Wondering can guinea pigs eat plums?
It’s important to know exactly what to feed your guinea pig so that they don’t face any health concerns.
When it comes to fruits, guinea pigs tend to eat most types.
But what about plums?
Table of Contents
Can Guinea Pigs Eat Plums?
Guinea pigs can eat plums when eaten in moderation. Eating too many plums can cause severe digestive issues and diarrhea. It’s best to serve plums to your guinea pigs in small doses to help with their vitamin C intake.
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Things to know about plums
What plums are?
Plums are also known as drupes.
Plums are drupe and in simpler words, it is also called gravestone fruit.
Now you may wonder what drupe isā¦
So to your response, fruits that have seeds surrounded with gravelly pits.
Plums may not vary much but are not limited to also.
They are from the family of Rosaceae and belongs to the genus Prunus.
Plums are acquaintances to cherries and peaches and are widely gobbled fresh as a dessert fruit.
The plums can be of great variety.
Of them, the Japanese plum (P.salicina) and the European plum (P.domestica) are fruits grown for profit-oriented purposes.
In established areas of the world, some fruits are called plums and are utterly contrasting from fruits familiar as plums in Europe or the Americas.
Certitude about plums
- The plum dimensions can vary from marble size to that of a large volleyball
- Excluding Antarctica, plum trees are grown on every continent
- Plums accommodate very low proteins, calories, and fats content
- Its taste range from tart to sugary
- There are different colors and configurations
Can Guinea pigs Eat Plums?
Have you ever taken into consideration the certitude that when you distribute the plums to your guinea pigs?
They remain on munching the plums.
And entirely become filthy while eating.
They repeatedly keep on munching.
They won’t stop even if you continue to feed after they finished eating one.
They can end up eating all.
So the answer is yes.
They adore eating plums.
Are Plums Good for Guinea Pigs?
Nutritional utility that plums hold
Plums have a lot to offer, so your expectations attached to this fruit are not supposed to be regretted.
Well let’s learn what this fruit contains to offer:
- Plums are laden with vitamins and minerals and are a rich source of Vitamins A, C, E, and K. Plums act as a reservoir of antioxidants and flavonoids, which reduces inflammation respectively by binding with toxins
- Being potassium enriched, plums helps in maintaining healthy blood pressure and good bone strength
- They are natural immunity boosters, hence reduce the risk of illness and disease
Health benefits to Guinea pigs consuming plums
Health well-being that plum offers to guinea pigs are :
- A high amount of Vitamin C helps them taking in iron and boosts the immune system
- Being low in calories makes your Guinea pig elated, a jovial mind is equivalent to a happy soul
- Vitamin B6 helps in sustaining a healthy nervous system by making the transmission of nerve signals smooth
- Prevents brain cells break down due to higher levels of anthocyanin and quercetin
- Provides comfort from anxiety-related complications, which is high when antioxidants are low
- Potassium in plums can help controlling blood pressure
- It helps you in the removal of sodium through pee hence lessens tension in the blood vessels
- Lower blood pressure lessens the prospect of getting a stroke
- Prunes prove to be beneficial for maintaining healthy bone health
- Phytochemicals in plums bring down the inflammation that triggers heart disease
- Plums have sorbitol that is a sugar alcohol that acts as an innate laxative
The Guinea pig should be fed fruit sparingly.
The fruit, plum has its own merits.
Side-effects of plums for guinea pigs
However, before you choose to serve your guinea pig with mouth-watering plum as a meal, you should know that there are stumbling blocks too.
So come back to how safe is to feed plums to your guinea pig.
As we mentioned you can feed, but you need to pay attention to the proportion of plums devoured as a part of the diet.
But why do we need to take care of its consumption proportionality?
Why Plums are Bad for Guinea Pigs?
Now let’s see why plums are considered bad for Guinea pigs.
Here are some of the major reasons, why this statement does exist.
The first thing you need to know is, the plum pit contains cyanide so it is never safe to consume.
And engulfing cause a choking effect.
Worrying about what to do if your guinea pig swallowed one.
No doubt it will be a matter of extreme concern then.
We will discuss what to do probably in such alarming situations later in this article.
Can Guinea Pigs Eat Prunes?
Consumption of prunes (plum varieties that can be dried without resulting in fermentation are called prunes) to your guinea pig should be avoided.
It’s a big no.
