Can Guinea Pigs Eat Aloe Vera Plants? 7 Symptoms To Look For!

What Is Aloe Vera?

Can Guinea Pigs Eat Aloe Vera Plants? No! Guinea pigs shouldn’t consume the Aloe Vera plant because it can be harmful and in certain cases fatal to your pet.

Aloe Vera is a naturally existing plant. It is both grown in fields and in domestic households as well since it does not require much effort and look after. There are over 500+ species of the Aloe Vera plants and have been used for medicinal purposes since the earliest of times.

Aloe Vera comprises a transparent liquid or juice extract. It is usually used in skincare, as moisture, in cosmetic products, and also used for the healing of burns and wounds.

Additionally, it can be beneficial in terms of recovering from skin conditions including:

It also has anti-bacterial properties which makes it an excellent cure for a wide number of conditions. Now, if you own guinea pigs and have Aloe Vera plants in your house, you may wonder if guinea pigs can have them.

Let’s look at the next section for a detailed answer to all of your questions.

Can Guinea Pigs Eat Aloe Vera?

Guinea pigs rely on nutrient-rich greens out in the wild. They have an eye for greens and absolutely love green foods like lettuce, romaine lettuce, cilantro and so much more. But what about Aloe Vera plants? They’re green as well, can guinea pigs eat Aloe Vera plants? Let’s find out.

Unfortunately, guinea pigs cannot eat Aloe Vera plants. This is because Aloe Vera plants are generally harmful to them and also carcinogenic.

They are pretty sticky and can cause your pet guinea pig to choke on them. Additionally, the Aloe Vera juice can also lead to skin irritation which can put your pet in severe discomfort.

Aloe Vera is one of the most powerful and beneficial plants. It carries numerous benefits for us but unfortunately, the same plant can cause trouble for your guinea pig.

Due to this, it should be avoided at all costs. Here’s a detailed insight into how such a beneficial green can be bad for guinea pigs.

Can Guinea Pigs Eat Aloe Vera Leaves?

To answer this question, let’s look at the composition of Aloe Vera leaves. Aloe Vera leaves have 3 parts. These include the latex, the rind, and the Aloe Vera gel. Additionally, Aloe Vera leaves are also a rich source of water. In fact, it there is over 99% water in the leaves.

Aloe Vera leaves also has two other compounds referred to as Aloin A and Anthraquinone. Both of these compounds have laxative properties and can be very irritating for animals.

Now that we have an understanding of what the composition of Aloe Vera leaves is, let’s move to our first question, can guinea pigs eat Aloe Vera leaves.

Simply put, No, you should not feed your pet Aloe Vera leaves! Guinea pigs although will have a go at Aloe Vera leaves when you feed them, but due to the risks and complications of Aloe Vera, it is best to avoid them.

There are two reasons for it.

1.      Sticky Texture of Aloe Vera Juice:

Firstly, due to the juice in the Aloe Vera leaves. It has a sticky texture which makes it difficult for guinea pigs to consume and digest even though the leaves have healing powers and are ideal in case of injuries and pains. 

2.      Saponin:

Secondly, Aloe Vera leaves have a certain compound referred to as Saponin. It is not an uncommon compound and is found in most leaves but usually in lesser concentrations.

Saponin has a soapy texture and can lather up when water is added to the mix. Due to this, it makes Aloe Vera leaves even more harmful to guinea pigs.

When a guinea pig consumes this Saponin containing Aloe Vera leaves, it will lead to significant stomach cramps and let do gastrointestinal discomfort. In worst cases, if the consumption is in higher amounts, it may even lead to the death of guinea pigs.

Apart from this, since Aloe Vera leaves have laxative properties which is why it is most frequently used by humans.

But, the same laxative properties of Aloe Vera is harmful to guinea pigs. These laxative properties are in the form of Aloin A and Anthraquinone, found in the latex part of the plant.

If your pet guinea pig consumes them, it will take a significant toll on your pet’s heath and lead to digestive complications and a laxative reaction on your pet. So, although Aloe Vera may not be toxic to your guinea pig, it still is harmful and should be avoided at all costs.

What Symptoms to Look For If a Guinea Pig Eats Aloe Vera Plant?

If your pet eats Aloe Vera plants accidentally or you fed them unknowingly, there can be some serious health complications. These symptoms will not appear immediately and it may take a couple of hours to show up.

Here’s a list of the symptoms that you should keep an eye out for.

Bowels

Your pet guinea pig may suffer from irregular bowel movements and other gastrointestinal diseases. These are collectively termed as GI Stasis.

It leads to the buildup of gas in the stomach and cecum part of your pet – thus causing a severe uneasiness and may even lead to a surgical emergency in worst cases of prolonged consumption.

