Grapes are an amazing fruit that is enjoyed all over the world. Knowing that grapes are rich in vitamin C, many people presume that grapes are the perfect food for guinea pigs.
Can guinea pigs eat grapes? Guinea pigs can eat grapes and they really enjoy having them as a treat. But because grapes are high in sugar, they should be given in small serving sizes and not very often. Sugar is not good for guinea pigs as it can have a negative impact on their health.
Grapes are also filled with numerous nutrients that are necessary for the well-being of your guinea pigs. For these reasons feel free to incorporate grapes in the guinea pig’s diet but pay attention to the serving size and frequency.
Keep reading to learn more about grapes and guinea pigs. In the following sections below, we will talk about the health benefits of grapes for guinea pigs, possible risks, how often can you give grapes to guinea pigs, and more. Let’s start!
Table of Content
Are Grapes Good for Guinea Pigs? | Health Benefits
There are a lot of benefits that a guinea pig can get from eating grapes. The following are just some of the main health benefits of grapes for guinea pigs:
Vitamin C
It is a fact that cavies cannot produce vitamin C naturally on their own. For this reason, they need it from external sources. This vitamin is vital for guinea pigs. Vitamin C helps to prevent a disease called scurvy which is a condition that affects guinea pigs.
Provides Energy for the Guinea Pigs
Grapes can give your cavy the power it needs for all the activities throughout the day with the provision of vitamin B6.
Eliminates Free Radicals
Grapes are rich in antioxidants that will ensure there are no free radicals in the body of your guinea pig. This boosts its health and life span. They also help to patch up any damage done by free radicals to the body cells. The antioxidants are mainly concentrated in the skin and seeds of a grape.
Helps in Sustaining Optimal Heart Health
A healthy heart means a healthy guinea pig. If your guinea pig starts suffering from heart-related conditions, then this can potentially be fatal. And that is why you need to fix the situation early. After all, prevention is better than a cure. Potassium that is found in grapes helps to maintain blood pressure at optimum levels.
Aid in the Reduction of Cholesterol Levels in the Body
Cholesterol is harmful to guinea pigs just as it is to humans. The nutrients that are present in grapes help with getting rid of the cholesterol in cavies.
Grapes Can Help to Decrease Blood Sugar Levels
As strange as this may sound, this is a proven medical fact. As much as grapes are high in sugar, they have a low glycemic index, which is a measurement used to indicate how fast a portion of food can raise blood sugar levels.
Good for Eye Health
Many people assume that only carrots help to maintain good eyesight, right? But grapes also have amazing potential to boost eye health. The nutrients present in grapes can guard against eye defects and complications.
Grapes Can Improve Bone Health
The minerals such as magnesium, calcium, potassium, and manganese help the cavy to have a healthy and sturdy bone structure. Studies have also shown that resveratrol found in grapes improves bone density.
Protects the Cavy Against Infections and Diseases
There are compounds found in grapes that have the potential to protect your guinea pig against bacterial, viral, and yeast infections. This is why you need to feed grapes to guinea pigs regularly. Again, vitamin C that is found in grapes helps to boost immune function in the guinea pig’s body.
Boosts the Guinea Pigs’ Lifespan
The nutrients found in grapes are said to increase the longevity and overall lifespan of guinea pigs.
Prevents Inflammation
Resveratrol that is found inside the grapes has excellent anti-inflammatory properties.
Prevents Constipation and Helps With Digestion
Since grapes have both water and dietary fiber in them, they help during the digestion process and also ease the bowels.
Helps With Allergies
Due to the anti-inflammatory properties of this fruit, it is believed that grapes help with alleviating different allergies.
Nutrition Facts of Grapes for Guinea Pigs
This fruit has a wide range of nutrients ideal for a guinea pig. Per 100 g of grapes, these are the nutrition facts:
- Energy – 69 kcal
- Protein – 0.72 g
- Total lipid (fat) – 0.16 g
- Carbs – 18.1 g
- Dietary fiber – 0.9 g
- Sugars – 15.5 g
- Calcium – 10 mg
- Iron – 0.36 mg
- Magnesium – 7 mg
- Sodium – 2 mg
- Potassium – 191 mg
- Vitamin C – 3.2 mg
- Vitamin B6 – 0.086 mg
- Vitamin A – 3 µg
- Vitamin E – 0.19 mg
- Vitamin K – 14.6 µg
- Folate – 2 µg
- Lutein + zeaxanthin – 72 µg
Are Grapes Bad for Guinea Pigs? | Possible Risks
Grapes are generally healthy fruits and they don’t have any serious risks when it comes to people. Grapes aren’t toxic to guinea pigs, but there are a few risks that may occur when your guinea pig eats grapes. Still, these risks are easily controlled.
