Most pet owners believe that candy is exceptionally bad for animals, but the truth is slightly different for guinea pigs, who enjoy the occasional candy treat.
In fact, if ingested in the right amounts, candy can even provide the crucial nutrients to your guinea pig that make up a part of his daily dietary requirements.
Although you can give your guinea pig an occasional piece of candy, it is crucial to allow this in moderation and choose a candy-free of harmful toxins. For instance, dark chocolate can be highly toxic for guinea pigs, and thus you should avoid a candy made of dark chocolate at all costs.
Can Guinea Pigs Eat Candy?
Yes, Guinea pigs can eat candy. A few pieces of candy can be beneficial for your guinea pig, provided that you provide them with a healthy diet rich in hay and vegetables like corn husks, cauliflower, and cranberries.
What Is The Nutritional Value Of Candy?
The nutritional value of candy as per a 28g portion is as follows:
Can Guinea Pigs Eat Gummy Bears?
Gummy bears are small, fruity gum candies that are pretty similar to jelly. They are typically 2cm or 0.8 inches long and are shaped like bears. This candy is one of the most highly loved gelatin-based candies sold around the globe and comes in a number of colors, sizes, and flavors.
So can you share this gelatinous snack with your guinea pig? Unfortunately, no. Gummy bears have high sugar content, and guinea pigs cannot digest such a high sugary food item.
Nutritional Value Of Gummy Bear
Can I Give Cotton Candy To My Guinea Pig?
Guinea pigs can surely eat cotton candy, but extra care should be taken when giving it to them. Since cotton candy is high in sugar content, make sure to provide only a few small pieces to your pet.
You should also ensure that the pieces are easily-ingestible, lest they cause a choking hazard.
Can I Give My Guinea Pigs Cotton Candy Grapes?
Cotton candy grapes are a highly popular snack amongst individuals who love eating both grapes and cotton candy, since these treats are quite similar in taste to cotton candy.
Grapes are a suitable snack for your guinea pig, but since cotton candy grapes are high in sugar content, you should avoid frequently giving them to your guinea pig.
Processed sugars are not an advisable snack for guinea pigs, and even natural sugars can prove unhealthy when ingested in large amounts. Therefore, cotton candy grapes should be strictly limited to only two pieces per serving for your piggy.
Nutritional Value of Cotton Candy
Cotton candy typically contains approximately 110 calories per 28g serving. Its nutritional value is as follows:
Are Candy Bars Okay For Guinea Pigs To Eat?
Absolutely not! Most candy bars are rich in chocolate and thus are highly toxic for your guinea pig. If ingested in large amounts, chocolate can even kill your pet.
That is primarily because chocolate contains two harmful ingredients: caffeine and theobromine. Theobromine and caffeine are stimulants, and your little piggy’s sensitive digestive system cannot handle them.
In addition to these toxic compounds, chocolate also contains dangerously high levels of fat, dairy, and processed sugar. All of these substances are not suitable for a healthy guinea pig.
Nutritional Value Of Candy Bars
Candy bars are not essentially healthy, but there are three categories to choose from. These include low-calorie, medium-calorie, and high-calorie candy bars, and their nutritional value is mentioned ahead.
Low-Calorie Candy Bars
These candy bars are relatively lower in fat and sugar content and contain less than 100 calories per serving. Most hard and gummy candies fall into this category and do not considerably impact the average calorie intake if ingested in low amounts.
Let us take a look at a few low candy bar options and their nutritional value:
Werther’s Original Caramel Hard Candy
Tootsie Pop
Skittles
Candy Cane
Marshmallows
Medium Calorie Candies
All medium calorie candies are below 200 calories per serving, and some of them are mentioned below:
Twizzlers Strawberry Twists
York Peppermint Pattie
Saltwater taffy
Higher Calorie Candies
A large portion of the higher calorie candies consists of large amounts of sugar and fats, with small quantities of protein. In addition, they are usually made of chocolate, making them highly toxic for guinea pigs.
Therefore, such candy bars should not be given to your guinea pigs at any cost.
Some of them include the following:
Hershey’s Milk Chocolate Bar with Almonds
Kit Kat
Snickers Bar
Twix
Butterfinger Bar
Milky Way Bar
What Problems Can Candies Cause In Guinea Pigs?
Eating too much candies is as harmful to a guinea pig as it is to humans. They can cause puking, nausea, upset stomach, and diarrhea, along with several long-term complications.
These long-term ailments include diabetes and obesity, which can be quite hard to treat. Their symptoms can also cause considerable and needless suffering to your little pet.
Can Candies Poison My Guinea Pigs?
Although most candies are not explicitly toxic for guinea pigs, they do not fall on the healthy spectrum of the foods guinea pigs can eat.
Since candies are made up of large quantities of sugar, they can upset the tummy of your piggy and cause several other undesirable consequences.
Conclusion – Can Guinea Pigs Eat Candy?
Candies are most people’s comfort food: they are sweet, wholesome, and rich and make us feel happy. Hence, it is only natural that we would wish to share this delicacy with your guinea pig.
Although you can give a tiny bit of your favorite candy to your pet once in a considerable while, make sure that the candy you opt for is free of toxins like artificial food coloring, chocolate, and artificial flavors, as they can negatively affect your piggy’s health.