One vegetable that many people use is rutabaga (swede), a large root vegetable that’s a bit like a large, sweet turnip. If you walking down the supermarket aisles with your guinea pig in mind, here is the answer to whether guinea pigs can eat rutabaga safely as a treat.
Can Guinea Pigs Eat Rutabaga?
Guinea pigs can eat rutabaga, safely. It’s not a hazard to guinea pigs. However, rutabaga should only be fed in small portions occasionally to guinea pigs, as part of a varied diet mainly based on hay. The peel, stem and leaves of rutabaga are also safe for guinea pigs to eat. Rutabaga is high in carbohydrates, so should only be an occasional treat for guinea pigs. The main diet for a guinea pig should be hay, with a handful of greens and pellets each day, and water.
How Much Rutabaga Should I Give My Guinea Pig?
You should only give rutabaga as a treat to your guinea pig – it should not be their main food (see below for some of the reasons why).
You can give up to about a tablespoon of rutabaga to your bunny a few times a week.
If you have a younger guinea pig, it’s best to introduce foods one at a time to ensure that their developing digestive systems can adjust to the new food.
It’s best to wait until guinea pigs are at least twelve weeks old before introducing any foods like rutabaga.
Remember that you should rotate which vegetables and greens you feed your guinea pig. A good variety of vegetables is good for their diet and health, ensuring your guinea pig gets all the minerals and vitamins they need.
It also important that your guinea pig doesn’t get too much of a particular vegetable or a vegetable is high in one mineral or vitamin.
Is Rutabaga Good For Guinea Pigs?
Amount per 100g of rutabaga
- Calories – 155kJ; 37 kcal
- Fat – 0.16g
- Carbohydrate – 8.62g
- Fibre – 2.3g
- Sugars – 4.46g
- Protein – 1.08g
- Thiamine (B1) – 0.09mg
- Riboflavin (B2) – 0.04mg
- Niacin (B3) – 0.7mg
- Vitamin B6 – 0.1mg
- Folate (B9) – 21µg
- Vitamin C – 25mg
- Calcium – 43mg
- Iron – 0.44mg
- Magnesium – 20mg
- Manganese – 0.131mg
- Phosphorus – 53mg
- Potassium – 305mg
- Zinc – 0.24mg
- Water – 89.4g
Rutabaga contains some helpful nutrients for guinea pigs. But the main benefit is carbohydrates (with a high sugar content).
Rutabaga isn’t dangerous to guinea pigs – it’s just not very healthy for them.
Are There Risks In Feeding Rutabaga To Guinea Pigs?
Feeding rutabaga to guinea pigs is could cause problems if they’re given too much. Rutabaga should only be a small-sized treat and shouldn’t be a major part of their diet.
In the longer term, rutabaga is high in calories, with the wrong mix of nutrients for guinea pigs. If a guinea pig eats mainly rutabaga, it may become fat and unhealthy, affecting its lifespan.
Also, guinea pigs need plenty of fibre found in the hay to keep wearing down their teeth (guinea pigs’ teeth never stop growing). If guinea pigs are fed mainly on food like rutabaga, their teeth get too long. This can lead to all sorts of problems.
So, you should think of rutabaga as being a little like candy for toddlers – a small amount every now and then is fine as a treat, however, it shouldn’t be the main part of their diet.
What If My Guinea Pig Doesn’t Like Rutabaga?
If your guinea pig doesn’t like rutabaga – no problem. Just don’t give them any!
Just like humans, guinea pigs have their own tastes. Not all people like rutabaga, and neither do all guinea pigs.
Conclusion
You can safely give rutabaga to your pet guinea pig, but only as an occasional treat. This hybrid cabbage/turnip is too high in starchy carbohydrates to be a significant part of a guinea pigs’ diet.