The following are some of the health risks of grapes for guinea pigs:
Too Much Sugar
Grapes tend to have a lot of sugar in them which may lead to complications in your guinea pig’s body. Some of the possible problems that may arise include diarrhea and vomiting. When your little pet overeats on sugary foods, it can end up with the symptoms we mentioned above.
Once you notice this, you need to visit the vet for treatment. Otherwise, as a first-aid measure, you can give it a sufficient amount of water and stop feeding it grapes. Another effect of too much sugar is the possible gaining of some excess weight.
Food Poisoning
This is something that is rare but can happen if grapes are not handled appropriately. Before feeding the fruit to your cavy, you need to wash it or rinse it thoroughly under constant water to remove any dirt or chemicals on it.
If you didn’t know our cute little guinea pigs can also develop diabetes, this is why you should really regulate the sugar in their diet.
Serving Size and How Can You Feed Grapes to Guinea Pigs
Can Guinea Pigs Have Grapes Every Day?
Grapes are quite sugary, and for these obvious reasons, you need to regulate their intake of grapes. You can feed the guinea pig once or twice a week with grapes. Even if your guinea pigs love to eat grapes, you shouldn’t give them grapes every day.
Because of sugar, grapes can cause serious stomach problems. This is why you need to be careful and combine grapes with other healthy food, like green vegetables, hay, and also water.
Can You Feed Guinea Pigs Grapes in Huge Amounts?
Grapes have some health benefits for guinea pigs, but you can’t feed grapes to guinea pigs in huge amounts. Sometimes less is better.
As we have said, you can’t give grapes to guinea pigs every day and as for the serving sizes, 2 pieces of grapes is more than enough for one guinea pig. More than this amount can cause health problems for them.
Do Guinea Pigs Like Grapes?
Guinea pigs really like and enjoy eating grapes. Generally, guinea pigs like to eat many types of fruits because they are like a treat for them. Grapes are sweet, tasty and they simply love them.
In addition to grapes, they also like to eat apples, blueberries, strawberries, bananas, and other fruit. Important thing is to give them these fruits in small amounts and not every day.
Can Baby Guinea Pigs Eat Grapes?
As we have said above, guinea pigs enjoy eating grapes. However, it’s not recommended to feed baby guinea pigs with grapes, because in that period they only need mother’s milk, alfalfa hay, and water.
After a few weeks, you can introduce to baby guinea pigs some other foods, like vegetables and fruits, such as grapes. Give them grapes slowly, and only in very small pieces.
More Information About Guinea Pigs and Grapes
Can Guinea Pigs Eat Green Grapes?
Guinea pigs can eat green grapes because these types of grapes contain a lot of vitamins and minerals that are good for guinea pig’s health, but also because they have low-calorie content.
Green grapes, or as we also call them green seedless grapes or white grapes are a little bitter in taste when compared to red grapes which are a lot sweeter. Your guinea pig will probably love red grapes more because of the taste.
Can Guinea Pigs Eat Red Grapes?
As we have said above, red grapes are sweeter than green grapes. Guinea pigs can eat red grapes. Although red grapes are sweeter when compared to green grapes, they have a lot of health benefit. Most guinea pigs prefer it more because of the sweeter taste.
Red grapes or purple grapes have many vitamins, minerals, and other components. Some researchers believe that red grapes can protect from different types of cancer. Also, purple or red grapes have harder skin than green or white grapes and red grapes are also richer in antioxidants.
So, you can feed guinea pigs red or purple grapes, but only in moderation, which means not every day and not in large serving sizes because of sugar the content.
Can Guinea Pigs Eat Grape Leaves?
