Can Guinea Pigs Eat Lychee?

Guinea pigs have a big appetite. They will keep eating all day long and they will eat everything you hand them.

They also have a sweet tooth and they will enjoy having sweet treats to the point of wheeking happily and popcorning to guilt you into giving them more.

You can unknowingly give your guinea pig too much sugar which can lead to serious health effects.

This is why all foods fed to your pet should be moderated and the more sugary foods given once in a while no matter how much they like them.

It’s advisable to use a feeding schedule for your pet. This will help you have their foods and treats in handy when required while avoiding repeating foods you had fed them before.

Lychees are a sweet fruit that’s not very common but it can still be found on supermarket shelves and groceries.

Nine lychees can provide a human adult’s daily Vitamin C requirement. You may want to share the delicious juicy fruit with your adorable pet but unsure whether it’s okay to do so or not.

Well, here we will look at whether the fruit is safe for guinea pigs. Read along.

Can guinea pigs eat lychee?

Guinea pigs can eat lychee. The fruit is not only juicy and delicious for your sweet-toothed pet, but also highly nutritious. Lychee fruits are packed with high Vitamin C content which is a major nutrient requirement for guinea pigs. They also have potassium which prevents blood pressure, dietary fiber which aids in digestion, and antioxidants which improve your guinea pig’s health. Too many of them however may lead to stomach upsets, diarrhoea, and diabetes.

Why lychee fruits are good for guinea pigs

Lychee fruits are quite nutritious for your pet. Some of the good reasons why you should feed them lychee are the presence of nutrients like:

Vitamin C

The first nutrient you should always look for in your guinea pig’s food is Vitamin C. This vitamin is very vital for their health.

Vitamin C prevents scurvy in guinea pigs. Scurvy is a common and fatal condition in guinea pigs that causes painful joints and bones.

Guinea pigs, just like humans, lack the ability to make Vitamin C on their own. This makes it essential to provide foods with the vitamin to prevent the disease.

Vitamin C also boosts their immunity and leads to faster healing of wounds. Lychees are very rich in Vitamin C making them a good addition to their foods.

Dietary fiber

Guinea pigs have a sensitive digestive system that is prone to stomach upsets. This makes them require fiber to help in smoothening out their digestion processes.

Fiber provides roughage that prevents constipation in your pet.

Dietary fiber also helps in regulating blood sugar. It controls the rate at which sugar is absorbed in the bloodstream.

By lowering the absorption rate, it helps regulate the amount of sugar in the blood.

Antioxidants

Lychee fruits have antioxidants that improve your pet’s health and reduce the risks of getting cancer and heart disease.

Potassium

Lychees contain potassium. Potassium works in preventing blood pressure in your small pet.

High water content

Lychee fruits are made up of mostly water making them good at hydration. The water in them is good in promoting urination and relieving pain caused by kidney stones making them great for your pet even when they are suffering from bladder or kidney stones.

Effects of feeding lychee fruits to guinea pigs

Lychee fruits have good nutrients but they also have downsides when fed to guinea pigs like:

High sugar content

Lychee fruits have a lot of sugar in them. This is harmful to guinea pigs.

High sugar leads to unhealthy weight gain in your pet that will make them obese. Obese guinea pigs have problems grooming themselves, moving around, and they may develop health issues just like humans.

High sugar will also bring about diabetes which leads to other complications like kidney problems. A lot of sugar can also cause tooth decay in your pet.

Diarrhoea

Feeding a lot of lychees to your pet will cause stomach upsets and diarrhoea due to digestion problems. This is because of their high sugar and water content which will lead to loose stool.

Do guinea pigs like lychee?

Most guinea pigs will enjoy eating lychee fruits because they have a lot of sugar. However, not all guinea pigs will like them and that’s totally fine.

If your pet doesn’t enjoy them, you can always feed them other fruit alternatives like strawberries, apples, and pineapples. These are all rich in Vitamin C and other nutrients that are essential for guinea pigs.

Can guinea pigs eat canned lychee?

Guinea pigs should not be fed canned lychees or lychee products like juices. This is because they are all full of higher sugar content and preservatives which are harmful to your pet.

Always opt for the fresh lychee fruit at all times.

How do you feed your guinea pig lychee

Make sure the fruit is fresh. Wash it thoroughly to get rid of bacteria and chemical residue that may be on the peel even though you will still remove it.

Peel off the tops so as to remain with the inner white fleshy part. Remove the seeds too.

Seeds are usually hard and they present a choking hazard to guinea pigs so they should be removed.

Cut it up into smaller pieces because large pieces may choke your pet too. You can then serve the slices to them in a clean bowl.

Make sure to remove any uneaten fruit after an hour to prevent flies and bacteria which could make your pet sick.

If you are feeding a fruit for the first time, you should always keep a keen eye on your pet for the next 12 hours to observe any reactions they could get from eating it.

If they get stomach upsets and diarrhoea, do not feed them the fruit again. If they like it and do not have any negative side effects from eating it, you can include it in their diet.

Lychee fruits should be fed in one or two slices per week due to their high sugar content.

Conclusion

Guinea pigs can eat lychee and they will usually like the fruit. Lychee fruits are high in Vitamin C and water content making them great additions to your pet’s diet.

Always feed them in moderation to avoid health issues from their high amounts of sugar.