Oranges are citrus fruits that contain high vitamin C and other nutrients like potassium, a little bit of calcium and vitamin B6.But the question is, are they good for guinea pigs? Well, guinea pigs need vitamin C in their daily diet to stay healthy and disease-free.Oranges are packed with vitamin C and have less fat and fiber content. And, because of their high vitamin C content, oranges can be given to guinea pigs to meet their daily vitamin C requirements. However, the amount of natural sugar in oranges is high, so owners are directed not to give oranges or any fruit in general to guinea pigs in high amounts or on a daily basis. Oranges can be given as occasional treats in order to supplement their diet. Oranges have less fat so it won’t make a guinea pig fat in any way, but the presence of high sugar can make your pet put on weight over time. Actually, guinea pigs cannot break down sugar and that’s why they put on weight. Feeding oranges to your pet has lots of pros and cons. Read the whole article to know in detail!And if you have liked reading this article, then you may also like our fun fact articles on can guinea pigs eat apples and can guinea pigs eat kiwi.Are oranges safe for guinea pigs?Guinea pigs are small mouse-like animals that are extremely cute and adorable in nature. Guinea pigs are social and easy to keep pets as they have no tantrums. Guinea pigs mostly eat hay, guinea pig foods and also eat fruits and vegetables in a small amount. One of the most important nutrients that guinea pigs require is vitamin C, which they cannot produce by themselves and need external sources as supplements. Oranges are rich in vitamin C and can be given to guinea pigs but in a small amount.Lots of guinea pig owners have a doubt in their head whether they can feed oranges to their pet guinea pig or not. Well, oranges are safe for guinea pigs as long as they are given in a moderate or small amount. Oranges have several health benefits, as they are packed with nutrients that are good for guinea pigs. Oranges contain a high amount of vitamins and minerals that eliminate lots of health problems. Oranges are generally good; however, if given in high amounts, they can also cause severe health issues. Along with vitamin C, oranges contain a high amount of sugar as well. Fruits with high sugar content are bad for guinea pigs as they cannot break down sugar into energy. In a guinea pig’s diet, around 80% contains hay and guinea pig food. The rest (20%) contains vegetables and fruits. Fruits are usually given in small amounts or as occasional treats so that they don’t harm an animal. As fruits are high in sugar, they can be given twice a week. Always give fresh fruits and vegetables to your pet. Oranges have a high sugar content, are low in fiber content, high in potassium, have less fat, and have a high vitamin C content.Benefits Of Oranges For Guinea PigsWhat is exactly an orange? Orange is a citrus fruit that has an orange-colored peel and is round in shape.These citrus fruits have very high vitamin C and sugar content compared to other fruits. Orange peels have triple the amount of vitamin C present in the fruit. The mandarin orange, also known as the tangerine, is another famous relative of the orange. Oranges have a lot of health benefits as they are packed with a high amount of vitamin C which boosts immunity and fights a lot of diseases. They also have less fat content so there is no need to worry about putting on weight. Oranges also have lots of health benefits for guinea pigs.Guinea pigs are animals who have a constant threat of scurvy. Vitamin C eliminates the chance of getting scurvy and also boosts immunity. Orange is one such fruit that has a high amount of vitamin C and guinea pigs also like oranges. Guinea pigs love sweet fruits like oranges. The two most important nutrients that a guinea pig needs on a daily basis are vitamin C and fiber. Guinea pigs cannot produce vitamin C and need external food sources to meet the need. Feeding oranges to your pet can easily meet its need for vitamin C. But, while feeding oranges to your pet, make sure that you are removing orange seeds as they can get stuck in its windpipe. Guinea pigs can eat oranges but in small amounts, as oranges have some drawbacks as well.The serving size of orange should be much less than you would eat or you can just give it to them around twice a week and on no alternate days. Along with high vitamin C, oranges also have high natural sugar in them, which is dangerous in the long run for guinea pigs. Actually, a guinea pig’s digestive system can’t really digest sugar and break it into energy. If your pet keeps on eating sugar, it will gradually put on more weight, which is bad for its health. Excessive sugar can cause diabetes as well. So, always feed oranges and other sweet fruits in a small amount. Also, oranges have low fiber and fat content. So there is no need to worry about your pet putting on weight.Be it orange or any other fruit or even vegetable, always feed your pet the fresh version. Guinea pigs can eat lots of foods but if food gets old, then just dispose of it. Avoid giving them processed foods like orange juice or mango juice as the preservatives