However, limit its use. Although sweet potatoes are not toxic to them, they do not help either. some other good options include carrots, pellets, and other greens.
Nonetheless if your guinea pig runs towards a sweet potato, you can offer it a few chunks. Ensure that it is thoroughly washed making the treat safe for your pig. There’s no reason for alarm even if your guinea pig has consumed a few pieces of it.