There isn’t that much information on the topic can guinea pigs can have grape leaves or not, but we don’t recommend feeding your guinea pigs with grape leaves at all. This is because grape leaves are high in calcium, which isn’t good for the guinea pig’s health.
We also don’t recommend feeding guinea pigs with grape vines because it can be hard for their teeth and also their digestive system. So guinea pigs can’t eat grape vines.
Moreover, we wouldn’t recommend feeding guinea pigs with grape stems. If your guinea pigs have eaten some grape stems, nothing bad will happen, but try not to give them to guinea pigs. There are no special nutrients in grape stems that would have benefits for the guinea pig’s health.
To conclude, there isn’t enough research about these parts of grape vines for guinea pigs. So, it’s better not to risk and feed grape vines, grape leaves and grape stems to guinea pigs.
Can Guinea Pigs Eat Frozen Grapes?
People freeze fresh fruits and vegetables to keep nutrients in them. However, guinea pigs can’t eat frozen grapes, because they are too cold for them and can cause some stomach problems. The only safe option is to give them defrosted grapes that weren’t previously processed.
It’s so much better to feed guinea pigs with fresh and raw grapes because they’re herbivores and they love to eat fresh plants.
Can Guinea Pigs Eat Cotton Candy Grapes?
It’s not recommended for guinea pigs to eat cotton candy grapes, because this type of grape contains about 12% more sugar than a regular grape. They don’t have much more sugar than a regular grape, but they don’t contain enough of other nutrients that have important benefits for guinea pigs.
Cotton candy grape is actually a type of grape which taste is like cotton candy and which is made by hybridizing two different varieties of grape. So, if you want to give your guinea pigs grapes, then regular grapes will be a better option than cotton candy grapes.
Can Guinea Pigs Eat Grape Hyacinth?
Guinea pigs shouldn’t eat grape hyacinth, because some types of hyacinth plants are toxic. It also contain nutrients that can cause stomach and respiratory problems in guinea pigs, and even in some cases skin irritation.
There are many types of hyacinth plants and the grape hyacinth’s flowers on the stalk look like grape clusters. Some sources have said that cooked grape hyacinth is edible because toxic components are then decomposed by cooking and are harmless. But guinea pigs can’t eat cooked food, so it’s better to avoid giving grape hyacinth to guinea pigs. Avoid both raw and cooked.
Can Guinea Pigs Eat Grape Skin?
Guinea pigs can eat the grape skin as it is even richer in some nutrients when compared to the inside of the grape. The skin of a grape is a rich source of antioxidants. Red grapes have harder skin than green grapes.
It is important to note that you need to wash the skin of a grape thoroughly with water because it could have been previously treated with pesticides. Also, it would be best if you remove the little stem before feeding the guinea pigs with grapes.
Can Guinea Pigs Eat Grapes Seed?
Grapes can be seedless, but there are some types of grapes that contain seeds. It’s not recommended to feed guinea pigs with grapes that have seeds, because they can easily choke on the seeds.
Guinea pigs have a very sensitive digestive system, so if you want to feed them grapes with seeds, it is best to remove the seeds. Just wash the grape, cut it in a half, remove the seeds, and give it to your guinea pig.
Quick Facts on Grapes
The following are some more fascinating facts about grapes:
- Grapes are grown in clusters.
- The cultivation of grapes began around 6,000 to 8,000 years ago.
- There are about 60 species in addition to 8,000 varieties of grapes.
- The production of one single bottle of wine takes 2.5 pounds of grapes.
- Grapes are 80% water.
- Grape seeds are used in the cosmetic industry.
- This fruit is first mentioned in the bible where Noah plants them.
With food, you should be careful what to choose. If you are not sure what to feed them but believe your little piggies deserve some great treats, check our Helpful Guide to the Best Guinea Pig Treats to get some ideas.
We have also made a full list of foods that guinea pigs can and can’t eat (150+ Types of Foods). Be sure to also check our recommended products page for everything you will ever need to assure a happy life for your guinea pigs. Hope this information was helpful and you have found the answer you were looking for.
List of Sources
Grapes: A Brief History – University of Missouri
Vitamin C Requirements of the Guinea-Pig
Diet Composition and Mineral Balance in Guinea Pigs
Dietary Requirements of the Guinea Pig With Reference to the Need for a Special Factor