Bananas are rich in a wide variety of nutrients, and they range from vitamins and minerals to antioxidants which prevent cell degeneration and, therefore, aging. But can guinea pigs eat bananas?
We’re answering this question and more in today’s post, so keep on reading!
Can Guinea Pigs Eat Bananas?
In short, yes. However, bananas should not make up a big portion of any guinea pig’s diet. In fact, most of this species’ diet should be composed of hay and good-quality guinea pig food (pellets included), as well as fruits and vegetables.
Guinea pigs thrive on a diet that is as low in sugar and fat as possible, so they should never have human foods such as meat, dairy products, or whatever else you might put on your table besides fruits and veggies.
Since they have a vitamin C requirement of 30 mg to 50 mg, supplementing with fresh greens, veggies, and fruit, is highly recommended — but these should still not make up more than 5-10% of their entire diet.
Nutrients found in bananas
Potassium
Although we could have listed this nutrient in the ‘mineral’ category that we are going to tackle below, we decided to create a separate section about it. Potassium is extremely important for keeping your guinea pig’s organs healthy and functioning properly.
Bananas are pretty rich in this essential nutrient, and there are as many as 3.6mg in just one gram of fruit. Besides making sure that your piggy’s heart, kidneys, and lungs are working properly, potassium is also involved in a variety of other body processes, such as regulating blood flow. It might even prevent muscle cramps, as well as osteoporosis.
Vitamins
Bananas are rich in the following vitamins:
- Vitamin A
- Vitamin B1
- Vitamin B6
- Vitamin C
Out of all of these, the last one is particularly important for this species as it can prevent scurvy. Vitamin C deficiency is found in other mammals, including humans, but the biggest problem with this nutrient is that it cannot be produced by the body. For example, we all produce vitamin D naturally (and guinea pigs do, too) by being exposed to natural light — but this does not happen with vitamin C.
For some guinea pig categories, vitamin C is even more important, such as pregnant females and the young. Since vitamin C makes it possible for your guinea pig’s immune system to function properly, it goes without saying that if your pet develops this type of deficiency, he or she might become prone to a whole range of other diseases.
Minerals
Besides potassium, bananas also contain magnesium, calcium, phosphorus, selenium, and manganese. Of course, bananas contain much less calcium compared to other types of foods since for example, there are just 5 mg of this mineral in 100 grams of fruit.
But all of these minerals contribute to your guinea pig’s body working properly, and if you give your piggy a small amount of the fruit, you are not going to have to worry about exceeding any limits.
Fiber
One hundred grams of banana have about 23 grams of carbs out of which 2.6 grams are dietary fiber. So the fruit in itself isn’t super-rich in fiber (but very rich in sugar), so it can’t really regulate your guinea pig’s digestion.
Some pet owners feel that feeding banana peel to their piggies might be better, but the truth is that the peel is so rich in fiber that it can cause other problems, such as constipation. The last thing you might want to deal with is this since in this species, constipation and intestinal blockages can be extremely dangerous and even life-threatening.
Even the fruit itself can cause problems such as cramps, bloat, and gas.
How Much Banana Should a Guinea Pig Have?
One thing is for sure — a whole banana is too much for a guinea pig. We can’t provide you with a specific amount that you can safely give to all members of this species as they can vary in size depending on the exact breed they are and they might also be young or old, so they should have less.
As a general rule, though, you should avoid giving your guinea pig more than one thin slice of banana per week — just to be on the safe side of things. Avoid giving your pet banana bites every day, no matter how much he or she might love the fruit.
You can split up the quantity that we mentioned into 2-3 portions if you want, but this would still mean that you should have to give your guinea pig less than one teaspoon of banana twice a week.
Another piece of advice that we have for you is to start small and make sure you keep an eye on your piggy for at least twelve to twenty-four hours after feeding them the banana snack.
Can Guinea Pigs Eat Banana Chips?
No. Banana chips are incredibly rich in sugar, and even if you’ve prepared them yourself by baking slices of the fruit in your oven, they’re still going to cause a significant blood sugar spike.
Commercial banana chips are the worst as they have added sugar. Low-calorie variants should also be avoided as they can contain artificial sweeteners that can put your pet’s health and life at risk.
Can Guinea Pigs Eat Banana Leaves?
Yes, but in moderation. If you live in the subtropical area, for example, and you have banana trees in your orchard, you can feed your guinea pigs the leaves. They can even be dried and turned into ‘hay’.
Most guinea pigs love banana leaves but some can be completely put off by them and might not even want to go near them. Make sure that the leaves you do give your pets come from trees that haven’t been sprayed with pesticides, weed killers, or any other chemicals.
