Is it Good for a Pet Guinea Pig to Have Mangoes & Mango Skin?
As with many humans, guinea pigs are going to love having a nice, tasty, sweet fruit as a special treat. But as many guinea pig owners already know, not every type of produce is going to be something that you are going to want to feed your pet. In fact, much of the fruit that you enjoy eating is going to be on the no-no list as far as your guinea pig is concerned. While you can ask about all of the different fruits that your guinea pig is allowed or not allowed to eat, you are probably wanting to get right down to the good stuff. That being whether or not a guinea pig is allowed to eat mango? You love to eat them while they are in season, so what about your pet guinea pig?
Here is everything that you need to know about mangoes and your guinea pig.
What Exactly is a Mango?
A mango is going to be a fruit that comes in a few different colors that include orange, green, red, and yellow, and is going to be somewhat pear-shaped. The mango fruit is going to be protected by a somewhat thick peel (which some may consider to be more of a rind), that is packed full of a very delicious, sweet, and juicy fruit on the inside.
People like to use mangoes in many different recipes, those including both drinks and foods. In fact, as far as food is concerned, mangoes are going to be a very popular snack after they have been dried out, as well as a very common ingredient in many different types of sweet sauces. As far as the vitamins and minerals that mangoes are able to offer you and your guinea pig, they are actually going to have a good-sized list of different health benefits but are also going to come with several different drawbacks as well.
The Health Benefits of Mangoes
As previously mentioned, mangoes are going to be a great source of different antioxidants, minerals, and vitamins. Here are some of the nutrition that comes along with the very tasty and sweet mango.
They have a high sugar content. This should come as no surprise as mangoes are going to be fruits and most of the fruits available to you are going to have a sugar content that is on the higher side.
They are a great source of fiber. Fiber is going to be a very important nutrient as it aids in the digestion process, as well as makes sure that the amount of sugar that is released into the bloodstream is slowed down.
They are going to contain both potassium and calcium. These are going to be pivotal in making sure that your regular body functions are operating at an optimized level.
They are a great source of vitamin C. Mangoes are going to have a very high vitamin C content when you compare them to many of the other fruits and vegetables that are out there. This is a plus as far as your guinea pig is concerned as they are going to require lots of vitamin C in their daily diet.
Now that you know all about the mango and everything that it has to offer, what about guinea pigs?
What Exactly is a Guinea Pig?
A guinea pig is considered to be a type of pocket pet, that resides with the cavie family of animals. They are going to be on the smaller side, growing to be anywhere between 10 and 11” in length, getting upwards of around 2.5 pounds when they are a full grown, healthy adult. When in captivity, guinea pigs are able to lie for over 10 years if they are cared for appropriately and get a healthy and nutritious diet on a daily basis.
One of the biggest ‘quirks’ when it comes to guinea pigs is going to be the fact that they are always needing to be chewing on something. This is not going to be because they don’t want you to have nice furniture, but rather to help file their teeth down. With guinea pigs, their teeth are always going to be growing, so when they are not filed down, they have the potential to cause some serious damage and even become a very serious health concern to the guinea pig.
As for the demeanor, guinea pigs are going to be very playful and love to socialize with whoever it is that wants to cuddle and be loved. They are going to be pets that are best suited for pet owners who are responsible and for those who do not necessarily have a whole lot of space to have a larger pet, such as a dog. Guinea pigs are essentially going to be a great pet that you can have in a very small package.
Now that you know all about mangoes and guinea pigs, the real question is whether or not you can feed some mango to your guinea pig or not?
Can Your Guinea Pig Eat Mango?
The answer to this question is going to be yes, you can feed your pet guinea pig mango if you would like. However, just because you are able to feed your guinea pig mango, does not mean that there are not going to be any limitations to it. This means that while you can feed your guinea pig mangoes, you are only going to want to do so in limited quantities
Essentially, you only want to feed your guinea pig 1-2 bite sized pieces per feeding, those feedings happening no more than once or twice per week, those two days never being in a row.
When it comes to mangoes and guinea pigs, it is going to be ok for you to feed them some as a small snack a couple of days per week. Just remember that if you see anything strange happening after they eat the mango, make a visit to your veterinarian.
