Guinea pigs can eat radishes. They are very nutritious and provide a lot of health benefits for cavies. However, you must provide these vegetables sparingly to your pet. Radish contains calcium— a nutrient guinea pig shouldn’t eat in excess. Your pet cannot digest this nutrient properly so, an excess of it will be left in its body and will cause your pet some health issues.
Radish also contains oxalates that form bladder stones when they bind with calcium. Bladder stones can be excruciating and may require a surgical operation to get rid of them in your cavy. Therefore, it is advisable to only provide a small portion of the fruit for your pet to taste. Better still, mix the roots with other low-calcium veggies for your cavy to eat.
But what benefits do radish offers for guinea pigs? Do guinea pigs even like these root vegetables at all? If you intend to add radishes to your cavy’s diet, this article will answer all your questions. So, keep reading.
Further Reading: “Can Guinea Pigs Dring Orange Juice?“
Radish Benefits For Guinea Pigs
As a vegetable root, radish offers your pet a lot of benefits. It’s packed with nutrients such as vitamin C, riboflavin, vitamin B5, vitamin B6, iron, calcium, potassium, phosphorus, zinc, and magnesium. Hence, it has many health benefits for guinea pigs. For instance, the vitamin C in it helps to prevent scurvy in pets and guinea pigs can’t produce it on their own. Vitamin C deficiency can make your cavy sick and unhealthy. Root vegetables like radishes help your pet derive the vitamin C they need.
Besides, radishes contain iron and zinc that help to boost the immunity of mammals. Vitamin C also ensures the proper functioning of the immune cells. Hence, adding radishes to your pet’s diet can help prevent diseases caused by pathogens. Additionally, radish is excellent for your pet because of its fiber content. Your guinea pig needs fiber for proper digestion. Besides, radishes have low sugar content and can help to reduce the blood sugar level, especially for diabetic pets.
radish offers your pet a lot of benefits. It’s packed with nutrients such as vitamin C, riboflavin, vitamin B5, vitamin B6, iron, calcium, potassium, phosphorus, zinc, and magnesium.
| Vitamin/Mineral | Amount in 116g (1 cup slices) | Benefit To Guinea Pigs |
|---|---|---|
| Vitamin-C | 17.2mg | 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 | 8,1IU | To maintain normal tissue histology, and storage of vitamin A in the liver guinea pigs need a 23 µmol/kg diet or more. |
| Calcium | 29mg | 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 | 270mg | May help reduce blood pressure and water retention, protect against stroke and prevent osteoporosis and kidney stones |
| Protein | 0.8g | Increases your pet strength, lower the blood pressure, and speed-up the metabolism |
| Zinc | 0.3mg | Helps your immune system and metabolism function. |
| Magnesium | 11.6mg | It plays several important roles in the health of the body and brain. |
| Vitamin-K | 1.5mcg | Vitamin K helps to make various proteins that are needed for blood clotting and the building of bones. |
| Vitamin B6 | 0.1mg | Vitamin B6 is a vitamin that benefits the central nervous system and metabolism. |
Further Reading: “Can Guinea Pigs Eat Carnations?“
Do Guinea Pigs Like Radish?
Radishes are very attractive root vegetables. However, they have a sharp, spicy taste. It turns out that most times cavies don’t enjoy the taste of this vegetable. They prefer the leaves to the roots themselves. The good news is, the leaves are edible too. So, if you discover that your pet prefers eating them to the roots, you can give them the leaves instead. A 2008 study on rats reveals that radish leaves contain fiber which aids animals’ digestion of food. Most people cook this vegetable to improve the taste but never serve your pet cooked food. Also, serve them raw to your cavy. You can also give both the roots and vegetables to your pet if your cavy likes them both.
I wrote a very detailed article on the Radish Leaves benefits to guinea pigs – You can read it here.
How Often Can Guinea Pigs Eat Radish?
Radishes are high in calcium and phosphorus. Your pet shouldn’t ingest a lot of these nutrients. So, guinea pigs should eat radish only once to twice a month. If your cavy needs a diet that is high in vitamin C, you can give her other low-calcium, low-phosphorus vegetables. If you give your cavy radish more than twice a month, your pet may develop bladder stones or kidney stones. Most importantly, it is essential to mix radish with other vegetables for your pet. But a warning: Never mix radish with vegetables that are high in calcium to your cavy!
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How Many Radishes Can Guinea Pigs Eat At A Time?
Now that you know that guinea pigs can eat radishes, it is imperative to ascertain how many of these vegetables your pet can have at once. The goal is to control the amount of calcium and phosphorus that your pet ingests. Your guinea pig can eat half of a small-sized radish at a time. If the root vegetable is large-sized, cut it into four parts before serving to your pet. Remember that your pet shouldn’t have this more than twice a month. However, if your pet is suffering from hypocalcemia otherwise, known as calcium deficiency, you can give her one large-sized radish.
Your guinea pig can eat half of a small-sized radish at a time. If the root vegetable is large-sized, cut it into four parts before serving to your pet.
Further Reading: “Can Guinea Pigs Eat Cherry Tomatoes?“
How Can I Serve Radish To My Guinea Pig?
It’s best to serve both the leaf and root to your pet. Before serving the vegetable, make sure you wash them thoroughly. The reason for this is to remove pesticides that may have been used to treat the vegetable. You can rinse off the chemicals with a vinegar solution. After, slice a small-sized radish into half, chop some of the leaves and serve to your pet. Always mix some other low-calcium vegetables so your pet can have a variety in her meal. So, you can add some cucumber, tomato, or lettuce. But remember guinea pigs should not eat cooked radish, canned radish, frozen or dried. Your guinea pig shouldn’t eat any form of processed or preserved radish. Serve only raw and fresh vegetables to your pet.
guinea pigs should not eat cooked radish, canned radish, frozen, or dried. Serve only raw and fresh vegetables to your pet.
Further Reading: “Can Guinea Pigs Eat Kiwi Skin?“
Can Baby Guinea Pigs Eat Radishes?
Yes, baby guinea pigs can eat radishes. Baby guinea pigs need more calcium than adult guinea pigs and can have more radishes. However, to prevent the risk of developing bladder stones, you shouldn’t give your young cavy more than half of a small-sized radish. You can serve some of the leaves to your baby cavy as well.
Further Reading: “Can Guinea Pigs Eat Mandarins?”
Guinea pigs are eating radish
Can Guinea Pigs Eat Radish Leaves?
Cavies can eat radish leaves. You may even discover that your pet enjoys the leaves more than the roots. Radish leaves are not just delicious but are also nutritious. They are high in fiber and can help to improve your pet’s gut health. Besides, just like the roots, they also contain vitamin C, vitamin B6, iron, folic acid, zinc, phosphorus, and magnesium. However, they also contain calcium and oxalic acid. Hence, they must also be served in limited portions for your cavy.
Further Reading: “Can Guinea Pigs Eat Rosemary?”
Conclusion
Radish contains essential nutrients like potassium, Vitamin C, Zinc, fibers, calcium, and other nutrients. However, the calcium amounts in it are high so guinea pigs can eat radish sparingly. If you feed your cavy as much as one root more than once/twice a month, you’ll expose your pet to health problems. It’s very important to diversify your pet’s diet with other ingredients: Cavies majorly need Timothy hay in their diet. Fruits and vegetables like radish should be given to them occasionally as treats. While guinea pigs should eat radish only up to twice a month, they can eat vegetables like lettuce, kale, cilantro, and cucumber more times a week. Your pet’s nutrition is crucial and must be your priority as a cavy owner. Feed your guinea pigs healthily.