Diarrhea

Diarrhea caused due to Aloe Vera is due to the laxative effects of the compounds present in the leaves. Diarrhea is a common symptom when a food does not go well with your pet’s body.

It is one of the initial symptoms that may occur and it will drain the energy levels of your pet – thus making it weak and unable to show any activity.

Hepatitis

Yes, you read that correctly. Aloe Vera plants, if fed continuously, it will cause hepatitis. It is an allergic reaction and results in the weakening of the immune system of your pet. However, you will not be able to spot hepatitis merely by making simple observations.

You will only be able to spot hepatitis if the physical discomfort of your pet stays for days and does not alleviate within 48 – 76 hours. In that case, you will have to take your pet to the local vet for a thorough check up.

Cirrhosis

Due to the allergic reaction of hepatitis, it causes inflammation of the liver simultaneously. This further creates problems by become a cause of cirrhosis. It is a serious health hazard and can be deadly if left undiagnosed.

Continuous skin irritation

If your pet’s skin comes in contact with the Aloe Vera gel, it will lead to skin irritation. As a result, your pet will try to scratch itself but since the irritation is severe, your pet will continuously scratch itself.

This ultimately leads to open wounds and bruises which is a separate problem at that point.

Vomiting

As a reaction to Aloe Vera, your pet may start vomiting which is a sign that your pet’s body is rejecting the foreign bodies, Aloe Vera.

This also drains the energy levels of your pet and you will have to feed your pet healthy fruits and vegetables containing vitamin C to boost the immunity and energy of your pet.

Lack of appetite

Lethargy, or lack of appetite, is also a major symptom of Aloe Vera consumption reactions. Lack of appetite is essentially the lack of will to eat food.

If your guinea pig does not eat for a long period of time, it will lead to liver problems. Ultimately, if left untreated, it will also lead to the death of your pet piggy.

If you notice the above symptoms in within 12 – 24 hours of the consumption of Aloe Vera, you should immediately take your pet to the nearest vet. A vet will diagnose the intensity of the problem and provide immediate care for your pet.

Medications may also be prescribed for your pet to deal with the symptoms. Keep in mind, you should strictly not delay the process or else you will have to face the loss of your guinea pig.

As mentioned earlier, it leads to severe health complications thus making the prolonged consumption of Aloe Vera not safe for guinea pigs.

Aloe Vera Nutrition Chart:

Aloe Vera and guinea pigs, the two don’t go together well. Here is the nutritional chart of Aloe Vera, if you think your pet is missing out on the Aloe Vera plant and the Aloe Vera soothing gel.

For starters, the Aloe Vera plant is mostly water. It accounts for over 99 to 99.6% of the total composition of Aloe Vera.

Whereas the rest of the nutrition in Aloe Vera includes:

However, all of these nutrients and minerals are in trace amounts and carry little to no health benefits for your pet piggy. So, it is certainly not worth the risk to feed your guinea pigs Aloe Vera plants.

Which Plants Are Safe For Guinea Pigs?

Since guinea pigs are animals of the wild, you may want to feed your pet a wild plants containing diet. If you’re interested in feeding your pet wild plants, here’s a list of some of the wild plants that are not only beneficial for your pet friend but also considered safe.

Keep in mind, that these are only safe if you feed them the recommended serving size. Anything that is fed in excess will cause problems for your pet – thus moderation is the key to safely feeding your pet any food.

What Leaves Are Poisonous To Guinea Pigs?

For starters, all of the bulb plant leaves are toxic for your pet piggy. Additionally, evergreen leaves are also poisonous for your pet friend. Due to this, you should be very careful when feeding your pet leaves of any plant. There are certain leaves that you should avoid at all costs.

These include:

The leaves and plants mentioned in the above list are only some of the most dangerous one, these are just to give you an idea of which ones you should avoid.

Ideally, when feeding your pet friend any kind of leaves, you should conduct a thorough research and if you’re still not sure, you should reach out to your local vet.

Conclusion – Can Guinea Pigs Eat Aloe Vera Plants?

Can you give your pets Aloe Vera? Strictly no. It may seem beneficial for them but it is the contrary. Aloe Vera is significantly harmful to your pet guinea pig. If fed accidentally and only in a smaller serving size, it will only lead to diarrhea and stomach issues that will go away within 24 hours.

However, if your pet has consumed a significant portion of the Aloe Vera plant, it is concerning. In that case, it will lead to a wide number of health complications that will put your pet in an overall discomfort and lead to drained energy levels; making your pet inactive and unwilling to move or take part in any activity.

In that case, you need to take your pet to the local vet immediately to start the treatment process. If left untreated, the condition of your pet may worsen and may become the cause of the death of your guinea pig. So, to conclude, it is best to avoid Aloe Vera plants or leaves altogether.