Did you know that you burn more calories eating celery than you get from eating it? It takes more energy to chew and digest it than the vegetable provides. That said, it’s full of vitamins and minerals, making it one of the healthiest foods around.
But can guinea pigs eat celery? The simple answer is yes. Celery in moderate amounts is safe for your guinea pig and good for them too!
However, there are a few things that you’ll need to know if you intend on letting your guinea pig nosh away on a piece of celery. Read on for all the answers.
Is Celery Good for Guinea Pigs?
When served in moderation, celery can actually make a very nice snack for guinea pigs. It contains a lot of essential nutrition that is needed to ensure they have a healthy diet.
Here are just some of the key nutrients that celery can provide for your guinea pig.
Vitamin A
Guinea pigs actually have a very high vitamin A requirement compared to other animals. Unfortunately, though, their bodies don’t have the efficiency of utilization when it comes to vitamin A intake. This means that they’ll need to take in slightly more of this vitamin, and celery can help maintain their balance. Vitamin A is important for guinea pigs because it helps their organs to function properly, keeps their immune system robust, and helps maintain their vision.
Vitamin K
This nutrient is also very important for guinea pigs. Vitamin K helps with bone metabolism and blood clotting. However, it’s relatively rare to find guinea pigs with a vitamin K deficiency, as much of their diet consists of foods naturally high in vitamin K, such as leafy greens.
Vitamin C
Like humans, guinea pigs are prone to scurvy if they fail to get enough vitamin C, and celery has a decent amount in it. Not only does vitamin C fend off scurvy, but it also helps keep your guinea pig’s immune system bolstered, maintains the health of connective tissue within their body, and keeps their organs in tip-top shape.
Water
In the grand scheme of things, celery is just crunchy water—with some nutrients added in. When consumed by your guinea pig, celery helps keep your little furball hydrated.
Other Antioxidants
Celery also has a bunch of other antioxidants that help maintain your guinea pig’s natural body functions and systems. This can ultimately lead to minimizing the risks of disease and other disorders down the road.
Is Celery Bad for Guinea Pigs?
Generally speaking, no. But there can be too much of a good thing. Among other things, celery is highly rich in calcium and oxalates. While we might need plenty of calcium to keep our bones strong and healthy, guinea pigs need to limit their intake.
Too much calcium and oxalates can lead to issues in guinea pigs, the biggest of which are urinary tract problems and bladder stones.
However, these problems will only really occur if you overfeed them celery. This is easily avoided by simply being a responsible pet owner.
What Parts of Celery Can My Guinea Pig Eat?
When it comes to what celery pieces are best for your guinea pig, it doesn’t really matter too much. It boils down to what your guinea pig prefers. Some like the crunch of the stalk, while others prefer to nibble on the leafy green tops.
One thing is for certain, however. You should never feed cooked celery to your guinea pig. Guinea pigs do not encounter cooked vegetation out in the wild, so there’s no reason to give it to them as a pet.
When Should You Feed Your Guinea Pig Celery?
While celery isn’t ideal for everyday feeding, it can make an occasional healthy snack. You should limit your guinea pig’s celery intake to about three times a week to prevent any nasty bladder stones or urinary tract problems.
How Much Celery Should You Feed Your Guinea Pig at One Time?
While celery can be great for your guinea pig, you’ll want to ensure that you are feeding them a proper portion when they do eat it. Never feed them a whole stalk all at once. Aside from the calcium and oxalate issue, too much food in general can lead to bloating.
Feeding them just a sixth of a stalk or a small handful of the leafy tops is more than enough for them.
What Are the Best Ways to Feed Your Guinea Pig Celery?
Celery is best served to your guinea pig as a light snack or supplement to their meal. Give them some thinly sliced pieces of the stalk for nice crunchy treats. You can remove the excess stringy parts that come off while cutting, but you don’t need to go too overboard with peeling them. Guinea pigs have sharp teeth that’ll bite right through them.
If you’re looking to feed them the celery tops, just mix in a few celery leaves with their other leafy greens!
Conclusion
When served in moderation, celery can become a good part of your guinea pig’s diet. It’s full of antioxidants, vitamins, and minerals that your guinea pig needs to remain healthy and active.
But there is such a thing as too much celery, so be sure to limit your furball’s intake. Celery isn’t meant to be a meal replacement or an everyday treat.
For more on guinea pigs, check out these posts:
