Guinea pigs are herbivores. Their diet is based on grass, hay, plants, herbs, and raw fruits and vegetables. However, not all fruits and vegetables are safe for these small animals. Let’s answer the question of whether guinea pigs can eat snow peas.
Guinea pigs can eat snow peas. Snow peas are high in vitamin C (one pea pod contains 37.8 mg of this vitamin) and many other vitamins and minerals. When guinea pigs eat snow peas, they eat a vegetable that’s high in calcium, magnesium, phosphorus, potassium, folates, vitamin A, vitamin K, and choline.
All these nutrients make them a healthy treat for your pet.
Guinea pigs cannot eat processed food of any kind. Their healthy diet relies on fresh and raw vegetables, some fruits, and unlimited amounts of timothy hay. Giving your guinea pigs processed food puts them in danger as their sensitive stomach cannot digest such food.
Additionally, they need nutritious foods rich in vitamin C such as peas.
Snow peas are a kind of legume with a high amount of vitamin C. And, since guinea pigs cannot synthesize vitamin C, they need veggies such as peas which are an excellent source of this vitamin.
Snow pea seeds, when planted in the soil, first become a sprout, then shoot, and then they become a full-grown snow pea plant with large, flat, and somewhat translucent pea pods.
Can Guinea Pigs Eat Snow Peas?
All parts of snow peas are edible so you can safely give a pea pod to your guinea pig!
You won’t make a mistake if you let your guinea pigs eat snow pea leaves, snow pea sprouts, and snow pea pods but all in moderation.
Just like humans, guinea pigs can eat this variety of legumes before it’s fully ripened as snow peas are reaped before their seeds mature to keep the snow pea pods thin and edible.
Guinea pigs should be fed no more than two pods and this should be once or twice a week if you’re feeding your guinea pig just one pea pod. Make sure that the snow peas you give your guinea pigs to eat are fresh and free from any chemicals that may harm your pets.
Can Guinea Pigs Eat All Parts of Snow Peas?
Guinea pigs can eat any part of the snow pea plant. Snow pea pods, snow pea shoot, and leaves are all edible.
The snow pea pod is more nutritious and rich in vitamin C compared to the other parts of the plant.
Can Guinea Pigs Eat Frozen Snow Peas?
Giving guinea pigs to eat frozen food is not the best option, even if you leave it to defrost.
All frozen vegetables, including frozen snow peas, are usually boiled before being frozen and placed on the market.
As your guinea pig’s metabolism cannot process cooked, baked, or fried food, you can cause more harm than good for your little pet.
The only option you can give guinea pigs to eat frozen food is if you freeze it completely raw and fresh, without processing it.
Still, you have to defrost such foods and serve them to your pet once the food reaches room temperature.
How Often Should Guinea Pigs Eat Snow Peas?
It’s recommended to feed guinea pigs with snow peas once a week with at least two snow pea pods or twice a week with at least one pea pod.
You can easily overfeed your guinea pig, so stick to the recommended serving size.
Are Snow Peas Good for Guinea Pigs?
Although snow peas are high in vitamin C, vitamin A, vitamin K, magnesium, phosphorus, potassium, folates, and choline, they are also high in calcium, which is not good for guinea pigs.
Snow Peas Are High in Vitamin C
Vitamin C is an extremely important part of a healthy guinea pig diet.
Both guinea pigs and humans cannot synthesize vitamin C on their own, so they have to obtain it through their diet, from fresh and raw fruits and vegetables.
Also, both humans and guinea pigs need only between 60 and 90 days without sufficient amounts of vitamin C to develop scurvy, a potentially fatal disease for guinea pigs.
For that reason, most commercial guinea pig pellets are fortified with vitamin C.
To combat scurvy, one guinea pig needs 30–50 mg of vitamin C daily.
Snow Peas Are High in Magnesium
Slow growth, softening and decay of incisors, overgrowth of molars, stiffness in hind limbs, and soft-tissue calcification are just some of the symptoms of magnesium deficiency in guinea pigs.
This shows that magnesium is very important in your guinea pig’s diet.
Snow Peas Contain Vitamin K
Vitamin K plays a large role in bone metabolism and blood clotting.