Sugar content is high in dried prunes and can also lead to discomfort from diarrhea and upset stomach.
It’s noteworthy that prunes have nutritional benefits just like plums, but they are much higher in sugar.
Likely 66 grams of the sweet stuff are present in one cup of pitted prunes.
One cup of prunes also has 12 grams of fiber.
That’s why they’re a common home remedy for constipation.
That fiber gives them a low glycemic index, which means they help regulate your sugar.
Reasons behind plums negative impact
Why is this despite being so beneficial must be avoided?
Plums are pleasant-tasting.
But guinea pig’s digestive system didn’t evolve that much to digest fruit well, leading to nausea.
Also, plums are high in oxalates, which can lead to the formation of calcium stones, which leads to a condition called urolithiasis.
That can be menacing and painful.
Oxalates or oxalic acid is naturally acid found in some types of produce.
Oxalic acids bind to calcium leading to rigid stones emergence in the kidneys.
Since the piggies are already calcium stones prone, you don’t want to further worsen their condition by increasing the risk of stone forming.
Allegedly seeing their past health archive.
However, calcium is an essential element, hence they do need calcium in their diet.
As they don’t produce themselves like humans.
So calcium should not be avoided completely.
They should be fed, keeping in mind their health.
What should you do knowing the impact?
So as we all know the consequences, pros, and cons of feeding plums to a guinea pig.
Now what we need to know is are there any safety concerns you should think about before serving your life they love.
How to provide the goodness of plums to guinea pigs keeping in mind the negative consequences.
And providing them with the best.
What are likely to be the possible solutions?
So now read on to learn more about plum fruit Portion size, how many times one should feed them, how to cater for them, the right method to use, caution to take before feeding.
Let’s find out.
Cautions to take before feeding Guinea pig plums
If you want to feed your guinea pig with some tasty plum as a delight, then the following are the things you must keep in mind.
- Try to feed them firm plums, not the dried ones because they are least likely to contain GMO’s or pesticides
- To evade the possibility of the toxin presence on the surface make sure to wash it properly
- Feed-in small amounts
- It’s hard to resist sharing the delicious, luscious plum while having one as a delight to your piggies seeing their cute “eyes twinkling with hope”
- But you must avoid serving them regularly
Can they eat plums regularly?
If you provide your little piggies with the plum fruit, they will eat every day and most probably be contented.
But veterans highly discourage the fact of serving them with the fruit daily.
According to them, for optimal health plum should be served twice a week.
And that’s enough.
The right way to serve Guinea pig – plums
The best approach is to offer safely chopped up in bite-size bits and pit-free, fresh skin on plums.
The right way to prepare plums
If you want to feed your guinea pig with tasty plum, grab some fresh plum and wash it off well.
Cut off about one-eighth of the plum.
Chop it off very finely, skin included.
If your piggy doesn’t consume it even after an hour of serving, then remove the skin.
Skin is the part where the majority of the antioxidants are present.
Offer it in a small bowl.
Nutritional value of plums
We all know how plums are enriched with the goodness of vitamins and minerals.
So here’s a short description of the same.
Nutritional facts per one plum.
- Water (g) – 57.57
- Energy (Kcal) – 30.36
- Protein (g) – 0.46
- Fat (g) – 0.18
- Carbohydrates (g) – 7.54
- Fiber (g) – 0.92
- Sugars (g) – 6.55
- Calcium (mg) – 3.96
- Iron (mg) – 0.11
- Magnesium (mg) – 4.62
- Phosphorus (mg) – 10.56
- Vitamin B6 (mg) – 0.02
- Potassium (mg) – 103.62
- Vitamin C (mg) – 6.27
- Vitamin K – 4.22
Right serving frequency
Twice a week is perfectly fine.
What Food Should You Include in Your Guinea Pig’s Daily Diet?
These little guinea pigs do not have an advanced digestive system.
Hence now you may wonder what else can be a substitute for their daily diet as they are sensitive to certain food.
So the best-preferred options to include in their basic diet regularly for a guinea pig is unlimited amounts of Timothy or another low-calcium hay, with a smaller amount of high fiber that is Timothy- hay-based guinea pig pellets.
They must be provided with Vitamin C daily.
Vegetables like red and green hold a great amount of Vitamin C and hence must be included daily.
What else can guinea pigs eat?
