Guinea pigs need a balanced diet to be healthy. Besides hay, hay pellets and vegetables that are important, fruit should be a part of their diet as well but only in a smaller percentage. So if you go down the list of fruit you will wonder can i feed my guinea pigs bananas?
Guinea pigs eat bananas but you have to be careful how much of banana you can feed your Cavie. Banana has a high level of sugar so you can give just a small amount at a time to avoid making your pet sick.
If you want to know more on how much and often can you feed your guinea pigs with bananas, why is sugar bad for them, what parts of bananas can you feed them and much more information about this topic just keep reading this article
Table of Contents
Can Guinea Pigs Eat Bananas ?
Yes, guinea pigs can eat bananas but not every day. Banana is a tasty treat for guinea pigs and most of them adore it, but because bananas are rich in sugar you have to make sure that they eat small amounts.
So bananas should be a part of guinea pigs’ diet but only as a treat and should be served fresh so they can get most of the nutrients.
How much and how often can I give bananas to my guinea pig?
Due to guinea pigs’ size and the amount of sugar in each banana, you can already imagine that they should not eat an entire banana, but still, you are not sure how much should you give them.I asked my self the same question first time i wanted to treat my Cavy and all experienced owner suggest that:
Guinea pigs can eat up to 3 slices (max 15 grams) of banana once a week.
In case you plan to give them this treat twice a week than give your pet no more than 1 slice per serving just make sure to take a break for a couple of days between 2 banana servings.
Benefits and Nutritional Values of Banana?
Bananas are very nutritional, one banana on average has 105 calories. It is high on sugar but also low on cholesterol and fat. It contains Carbohydrates, Phosphorus, Fiber, Potassium, Vitamin B, Vitamin C, and other nutrients in smaller amounts
Vitamin C is important for guinea pigs because they are not able to produce it so it has to be a part of a daily diet. Even though bananas have a moderate amount of Vitamin C it helps keeping your furry pet healthy.
If guinea pigs do not take enough Vitamin C trough food they can develop a condition called Scurvy so make sure your guinea pig has enough of this vitamin in the daily diet (usually as a supplement) do not rely on small amounts of fruit to be sufficient.
Fibers in banans help a lot with the digestive process and prevent numerous intestinal conditions in guinea pigs. So bananas are great for guinea pig’s tummy.
Vitamin B6 in bananas keeps Cavies fur nice and soft (healthy) and helps to avoid skin rashes.
Banana is a fairly good source of potassium that prevents calcification and reduces the risk of forming bladder stones
As you can see there are several advantages of introducing bananas in guinea pig’s diet.
What Will Happen if Guinea Pig Eats too much Banana?
There are several benefits of having a banana in Cavies diet but if they eat too much it can cause health issues.
In case you have served to much banana to your guinea pig by accident most likely, it will not be fatal but it can cause a lot of pain to your furry friend.
Fibers in bananas in small portions helps with digestion, but too much will cause different types of gastrointestinal conditions.
Too much of it will cause gases, constipation, cramps, and even bloat so you can imagine how painful this can be. They will most likely stand still in one position and call (make noise) you for help.
In case you give banana every day, it will make your guinea pig ill and they will develop conditions like diabetes and diarrhea.
Also, bear in mind that guinea pigs have more body fat than other small animals (for example hamster). So you have to pay more attention to their diet because too much sugar in their diet will cause them to gain too much fat and become obese (with diabetes). Also, too much weight can cause hearth issues in guinea pigs.
In case you notice that your pet is getting too big, there is a solution for that. Take your Cavy to the vet for an exam. A vet will prepare a special diet plan for weight reduction that your pet will have to follow. Most likely your Cavy will have to work out (a bit) as well to get thinner.
I have also read an interesting thing about diabetes in guinea pigs that diabetes can go into remission. It means that after proper treatment they can be taken off the meds and their body will start to produce and regulate insulin naturally. If you want to read more about diabetes in guinea pigs go to this web page Net Wet (UK)
To avoid all of these scenarios do not give your Cavy more than 15 grams of banana per week.
Important note for cavies with kidney issues:
In case your Cavy has any type of kidney disease do not give banana at all. The trouble is excess of potassium in bananas that will not be removed by kidneys if they are not working well which can lead guinea pigs to death.
Can Guinea Pigs eat Banana Peel (Skin) and How Much?
First of all banana peal is safe to eat so you can offer it to your guinea pig.
I have discovered in the article on Live Science that it is full of nutrients and humans can consume it as well.
Nutritionist Laura Flores said in the article: “It contains high amounts of vitamin B6 and B12, as well as magnesium and potassium. It also contains some fiber and protein.”
Peel also has a high level of Antioxidants that helps remove free radicals and in that way reduce the chances of cancer and hearth conditions in guinea pigs.
If you decide to offer skin peel to your Cavies first you have to wash it thoroughly to remove all potential pesticides that were sprayed on.
After that cut it to small pieces and offer a small chunk to your furry friends to see if they like it at all. If they like it you can include it in their diet because it is nutritional and has less sugar in it. The downside is that it is rich in fibers and as I mentioned before it can cause constipation and disrupt normal digestions.
