We all enjoy a cool fresh watermelon on a hot summer day, don’t we? As it is a tasty and delicious fruit that everybody loves to eat. But as a guinea pig owner, have you ever thought, can guinea pigs eat watermelon?
Are they safe for them to eat on a hot summer day like us?
“The answer to this mystery is a BIG YES! Your guinea pigs would love to have a sweet and refreshing watermelon. They would love you for this as it will keep him fresh and hydrated on a hot summer day.”
Additionally, you can feed the rind part of watermelon to your pet friend, which is the best part to eat for them. This is because it contains less sugar than the other parts.
Most people think that all the nutrients are in the pink flesh part of the watermelon.
However, it is the complete opposite. According to scientific research, the rind part contains even more nutrients as compared to the pink flesh part.
From this, we can say that the rind part is way better than the rest of the watermelon for your cute little furry friend.
Another benefit of consuming rind is that they won’t get too much sugar in their bodies and will get numerous health benefits.
Feeding Watermelons To Your Guinea Pig – 7 Factors To Consider
Here’s everything you need to know when it comes to introducing watermelons to your cute little friend’s diet.
1) Is Watermelon Safe For Guinea Pigs?
Yes, watermelons are completely safe, and your cute little buddies can enjoy them.
Fruits are an important part of your pet’s diet as they have an amazing number of important nutrients.
Watermelon is full of water content and also contains fiber and vitamin C. Both of these are very much beneficial for your guinea pigs’ health.
Guinea pigs cannot prepare vitamin C for themselves within their bodies. This is why they need a diet rich in vitamin C to prevent diseases.
Watermelon contains enough of this vitamin C, which will keep them healthy.
Guinea pigs also need water to help their organs function properly.
Like us, animals also need enough water for smooth bowel movements. The reason behind needing an adequate consumption of water is that it prevents constipation. It also cleanses our kidneys to prevent kidney stones.
The same is true for your cute little furry buddies.
So, treat them with watermelons. The water content in them is very good for their health. Besides, it is the best summer snack that you can offer to your pet.
2) Can Guinea Pigs Eat Watermelon Seeds?
The answer is no, they can’t. Watermelon seeds are not poisonous but it still isn’t recommended.
It is better to keep them away from the seeds since they can cause them to choke. You should remove the seeds from the fruit prior to giving them to your pet pig.
Watermelon seeds will make your pets choke easily, so do not give them to guinea pigs.
It is better you purchase a seedless watermelon for your little furry friend if possible.
3) Can Guinea Pigs Eat Watermelon Every Day?
You cannot feed them watermelon daily due to the concentration of sugar in watermelons. Always try to feed watermelon to your guinea pigs in small quantities, not more than two to three times a week.
Remember only to give this considering it as a snack nothing else.
The high concentration of sugar in watermelons can cause some serious damage to the health of your pet.
In addition, prior to feeding them, make sure you wash the watermelon properly to remove any impurities and harmful chemicals. Make sure to remove the rind and seeds as well from the pink flesh.
4) Can Guinea Pigs Eat The Whole Watermelon – Reason Why You Should Never Feed Them Whole:
No, guinea pigs cannot eat an entire watermelon. Because it is too much for these little furry creatures.
You can feed them half a cup of watermelon but make sure to cut it into small pieces.
If you give it to them, they will eat more than they can eat because they do not know when to stop eating. Besides, watermelon will be very tasty for them too.
Therefore, it is very important to minimize their portion before serving watermelon.
5) Can Baby Guinea Pigs Eat Watermelon?
The answer is no, you cannot feed baby guinea pigs watermelon for the first few weeks of their lives.
At that time, the only thing they are supposed to have is fresh hay, most importantly, alfalfa hay and water every day. Because it is an essential treat for them.
After a few weeks, they will require some special food full of different vitamins and minerals from different fruits and veggies.
So, after a few weeks of the baby guinea pig’s lifespan, you can introduce it to watermelon, but only in small serving quantities and not daily.
6) Can Guinea Pigs Eat Watermelon Leaves?
There is not that much research that claims that watermelon leaves are suitable even for humans to eat.
So, we cannot say if guinea pigs are allowed to eat watermelon leaves.
There are also other leafy vegetables that guinea pigs eat like lettuce, kale, and more. So, you don’t need to risk it with watermelon leaves. The red part of the watermelon is what you can feed to them and rind as well.
