Guinea pigs are herbivores animals, meaning they eat only herbs and plants so when the autumn time comes, it seems like a great period for our guinea pigs as leaves fall from the trees and everything is so colorful all around. However, not all plants and weeds are good for your cavy. What about maple trees, can guinea pigs eat maple leaves?
No! You should not let your guinea pig eat maple tree leaves as they are toxic. The toxic ingredient in red maple leaves is believed to be gallic acid which may be fatal to our guinea pig.
In general, guinea pigs can eat certain types of leaves. In this article, we will see which type is good for your pet and which is to avoid. we‘ll see the benefits of leaves and will answer some other related questions. Let’s start.
Table of Contents
Can Guinea Pigs Eat Leaves?
No strict answer here. Some are ok, and some are toxic. We already know that guinea pigs may eat only certain types of leaves. In general, before we get into which leaves are ok and which are not, I recommend the following: if you can’t identify the tree type, don’t let your guinea pig eat leaves nearby, why taking the risk when there are many known types which they can chew.
What Types Of Leaves Can Guinea Pigs Eat?
Leaves that your guinea pig can eat safely are lettuce, spring greens, kale, and various herbs including parsley, mint, coriander, and basil. More common leaves our cavy can chew are from fruit trees. They can have willow, citrus tree, banana leaves, mango, raspberry, grape, cauliflower leaves, and mulberry too.
A very important vitamin for guinea pigs is vitamin-C as they can’t produce it by themselves. So, sweet yellow peppers, kale, and parsley are great sources for vitamin-C and you can give your guinea pig chew it. It’s a win-win.
What Types Of Leaves Should Be Avoided For Our Guinea Pig?
There are some types of leaves we should not give our guinea pig as it can make him ill.
Guinea pigs should not eat potato leaves. Potatoes and potato leaves are poisonous to guinea pigs, especially green potatoes due to the high amount of solanine, which is glycoalkaloid poison.
Rhubarb leaves and stalks are poisonous to your guinea pig. It can make him extremely ill and may end very badly for our lovely guinea pig.
Dock Leaves for your guinea pig is not a good idea either. When they appear in spring they are high in oxalic acid and are bad for guinea pigs. After seeding it may be ok, but it is recommended not to let him eat it at all.
Bay leaves are also not allowed for our cavy. They just can’t handle the flavor and it will make them ill.
Daisies and buttercups are poisonous to our guinea pig. Make sure you don’t pick it up as green grass for your pet by mistake
I’m sure there are more leaves that are not allowed for guinea pigs so please be careful, if you are not sure about some leaves your guinea pig wants to eat, it’s better not let your pet eat it. It may be very dangerous and sometimes even fatal.
What about maple leaves, can guinea pigs eat maple leaves? Definitely not. Maple leaves are toxic and we should not feed our guinea pig with this kind of leaves.
There are some kinds of maple trees, and some people say some of them are ok for guinea pigs. I wouldn’t take the risk with any maple tree leaves.
Why Eating Leaves Is Good For Guinea Pigs?
We now know what leaves may be ok for our guinea pig to eat and which are not.
Let’s see what are the benefits of these leaves to guinea pigs.
As leaves contain minerals and vitamins, our guinea pig will have a better immunity system and will be less ill. His fur will look abundant and in general, he will be healthier.
vitamin-C is a very important aspect of the guinea pig diet. Lack of it may cause serious health issues for guinea pigs, like scurvy which is fatal for them. Eating leaves of kale and parsley for example are great sources of vitamin-C.
Chewing leaves prevents our guinea pig teeth from overgrowing (Their teeth are constantly growing! and it hurts them)
Leaves contain protein which gives our pet more energy and makes him happier.
Last, leaves contain iron which is a crucial ingredient for healthy blood, and without it, guinea pigs will be prone to anemia.
Can Guinea Pigs Chew Tree Branches?
Guinea pigs love to chew, and it seems they will just chew anything they can. We saw there are certain types of leaves they can chew and eat, of course, hay and some vegetables but can they chew some tree branches? Can we let them do it?
