Nutrition plays a major role in the growth and development of your guinea pigs. So one needs to make sure what you feed your guinea pigs will be of immense benefit. Is ice cream something your guinea pigs should eat?
Let us find out in this article.
Here’s If Guinea Pigs Can Eat Ice Cream
Guinea pigs shouldn’t eat ice cream. Ice cream is made from milk, sugar, and other additives. Guinea pigs are lactose intolerant. Their sensitive digestive system cannot digest milk properly. This leads to stomach issues such as diarrhea. Ice cream has high sugar and has no nutritional value for your guinea pigs.
Nutrition Facts about ice cream
The nutrition facts vary for different types of ice creams.
Here are the nutritional values found in a vanilla ice cream(1/2 cup):
Source: USDA ( U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE)
- Calories – 140
- Protein – 2g
- Total Fat – 7.02 g
- Carbohydrates – 17g
- Sugar – 14g
- Calcium – 100mg
- Sodium – 50mg
- Vitamin C – 0mg
- Vitamin A – 300IU
- Fatty Acid – 4g
- Cholesterol – 29.9mg
The list above shows ice cream contains a high amount of sugar, sodium, fat, and calcium.
Risks Of Feeding Your Guinea Pigs Ice Cream
Ice cream is made from milk, sugar, and other additives. Feeding your guinea milk products and sugar has an impact on their health.
Guinea pigs’ digestive systems cannot handle dairy products like milk. This is because of the lactose in milk. They cant produce the enzyme to digest milk properly.
Here are the risks associated with feeding guinea pigs :
Diarrhea
Guinea pigs are lactose intolerant. Their digestive systems can’t break down milk properly. They turn to have loose stool or diarrhea if fed dairy products like ice cream.
Guinea pigs are herbivores. They should be fed strictly plant-based foods. So provide them with unlimited hay(Timothy’s hay), fresh vegetables, and fruit occasionally.
Obesity Problems
If your guinea pigs are overweight, that is definitely going to cause a lot of health challenges for them. So you want to avoid feeding foods that fattening. Ice cream is loaded with fat and sugar. This can cause your guinea to put on extra calories.
A healthy weight for guinea pigs ranges from 900 to 1200 grams for males. For females, it ranges from 700 to 900 grams.
Dental Issues
Your guinea pigs’ teeth were made to chew hay. This helps to maintain their teeth to the required shape and size. A continuous diet high in sugar will result in tooth decay.
Tooth decay can cause your guinea pig to lose their teeth. So you want to protect their teeth by proving them with an unlimited supply of hay(Timothy hay). They are good to keep their teeth healthy.
Urinary Issues
Calcium is good for strong bones and teeth in guinea pigs It is an important mineral in the diet of your guinea pigs. However, feeding your guinea pigs a lot of food high in calcium can lead to bladder and kidney stone
Ice cream contains calcium and this can lead to urinary infections.
Stomach Aches
Guinea pig’s stomach can’t handle cold food. So feeding your guinea pigs frozen ice cream will cause stomach aches for your cavies.
Your guinea pig will be better off with their main food. These include hay(Timothy hay), vegetables, and fruits occasionally.
Can Guinea Pigs Eat Ice Cream Cones?
Ice cream cone is made from wheat or tapioca flour and sugar. These ingredients aren’t good for your guinea pigs.
So if you want to feed your guinea pigs ice cream cones, you must stop it immediately. There is no nutritional value in ice cream cones. You are feeding them sugar and highly processed ingredients.
A diet high in sugar will lead to health issues in the future
Can Guinea Pigs Eat Vanilla Ice Cream?
Guinea pigs shouldn’t eat vanilla ice cream. Vanilla contains sugar. And you don’t want to feed your guinea pigs sugary food. Your guinea pig can’t digest vanilla ice cream due to the milk content. The milk breaks down into lactose and your guinea pig’s sensitive stomach can’t handle it.
Your guinea has a sensitive digestive system and this could result in loose stools.
Can Guinea Pigs Eat Chocolate Ice Cream?
Chocolate is toxic to guinea pigs. So a guinea pig owner shouldn’t feed guinea pigs chocolate ice cream. Chocolate ice cream contains milk, sugar, and other additives. Your guinea pigs’ fragile and sensitive digest can’t handle the milk. and sugar.
Can Guinea Pigs Eat Yogurt Or Sherbet?
Yogurt or sherbet contains milk. Your guinea pigs’ digestive system can’t handle the lactose in milk. So your guinea pigs can’t eat yogurt or sherbet. This can lead to diarrhea and other health problems.
What Foods Are Toxic To Guinea pigs?
There are certain foods that you shouldn’t ever give to your guinea pigs. They are dangerous to your guinea pigs and can lead to health complications.
Here is a list of some of them:
- chocolate
- Cookies and bread
- Coffee and caffeine-containing products
- Fish or meat (Any type)
- Shelled nuts
- Potato peelings
- Rhubarb
- Beans
- Iceberg Lettuce
- Avocado
- Seeds(sunflower seeds, birdseed. pumpkin seeds)
- onions
- Dairy foods
Final Thoughts
Guinea pigs can’t eat ice cream. As herbivores animals, their diet should be mainly hay, vegetables, and fruits. Ice cream is a dairy product. It contains a lot of milk. It has a high amount of sugar and calcium.
Guinea pigs are generally lactose intolerant. Their fragile digestive system can’t digest milk properly. This causes a lot of health issues for your guinea pigs.
Here is a list of the risks associated with feeding your guinea pigs any type of ice cream:
- Diarrhea
- Dental problems
- Obesity
- stomach aches
- Urinary problems