Guinea pigs are simple creatures that indeed love an extra treat here and there. Fruits such as kiwis are an excellent way to get these as fruits have many healthy nutrients and proteins favorable for a guinea. Kiwis should be fed only seldom due to the high sugar content; however, your furry little friend will love this fruit, and it can substantially help boost their vitamin C. Many guinea owners wonder, however, can guinea pigs eat kiwi skin? If so, what are the benefits or risks?
The most straightforward answer is no. Guinea pigs should not eat kiwi skin as it may be hard to digest and become a choking hazard. Though some argue their guineas may like it, it is undoubtedly rough in texture and should not be served with your guinea pigs’ kiwi. If you are to feed kiwi to your guinea pig, it is best to remove the skin before not facing any issues.
Guinea pigs should not eat kiwi skin as it may be hard to digest and become a choking hazard. It is undoubtedly rough in texture and should not be served with your guinea pigs’ kiwi.
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Table of Contents
Kiwi & Kiwi Skin Nutrition [ Benefits & Risks ]
Kiwis can provide many healthy and essential nutrients needed for a guinea’s survival. Keep in mind; however, fruits should only be 5% of a guinea pigs’ diet. So, it is crucial not to overfeed them as these fruits have incredibly high sugar content and can lead to obesity and other health issues. It is wise to cut the kiwi into smaller portions and only feed them to your guinea pig once or twice a week.
Kiwi provides essential vitamin C for guinea pigs since their bodies cannot produce it themselves. Their daily requirement is ~90-120mg and one kiwi contains ~70mg. Kiwis also contain potassium, fiber, protein, calcium, phosphorus, vitamin A, and many other vitamins and nutrients. These are all vital nutrients for a guinea’s diet and will undoubtedly benefit their hearts and bodies in the long run.
A kiwi’s skin may contain some of these nutrients, but the skin will also be rougher and thus much harder to digest. Pesticides can get caught in the skin as well and remain there even if thoroughly washed. The green hairs found on the skin could also be dangerous to a guineas fragile stomach. So, to be on the safe side, it is likely best you peel the kiwi skin off before serving it to your furry and cuddly friend.
Nutrition Summary Of One Kiwi Fruit (~70g)
| Vitamin/Mineral | Amount (in 70g) | Benefit Yo Guinea Pig |
|---|---|---|
| Vitamin-C | 64mg | Your guinea pig cant produces its own vitamin-C, so it's very important to contain it in its diet. The daily required vitamin-C for guinea pigs is ~90mg. It will make your pet's immune system stronger. Vitamin C is required for making collagen. Collagen is required for maintaining blood vessel integrity, the formation of bone, and wound healing. Deficiency results in fragile blood vessels, leading to a hemorrhage of the gums and tissues in the mouth, skin, muscles, and internal organ surfaces. |
| Potassium | 215mg | Potassium may help reduce blood pressure and water retention, protect against stroke and prevent osteoporosis and kidney stones |
| Fiber | 1g | Helps maintain bowel health |
| Protein | 8g | Increases your pet strength, lower the blood pressure, and speed-up the metabolism |
| Calcium | 23mg | Notice that normal adult guinea pigs should eat around 8g of calcium per day per kg of pellets. If A Guinea pig eats 1/8 cup of pellet each day, it means ~130mg of calcium each day. |
| Sugar | 2g | Try to avoid sugar for your guinea pig. As it most of the time resting and not moving a lot, high sugar amounts will lead to fat and health issues. |
| Vitamin-A | 60IU | To maintain normal tissue histology, and storage of vitamin A in the liver guinea pigs need a 23 µmol/kg diet or more. |
| Vitamin-K | 8ug | Vitamin K is a group of vitamins that the body needs for blood clotting, helping wounds to heal. There's also some evidence vitamin K may help keep bones healthy. |
| Vitamin-E | 1mg | Vitamin E supplements may prevent coronary heart disease, and support immune function. |
| Magnesium | 7mg | It Has Anti-Inflammatory Benefits. It Reduces Insulin Resistance and will help lower blood pressure. |
| Floate | 17mcg | Folate is one of the B-vitamins and is needed to make red and white blood cells in the bone marrow. |
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How Much Kiwi Can Guinea Pigs Eat?