Nevertheless, rarely you can see a guinea pig suffering from vitamin K deficiency because one of their main food sources, raw vegetables such as leafy greens, is high in vitamin K.
Snow Peas Are Choline-rich
Choline is very important for the well-being of guinea pigs.
Scientists studied the effect of choline on guinea pigs and found choline deficiency in young guinea pigs resulted in a significant decline in growth, with the death of 68% of these small animals within 4 to 5 weeks.
Choline, neither a mineral nor a vitamin, is an essential nutrient for both humans and guinea pigs.
It plays a major role in the proper functioning of the body and affects fat transport and metabolism, cell structure, and the nervous system.
Are Snow Peas Bad for Guinea Pigs?
Snow Peas Are High in Phosphorus
When animals consumed the high-phosphorus diet they grew more slowly and the survival period was shortened. The soft tissues contained an abnormally high percentage of mineral constituents.
Interestingly, the requirements of guinea pigs for calcium, phosphorus, potassium, and magnesium requirements reflect an interaction among these microminerals. In other words, the concentration of one element in their bodies varies depending on the intake of the other three elements.
Thus, pay attention to these elements when feeding your guinea pigs, as they need a balanced diet to be healthy.
Snow Peas Are High in Calcium
Unfortunately, food high in calcium contributes to the formation of bladder stones (urolithiasis), which commonly occur in guinea pigs.
Often guinea pigs require surgery to eliminate these stones, and every surgery carries risks. Urinary stones are especially dangerous for male guinea pigs as they can block the passage of urine which can be fatal if left unnoticed.
Most stones in guinea pigs are calcium-containing salts, so you should pay attention to the amount of calcium in your guinea pig’s diet.
Avoid combining foods with similar nutrients.
The diet of your furry friend has to be varied and balanced.
What Foods Are Good for Guinea Pigs?
A healthy guinea pig diet rests on unlimited amounts of timothy hay, raw, and fresh fruits, and vegetables.
Leafy greens (kale, spinach, lettuces, cabbages, parsley, cilantro, bell peppers, etc.) and fruits such as apples, kiwi fruit, strawberries (and other berries), and watermelon are an important part of your guinea pig’s diet.
Guinea pigs eat anything you give them (well, almost everything), so make sure to feed guinea pigs fresh fruits and vegetables that are safe for them.
Always wash the edible parts of the produces thoroughly and cut them into small pieces to keep your pet safe and eliminate the possibility of choking.
Never give any seeds to your guinea pigs as they present a choking hazard.
Also, never give any processed food to your piggies. Guinea pigs cannot digest cooked, baked, fried, etc. food.
They cannot handle anything else but water, so don’t attempt to give them any juices, purees, soups, etc.
Not all foods are good for your guinea pigs as some may harm them and even kill them.
The following foods are not good for them because guinea pigs don’t have enzymes to digest those foods.
- Chocolates
- Yogurt, cheese, and other dairy products
- Meat
- Onions
- Garlic
- Nuts
- Avocado
- Mushrooms
Also, always stick to the recommended serving size of all fruits and vegetables you’re giving to your guinea pigs.
Remember that a balanced diet is a healthy guinea pig diet.
Your pets should always have unlimited amounts of timothy hay and a cup of mixed vegetables and some fruits every day.
Likewise, you should frequently change your pet’s water and make sure it’s clean and fresh.
Can Guinea Pigs Eat Sugar Snap Peas?
Guinea pigs eat all types of peas because they contain a good amount of fiber, a great amount of vitamin C, and many other essential nutrients.
Although they are healthy for your guinea pigs, never give your pets more than 1-2 pods of peas at a time.
Also, make sure to combine peas with other vegetables and fruits that are safe for your guinea pigs.
Final Thoughts
So, you’ve learned that you should let your guinea pigs eat snow peas but feed them with caution.
When your guinea pigs eat snow peas, they can eat any part of the plant like a pea pod and pea in between, pea leaves, even shoots, and sprouts.
But if you notice a string, you must remove it before serving it to your pets since it presents a choking hazard.
When you give peas to your guinea pigs, combine them with timothy hay and other vegetables and fruits to ensure a healthy and balanced diet for your pet.
Always remember to serve essential food to your guinea pigs in moderation. Vary the food to ensure balance in your pet’s diet and maintain their health and longevity.
