Can Guinea Pigs Eat Arugula? Great Benefits And Risks

Can guinea pigs eat arugula? Now, let me say this first. Yes, your guinea pig can eat arugulas. This kind of vegetable doesn’t contain toxins that can harm them.

So if you feed them moderately to guinea pigs, eating arugulas doesn’t have any hazardous effects on your pet’s health.

Arugula is a great source of several vitamins and minerals that the body needs, such as vitamin K, vitamin A, and calcium.

Without a doubt that despite their bitterness, arugulas can be a benefit to a lot of animals, including your guinea pig.

On the contrary, one downfall of this vegetable is that it is quite bitter for a guinea pig.

Arugulas have a similar taste to pepper and its touch of bitterness, which guinea pig doesn’t like.

If you’re wondering if they are safe, continue reading. Can guinea pigs have arugula? Are arugulas edible? Can guinea pigs eat it without causing any problem? Let’s delve further!

Benefits Of Arugulas For A Guinea Pig’s Health

Can guinea pigs eat arugula? If you want to dig deeper and learn more about guinea pigs, I’ll tell you some of their benefits when you start eating them.

Also, arugulas are healthier compared to other vegetables.

As I have stated earlier, arugulas contain many vitamins and minerals, which is quite impressive. Now, let’s discuss the following benefits of arugulas.

• Has vitamin C

To begin with, this kind of vegetable provides vitamin C. Guinea pigs need this vitamin as a means of surviving. They are known for not being able to produce vitamin C on their own.

Vitamin C is necessary to maintain a robust immune system and plays an important role in collagen formation.

Collagen is important for avoiding early aging signs.

Animals, especially guinea pigs, can die or never grow if you limit the food you feed them. So don’t settle for just arugulas, though they are safe to eat.

• Contains nutrients

Guinea pigs also need other nutrients from other vegetables or fruits.

Furthermore, arugula contains a portion of some calcium and phosphorus with the presence of oxalates.

Now, that’s the reason why you should only feed guinea pigs moderately. These vegetables shouldn’t be recommended as feed to guinea pigs for almost a day.

As too much intake of oxalates and calcium can form bladder stones.

• Regulates weight

Maintaining the healthy weight of your guinea pig ensures overall health.

Feeding arugula doesn’t make your guinea pig look fat or gain so much weight. Simply because they don’t have many fats and eating even a large number of arugulas won’t still let your pet gain weight.

You don’t want your pet to be obese as it comes with serious illnesses such as heart problems and diabetes.

• Arugulas help maintain normal blood pressure

Aside from the fact they take in less fat, arugula is one of the ways to secure your guinea pig’s health. It ensures the well-being of blood vessels.

Limiting the intake of fatty food strengthens the cardiovascular system of your guinea pig.

• Arugulas are also great sources of energy

It is because of the mere fact that this vegetable is filled with proteins and carbohydrates. Carbohydrates are a great source of energy.

Thus, it helps them sustain their health and energy.

• Rich in fiber

 Fibers are important to maintain good digestion. Food high in fiber prevents bloating, bowel problems and maintains a healthy weight.

Arugulas are rich in fiber and can be a great source of fiber for your guinea pig.

Possible Side Effects Of Feeding Arugulas

Being aware of arugulas is essential for guinea pig owners to know the following benefits that they can give to their pets while feeding them with this vegetable.

It is also better to consider some risks before taking the role.

It might be a fact that arugulas have a large number of nutrients that can be helpful to the body but eating so much can cause serious problems to your guinea pig.

If your guinea pigs eat arugulas very often because it might cause complications regarding your pet’s liver.

Overeating arugulas can affect a guinea pig’s health and results in low blood pressure. If guinea pigs eat a lot of arugulas, it can put their lives in danger.

There might be a possibility for your pet to have respiratory tract diseases. It is very dangerous because it can eventually result in chronic asthma.

If you let your guinea pigs eat arugulas, it might cause skin irritations to guinea pigs, including unwanted rashes, frequent irritation, itching, sudden swelling, and many related issues.

How Frequent Should You Feed Your Guinea Pigs In A Day?

I’m sure that all of you learned about its benefits. So definitely, you would never hesitate to do what makes your pet happy and healthy.

Well, arugulas are only allowed to be fed once or twice every day. Always remember to feed them in moderation because many possible risks can endanger your guinea pig’s health.

You’d want to avoid the fibers and some sugar found in arugulas, as overeating too much of the mentioned component can cause your pet health complications.

Are guinea pigs allowed to eat cooked arugula?

Vegetables cooked are dangerous sometimes, you know? It is because many recipes with cooked veggies might have some toxic compounds that can harm your pet guinea pig.

It is much better to stay safe and feed your lovely pig with fresh vegetables until your veterinarian consults you.

Can guinea pigs eat arugula for almost a day?

Basically, NO. Guinea pigs can never eat a lot of arugulas for one day. As stated earlier, leafy veggies only one day at a time.

As you know, phosphorus can quite be dangerous to guinea pigs, found in arugulas.

But, don’t worry, I can reassure you that these leafy vegetables are very safe to eat and can give health benefits to your lovely guinea pigs, as long as they eat them moderately.

Can baby guinea pigs eat arugula?

Put in mind that it is a must for your guinea pig to have a bountiful source of Vitamin C. On the contrary, it would be quite long before baby arugulas grow bigger, taking at least a week or so on. 

Therefore, much better to feed them with freshly grown arugulas for convenience.

Are there any alternatives for arugula?

As mentioned earlier in this article, arugula is nutrient-filled food.

However, you can’t just settle to only one type of food, as humans or animals need to acquire vitamins and minerals by eating various fruits and veggies.

Nevertheless, here are some alternatives you want to add to your pigs’ diet:

• Romaine lettuce
• Coriander
• Carrot
• Cucumber

Your choices are not limited to this list; we suggest you explore more options to add to your guinea pigs’ diet.

But remember to introduce the new food gradually and make sure to serve it in moderation. 

Conclusion

After everything we have tackled, for now, you were able to know that guinea pigs can eat arugulas. You also don’t have to hesitate to feed these vegetables to your guinea pigs because they are safe to eat.

Although arugulas contain a number of essential minerals and can provide nutrients to your guinea pigs but always remember to feed them in moderation because it can still affect your pet’s health when given in excess.

Hopefully, this article “Can guinea pigs eat arugula?” answered your questions regarding arugula and will guide you on taking care of guinea pigs!