Oats and cereals are famous breakfasts worldwide, and being a guinea pig owner, you will always think of feeding oats to your little pet in the morning.
Before taking any final step, always do detailed research and then go ahead. This blog will get to know everything about guinea pigs and oats.
Can guinea pigs eat oats? ‘No,’ guinea pigs are herbivores, and they are not grain-eaters. Oats are incredibly healthy for humans but not for guinea pigs due to their phosphorus. So, it is recommended not to feed oats to your little guinea pigs. Oats of any type for instance raw, dried, old-fashioned oats, or oat sprays, all are not healthy for your little pet.
Oats are the powerhouse of carbohydrates and other nutrients highly harmful to your little guinea pig’s stomach.
If you want to explore more about oats and guinea pigs, then this article is for you!
Can Guinea Pigs Eat Oats?
No, guinea pigs can’t eat oats at all. Oats have a high amount of phosphorus that damages your little pet’s urinary system. Oats are also high in carbs and other nutrients that are the reason for gaining weight among guinea pigs.
Oats are a cereal grain that is high in starch, and guinea pigs are not grain-eaters. Oats are not beneficial for a normal and healthy guinea pig. However, sometimes a vet recommends feeding oats to underweight guinea pigs only in some cases.
Can Guinea Pigs Have…
| Raw Oats: | No, guinea pigs can’t eat raw oats either. We don’t recommend you feed raw oats to your little pet. |
| Porridge Oats: | Ancient Greeks were the ones who made porridge oats out of raw oats. Guinea pigs can’t eat porridge oats. |
| Oatmeal: | No, guinea pigs can’t eat oatmeal either. Oats contain many phosphorus and other nutrients that are harmful to guinea pig’s urinary system. Oatmeal is the healthiest breakfast for humans but not for your little pet. |
| Dried Oatmeal: | Dried oatmeal has the same amount of calories and proteins, just like regular oats. They are not safe for guinea pig’s health ideally. |
| Rolled Oats: | Rolled oats are the types of oats, and they are also not suitable for your guinea pig’s health. These are high in carbs and proteins that are excessive for your little pet’s overall health. |
| Quaker Oats: | Unfortunately, no! guinea pigs can’t eat quaker oats. They can eat oats only if they are underweight. |
| Beet Oats: | Oats are a healthy breakfast for human beings but not for your pet. Beet oats are high in calories, proteins, and phosphorus that are harmful to guinea pigs in excess. |
| Plain Oats: | No, guinea pigs can’t have either plain oats. If you want to take good care of your guinea pig’s health, then do not consider feeding plain oats to him. |
| Old Fashioned Oats: | Old fashioned oats are grains, and guinea pigs are not grain-eaters. Being a guinea pig’s owner, one should avoid feeding any oat to your little pet. |
Health benefits of Oats
Here are some of the health benefits of oats for underweight guinea pigs in some cases.
As discussed above, oats are the powerhouse of carbohydrates, and you can only feed them to your guinea pig if the vet recommends them. And usually, this happens when your little pet is underweight.
Can Guinea Pigs Eat Oat Hay?
Hay, water, and mother’s milk is the food that guinea pigs eat in their initial period of life. But what about oat hay? Can guinea pigs eat oat hay? No, guinea pigs can’t eat oat hay. All types of oats are the reason for obesity in guinea pigs, leading to several health issues.
Can Guinea Pigs Eat Honey Bunches of Oats?
Oats are unhealthy for your little pet in any form, whether its raw form, dried, or and another state. But what about honey bunches of oats? Can you feed them to your little guinea pigs? Unfortunately no!
Honey bunches of oats are one of the brands of cereals, and guinea pigs can’t eat them at all. Guinea pigs are prone to diabetes and obesity, leading to various health issues like cardiac issues.
Can Guinea Pigs Eat Oat Bran?
No, guinea pigs can’t eat oat bran. Oat is highly nutritious but only for humans. Don’t ever consider feeding this snack to your little pet ever.
Can Guinea Pigs Eat Oat Flakes?
Oat flakes are highly nutritious, and they contain a lot of phosphorus that damages the urinary system of guinea pigs.
Phosphorus in excess leads to kidney and bladder stones in guinea pigs. Keeping in view all these diseases, one should not feed oat flakes or oats to his little pet.
Can Guinea Pigs Eat Oat Flour?
Oat flour is fibrous, and excess fiber in the guinea pig’s body leads to pain during digestion and loose stool or flatulence and cramps. Guinea pigs can’t eat oat flour at all.
Can Guinea Pigs Eat Oat Grass?
Guinea pigs are herbivores, and their diet mainly consists of water, hay, and mother’s milk. Guinea pigs can eat hay or grass hay. But they should be the only source of calcium in guinea pig’s diet because excess calcium can lead to fatal health issues.
Guinea pigs can eat oat grass but only in a moderate amount.
Can Guinea Pigs Eat Oat Sprays?
Oat sprays are made up of oats, and most of the guinea pig’s owners feed them as an occasional treat to their little pet. However, we would not recommend you provide it to your little pet after knowing all the facts about oats.
Final Thoughts
In the end, coming back to the question; can guinea pigs eat oats? The answer is ‘No,’ guinea pigs are herbivores, and they are not grain-eaters. Grains like oats are not healthy for guinea pig’s health because of their high phosphorus and calcium levels.
The increased amount of calcium, carbs, and phosphorus leads to several health problems in guinea pigs, like obesity and urinary issues.
SmallPetsX.Com does not provide veterinary advice. Our aim to help small pet owners understand their pets a little better so that they can provide their pets with the life they deserve. All content is therefore for informational purposes only. If you're concerned about the health of your pet you should seek medical advice from a vet.
