Can Guinea Pigs Eat Raspberries?
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Picked straight from a prickly bush or safely purchased in the produce aisle, raspberries make a marvelous treat. They’re fabulous fresh and wonderful baked into scrumptious desserts!
The question is, can you share your berries with your furry friend? And if guinea pigs can have raspberries, how many can they eat at once?
Here’s the thing: You can give your guinea pig raspberries, but you’ll have to make sure that they don’t eat too many at once.
This is a special treat, and it needs to be offered in moderation.
Raspberries Nutrition Stats
Rich in antioxidants and just sweet enough to make your taste buds happy, raspberries give you quite a bit of nutrition!
In a one-cup serving of ripe, fresh raspberries, you’ll get approximately:
- 64 calories
- 14/7 g carbohydrates
- 8 g fiber
- 5 g protein
- .8 g fat
Raspberries Nutritional Facts
Even though raspberries are a low-calorie fruit, they’re packed with great nutrients that benefit you and your cavy. For example, raspberries are a very good source of the vitamin C you and your guinea pig need for great health!
That same one-cup serving gives you about:
- 6 iu vitamin A
- 186 mg potassium
- 2 mg vitamin C
- .1 mg vitamin B6
- .8 mg manganese
- 1 mg magnesium
- .4 mg pantothenic acid
- .1 mg copper
- 7 mg phosphorus
- 7 mg calcium
- 6 mcg vitamin K
- 8 mcg folate
- 1 mg choline
Can Guinea Pigs Have Raspberries?
Absolutely! Since they’re lower in sugar and higher in fiber than some other fruits that guinea pigs like, it’s possible to offer them a little more often without any negative consequences.
You’ll still need to be careful to offer the right amount. Raspberries aren’t part of a guinea pig’s natural diet and most of their nutrients need to come from fresh hay and good quality guinea pig food.
Are Raspberries Good For Guinea Pigs?
Overall, raspberries are one of the best fruits you can give a guinea pig!
They’re absolutely brimming with vitamin C, they’re not terribly watery, and they’re fairly low in sugar. At the same time, they contain plenty of fiber, which your guinea pig needs in abundance.
Do Guinea Pigs Like Raspberries?
Most guinea pigs go crazy for raspberries! Once they’ve sampled that first raspberry, it’s likely they’ll finish up quickly and ask you for more.
Don’t give in.
Even though raspberries are great for your cavy, you don’t want to offer too much of a good thing.
How Many Raspberries Can A Guinea Pig Eat?
Good question! Here’s how much raspberry to feed your guinea pig:
| Age | Amount |
| Baby guinea pig | None |
| Adult guinea pig | 2 large raspberries or 3 small raspberries |
Look at the bright side. Giving your guinea pig just a few raspberries means there’s more for you!
The first time you give your cavy this new, exciting treat, offer just one small raspberry or half of a large one.
Over the next several hours, watch for signs that your guinea pig might not be feeling well. One raspberry isn’t likely to cause bloating, diarrhea, or a general upset tummy but it’s important to keep an eye out, anyway.
So long as everything is normal, you can give your guinea pig a little more raspberry next time and gradually work your way up to offering them a full serving.
How Often Can A Guinea Pig Eat Raspberries?
Even though raspberries are good for your cavy, they’re not a treat that should be offered every day.
You can give your guinea pig a nice raspberry treat once per week if you like, but not on the same day that you offer other foods that contain high amounts of sugar.
The Correct Diet Is Important
A wild cavy’s diet consists of small plants and lots of grasses. Almost any low-lying vegetation is fair game, and we’re pretty sure that if a wild guinea pig happened upon a raspberry, they’d enjoy it to the fullest.
Since lots of raspberries aren’t on your guinea pig’s menu, here’s what feed them instead.
- Fresh hay such as Timothy, orchard or oat – give your guinea pig an unlimited supply.
- Guinea pig pellets – offer a daily serving. Check the package to find out how much to feed your guinea pig.
- Around one cup of vegetables every day – a mix of different greens and crunchy veggies will do the trick. Be sure to rotate through different veggies throughout each week. Try to break this up into 2-3 smaller servings per day.
- Clean, fresh water needs to be available at all times. Remember to help your guinea pig stay healthy by rinsing and refilling their drinking bottle every day.
Remember to research new foods you plan to offer your pet. Lots of things are safe but there are a handful of foods that are toxic to guinea pigs and you don’t want to harm your pet by accident.
What Are Other Healthy Alternatives To Raspberries In A Guinea Pig’s Diet?
Guinea pigs like all kinds of vegetables and fruits and there are plenty that are safe for your cavy.
Here are some suggestions:
- green beans
- artichoke
- broccolini
- broccoli
- brussels sprouts
- arugula
- swiss chard
- cabbage
- sweet potato
- butter lettuce
- parsnip
- zucchini
- pumpkin
- parsley
- basil
- beets
- beet tops
- cilantro
- carrot
- carrot tops
- romaine
- mint
- cucumber
- buttercrunch lettuce
- bibb lettuce
- escarole
- rocket
- spinach
- bell pepper
- endive
- summer squash
- winter squash
- tomato
- bok choy
- asparagus
- yu choy
- watercress
Also Read: What Do Guinea Pigs Eat?
Now that you know you can give your guinea pig raspberries, it’s time to have some fun!
Offer your cavy a raspberry and see how they respond. It’s likely they’ll send up a few squeaks of delight!
FAQ
Are raspberries safe for guinea pigs?
Yes, it’s safe to give a guinea pig raspberries! Just remember to offer the correct serving size.
Can raspberries make my guinea pig sick?
While it isn’t likely, it is possible that raspberries could make your cavy sick. This could happen if the raspberries are spoiled or if you give them too many berries at once.
Carefully checking your berries for freshness, washing them well, and only giving a little at a time are easy ways to prevent tummy trouble.
Can guinea pigs eat raspberry leaves?
Yes, so long as they’re from a bush that hasn’t been treated with chemicals. If you have your own raspberry bushes or if you know where wild raspberries grow and you’re certain that they’re free from chemicals, your cavy can have a few at a time.
If you like, you can give your guinea pig raspberry leaves a few times per week as part of their salad!
Can guinea pigs have frozen raspberries?
No. Frozen raspberries have been lightly cooked and normally have a bit of sugar added. Since too much sugar is bad for cavies and your guinea pig can’t digest cooked food properly, you should only offer fresh raspberries.
