Can guinea pigs eat tangerines, oranges and lemons?

In order for the health of a domestic rodent not to cause concern to the owner, a number of recommendations and conditions must be observed. Feed the animal should be varied and nutritious. Vitamin C is an important component, its insufficient amount can cause an imbalance in the body. Can guinea pigs eat oranges? And do guinea pigs get tangerines?

Citrus fruits are a rare treat

Pet food can be divided into basic food and treats. It is as a treat that the animal can get a small piece of tangerine or orange. But there are some limitations. If the female is at the stage of feeding babies, that is, citrus fruits are prohibited.

Also, the product is excluded for such problems:

• any allergic reactions;
• skin and coat problems;
• disorders of the gastrointestinal tract.

In case of any malfunctions in the animal’s body, it is not worth giving citrus fruits. If you have not yet offered your pet to eat unfamiliar fruits, then you should not do this during any move, in any case it is stressful. It is not known how the rodent will react.

Young pigs cannot be fed citrus fruits – this can only be done after the pet has switched to adult nutrition and the digestive organs have adapted to different foods.

If, after the animal has tasted a treat and has diarrhea, you can make a light decoction of chamomile. The remedy normalizes digestion, helps to get rid of diarrhea.

Lemon is not recommended for guinea pigs. According to the reviews of many breeders, from him the animal may develop ulcers on the mucous membrane. This comes from the high amount of acid in this fruit.

How much to give a treat

Since this is not the main food, but a rare treat, one slice will be enough. Citrus fruits should not be given to guinea pigs often. A couple of times a week, not more. Otherwise, undesirable consequences may occur in the form of allergies and gastric disorders.

Separately, it should be noted that it is better to limit the skin of a tangerine or orange, as this is fraught with poisoning – often sellers treat fruits with various harmful chemicals.

In general, any citrus fruits are not the best treat for a pet, despite the fact that animals eat them willingly. If you want to make up for the lack of vitamin C, then it is better to give the rodent dry rose hips – this is a real storehouse of various useful substances, including vitamin C.

Also, many owners are concerned about the question of whether it is possible to treat pigs with exotic fruits, read about this in our article “Can guinea pigs be given pineapple, kiwi, mango and avocado?”.

Video: guinea pigs and tangerines