7) 5 Easy Steps To Prepare Watermelon For Your Guinea Pig:
First of all, always try to choose the appropriate watermelon. Remember that the watermelon should be ripe.
Avoid unripe ones as they do not suit your guinea pigs. A ripe watermelon is composed of 90% water compared to the unripe ones
After that next thing, you have to do is to wash the outer rind thoroughly to make sure it does not contain any chemicals. It is best to choose an organic one.
The next thing you have to do is to chop the watermelon properly. Watermelon should be given only in the recommended amount. If we are too generous, our pigs may develop poor health.
Lastly, for the guinea pigs, we need to feed them the white part of the rind and the red flesh. Remember to clear any unnoticed area within a few hours to help avoid the formation of unwanted bacteria.
Related Posts
8 Proven Facts About Watermelon
Here are some of the most interesting facts about watermelons:
- Watermelon is classified as a fruit and vegetable.
- They are called watermelons because of their 92% water content.
- There are 1200 unique watermelons.
- Contrary to popular belief, seedless watermelons are not genetically engineered.
- Almost every part of a watermelon is suitable for eating.
- The heaviest watermelon that entered the Guinness Book of World Records weighed 350.5 pounds.
- Farmers in Japan grow watermelons in different forms.
- They were placed in the tombs of kings in ancient Egypt as a means of providing nourishment to their souls.
Nutritional Facts Of Watermelon:
Watermelon is composed of a number of essential nutrients that are a must for both us and our pet friends.
Following are the nutrition facts of a watermelon (per 100g serving):
| Energy – 30 kcal | Protein – 0.61 g | Total lipid (fat) – 0.15 g | Carbs – 7.55 g |
| Dietary fiber – 0.4 g | Sugars – 6.2 g | Calcium – 7 mg | Iron – 0.24 mg |
| Magnesium – 10 mg | Phosphorus – 11 mg | Vitamin B-6 – 0.045 mg | Potassium – 112 mg |
| Sodium – 1 mg | Vitamin C – 8.1 mg | Vitamin K – 0.1 µg | Folate – 3 µg |
| Lycopene – 4532 µg | Vitamin A – 28 µg | Vitamin E – 0.05 mg | Lutein + zeaxanthin – 8 µg |
These amounts are low in terms of calories and essential proteins for us.
But for your guinea pigs, they are perfect as watermelons have just the right amount of vitamin C and carbohydrates.
Both vitamin C and carbs are essential for the growth of your pet pig’s body.
Now Let’s Look At The Nutritional Facts Of The Rind:
The rind of watermelon contains the following nutrients:
1) Vitamin A:
This vitamin has a number of beneficial effects on the health of the brain, skin, heart, lungs, kidneys, and eyes.
It also makes the immune system stronger and prevents different diseases.
2) Vitamin B6:
Vitamin B6 promotes relaxation, better sleep, and a happier mood.
You heard me right! this vitamin can improve sleep quality, reduce stress, and promotes the production of the hormone of happiness the “serotonin”.
3) Vitamin C:
It is the most essential nutrient that you can give to your guinea pigs. The deficiency of this causes a disease called “scurvy”. Want to know more about this disease? You can check it here.
As I said earlier, your guinea pigs cannot produce this vitamin by themselves. Basically, guinea pigs cannot survive without this nutrient. And the rind of watermelon has it.
4) Zinc:
Zinc treats diarrhea, boosts overall immunity, and prevents chronic diseases.
5) Calcium:
Calcium helps to build strong bones. But if taken in excess amount, it can harm the urinary tract of guinea pigs. Fortunately, watermelon rind contains a small amount of calcium.
6) Potassium:
It regulates blood pressure, and there is no or minimal risk of having high blood pressure.
7) Lycopene:
It is an antioxidant that minimizes the occurrence of certain cancers. Furthermore, lycopene has also been shown to improve cardiovascular health.
8) Flavonoids:
They are pigments present in plants that can reduce the risk of cancer, heart disease, and stroke. Also, they help to maintain the health of the brain.
9) Riboflavin:
It is also called the B2 vitamin. Riboflavin improves the flow of oxygen in the body, which is very important.
This helps in breaking down the ingested food and converts it into energy.