and artificial sweeteners present in them can be extremely harmful. A guinea pig’s diet mainly contains fiber-rich foods like grass and hay so always keep a stack aside for them as guinea pigs are always hungry and constantly need something to chew on.How many oranges can I feed my guinea pig?A guinea pig’s diet mainly requires two things: fiber and vitamin C. Guinea pigs can eat a variety of fruits and vegetables in order to attain these nutrients. But being a pet owner, it’s your duty to know what food is good for your pet and what should be its serving size. Vitamin C-rich fruits, like oranges or tangerines (also known as mandarin oranges), are the perfect food that you can give to your pet. Guinea pigs love to eat mandarin oranges and they can also eat the peel. The peel portion has the highest amount of vitamin C which is even more than the fruit itself.Your guinea pig pet’s diet mainly includes hay and grass. They acquire the needed fiber from hay, and they eat grass for vitamin c. They also rely on veggies and fruits. As said, 80% of their diet includes grass and hay and the rest (20%) includes veggies and fruits. Now, as an owner, it’s your duty to choose the best veggies or fruit that you want to give to your pet guinea pigs to eat. In fruits, you can give oranges and mangoes to your pet guinea pigs to eat. You can choose any fruit that is high in vitamin C and has comparatively less sugar in it. Oranges, however, are high in sugar as well. Because they have a lot of sugar in them, it is better to give oranges to guinea pigs around once or twice a week and in a small amount. Consuming too much sugar can cause diabetes and other health problems in guinea pigs. Some cautions to keep in mind before feeding orange fruit are that orange is a big fruit and you shouldn’t give the whole fruit to your pet. So, always feed them fresh oranges and never give them those which you have refrigerated for a week. Another thing is always to remove all orange seeds, as they can get stuck in their food pipe.Now, another thing to discuss is that what veggies you can feed your pet. Well, just like sugar, another element you should totally try to remove from their diet is calcium. Guinea pigs, when they are young, need calcium for healthy and strong bone development but, when they grow up, they don’t need calcium that much. Vegetables have fiber and vitamin C and, along with that, also have a good amount of calcium as well. Actually, calcium in high amounts can cause health issues that can be fatal. Calcium, if taken in a good quantity, gets deposited in the kidney and bladder and forms crystals, causing kidney and bladder stones. So always pick those veggies which contain more vitamin C than calcium. Some veggies that you can give to your pet are lettuce, celery, cauliflower, a small amount of cabbage and broccoli.Can guinea pigs eat canned oranges?Guinea pigs eat lots of fruits and veggies, and, out of these, sweet fruits are their all-time favorite.Guinea pigs eat fruits like oranges with great satisfaction and happiness but just because of this, don’t serve them a whole orange, as oranges are supplement foods that are given in small quantities and rarely. Oranges are actually high in vitamin C which is crucial for guinea pigs. Orange peels have triple the amount of vitamin C that is present in the fruit. If served, guinea pigs eat orange peels also. But always remember to give fresh fruits to your pet guinea pigs. Remember that orange juice or canned oranges that are found in the market are not at all good for guinea pigs.Guinea pigs eat oranges as pieces. There is no need to squeeze out the orange juice for them. Oranges have good nutritional value in their diet if given in a moderate amount. Orange has high vitamin C and sugar content, so if given daily or in a big amount, the sugar portion in orange can cause adverse effects on their health. You can also give orange peels in smaller amounts to guinea pigs as orange peels have way more vitamin C than the fruit and have comparatively less sugar as well. Guinea pigs are animals who need a constant supply of food as they always keep chewing. It is said that guinea pigs keep chewing to rub their teeth and reduce the length as they always keep growing. As guinea pigs need food, always make sure the food you are giving is fresh because, if the food is stale or processed, it can make your pet guinea pig sick. As we were talking about oranges, always give them fresh oranges in pieces. Never make them eat canned oranges or packed orange juice. These processed foods have preservatives and other chemicals which are not at all good for guinea pigs. There is no need to make juice out of oranges at home either. Oranges don’t contain much fiber and squeezing the juice out will drain more fiber so this extra effort has no use.Here at Kidadl, we have carefully created lots of interesting family-friendly facts for everyone to enjoy! If you liked our suggestions for ‘Can guinea pigs eat oranges?’ then why not take a look at ‘Can guinea pigs eat mango?’, or ‘Guinea pig facts’.
Oranges are citrus fruits that contain high vitamin C and other nutrients like potassium, a little bit of calcium and vitamin B6.
