Guinea pigs are the most adorable pocket pets that you can be found easily.
If you also have a guinea pig ????, you will undoubtedly want to keep it happy and healthy. It means that you want to give them a healthy and nutritious diet.
So, what about juicy watermelon ????? Can Guinea pigs eat watermelon?
The simple answer is: Yes, Guinea Pigs can eat watermelon but only in moderation. Feed them as an occasional treat only once or twice a week, and your guinea pig will love it.
Is watermelon a great source of nutrients or toxic? Which parts of the watermelon can you feed your fluffy guinea pig?
You will find all the answers to your questions related to watermelon ???? and guinea pigs ???? in this blog.
Let’s get started!
Can Guinea Pig Eat Watermelon?
Guinea Pigs can eat various fruits and vegetables, but before feeding any of them, make sure what is safe and healthy.
Watermelon is the most common type of melon with a thicker green outer rind and a crisp red fruit inside, juicy and full of nutrients. There are different varieties of watermelons, including seedless and with seeds.
Guinea pigs can eat watermelons, and it contains several minerals, vitamins, and nutrients that are healthy for them.
Watermelon is a rich source of Vitamin C, and guinea pigs need this vitamin to fight against scurvy.
Watermelon also has a high water content, which means it can also keep your little guinea pig hydrated.
However, other vitamins and minerals in watermelon like vitamin A, calcium, potassium, fiber, phosphorus are all needed for a guinea pig’s healthy body.
Is watermelon bad for Guinea Pig?
No, watermelon is not harmful or unhealthy for guinea pigs. Watermelon is juicy and nutritious fruit for your adorable pet. It contains several vitamins, minerals, and nutrition that provide health benefits to your little pet.
Can Baby Guinea Pigs Eat Watermelon?
No, baby guinea pigs can’t eat watermelon during the first week of their life. At this period, only feed fresh hay, mostly alfalfa hay, and water every day, that’s the healthy and essential food for them.
After some weeks of birth, you can introduce them watermelon but only in small servings.
How many watermelons can Guinea Pig Have?
Watermelons are healthy for guinea pigs but only in moderation. But how much watermelon can guinea pigs have?
Watermelon should not be a significant part of your guinea pig’s diet. You can feed small portions of watermelon to your guinea pig once a week only. A piece, not more than 2 inches is adequate for your little guinea pig only once a week.
Can Guinea Pigs Eat Frozen Watermelon?
It is not recommended to feed your guinea pig frozen watermelon because its nutritional facts change when any fruit is frozen. Watermelon is already high in sugar content, and after freezing it, this content can also increase.
That is the reason it is recommended not to feed your guinea pig frozen watermelon.
Can Guinea Pigs Eat Yellow Watermelon?
There are several varieties of watermelon. So can guinea pigs eat yellow watermelon? Yes, just like red watermelon, guinea pigs can also eat yellow watermelon.
Yellow watermelon lacks lycopene, the pigment that gives red or pink color to fruits and vegetables, and because of that, it is yellow inside. Still, it has almost the same nutrients as the red or pink watermelon.
Can Guinea Pigs Eat Watermelon Rind?
Watermelon rind/shell is the outer green part that is thick. But can guinea pigs eat watermelon rind too?
Yes, it is safe to feed watermelon rind/shell to your adorable guinea pig. Watermelon flesh is high in sugar content so try to provide watermelon rind to balance guinea pig’s diet.
Watermelon rind or skin is better than red fleshy part because it does not contain that much sugar. But what are the health benefits of watermelon rind or skin?
Health benefits of watermelon rind
Following are the health benefits of watermelon rind:
- Scurvy protection
Guinea pigs are prone to scurvy because their diet does not contain enough vitamin C. watermelon rind has enough vitamin C to protect against scurvy in guinea pigs. However, early symptoms of scurvy are fatigue, diarrhea, bleedings, etc.
- Cure for digestion problems
Watermelon rind is rich in zinc and betaine, and the nutrients are essential for guinea pig’s gut health.
Sometimes, guinea pigs have some digestion issues like cramps or diarrhea. Watermelon rind can treat these digestion problems.
- Healthy Blood
Watermelon rind is rich in iron, and iron keeps the blood healthy in the little guinea pig’s body.
What are the nutritional facts of watermelon rind?
Following are the nutritional facts of watermelon rind that aids to healthy guinea pig’s life:
- Vitamin A
Watermelon rind is rich in vitamin A that positively impacts guinea pig’s brain, skin, kidneys, lungs, heart, and vision.
- Vitamin B6
Vitamin B6 aids in relaxation, better sleep and boosts serotonin production (the happy hormone)
- Vitamin C
Vitamin C is the essential vitamin for guinea pigs that they can get through watermelon rind. Because vitamin C is not produced in guinea pig’s body naturally, this also helps prevent scurvy.
- Zinc
Zinc treats diarrhea, boosts the overall immunity, and prevents chronic diseases in the guinea pig’s body.
- Potassium
Potassium lowers the blood pressure in the guinea pig’s body.
- Calcium
Watermelon rind has just a small amount of calcium. However, an excessive amount can lead to diseases of the urinary tract in guinea pigs.
Can Guinea Pigs Eat Watermelon Crust?
Yes, guinea pigs can eat watermelon crust as well as flesh. However, watermelon flesh is high in sugar content.
You can balance out the content by adding watermelon crust because the crust also contains several healthy nutrients for your guinea pig.
Can Guinea Pigs Eat Watermelon Leaves?
Guinea pigs can only eat young watermelon leaves. But when these leaves are seeding or after seeding, they are not safe for your little guinea pig.
Moreover, if watermelon leaves have pesticides on them, they can be unhealthy and toxic for your adorable guinea pig.
Can Guinea Pigs Eat Watermelon Seeds?
Several seeds are not safe for your adorable guinea pig. To avoid any complications, always do check before feeding any seeds to them.
But can guinea pigs eat watermelon seeds?
No, guinea pigs can’t get watermelon seeds as they are not toxic to them but because of their size. They are big enough to stick in a guinea pig’s throat and can be a reason for choking.
Fruits Seeds that Guinea Pig Can Eat?
As is discussed in the above heading that there are several sees that are not safe for guinea pigs. But are there some fruit seeds that guinea pigs can eat safely?
Guinea pigs can eat soft seeds only. For instance, seeds of cucumbers and tomatoes are entirely safe for your little guinea pig. These seeds are soft, nutritious, and healthy for your pet.
Final Thoughts
To sum up, if you want to feed watermelon to your guinea pig, you must consider the amount.
Guinea pigs can eat watermelon, and even they love them. Red watermelon is high in sugar content that’ why they should not be overfed. Before feeding watermelon to guinea pigs, you should consider several things.
Guinea pig love and enjoy eating watermelon. They must be fed only once or twice a week just as a treat to your guinea pig. After all, watermelon provides several nutrients and vitamins to guinea pigs that are good for their well-being.
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.