Can Guinea Pigs Eat Banana Peels? Beware Of These!

Can guinea pigs eat banana peels? Yes, they can eat banana peels, provided that the peel includes the fruit itself.

In America, people tend to throw away the peel when they eat a banana. But, there are some parts of the world wherein people eat the peel as well. Banana peels are safe to be fed to your guinea pigs, but they are better fed together with the fruit and not directly feed the peels to your pets.

This guide will further understand whether or not guinea pigs can eat banana peels in detail. Just read on to find out more!

 

Health Benefits Of Feeding Bananas To Your Guinea Pigs

Since the answer to your question “can guinea pigs eat banana peels?” is in the affirmative, let’s find out some of the health benefits of bananas for your guinea pigs.

• Develops strong bones and teeth

We have already mentioned that bananas are high in calcium. This nutrient is what helps our bones and teeth stay strong. The same is true with guinea pigs. Your cavy will appreciate having strong bones and teeth so they can run around more and munch on different kinds of food with no complications. (please read here how many teeth do Guinea pig have)

Right now, I’m happy because my vet told me that my pet, Ginger, has very strong teeth. This is crucial for me because he used to chew a lot, and I tend to give him toys. I was advised that I should feed him foods high in calcium for him to maintain it, such as clementines(do Guinea pigs like clementines) and bananas.

 

• Ideal for a healthy heart

Banana chips have high sugar content, but there are some nutrients in this food that can benefit your guinea pig’s health.

Feeding your piggies with banana chips can help keep their hearts healthy. Potassium can be found in bananas and all other forms of bananas. This nutrient helps enhance the strength of your guinea pig’s heart and helps prevent any complications.

 

• Helps in weight control and loss

Bananas are high in sugar; thus, feeding this to your pet can expose it to the risk of developing diabetes if not fed in proper amounts. When you use the recommended serving size, banana chips can help in your guinea pig’s weight control and loss.

Much more, bananas have a satiety feature. When your guinea pig consumes bananas, it tends to get full easily. Of course, when you’re already full, you will less likely consume more, allowing you to have a more controlled diet. The same is true when it comes to your pet.

 

• Boosts vision

The most common food that is high in Vitamin A is carrots. People don’t know that bananas hold the same amount of Vitamin A. Bananas are good at boosting your guinea pig’s eye health and sight. (please read here why Guinea pigs have red eyes)

 

• Helps in digestion

Other than potassium, bananas are also rich in fiber, which helps in their digestion. Guinea pigs need a boost in their digestion since most problems are with bloating and stomach aches. The fiber in bananas and banana chips helps in the easy bowel movement of your cavies.

 

Nutrition facts about banana peels

The peel of the banana alone has a couple of vitamins and minerals that can benefit your guinea pigs; it has vitamin C, phosphorus, and calcium.

Fruits and vegetables are sprayed with a ton of pesticides before being sold to the market. The skin is the most exposed part of the banana to harmful chemicals.

So, before you feed your guinea pigs with banana peels, ensure that you have thoroughly washed the skin. The skin itself is not poisonous, but the pesticides that adhere to it are not safe.

 

Risks Of Feeding Bananas To Your Guinea Pigs

Indeed, guinea pigs can eat bananas. But there are cases when it’s detrimental to your pet. The following are the risks of feeding a banana to your pet:

 

• Tooth decay

Too much sugar can cause tooth decay. Since bananas have high sugar content, tooth decay is a possible risk for your guinea pigs. As long as you feed them in controlled amounts, the risk of this from happening will lessen.

 

• High levels of mineral

It is normal to think that minerals are good for your guinea pigs because that is true. But, a high level creates a risk to your cavy’s health.

 

How Much Banana Peel Should You Feed Your Guinea Pigs?

If you’re a guinea pig owner, you can attest to how these little cavies love to munch on banana peels. However, bananas and banana peels should only be treated as an occasional treat for your guinea pigs.

Fruits such as bananas contain high sugar content. When guinea pigs have too much sugar in their diet, it can cause dental problems and diabetes.

If your guinea pigs are undergoing a strict diet, then we do not suggest you feed them with sweet fruits such as bananas and as well as its peel.

Here we have a step-by-step guide on how you should properly feed your guinea pigs.

 

How to feed banana peels for the first time?

Guinea pigs don’t do well with having abrupt changes in their diet. When introducing a banana peel to your pet’s diet, do it gradually.

First, test it out by feeding them in minimal amounts. Guinea pigs are known to be picky eaters, so not all will react the same way. I can relate to this process as Ginger is very choosy.

When you see that your cavy can eat banana peels, check to see if unusual things are happening to them like, stomach aches. The guinea pig might have swallowed the peel, but it does not mean its body can fully accept the new food.

Observe your pet and how its body reacts to the peel. If no unusual complications are happening, you can gradually increase the amounts you give them.

 

One Occasional Treat At A Time

Occasional treats are those kinds of food that should give in minimal amounts. When you feed banana peels to your guinea pigs, make sure that you don’t incorporate other treats immediately.

These animals like to be comfortable with the food they eat before venturing into a new one. In most cases wherein they are fed with different treats, they start to have stomach aches and bloating. You don’t want these complications to happen to your cavies.

It is not advisable to always give them sweet treats. Sugar in high amounts is dangerous to their health. After a while of giving them sugary treats, switch up to healthier options too, like cabbage. learn more can Guinea pigs eat cabbage

 

Can Guinea Pigs Eat Orange Peels?

On the topic of feeding fruit peelings to your guinea pigs, yes, they can eat orange peels as well. It has a high level of Vitamin C, which positively affects your guinea pig’s body. But, same as bananas, only give them as occasional treats.

 

Can Guinea Pigs Eat Banana Chips?

Your guinea pig will eat banana chips, but it is not advisable to feed them with it. Banana chips contain a much higher sugar content than regular bananas and peels. They can greatly affect the health of your cavies.

It is the same as banana peels; banana chips are seen as an occasional treat fed in small amounts.

 

Conclusion

Can guinea pigs eat banana peels? You can feed your guinea pigs banana peels and banana chips. They have great nutrient content that is beneficial to the growth and development of your cavies. But, sugary fruits, like bananas and all other forms and components, must be fed to a minimum.

Use them as occasional treats to give variation to your guinea pig’s diet. They will surely love the different tastes with the different variations in their meals.