Best Leafy Greens For Guinea Pigs(+Serving Size)

• Lettuce(excluding iceberg)
• Kale
• Cabbage
• Chards
• Spinach
• Collards
• Parsley
• Arugula
• Coriander
• Pak choi(Bok Choy)
• Watercress

So, now that you know what kind of leafy greens you can feed your guinea pigs, you’re probably wondering what they should be fed. How many people can I feed with a single serving? What are the advantages and disadvantages of providing our guinea pigs with leafy greens? And there’s a lot more.

Don’t be concerned. No worries, I’ve got you covered completely. Let us first take a quick look at some of the advantages of feeding leafy greens to our guinea pigs, and then we will learn about the different parts of those vegetables that our guinea pigs can consume and in what amounts.

Are leafy greens good for guinea pigs?

The inclusion of leafy vegetables in the diet of a guinea pig can provide a variety of benefits, and as a result, they should be included in the diet on a regular basis.

Some of the major benefits of leafy green for our guinea pigs are as follows:

Source Of Vitamins:

The vitamins found in leafy greens are typically high in vitamin C, vitamin A, and vitamin K, amongst other antioxidants.

All of the body’s organs and systems require a certain amount of these nutrients in order to function properly.

In addition to strengthening the immune system and improving vision, these nutrients perform a variety of other critical functions, including promoting rapid recovery from wounds and diseases, among other things.

Contains No Sugar Or Fat:

Leafy greens are typically the lowest in calories (including sugar) and fat, and they are also the lowest in sodium.

Making the decision to include leafy greens in your guinea pig’s diet is a wise one to make.

Contains Lots Of Anti-oxidants:

Most leafy vegetables are high in natural antioxidants such as phenolics, flavonoids, and other phytonutrients, which are required by the body for fighting disease and maintaining a healthy immune system, among other things.

These antioxidants have been shown to aid in the prevention of a variety of diseases in guinea pigs, including urinary tract infections and, in some cases, cancer.

Are leafy greens bad for guinea pigs?

No, leafy greens are not detrimental to our guinea pigs’ health. They are unquestionably an excellent choice for them.

Excessive feeding of leafy green vegetables, on the other hand, can result in a number of health problems in guinea pigs.

Some of the most common health diseases caused by overfeeding leafy greens are:

Diarrhea:

Dietary diarrhea is one of the most frequently encountered health problems in guinea pigs.

The majority of the time, it is caused by overfeeding your guinea pigs with certain types of food.

Make sure to introduce a new vegetable slowly and only serve the recommended serving size to avoid causing such health problems in the future.

Bloating:

Bloating is another common health issue in guinea pigs that veterinarians have discovered.

It is primarily caused by overfeeding certain vegetables such as cabbage, kale, and other similar crops.

Bladder Stone:

It is most likely that your guinea pigs’ bladder stones are caused by feeding them a high calcium diet.

Certain leafy greens, such as kale, spinach, and other similar vegetables, are high in calcium, and feeding such vegetables to your guinea pigs on a daily basis can be a bad idea.

Although most of these health problems can be avoided by feeding your guinea pigs in the proper quantities and providing them with a well-balanced diet, some cannot.

You can learn more about guinea pig diet from the articles below:

• What is a balanced diet for our guinea pigs? (A Comprehensive Guide)
• Vitamin C for guinea pigs: Food rich in such vitamins
• List of 70+ Vegetables that are safe for your guinea pigs
• List of 70+ Fruits that your guinea pigs can and can’t eat

What leafy greens can guinea pigs eat?

After learning about the advantages and risks of feeding leafy greens to your guinea pigs, you can make an informed decision about whether to do so.

Let’s take a closer look at each of these leafy greens and find out more about what they have to offer.

We will discuss some common varieties of these vegetables that our guinea pigs can consume, as well as what the appropriate serving size should be and other related topics.

Lettuce: Best Leafy Greens For Your Guinea Pigs

 

lettuce is one of the staple foods in our guinea pig’s diet and is used to make a salad. It is high in Vitamin A, Vitamin C, and other essential nutrients, which makes it an excellent choice for our guinea pig’s daily diet because of their high vitamin and mineral content.