- Peas
- Carrots and carrot tops
- Broccoli spears
- Kale
- Spinach
- Artichokes
- Tomatoes ( not the leaves or stem)
What varieties of fruits can you accommodate?
Some nourishing fruits and veggies that you can often serve without giving it a second thought are :
Cantaloupe, strawberries, watermelon, blueberries, tomato, green pepper, banana, lettuce, parsley.
Always keep in mind to give out them with fruits more often than vegetables as delicacies.
Foods you should never let your guinea pig eat?
There are numerous sustenance items, which are unsuitable or poisonous for your guinea pig.
So you have to pick out very attentively what to provide them for their optimal health.
Never distribute them with these things ever.
Guinea pigs are herbivores, which means that they devour plant-based food items.
And feral guinea pigs tend to scavenge for their food and munching on grass, weeds, and herbs as well as fruits and vegetables.
However, not all plants are safe to ingest by your guinea pig as many of them are exceedingly menacing.
Foods that can be well digested and liked by guinea pigs at the same time are very limited.
Grass bites
Grass that has been known is not safe for your guinea pigs.
There are several grounds for this.
Petrol or diesel
If you have a mower that is operated by the application of petrol and diesel.
Then the fumes due to pollution will contaminate the grass which can make your guinea pig very unwell.
Fermentation
The grass clippings are substandard for guinea pigs as they ferment easily.
When they nibble them all, it continues to ferment in their gut leading to circumstances familiar as bloating.
Hence, you must keep away from feeding your guinea pig with grass clippings.
Venomous components
It’s not always grass only, but it can also be a combination of venomous substances as well that you might have selected falsely.
And not for a moment noticed them spreading for instance daisies, buttercups, and menacing weeds.
Leaves of Dock plant
They can’t eat young dock leaves.
These leaves are high in oxalic content.
As I mentioned earlier oxalic acid is menacing for your guinea pigs.
Rhubarb
Irrespective of the fact that whether these are grown in your lawn or the wild.
These are menacing for your guinea pig.
If you raise them in your lawn then not for a moment let your guinea pig wander anywhere close to them.
Rhubarb can make your pig unwell and can be fatal as well.
Daisies, Buttercup and Celandine
These are dangerous for your guinea pig.
And so is a yellowish blossom indistinguishable to buttercup also familiar as celandine.
These flowers can be noticed abundantly amongst grass during spring and summer.
This suggests that you need to be extra cautious while collecting grass.
So that you don’t mistakenly pick these flowers or the leaves or the stems.
Plants that grow from a bulb
The majority of the plants that grow from a bulb are menacing to your guinea pig.
For instance, onion, spring onion, chives, daffodils, garlic, bluebells, tulips, shallots, leeks, and many others.
Rabbit food
Never serve your guinea pig with rabbit food.
Because rabbit food lack adds on Vitamin C content.
Rabbits can synthesize them on their own but guinea pigs can’t.
Plants that never shed
Plants that stay green always that’s evergreen plants.
These are menacing.
For instance, boxwood, ivy, rhododendrons, bine weed, and Laurel.
Hence you must always check whether these are even safe for your guinea pig or not.
What To Do if Your Guinea Pig Ate a Plum Pit?
Consuming plum pit is dangerous and it creates havoc as it causes the choking effect.
We never want to see little guinea pigs suffer like this.
So what to do if you face an emergency like this.
What causes more havoc is cyanide poisoning and physical obstructions.
Cyanide poisoning
Plum pits contain amygdalin which due to bodily conditions turns into cyanide when consumed.
Upon ingestion, amygdalin is hydrolyzed to cyanide by beta-glucuronidase in the small intestine.
Oral intake of 500 mg of amygdalin may contain as much as 30 gm of cyanide.
It is a potentially rapidly acting, deadly chemical.
In humans, exposure to cyanide can lead to fatigue, alertness, piloerection, dizziness, nausea.
Physical obstruction
Commonly causes extreme pain and discomfort and can prove deadly.
So you can conquer how devastating this incident is, hence what you should be doing is run immediately to a veteran closer to your home and get your Guinea pig’s X-ray and other required tests done.
How to take true care of them?
Well, they are quite peaceful to handle and take care of.
They need low maintenance and are adorable.
Thus all you need is hay, firm vegetables, fresh water, and formulated food processed for them.
Vitamin C companion is a must to provide.
A far-reaching cage with small warm bedding is all they need.
