Can guinea pigs eat tomatoes and cucumbers?

All rodents kept at home eat plant foods: fresh vegetables, cereals, fruits, twigs of non-poisonous trees and hay. In the season of garden vegetation, a caring owner wants to please his pet with crispy, healthy and juicy gifts from the garden. Therefore, the question arises as to whether it is possible to give guinea pigs tomatoes and cucumbers.

A tomato

Fresh tomato is a storehouse of biologically active substances that benefit the body of the animal. Pectins, amino acids, vitamins A and C – and this is not a complete list of the components contained in the product. Tomatoes can be offered to guinea pigs, but only in such cases:

• they are thoroughly washed, and there are no traces of rot on them;
• there is no doubt about the maturity of the garden gift;
• the crop is harvested from its garden, so you can be sure of its quality and safety.

The tomato is offered to the animal in small quantities – a few thin slices without oil, sour cream and other additives for 1 feeding will be enough. Overfeeding with tomatoes provokes diarrhea and deterioration in general well-being.

Important! In no case should unripe fruits be introduced into the pet’s diet, as they contain solanine, a toxic substance that causes the death of an animal! Tomato tops are also included in the list of foods prohibited for rodents.

Video: tomato in the diet of a guinea pig

Cucumber

A ripe cucumber is a source of water, potassium and vitamin C. The pet likes the taste of a juicy natural product. Fresh fruit quenches thirst and normalizes the process of assimilation by the body of a rodent of useful substances that come with other foods.

In season, guinea pigs are given cucumbers grown in their own garden. A purchased crop from a greenhouse may contain nitrates, which, even in small doses, provoke severe poisoning in an animal, resulting in death.

You can give cucumber to guinea pigs only in moderation: a single serving is equal to a quarter of a medium-sized fruit.

The abuse of a green vegetable provokes digestive problems.

How to offer

All vegetables are offered to the animal only fresh. Salted, pickled, canned fruit is harmful food for a pet. Any pickles and preserves contain sugar, vinegar, spices and a large amount of salt. These spices are not allowed on the menu of a tiny animal.

A quality harvest from the garden will improve the diet of your pet, making it healthy and varied.

What else can you pamper a pet from your own garden? Read about it in the following articles “Can a guinea pig eat peas and corn?” and “Can guinea pigs eat apples and pears.”