Can Guinea Pigs Eat Green Beans? | Nutritional Facts & Considerations 2024

Guinea pigs are small rodents that like to socialize, but you can enjoy their company if they are healthy and happy. All pet parents want to see their pets thrive, and that is why they try to set up their cages with everything these rodents need. However, are you filling their dish with the right foods? Guinea pigs like green vegetables and many varieties suit them. However, can guinea pigs eat green beans?

Finding out the best foods for your pet will be the first step in ensuring that they will remain healthy and grow well. If you are new at pet care, try and understand what kinds of nutrients are needed for proper growth and an active lifestyle for guinea pigs. Once you know what your pet requires, you will be able to care for them better, and in turn, they will love your company.

Can Guinea Pigs Eat Green Beans

Can Guinea Pigs Eat Green Beans Or Not

Guinea pigs can eat green beans in abundance as this vegetable has a lot of benefits to offer. The foremost thing to know about guinea pigs is that they need high roughage foods, and green beans fulfill this requirement. The pod and the beans are a good addition to their diet. However, it cannot be a daily food due to several reasons.

As we mentioned earlier, getting to know about the guinea pig’s nutritional needs will allow you to plan the diet properly. Green beans are a high-fiber food, but what else do they have that they become an unfavorable everyday food for guinea pigs? Let’s find out. Read Can Guinea Pigs Eat Pumpkin as well.

GUINEA PIGS EAT GREEN BEANS

Health Benefits Of Green Beans For Guinea Pig Pets

Sometimes some high-nutrition foods cannot be consumed every day because too much of the same nutrient can cause other issues. Humans cannot produce their own Vitamin C, but did you know that guinea pigs do not produce this essential vitamin either? This means that they need vitamin C-rich food, or vitamin C supplements to meet their daily requirements.

An adult guinea pig will need almost 20 to 30 milligrams of Vitamin C in a day. If you have a female guinea pig, be sure to feed it more of this nutrient while it is pregnant so that the daily requirement is met properly for the mother as well as the fetus. Here is what green beans have to offer:

Vitamin C: Green beans are rich in Vitamin C as 100 grams of this vegetable contains 12mg of the vitamin. This makes green beans a good food for guinea pigs and they will have a stronger immune system and will stay safe from scurvy, which is a disease caused by vitamin C deficiency.

Fiber: Green beans have high fiber and guinea pigs need it daily to regulate their digestive system. If you feel that the guinea pig does not have a regular bowel movement, it will mean that the fiber intake is less and that can become dangerous.

Vitamin K: Another essential vitamin is Vitamin K, which helps with blood clotting issues and maintains heart health. Rodents need this vitamin in their regular diet.

Other Minor Minerals: Minerals such as iron, potassium, and magnesium are also found in green beans and they can prove to be quite beneficial for these rodents. If you feed foods that have these minerals, the guinea pigs become active and their physical activity remains high. Check out Can Guinea Pigs Eat Red Cabbage next.

GREEN BEANS

Disadvantages Of Green Beans For Guinea Pigs

There are some other nutrients in green beans that make them a bad choice for everyday meals. Here are some of these nutrients:

Calcium: A high calcium amount can cause bladder stones in guinea pigs. If you are feeding this vegetable to your pet daily, it might suffer from pain, which can cause immobility and it can eventually die.

Digestive Issues: Green bean pods are quite rich in fiber and if your guinea pig is eating pellet food, Timothy hay, and these green veggies, they can have diarrhea, which, if prolonged can cause a lot of issues for them.

How To Feed Green Beans To Guinea Pigs

When you get green beans for your pet, be sure that you select the organic ones because the processed vegetables available in the market are covered with wax and may even have residue from pesticides and chemical fertilizers. Wash the organic green beans properly and then feed a few to your guinea pig.

The ideal portion of green beans for an adult guinea pig is around two to three whole green beans. The pod is fibrous so your pet will keep chewing on it and that is beneficial for their ever-growing teeth. Guinea pigs’ teeth keep growing and they become extremely irritable if they do not eat fibrous foods that help them keep them trimmed. Also, read Can Guinea Pigs Eat Cabbage?

How Often To Feed Green Beans To Your Guinea Pig

The ideal frequency of adding green beans to your pet’s diet will vary with the individual. Some rodents can take this vegetable once a week while others may only be able to consume it once in two weeks. The high fiber and water content make this veggie a risk for the digestive system, and the high calcium makes it bad for the bladder.

You must feed this vegetable to your pet once a week and see how its digestive system remains. If you see them uneasy or anxious and if they are defecating too often, you can span out the duration between two doses.

Cooked Or Uncooked Green Beans, What Is Better

You cannot feed guinea pigs cooked food. Always remember to feed these rodents raw foods because, in the wilderness, they eat raw foods, which makes their body system acclimatized to raw vegetables only.

Moreover, cooked beans become soft, and feeding soft foods to guinea pigs will mean that their teeth do not erode and as they grow fast, your pet will be unable to eat.

Guinea pigs are nibblers and they need to keep eating one food or the other throughout the day. If you feel that they are liking the taste of green beans, and you feed them more of it, they can suffer from it. So keep the uncooked green beans as the only option and do not overfeed them as you see your guinea pig pet devour them with pleasure.

Frequently Asked Questions

Are guinea pigs going to die if I feed them green beans daily?

If you are feeding green beans to guinea pigs daily, they might get bladder stones, which can be lethal for them. Avoid feeding this vegetable more than once a week.

How many green beans can I feed my pet?

If you have a baby guinea pig, you can avoid this veggie and replace it with Timothy hay or pellet food. An adult guinea pig can have up to three green beans in a day.

Can I mix green beans with another vegetable and give them to my guinea pig?

Yes, you can serve other vegetables alongside green beans, but make sure that you do not feed them in high quantities.

Conclusion

Can guinea pigs eat green beans? If you understand the needs of these pets, you will be able to design their diet properly. Guinea pigs are small creatures so it is essential to feed them beneficial foods only. We have discussed the advantages and disadvantages of green beans which will help you keep their diet in check. Also, read Can Guinea Pigs Eat Cauliflower?

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