Can Guinea Pigs Eat Fennel? Benefits And Risks

Can guinea pigs eat fennel? Yes, they can. Who could resist those puffy guinea pig cheeks while eating?  Well, I can’t! Looking at our pet guinea pigs munch all they want makes us feel good. But we should also maintain a healthy diet for them so they continue growing at their potential. To do so, we should know the food, its benefits, and its risks, if there are any.

There are many things you can feed to a guinea pig. But have you ever tried giving them fennel? Is it right for them? Bad perhaps? Can guinea pigs have fennel? Are you having trouble with those questions circling your head?

We will answer those queries inside your head in a short moment. But first, what is fennel?

What Is Fennel?

Foeniculum vulgare, also known as “fennel,” comes from the carrot family. It is a flowering plant that is highly aromatic and is used as a flavorful herb when cooking.

It is a herb that has a robust anise flavor that some people hate or love. Most commonly known as sweet Fennel, Florence fennel, or finocchio (not the boy whose nose gets longer but finocchio).

Fennels are erect and have a luscious green color. They also have yellow flowers, and fruit is always mistaken as a seed. Well, this plant has a similar taste to anise and is also used in alcoholic mixtures and medical elixirs in Europe. 

The fennel fruit is also the primary contributor to Italian sausage’s flavors. It is widely used, mostly in Italian cuisines. This fruit is also present in some liquor from France.

This vegetable is rich in vitamins A and C, several dietary minerals, sodium, and potassium. Calcium, magnesium, iron, and manganese are also present in the fruit.

The question is, can you feed fennels to your guinea pig? The answer is Yes! But wait! There are other things you should know before you start giving them some.

In feeding fennels to your guinea pigs, avoid the seeds. Please don’t give it to them. Guinea pigs don’t eat seeds, but giving some to them might be a potential choking hazard.

Feed them the fennel bulb instead. Cutting this fruit into small pieces is the best way when feeding fennels. You can also feed them the leaves. Serving it the way it is or chopping it would be very much appreciated by your pets.

Benefits of Feeding Fennel to Guinea Pig

Can guinea pigs eat fennel? Vegetables and fruits usually have many nutritional benefits; that is why they are commonly suggested food for our guinea pig’s healthier diet.

As one of the vegetables with vast benefits, fennel, isn’t that much different from other vegetables your guinea pig eats. It also has some essential vitamins and minerals that are good for your piggy. Here are some of the benefits of feeding fennels to your guinea pigs:

• Lowers blood pressure

Your guinea pig needs to have a diet that has a low sodium concentration. Eating fennels can help your guinea pigs by lowering their blood pressure. Having a high blood pressure level can harm their health.

Fennels are known to aid in controlling blood pressure due to the minerals (like potassium, magnesium, and calcium, known to lessen blood pressure) they possess.

• Promotes bone growth

Since fennels have calcium in them, you can ensure that your guinea pigs will develop healthy bones. They not only contain calcium but also minerals like manganese which aid in bone matrix formation. 

Zinc and calcium also help in the production of collagen present in the bones. With these minerals, building up strong bones for your guinea pig will be easy.

• Good for digestion

Fennels are rich in dietary fiber. These dietary fibers help ease the digestion process and promote a good bowel movement for your piggy. It can relax the colon and decrease respiratory tract secretions.

• Immunity booster

Guinea pigs usually lack sturdy immunities, so boosting the immune system is a necessity. Feeding your cavy with fennels can help it boost immunity. Fennel contains selenium, which helps fight threatening diseases and infections.

• Diet

If you are looking for an ideal weight control diet for your piggy, fennels are the way to go. Dietary fiber present in fennels is a beneficial agent for making your guinea pig healthier. 

When your piggy eats Fennel, it will mostly feel full all the time. The reason why it will most likely limit the food it can eat.

• Other benefits

Feeding fennels to your cavy could also improve heart health. The nutrients that are present in the vegetable support the heart health of your guinea pig. It not only improves heart health but also boosts metabolism. The presence of vitamin B6 makes it able to boost your guinea pig’s body’s metabolism process.

Iron is one of the trace minerals both animals and humans possess, consuming fennels can help the body absorb a lot of these. Lastly, Fennel also helps relieve muscle spasms. Not that we can actually see it in our pets, but it does.

But before you start feeding fennels to your pet guinea pig, consider some risks first.

Risks Of Consuming Fennels

If you think that fennel is the wonder food for your guinea pig, you have to think again. Not all good things are entirely safe—some need to be considered first before taking any action.

In feeding your piggy with fennels, there are some risks that you have to keep in mind.

• Kidney stones

Everything must come in moderation because too much will harm. Feeding your guinea pigs too much Fennel can lead to kidney stones. Regulating their diet and feeding them fennels 3 to 5 times a day might be the best.

• Allergy

There is also a possibility that your adorable pet might be suffering from a fennel allergy. In any case, if you notice any allergic reaction in your guinea pig, immediately stop feeding it.

If that does happen, give it plenty of water as first aid. If it comes to worst—hopefully not, visit your nearest veterinarian for further assistance.

Final Words

Can guinea pigs eat fennel? Now that you know that you can feed your guinea pigs fennels, always keep in mind the things we’ve discussed. It has benefits but comes with risks. Keeping in moderation of everything should always be remembered. Nothing too much can be healthy.

There is no harm in providing a healthy diet to our pet guinea pigs. It is also best to be cautious than to be sorry. So if you want to feed fennels to your guinea pigs, yes, you can; but with moderation, because excess of everything is bad. 

I hope this article will help you take better care of your lovely pet’s health.

Thank you for reading!