Can Guinea Pigs Eat Snow Peas? Informative Facts For You!

Can guinea pigs eat snow peas, and is it safe for them to eat? Of course, snow peas have sufficient amounts of vitamin C content that is good for guinea pigs. There are many benefits that your guinea pig can get from snow peas.

As a guinea pig owner, I can attest that this kind of food is ultimately worth trying to feed your guinea pigs. They will surely love eating this, that is, if they would like the taste. Take note that guinea pigs, just like humans, have different preferences regarding the food they eat.

Just read on, and let’s delve deeper.

Facts About Snow Peas

Let me first tell some facts about snow peas before anything else. They are a kind of legume, precisely one among the varieties of pea.

These are eaten whole while in their pods and when they are not ripe yet.

This is also known as mange tout, which is the French term that means to eat all. That is also the generic term used to refer both to snap peas and snow peas.

This kind of plant is also known for its edible pods and the fact that it lacks inedible fiber. Meaning to say you can eat them as a whole, including the leaves, shoots, and sprouts.

However, if you intend to feed them to your guinea pigs, you should avoid including the strings because they can be a choking hazard for your pet.

Look at the snow peas closely and remove all strings that you have noticed before serving them raw to your piggy.

Benefits Of Snow Peas

Snow peas offer various health benefits for your guinea pigs. For you to know more, let’s first look at their nutritional composition.

Nutritional data of snow peas

This section of the articel contains the nutritional content of snow peas. This data is true for every 100 g serving size.

• Energy 176 kJ (42 kcal)
• Carbohydrates 7.55
  • Sugars 4.00
  • Dietary fiber 2.6
• Fat 0.2
• Protein 2.8
• Water 88.89
• Vitamin A 1087 IU
  • beta-carotene 630 μg (6%)
  • lutein and zeaxanthin 740 μg
• Thiamine (vit. B1) 0.150 mg (13%)
• Riboflavin (vit. B2) 0.08 mg (7%)
• Niacin (vit. B3) 0.6 mg (4%)
• Pantothenic acid (B5) 0.75 mg (15%)
• Vitamin B6 0.16 mg (12%)
• Folate (vit. B9) 42 μg (11%)
• Vitamin B12 0 μg (0%)
• Choline 17.4 mg (4%)
• Vitamin C 60 mg (72%)
• Vitamin D 0 μg (0%)
• Vitamin E 0.39 mg (3%)
• Vitamin K 25 μg (24%)
• Calcium 43 mg (4%)
• Iron 2.08 mg (16%)
• Magnesium 24 mg (7%)
• Manganese 0.244 mg (12%)
• Phosphorus 53 mg (8%)
• Potassium 200 mg (4%)
• Sodium 4 mg (0%)
• Zinc 0.37 mg (3%)

Now, after looking at its nutritional attributes, one may ask can guinea pigs eat snow peas and obtain health benefits? Yes, it is great to serve your pet with this food. As you can see, it contains a massive amount of Vitamin C, which again is excellent for your cavies. You can give it to them often as part of their regular diet.

Although this vegetable can be cooked, it is best to serve it raw. If you cook the snow peas, chances are, they will lose some of their nutrients.

Below are some key benefits of serving your guinea pigs with snow peas. 

• Good source of energy

Snow peas can supply a sufficient amount of energy that your guinea pigs need for the entire day. As stated above, a 100-gram serving of snow peas can supply up to 138 kJ.

 

• Improves blood flow

Snow peas also contain healthy minerals, including calcium and iron, crucial in red blood cells formation, and potassium to regulate blood pressure.

 

• Improves blood clotting

Snow peas are also an excellent source of different vitamins, including B1, B2, B3, C, and K, vital for health. Vitamin K has a vital role in blood clotting.

 

• Fiber and folate content

This vegetable is also a good source of folate. Aside from that, it also has high dietary fiber content.

 

Are Snow Peas Good For Guinea Pigs?

The question about whether or not snow peas are good for guinea pigs is answered in the affirmative. Before we get into details, let’s understand how to choose and keep them.

 

Choosing snow peas

In choosing snow peas, you should get those that are crisp, and their pads are bright green. Also, keep in mind that small and young snow peas are tastier and tenderer than larger ones.

Make sure to avoid those that have damages, such as yellowing or dark spots. And of course, you should also avoid getting those that are nearly wilted.

 

Preparing the snow peas

Choose fresh and ripe peas, and wash them to get rid of any dirt. You can give it to them with its pods not removed, but it would be best to remove them.

But then again, even if you choose not to, it’s fine. It is also recommended that you mix it with other vegetables like asparagus.

 

Serving size and frequency

Veggies are an essential part of guinea pigs’ diet, so feeding an adequate amount of snow peas is fine. Just do not serve more than two pieces at a time. Do this once a week.

But if you settle in one piece per serving, you can feed twice a week. Regardless, avoid giving peas more than twice a week.

 

Keeping and storing the snow peas

Make sure to keep the snow peas in a vegetable storage bag that is airtight. Then, store them in your fridge’s crisper section. Although it can last for a few days if you keep it this way, it is still best to feed them to your pets as soon as possible after you buy them.

 

Are frozen snow peas suitable for guinea pigs?

As you have noticed, when buying snow peas from grocery stores, they are often sold in a frozen state. However, you can’t feed your guinea pigs with these.

So I suggest that you buy these veggies in raw condition if you intend to give them to your pets.

 

Can guinea pigs eat snow peas that are cooked?

No, it is best to serve them raw. Foods served to guinea pigs shouldn’t be cooked at all. This also means that you should not feed your cavies with leftovers.

Additionally, guinea pigs are absolute herbivores; that is why they would love eating raw veggies i.e Sage and fruits. Raw foods are more nutritious than those cooked because they lose some of their nutritional value whilst they are being cooked.

 

Are snow pea pods suitable for guinea pigs?

Yes, snow pea pods are definitely acceptable for guinea pigs to eat. But make sure to remove first the string on the sides.

 

Can I feed my guinea pigs with snow pea leaves?

Yes. Just like the pods, its leaves are also great to be served to your piggies.

It is a healthy treat for your little pets that is good to be served every once in a while.

 

Are snow pea sprouts suitable for guinea pigs?

Snow pea sprouts or also known as their shoots are great for guinea pigs to eat. If you don’t know what these are, well, they are young snow pea plants.

After a week of growing a pea seed, it will turn into a sprout. Then, as it begins to develop its leaves, it would become a shoot. These are grown indoors all year round, but they can also thrive outdoors in chilly weather conditions.

 

Conclusion

Can guinea pigs eat snow peas? Probably, you now know the answer. Yes, it is decent food for your guinea pig. Given the excellent nutritional value of snow peas, it’s definitely worth giving to your guinea pigs. 

As a guinea pig owner myself, I could recommend that you serve these to your pets. I love how my ginger enjoys munching them every time I feed it with snow peas.

According to most pet owners, if you’d like to give it a try, the recommended serving would be in a raw state for about twice up to four times a week. But again, feed in moderation. Overfeeding will always bring trouble. 

We hope the information from this article will help you take better care of your guinea pig’s diet.

Thank you for reading!