What can you do for a guinea pig if bilious?
They may need hospitalization, endearment, and tons of care.
You should take them for systematic veterinary check-ups.
These check-ups show beyond doubt to be obliging in evading life menacing situations.
Other disorders that Guinea pigs face?
Dental disorders
The teeth of Guinea pigs grow continuously throughout their lives.
The teeth may overgrow if the jaw and teeth alignment goes wrong.
This may lead to discomfort while eating, posing difficulties in chewing and swallowing.
Similar is a circumstance when ą«uinea pigs drool, this is familiar as slobbers, caused due to malocclusion.
Responsible for this condition are the molars present in the back of the mouth.
This is due to deficiency of Vitamin C, minerals imbalance, and even occurs if inherited.
Symptoms include weight loss, sinus infection, and even bleeding from the mouth.
Scurvy
This is a result of a deficiency of Vitamin C in the body.
Like humans, guinea pigs can’t synthesize Vitamin C in their bodies hence need to consume it through the means of diet.
Hence to meet up the requirements of Vitamin C, the proportion of food that is vitamin C enriched should be included in their diet.
Vitamin C is required for facilitating the protein production necessary for healthy skin, blood vessels, and joints.
The protein is collagen.
Symptoms in Guinea pigs are lack of energy, weakness, diarrhea, weight loss, etc.
Other symptoms include swollen joints, internal bleeding in muscles, intestines, in the brain.
One can examine this by investigating diet patterns.
Treatment focus on supplementing them with Vitamin C dose either orally or by injection regularly.
Loss of appetite
A condition called ketosis can occur if an excess of one of the byproducts of digestion is produced in the body.
Loss of appetite is caused due to changes in the bottle or bowl from which water and food are served If change can be a trigger.
Other main reasons include exposure to drafts, recovery from surgery, unable to chew properly, lack of freshwater, etc.
Treatment of appetite loss is necessary and should not be neglected.
If ignored the problems can worsen leading to more serious conditions.
Pneumonia
Pneumonia is the most common respiratory disorder.
It usually results due to bacterial infection.
Symptoms include nasal discharge, sneezing, difficulty in breathing.
In guinea pigs, specific symptoms that can be noticed is pink eye, weight loss, loss of appetite, and depression.
Pneumonia in guinea pigs can be diagnosed by analyzing discharge from the eyes or nose.
An X-ray can be done as well.
Treatment compiles syringe feeding, oxygen therapy to assist smooth breathing, and antibiotics (not all antibiotics are suitable for Guinea pigs).
Diarrhea
Diarrhea is caused due to attacks of bacteria, viruses, and parasites.
This causes malfunctioning of digestive systems.
Symptoms that can be noticed if your guinea pigs are suffering from diarrhea are weight loss, loss of appetite, fatigue, lack of energy, and dehydration.
Other symptoms can vary ranging from dull eyes, hunched back, abdominal pain, rough fur coat, fever, even low body temperature, to fecal staining.
Sometimes diarrhea can be asymptomatic which can lead to death as well.
Diarrhea can be prevented by keeping guinea pigs’ water bottles, bedding sanitized and properly cleaned.
Treatment includes roughage increase that’s fiber in the diet and lowering sugars and grains.
It’s advised to drink ample water.
Metastatic Calcification
This disease occurs more often in male guinea pigs that are more than one year.
The condition occurs hardening of body tissues is caused due by calcium deposits.
Symptoms include excess urination, stiff muscles, and joints, weight loss.
This disease is related to diet.
The deficiency of magnesium leads to this circumstance irrespective of the presence of vitamin D, phosphorus, calcium.
Ear infections
These are rare in guinea pigs results due to bacterial infections.
Symptoms are discharged from the eyes.
If infections spread to the inner ear then guinea pigs may show problems related to the nervous systems.
This includes rolling on the ground, spinning around, walking in circles, tilting of the head, etc.
Treatment depends on the fact where this infection has spread.
Before I let you go, here’s a short, quick conclusion for you.
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Final Thoughts
So the conclusion that we all can come to is that guinea pigs can eat plums but with proper take care and attention.
And only feed them twice a week max, irrespective of how hard it is for you to ignore those eyes twinkling with Joy in the hope of getting one.
Since you read it all, and now know that you can serve your piggies with plum so what are you waiting for.
I hope this article helps and you found all the answers that you were looking for.
