As a pet owner, you want to give your pet the best diet. Mandarins are juicy and nutritious fruits. They are smaller and sweeter than regular oranges. The lure of the juicy fruit is irresistible even to guinea pigs. Can guinea pigs eat mandarins? Is it safe for them? Let’s find out.
Yes, Guinea pigs can eat mandarins. It is safe for them as long as you limit intake to one or two slices weekly. Mandarins contain lots of vitamin C, a crucial part of a healthy cavy’s diet. But they also have plenty of sugar and natural acids. Your cavy needs very little or none of this. In any case, allow your pet to adjust mandarins by introducing the fruit to her slowly.
In this article, you will learn why mandarin oranges are great for cavies. You will also see how much is best and why that is. If you need directions on how to prepare mandarins for your cavy, here is your guide too. Let’s dive right in.
Mandarines are safe for guinea pigs. Limit intake to one or two slices weekly as mandarines contain high sugar and natural acids. However, mandarins contain lots of vitamin C, a crucial part of a healthy cavy’s diet as your guinea pigs can’t produce vitamin-C by themself. In any case, allow your pet to adjust mandarins by introducing the fruit to her slowly.
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Benefits Of Mandarins To Guinea Pigs
When guinea pigs eat mandarins, they get vitamin C. Mandarins contains ~27mg of vitamin C in 100g. Guinea pig’s daily requirement is ~90mg of vitamin-C. On their own, cavies can’t produce any vitamins so, they depend on their diet for vitamins. Vitamin C is important because a lack of it will lead to scurvy, a common disease in cavies. You can prevent your pet from having scurvy by including mandarin oranges in her diet, with additional pellets to cover the gaps. Vitamin C also keeps your cavy’s immunity functioning at top levels. It also aids in faster wound healing in a cavy.
There’s also a good amount of vitamin A and vitamin B-6 to go with. Both vitamins are crucial to growth and metabolism in the cavy. The high calcium content of mandarin oranges is great for young and pregnant cavies.
Potassium is another essential mineral for a healthy heart in a guinea pig. This is because it contributes to the salt and water balance in their bodies. Mandarin oranges offer potassium. When guinea pigs eat mandarins, they derive magnesium from the fruity too. The heart muscles and skeletal muscles of your cavy grow stronger with magnesium.
If your guinea pig eats mandarins, you don’t have to worry that your pet will have cholesterols. That’s because mandarins contain low fat. Besides, they offer a healthy amount of calories. This keeps your cavy’s weight in check while providing it with adequate warmth and energy.
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Mandarins Benefits Summary
| Vitamin/Mineral | Amount (in 100g) | Benefit To Guinea Pigs |
|---|---|---|
| Vitamin-C | 26.7mg | 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 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. |
| Vitamin-A | 681 IU | To maintain normal tissue histology, and storage of vitamin A in the liver guinea pigs need a 23 µmol/kg diet or more. |
| Calcium | 37mg | 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. |
| Potassium | 166mg | May help reduce blood pressure and water retention, protect against stroke and prevent osteoporosis and kidney stones |
| Fiber | 1.8g | Helps maintain bowel health |
| Sugar | 9g/88g | 1 medium mandarine (88g) contains 9g of sugar. 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. |
| Protein | 0.81g | Increases your pet strength, lower the blood pressure, and speed-up the metabolism |
See more detailed information for the exact amounts of vitamins/minerals for your cavy under NCBI
Related Article: “Can Guinea Pigs Eat Cucumber Skin?“
Do Guinea Pigs Love Mandarins?
You bet they do! Who doesn’t? Mandarin oranges have a taste that does the convincing. You will find out that your cavies love the fruit best during summer. Taste differs from guinea pig to guinea pig. Test your pet by hanging out a little slice of mandarin from the lid of its cage.
With its first bite of the slice, it should launch into munching it all. You’ll find out that they get fascinated with the taste and want more. Some guinea pigs may not like it and that’s okay. Strawberries, apples, and pears are some of the many other options of fruits your cavy might like.
Further Reading: “Can Guinea Pig Eat Banana Peels?“
How Often And How Much Mandarins Are Good For Guinea Pigs?
Mandarin oranges are great for your pet. You’ll find it loving the taste more and more. But you cannot give it more than one/two slices every week. Mandarins are acidic. This is upsetting for the cavy’s digestive system. They can develop issues like mouth sores and diarrhea from acidic foods. Tolerance differs from cavy to cavy but it is best to tread on the side of caution.
Sugar is another issue to deal with. Mandarin oranges contain enough sugar to cause problems for your pet. They can have problems like obesity and diabetes. These diseases are often the starting point of a lifetime of problems. Moderation is key in how your guinea pigs eat mandarins.
Give mandarins one/two slices every week to your guinea pig. Mandarins are acidic. This is upsetting for the cavy’s digestive system. They can develop issues like mouth sores and diarrhea from acidic foods. Tolerance differs from cavy to cavy but it is best to tread on the side of caution.
How Should I Prepare Mandarins For My Guinea Pig?
Get the oranges and ensure they are yellow and fresh, not green and rotten. You should wash the fruit well in running water. The next step is to peel the oranges and slice them into pieces. We will soon discuss whether you should leave the peels on or not. But for the sake of this guide, it’s best to peel the mandarins. Why?
You cannot tell how much of the peels are infested with pesticides. Unless you’re sure the mandarins are free from chemicals or you thoroughly washed the peels, leave out the peels. After you’ve cut them into small slices, remove all seeds. Your cavy can’t have any mandarin seeds. There is a risk of choking because they’re small animals. Make sure you cut into pieces small enough for them to munch with ease. When they’re done, take away any leftovers and dispose of them.
Further Reading: “Can Guinea Pigs Eat Pretzel?“
You can see here a guinea pig eating a mandarin:
Can Guinea Pigs Eat Mandarin Peels?
Yes, guinea pigs can eat mandarin peels. Research even tells us that the peel is more nutritious than the mandarin flesh. The peels contain3 times of vitamin C then the flesh’s 27mg! Mandarin peels also have lots of antioxidants and flavonoids. These nutrients are beneficial for guinea pigs. However, serve in moderation because they are acidic. So, serve once a or two times a week to your pet.
Further Reading: “Can Guinea Pigs Eat Chamomile?“
Final Thoughts
Guinea pigs can eat mandarins. The fact is mandarins are healthy diet choices for your pet. Vitamin C gotten from mandarin oranges constitute a huge part of a cavy’s supply. When guinea pigs eat mandarins, they get most or all their vitamin C. But, the acidic content and high sugar in mandarin oranges make them a limited option. Your pet can only have a slice or two once every week. They can also have peels. But, no seeds at all.
To sum up, your guinea pigs can eat mandarins but give them in moderation. That way, your pet will live a healthy and long life.