10) Citrulline:
It belongs to the amino acid family and helps to maintain healthy blood vessels and the heart.
It also improves blood flow, and it also strengthens the immune system.
11) Iron:
A mineral that is important for the health of the blood. The whole organism is not subject to any health problems if our blood is strong and healthy.
It is present in every cell, but most abundantly in red blood cells. It prevents fatigue and weakness. Most importantly, it prevents anemia and strengthens overall immunity.
Problems That May Arise With Watermelon And Guinea Pigs – Easy Solutions!
We know watermelons are high in vitamins, but also, they are full of water and sugar as well. Avoid giving them too much watermelon and never use watermelon as an alternative for freshwater.
In nature, guinea pigs do not like to eat fruits. Therefore, it would be better to feed them in small amounts else it can cause various health issues.
Due to the high concentration of sugar in it, there is a chance of diabetes if given in excess.
Guinea pigs are different from humans. They are very sensitive to sugar as compared to us. The amount which seems small for us can cause damage to their digestive system leading to diarrhea.
I would suggest buying organic watermelon if possible as they are free from various poisonous chemicals and pesticides.
If not, I would recommend you carefully and thoroughly wash them before feeding them. This will wash off all the dirt and harmful chemicals that are not good for the pet’s health.
Another thing you should keep in your mind is that NEVER FEED THEM ROTTEN FRUITS.
You don’t like eating rotten fruits yourself why give it to them, right? They don’t taste good and are harmful to the health of the guinea pigs.
Also, whenever you are feeding them something new, first make sure to feed them in small quantities. Then keep an eye on your pet to see how it responds to it and make sure there are no side effects.
If you notice any strange activity, immediately stop the new treat. Else you can continue giving the new treats but in moderation.
12 Best Alternatives Of Watermelons For Your Guinea Pigs
As we know guinea pigs are picky creatures, sometimes they will like what you give, and sometimes they will not.
Here are some of the best alternative fruits you can feed your little furry friend with.
| Blueberries | Grapes | Strawberries |
| Melons | Bananas | Asparagus |
| Squash | Butter squash | Zucchini |
| Pumpkin | Cilantro | Pineapples |
Fun fact, your guinea pigs love to feed on tomatoes. They are rich in nutrients and your guinea pig can receive significant health benefits from eating tomatoes.
Frequently Asked Questions
1) Can Guinea Pigs Drink Watermelon Juice?
There is no harm in feeding watermelon juice to your guinea pigs.
You can give your guinea pig a little bit of watermelon juice. But I would recommend not to give it to your little pet.
Your guinea pig may not go sick immediately from drinking a little watermelon juice, but it is unhealthy.
Juice, in general, is very high in sugar. The biggest problem is often the removal of important nutrients such as fiber. It works very closely with the refined sugar you see in chocolate.
Put the fibers in and give your guinea pig freshly sliced watermelon slices instead. It is not healthy, but they will like this way of yours feeding them.
2) Can We Feed Rind With Green Skin Area Of Watermelon To Guinea Pigs?
Yes, you surely can, guinea pigs also like the green part of the watermelon.
You don’t have to be a master in cutting and slicing to feed them the treat they like. Wash the watermelon rind area properly is more than enough.
Just make sure there are no seeds anywhere, and make thin slices of the green part.
3) Can Watermelon Make My Guinea Pig Sick?
Yes, they can. Unfortunately, sugary foods, including watermelon, can cause diarrhea in guinea pigs.
Frequent feeding can put your little furry friend at risk for obesity and diabetes. This will result in a shorter lifetime for your pig and also will cause severe discomfort.
Conclusion:
Can guinea pigs eat watermelon? Yes, guinea pigs can eat watermelon. However, pets like guinea pigs can only eat the fruit in moderation.
Even if the red flesh part can be a treat for it. You can give it chopped rind as well so that the guinea pigs can chew it easily.
Watermelon will be interesting food for your little buddy, and if given in small quantities, it will not make him sick. Lastly, make sure that every new food you give your pet, including watermelon, is served gradually.
Watch out for your pet for any unusual behavior or awkwardness. If you do not notice anything strange, you can continue feeding watermelon to your pet friend.
A great alternative is to feed the rind of watermelon to your guinea pigs. They can be served as an occasional or even snack, even in the hot seasons.