Make sure to limit the amount you serve them and consider it as a treat, once a week the same as with flesh part of a banana.
If your Cavies do not like banana peel you can always reuse it by putting it in the water container (filled with water), let it sit for a few days and water your plants. This way you will enrich the water with nutrients that your plants need.
Introducing Banana into Guinea Pigs Diet?
If it is the first time you are offering your guinea pig a banana starts with a small piece and see if he enjoys it.
Do not be surprised if your Cavie is not a big fan of banana and refuse to eat it because not all guinea pigs are the same and you just find the fruit that your Cavie likes and that is it.
If it likes banana gradually increase the amount you offer until you reach a max of 10-15 grams per week.As I mentioned before make sure your Cavie do not eat more than the suggested portion to avoid constipation, diarrhea, gases and other health conditions.
How to Serve the banana to my Guinea Pig ?
Choose the banana that is ripe without brown spots and decide if you are feeding your guinea pigs both peel and flesh or just tasty meaty part.
In case you are feeding them both parts, wash the entire banana to remove the pesticide from the peel and cut a few thin slices.
As I mentioned before limit is 15 grams per week (for each Cavie) so if you have a small scale just weigh it, but in case you don’t, cut 3 thin slices for each Cavie and you are set.
If you give them just meaty part peel the banana and cut few slices (up to 15 grams) and the treat is ready
If there is any piece of banana in the cage that was left after the meal make sure you clean it because it will go bad.
Can Guinea Pigs Eat Dried Bananas?
Yes, you can give your guinea pig dried bananas but my advice is to avoid them because they contain too much sugar.
As you already learned, too much sugar will cause numerous health issues to your Cavy so the fresh banana is a much better alternative.
Can Guinea Pigs Eat Banana Chips?
It is not advisable to feed your guinea pigs with regular Banana chips because it contains a high level of sugar and they are usually coated with honey as well. Depending on what are they fried in, it can have different spices so all in all nothing good for your pet.
If you insist on giving your Cavie this type of treat there are Banana chips specially prepared for guinea pigs and you can order it online but it is always better and healthier to give your furry pet a slice of fresh banana.
Can Guinea Pigs Drink Banana Smoothie?
Guinea pigs should not drink banana smoothies or any type of smoothies. The main reason is that you need milk or ice cream to make a smoothie and guinea pigs should not ever eat milk or any dairy product.
In the article of Humane Society of Huron Valley, they explained that all rodents (including Guinea Pigs) are lactose intolerant and their digestive system is not able to digest properly.
So avoid any kind of dairy product in your Guinea pigs diet.
What about Banana Juice?
If you make it with fresh banana and freshwater of course your guinea pig can drink it.
But if you were planning on buying Banana juice from the store that is maybe mixed with other fruit and you wanted to know if you can give it to your Cavies, the answer is NO! Those juices are full of sugar and other ingredients that are bad for guinea pigs.
Can i feed my Guinea Pig with Banana Leaves?
Yes guinea pigs can eat banana leaves. Banana leaves are rich with natural antioxidants but their texture is a bit hard for Cavies.
So if you plan including Banana leaves in Guinea pig’s diet make sure to wash them thoroughly. Cut a leaf in the small pieces to make it easier for your pet to eat. The amount is the same for bananas small portions once a week.
Are Banana Peppers good for Guinea Pigs ?
To answer this question we have to make a difference between sweet and hot banana peppers.
Sweet banana peppers are great vegetables for guinea pigs and they are rich with vitamin C that is vital for guinea pigs.
When it comes to hot banana peppers, even though they are not too hot they are still bad for guinea pigs and they should not eat it. It is important to make sure what type of pepper are you serving your pet because the hot one will hurt them.
What if my Guinea Pig does not like Bananas what is the Alternative?
If your guinea pig does not like bananas and you need to find alternative fruit no worries there are plenty of other kinds with the same amount of nutrients
You can try with apples that are rich with Vitamin C, Calcium, Phosphorous
Besides they are rich in nutrients they also have a high level of sugar so you have to control the amount of Apples you give to your guinea pig.
Kiwi is also a great alternative rich with vitamin C and contains calcium and phosphorous as well. Has a high level of sugar so must be served in small amounts and always make sure to peel off the skin before serving.
There is also a vegetable that could be a good alternative to bananas.
Sweet peppers (bell peppers) are a great source of vitamin c and has much less sugar than bananas. It has a balanced amount of fibers and you do not have to be careful about how much bell peppers did your guinea pig had.
And best of all most of guinea pigs love to eat them.
Final thought
Even though your furry friends might enjoy a banana treat, you have to be strict on how much you feed them. You want your guinea pig to be healthy so max 15 grams of banans per week is the limit. When introducing bananas watch for any change in guinea pig’s behavior especially digestion so you can react on time if bananas don’t agree with their body.
In case your guinea pig does not like bananas at all there are alternatives just make sure they have enough vitamin C and fibers in their diet. If you take good care of your Cavy he will be healthy and happy and you will be able to enjoy its company.