In general, yes, guinea pigs can chew tree branches. However, Like in leaves, there are some types of tree branches your guinea pig shouldn’t chew and there are some they can. We should avoid giving them Apricot, Almonds, Cedar, Figs & Citrus woods and we can allow them to chew apple woods, pears, maple, bamboo, and kiwi woods.
We saw also that guinea pigs’ teeth are constantly growing so it will keep their teeth healthier if they can chew on daily basis.
There may be some confusion between the fruit itself to its branch. Notice that even if for example mango can be a great snack for our guinea pig, it is not good for him to chew its branches, as it may be toxic for him.
In general, most fruit tree branches are safe for guinea pigs but in general, we should exclude all the branches that have fruits with a solid pit. Like, mango, peaches, citrus trees, plums, cherries.
Toxic Wood For Guinea Pig
As we saw some wood may be toxic for our pet. Let’s avoid the following:
Cedar, Pine, Sawdust from all kinds, Alder, Almond, Apricot, Blackwood, Cashew, Cherry, Citrus, Cypress, Dahoma, Ebony, Eucalyptus.
Can Guinea Pigs Eat Grass Clippings?
Our guinea pig loves to eat hay, and a related interesting question is can they also eat grass clippings?
No. Guinea pigs can’t eat grass clippings. They will get sick from eating it.
The reason is that grass clipping is usually mixed with pesticides, bird droppings, and some other harmful things you don’t want your cavy to eat. Feeding our guinea pigs with it will cause them to become bloated and sick. You can give your pet fresh hand-picked grass, however with some limitations. Let’s continue reading and see.
Grass clippings ferment extremely fast so your guinea pig will rapidly become bloated and sick.
Add this, the fact that grass clippings are already torn up, so your guinea pig won’t even feel the need to chew.
Can Guinea Pigs Eat Fresh Grass?
The grass is another type of hay, so it’s basically ok for guinea pigs to eat grass. However, we should make sure we keep the following:
Grass should be introduced slowly like each other change in guinea pig diet. Give them a little bit at a time and see how it goes.
The grass you give your guinea pig must be clean! You need to consider that while eating grass, guinea pigs may pick up parasites so you should take him to a vet routinely to see if they require deworming.
Another thing I would recommend is never giving your guinea pig grass from lawnmower cuttings. There can be something on it like faeces from another animal or some poisonous plant you somehow also cut. Remember, just fresh grass you cut by yourself.
Related Questions
Can Guinea Pigs Eat Maple Tree Branches?
Yes. Guinea pigs can eat maple tree branches. Don’t confuse with maple leaves which are toxic and we should avoid giving to our guinea pig.
can guinea pigs eat oak leaves?
No. Oak leaves are poisonous not only for guinea pigs but to rabbits, goats, and some more.
I strongly recommend you not feeding your pet with oak leaves. While there are some opinions that some kind of oak leaves do not harm your guinea pig I would not take the risk.
can guinea pigs eat willow leaves?
Yes. Willow leaves are safe for our guinea pig.
can guinea pigs eat palm tree leaves?
I recommend you not do it. There are a lot of other leaves your guinea pig can eat, so why take the risk.
can guinea pigs eat sycamore leaves?
Sycamore leaves may be toxic to your guinea pig. Avoid feeding your guinea pig with sycamore leaves. Don’t confuse with sycamore wood which may be fine to chew.
Conclusion
Guinea pigs may eat certain types of leaves, and some types are not allowed to them as it’s toxic or contains some minerals like calcium which is not good for an adult guinea pig.
Maple leaves are toxic and guinea pigs can’t eat them. Best for your pet is to eat leaves with vitamin-c in it like kale and parsley.
We also learned what are the benefits of eating leaves as they contain very important ingredients to your pet.
Let’s remember that the best food if it’s grass or leaves, or just wood to chew, you better buy at your nearest pet store and not take the risk of giving your pet something you are not sure of.
