Can Guinea Pigs Eat Snap Peas: Benefits, How To

You may be wondering, “Can guinea pigs eat snap peas?” Well, they sure can! Your furry pet guinea pigs can safely eat snap peas. There are many fruits and vegetables suitable for your domestic guinea pigs, and one of those are snap peas.

Although your little fuzzy pets may be comfortable with eating snap peas, it is advisable by most professionals to feed them only 1-2 pods around 1-2 times a week at the most. Snap peas are surprisingly a mix of garden and snow peas. Snap peas are the most flavorful and are most definitely sweeter than most snow peas(do Guinea pigs like snow peas).

All of these are what make snap peas such favorites in most guinea pig’s diet. Snap peas, snow peas, and garden peas are all equally crisp and tender, but most guinea pigs prefer the flavorful and sweet snap peas.

 

Health Benefits Of Feeding Pet Guinea Pigs Snap Peas

Can guinea pigs eat snap peas? Yes, your little fuzzy and furry pet guinea pigs can eat snap peas. Snap peas are very nutritious and contain high amounts of vitamin C, dietary fiber, and many other minerals and nutrients.

Although snap peas have many health benefits, there is still a large amount of sugar present in these peas. Guinea pigs are highly sensitive to sugar and sweets, so you should feed them these snap peas only occasionally and not frequently.

 

• Improves guinea pig gut health

Snap peas also contain a large amount of dietary fiber. Dietary fiber can provide various health benefits for your pet guinea pigs.

Dietary fibers can help improve the digestive tract for better digestion when your guinea pigs enjoy a meal. Besides digestion, dietary fiber also ensures that your guinea pigs are safe and healthy from numerous gastrointestinal problems, complications, issues, and diseases.

 

• High water content

Snap peas provide hydration for your little pet guinea pigs from their high levels of water content. High water content can help your guinea pigs prevent illnesses or lower the risk of catching other diseases while also staying hydrated. (please read here why does my Guinea pig drinks so much water)

Guinea pigs are pets that require at least 80 to 100 mLs water per day, according to recent studies. Snap peas are delicious, healthy, and can supply your furry pets with the hydration and water content they need to survive.

 

• Scurvy (vitamin C deficiency) prevention

Snap peas are rich in vitamin C; in fact, they are one of the most excellent sources of vitamin C. Guinea pigs require vitamin C in their meal plans because they cannot naturally produce vitamin C within their bodies.

Vitamin C is highly crucial and vital for your little pets because if they don’t have enough vitamin C in their system, this could lead to scurvy or vitamin C deficiency. Therefore, your guinea pigs can benefit from eating snap peas by preventing scurvy and several other health issues with higher vitamin C intake.

 

Risks To Consider When Feeding Snap Peas To Guinea Pigs

Whatever food you may give your guinea pig, it is essential to avoid overfeeding since it can cause health hazards. Here are some:

 

• High levels of oxalate

Oxalates are compounds that can lead to several kidney problems. And worse? Guinea pigs were one of the animals most prone to urinary tract infections. Due to this, the consumption of snap peas must be lessened compared to regular consumption.

Guinea pigs are not allowed more than 30 mg of oxalate consumption.

 

• High risks of urinary tract infections

Calcium is one of the significant components of snap peas. Unfortunately, high levels of calcium intake can lead to urinary problems. We suggest giving your pets 7 to 9 grams of calcium daily.

 

• Excessive amounts of phosphorus

There is a lot of phosphorus contained in snap peas. Considering there is also an abundance of calcium, these minerals will combine to form calcium phosphate. The said compound is a factor that affects the guinea pigs’ growth and development negatively.(please read here when are Guinea pig full grown)

 

Sugar Snap Peas For Guinea Pigs

Can guinea pigs eat sugar snap peas? Don’t worry, guinea pig owners, because your little pets can safely enjoy these sweet sugar snap peas while being out of harm’s way.

However, sugar snap peas are rich in water, salt, phosphorus, calcium, sugar, and acidic content. If you give your pet guinea pigs large amounts of these sugar snap peas, then it could lead to some dangerous and risky complications.

So, always remember to give your pet sugar snap peas in small servings sizes, and only occasionally. Feeding them approximately one to two pods per guinea pig about one to two times a week is more than enough.

 

How many snap peas are enough for my guinea pigs?

A guinea pigs regular diet should have hay and a mix of veggies, so it is crucial to keep in mind that snap peas are technically not part of it and must only be given every once in a while.

Snap beans contain quite an above-average amount of sugar so keep its consumption at a low level. (please read here can Guinea pig eat bean sprouts)

To balance out any nutrition irregularities, you can always incorporate other healthier foods with the peas to even everything out.

 

How often should my guinea pig eat snap peas?

Since pea is not regular food, you can only feed them to your guinea pig every once in a while. Preferably, once or twice a week and not consecutively. You may add them to your pig’s food intake sometimes.

Choosing to serve them in smaller portions can limit calcium and phosphorus intake, which, as mentioned, can result in various urinary diseases.

 

Can frozen peas be served to my guinea pigs?

Yes! Frozen peas are available for guinea pig consumption as long as they are defrosted and brought back to room temperature. Extremely cold or hot foods can affect guinea pigs’ digestion and, therefore, can cause stomach problems.

 

Are canned peas suitable for guinea pigs to eat?

Not! You should never, ever feed your guinea pig cooked snap peas. It is not healthy for them, and when cooking peas, the addition of certain ingredients like salt is ordinary. These ingredients, though, can make the food tasty, are bad for your pets, and can cause health issues. (please read here why my Guinea pig Die)

 

How do I prepare some snap peas for my pets?

Here are some step-by-step instructions you should take note of before serving some snap peas to your little friend.

 

Step #1. Gathering the materials

When gathering peas, you should look out for those in green color and are filled with peas. These are the ripe ones and the ones you should gather.

 

Step #2. Rinsing

Use clean water when cleansing the pod’s surface, and make sure you remove any traces of dirt and rinse it thoroughly. A clean pea can be more assuring to give your pets since there are no visible signs of contamination.

 

Step #3. Removing the pod skin (optional)

This step depends on you. You can either remove the pod or serve it to your pet, along with the peas.

 

Step #4. Serve

Your serving can be done in various ways. You can serve the peas on its own or collaborate with other veggies to form a salad.

 

Step #5. Cleaning

Never forget to clean. Cleaning then lessens the risk of germs sticking into the cage and infecting your guinea pigs. Maintain sanitation to keep your animals safe.

 

Conclusion

Can guinea pigs eat snap peas? Snap peas are vegetables packed with vitamins and minerals. With its numerous health benefits, it is an excellent choice to feed your guinea pig. Make sure to clean it well, and keep in mind all that you’ve read here.