Your little rodent companion probably adores the taste of bananas. Bananas are an incredibly healthy snack as well. While bananas are completely safe for guinea pigs, can they eat the peels? Surprisingly, yes! Banana peels are not only totally safe for your piggy—they are incredibly healthy, too.
That doesn’t mean you should go hog-wild, tossing your guinea pig an entire peel, of course. But let’s learn a bit about portioning bananas as well as exploring the nutrients your little ones will get when they nibble on the peel.
Guinea Pigs Can Eat Banana Peels
Much like bananas, the banana skin is full of vital nutrients for your guinea pig. When you are slicing a banana to give your little one a treat, you don’t have to worry about taking the peel off completely. Each component of the banana offers its own form of nutrition.
But because of pesticides and treatments, it’s best always to feed your piggy organic banana peels. Organic fruit reduces the risk of the pesticides seeping into the skin, which is what collects most of the chemicals.
How to Portion Banana Peels
A good rule of thumb is to give your guinea pig a small slice of banana peel that is about 1 inch in length. You can offer this snack once every 3 days or so. Giving your guinea pig too much at once can cause diarrhea, so make sure to ration their portions.
Nutrients in Banana Peels
Banana peels are chock-full of as many nutrients, if not more, than the fruit itself. Banana peels are full of awesome nutrition like:
The healthful banana peel can help your piggy maintain their blood sugar levels and aid in overall heart health.
Do Guinea Pigs Like Bananas and Banana Peels?
Like many other fruits and veggies, guinea pigs adore the taste of banana peels. Granted, some guinea pigs may have a specific preference, and they might not be as crazy about the peels. The peels are a bit more bitter than the fruit itself.
If you offer a small helping of fruits, it’ll be pretty obvious if your guinea pig does not like it. They might not touch it at all. But the more you give them new tastes to sample, the quicker you can get a feel for the snacks they prefer.
Can Humans Eat Banana Peels?
It might surprise you even more to know that humans can delight in banana peels as well. Many people peel the banana and discard the outside. But we even reap benefits if we eat the peels. Not everyone will enjoy the bitter flavor, but it is entirely safe and nutritious.
Watch Out for the Sugar
Too much sugar in your guinea pig’s diet can have consequences. Too much sugar can cause obesity and diarrhea, leading to more significant health issues down the line.
Sugar is not suitable for your guinea pig’s teeth, nor is it good for their weight. Keeping your guinea pig at a moderate weight will increase its life vitality.
As with any other sweet snack, offer the banana and its peel in moderation for the best results.
Conclusion
So, now we know that guinea pigs can absolutely have banana peels along with their banana at snack time. As long as you portion correctly, the peels hold vital, beneficial nutrients for your guinea pig’s overall health and vitality.
Remember to make sure that the banana peel is organic to remove any risk of chemical exposure. And keep in mind that we people can delight and banana peels as well if we so choose.
Featured Image Credit: Alexas_Fotos, Pixabay
