Can Guinea Pigs Eat Tomato? You are probably aware that Timothy Hay and other grass hay, which are low in calcium but rich in fiber, are the primary source of a guinea pig’s diet.
Because guinea pigs are herbivorous animals, their diets usually consist of only plants, fruits, and vegetables.
However, a guinea pig’s digestive system is very fragile, and for many reasons, it finds it hard to eat all type of vegetable or fruit, which we human may see as suitable for ours systems.
The first reason is that some species of food may not be safe for it.
Secondly, guinea pigs do not find all that humans can consume suitably, and that is because they possess different dietary needs.
In this article, you will learn whether guinea pigs can eat tomatoes, and if yes, how much can they consume in a given time, what species of tomatoes precisely, and you will also learn whether tomatoes are fruits or from the vegetable family, which is quite an interesting story on its own!
Contents
So, can your guinea pig truly eat tomatoes?
Well, you’ll know that shortly.
Guinea pigs known as Cavia porcellus are from the cavy family and are excellent pets for grown-ups and children alike.
They are less expensive, don’t eat much food, their maintenance isn’t on the high side, smart, funny, cheerful, friendly, and love to cuddle!
Interesting Facts About Guinea Pigs
- The starting size of an adult guinea pig is around 8 to 11 inches.
- The guinea pig’s average lifespan is 7 to 9 years but sometimes lives longer.
- The oldest guinea pig lived for 14 years and 1tenmonths; you can find out in the Guinness book of records.
- A guinea pig can even run as soon as it’s 3 hours old.
- Chewing helps them wear down their continually growing teeth.
- Guinea pigs eat their poo.
- They don’t sweat.
- Guinea pigs are crepuscular animals.
- Larger animals, people, sharp and loud noise terrify them.
- Your guinea pig needs a mixture of pellets, an unlimited amount of hay, and limited amounts of vegetables and fruits.
- Ensure your guinea pig have an intake of around 30 to 50 mg of Vitamin C daily to maintain a healthy diet.
As we all know that tomatoes are a rich source of vitamin C, so, yes, guinea pigs can eat tomatoes. The truth is, many guinea pigs love eating tomatoes.
Next, I’ll discuss the benefits of tomatoes for your guinea pig.
What Are The Benefits Of Tomatoes?
Tomatoes are a nutrient-dense superfood, even healthy for us humans.
So, the answer I gave to the question “Can guinea pigs eat tomatoes?” is RIGHT; therefore, tomatoes are safe for your guinea pig, too.
Tomatoes benefit guinea pigs because tomatoes are rich in vitamin A, C, vitamin K, potassium, folate, and fiber. Hence, the mentioned components are vital for your guinea pig’s health, particularly vitamin C and K.
Once more, vitamin C is vital for your pet’s growth development t; it repairs all body tissues essential for its health. If your guinea pig lacks enough vitamin C, that can cause serious health problems.
A fresh tomato contains 95% water, 0.9 grams of protein, 3.9 grams of carbohydrates, 2.6 grams of sugar, 1.2 grams of fiber, 0.2 grams of Fat — all per 100gr.
All these components of tomatoes being started boost your guinea pig’s vision, improve healthier skin, and aid in digestion. However, tomatoes consist of only 18 calories out of cal/100gr, which is considered ow.
Are Tomatoes Fruits Or Vegetables?
Tomatoes are the fourth most popular fresh-market vegetable or fruit.
When you look at tomatoes botanically, you see them as fruits, but they become vegetables to you when you see them legally. Therefore, tomatoes are fruits from a botanical view.
Not only are taste and the way we consume the fruits and vegetables different, but also the difference in the seed-bearing structure of a plant.
From a botanical perspective, the seed-bearing structures of a plant are fruits, while from a technical view, vegetables are any part of the plant that we can consume. So, as we consume the seed-bearing part of the tomato plant, tomatoes are fruits from the latter perspective.
However, a big legal disagreement took place in 1887, and in 1893 and because of the customs regulations, the Supreme Court announced that tomatoes are vegetables.
Read also: 6 Fun Facts About Rex Guinea Pig
CONCLUSION
Regarding the question that brought you into this blog post and even led you to the end of this article, which is “Can guinea pigs eat tomatoes?
The answer to this question remains yes, guinea pigs eat tomatoes, and many furry pets love tomatoes, too.
So, it implies that tomatoes are perfectly safe for your guinea pig.
However, the key is to give your guinea pigs tomatoes in moderation, in small amounts, and should be only a couple of times a week.
Although guinea pigs like to eat cherry, grape, or plum tomatoes, one tiny cherry tomato every three days is just the perfect serving size I could recommend.
Each blessed day, you should feed your guinea pig with a cup of raw and fresh fruits and vegetables that are rich in vitamin C, like I said, every day — daily — please, miss out PLUS your guinea pig need more than enough access to timothy hay so that it enriches it with adequate fiber and keeps their teeth trimmed access to fresh and clean water likewise.
To complete their daily diet, supply them with some guinea pig pellets containing enhanced vitamin C.
Now, you are fully informed. Hahaha!
It would help if you were not stingy with this information.
Why not share with other guinea pets lovers who are asking almost the same questions? Yo, it would help them a lot.
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Thanks for reading.
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