Understanding the serving size is just as important as the nutrients in this sense. Since guineas have exceedingly small and fragile stomachs, it is wise to feed them small portions a few times a week when on treats and fruits. Guineas must remain on a healthy diet; otherwise, their lives can be much shorter than usual. If they are on a healthy diet and being fed the right way, guineas will thrive.
When it pertains to kiwis, guineas should only eat around 2 to 3 small pieces without the skin, and only a couple of times a week. Overfeeding them kiwi could lead to obesity given the high sugar content kiwis contain. There is also high oxalic acid in kiwis, and this could also lead to health issues if overfed. However, kiwis should be perfectly healthy so long as they are cut up tiny, skin removed, and seldom given.
When it pertains to kiwis, guineas should only eat around 2 to 3 small pieces without the skin, and only a couple of times a week. Overfeeding them kiwi could lead to obesity given the high sugar content kiwis contain. There is also high oxalic acid in kiwis, and this could also lead to health issues if overfed. However, kiwis should be perfectly healthy so long as they are cut up tiny, skin removed, and seldom given.
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Can Guinea Pigs Eat Kiwi Seeds?
Just like the fruit, the seeds are perfectly safe and healthy for your guinea pig to eat. Kiwi seeds are small, soft, and not hard enough to cause any choking damage to your guineas throat. However, it may be best to keep them away from a baby guinea as their throats are much smaller, and thus they are much more likely to choke. However, in most cases, kiwi seeds are just small enough to be safe for guineas to consume.
The type of seeds you should be on the lookout for is watermelon, papaya, apples, and bell peppers. These seeds are much more challenging than kiwis and could cause significant choking hazards for your furry friend if consumed. They would likely not be able to digest these the same as kiwis and thus should be steered clear.
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Related Questions
Can Guinea Pigs Have Golden Kiwi?
Golden kiwi is another type that is safe for guinea pigs to eat. As with green kiwi, golden kiwi needs to be cut into small pieces before serving. It is also essential you feed them this no more than a few times a week. It could be extremely dangerous with the extra sugar content golden kiwi contains. However, golden kiwi also contains higher amounts of vitamin C than green kiwi, so a few times a week is plenty. The skin on golden kiwi is also much smoother; however, it is still not safe to give them the skin.
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Can Guinea Pigs Have Yellow Kiwi?
Yellow kiwi is what you find when you slice open a golden kiwi and get into its inside. The inside shows the vibrant yellow color that likely holds more nutrients than the rest of the kiwi. However, this is one of the most significant differences between golden kiwi and green. As far as your guinea pig is eating it, it should be relatively safe. In general, kiwi is an extremely healthy and safe fruit for your guinea pig, and the yellow inside of a golden kiwi should be no different. Just be sure to feed it to them in moderation to be safe.
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Final Thoughts
To wrap it up, kiwi skin needs to be removed from kiwis anytime you think about feeding one to them. A kiwi’s skin could hold many potential health issues for your guinea, and it is always best to stay on the safe side. Cut the kiwi into small pieces, remove the outer layer of skin, and allow them to enjoy the best part! Also, be sure to only feed kiwi to your guinea in moderation to cause obesity and, thus, further health issues.
The kiwi contains various healthy nutrients for a guinea to survive, so adding this to their diet a few times a week would not hurt. However, it is best to keep their fruit intake to only around 5% of their diet. Since kiwis contain a high volume of acid and sugar, this can lead to sickness and obesity if it becomes a daily part of their diet. Take precautions, monitor your guinea while they enjoy, and everything should be perfectly okay!