It also contains essential nutrients such as magnesium, iron, and zinc, all of which are beneficial to our guinea pigs.

Magnesium also aids in the absorption of calcium by the body, thereby preventing the formation of stones in guinea pigs, which is a significant health problem in this species.

There is a large variety of lettuce available all over the world, including the United States. The majority of the items on the menu can be served to our guinea pigs, with the exception of iceberg lettuce, which has no nutritional value in them.

Some of the most common variety that you can feed regularly includes:

• Romaine Lettuce
• radicchio Lettuce
• Little Gem lettuce

These lettuce contains the best balance of nutrients and is good for our guinea pig’s health.

Some other varieties of lettuce that you can feed to your guinea pigs include:

• Green leaf lettuce
• Red leaf lettuce
• Endives lettuce

Suggested Feeding:

Depending on the age of your guinea pigs, a standard serving size of lettuce will be one to two medium-sized leaves, or approximately the same. You can provide lettuce to guinea pigs on a daily basis, but not all varieties of lettuce are suitable for daily feeding.

You can find out more about what lettuce can guinea pigs eat on a daily basis, what parts of lettuce are safe for them to eat, and other information about it by reading our in-depth article on the subject matter.

Kale

Another excellent leafy vegetable that you should include in your guinea pig’s diet is kale, which is a type of cabbage.

Kale is high in Vitamin C, Vitamin A, and anti-oxidants, making it an excellent choice for guinea pigs to consume.

However, it also contains a significant amount of calcium and potassium, which can cause stone formation and excessive thirst in guinea pigs if not properly balanced. As a result, it is recommended that you serve yourself moderately.

There are a lot of benefits of feeding kale to our guinea pigs. Some of the most common benefits include:

• Robust immune system
• Prevention of scurvy
• Recovery of wounds
• Improves Digestion

Make sure to combine it with other low-calcium vegetables such as lettuce, bell peppers, cilantro, carrots, and so on to provide a well-rounded diet for your guinea pigs.

Suggested Feeding: For our guinea pigs, we should only give them one or two small Kale leaves at a time. You can feed your guinea pigs Kale twice a week, or more frequently if necessary. Feeding it on alternate days can help to prevent its negative effects on your guinea pigs while also providing a variety of benefits to them.

You can learn more about what parts of kale can guinea pigs eat, how to prepare kale for guinea pigs and what other vegetables you can serve alongside from our in-depth article on the same.

Cabbage

Cauliflower is yet another excellent leafy green that can be fed to our guinea pigs on a regular basis.

Cabbage is widely believed to be harmful to our guinea pig, but the truth is quite the opposite of what most people believe.

Cauliflower makes for a delicious addition to our guinea pig’s diet. Cabbage is an excellent source of Vitamin C and Vitamin K, both of which are essential for their well-being.

It can, however, cause guinea pigs to become bloated if given in large quantities. As a result, it is recommended that you serve yourself moderately.

Cabbage is also high in calcium, so excessive consumption may result in a small amount of sludge in the urine. As a result, you must only feed cabbage in the amount recommended.

Some of the common benefits of serving cabbage to our guinea pigs include:

• Prevention of scurvy
• Lowering blood pressure
• Controlling cholesterol level &
• Prevents inflammations

Guinea pigs can eat a wide variety of cabbages; however, Chinese cabbage should be avoided at all costs due to its high calcium concentration. Some of the more common cabbage varieties that you can feed to your guinea pigs are as follows:

• Red Cabbage
• Green Cabbage
• Savoy Cabbage
• Sweetheart Cabbage
• Napa Cabbage

Suggested Feeding: It is recommended that you serve your guinea pigs only one or two small cabbage leaves at a time. Guinea pigs can eat cabbage up to 2-3 times per week; however, you should only serve it on alternate days to avoid overfeeding. Overfeeding should be avoided because it can lead to a variety of health problems.

You can learn more about what types of cabbage can guinea pigs eat, What parts of the cabbage are safe for them and more about it from our in-depth article on the same.

Chard

For example, chards are a vegetable that can be considered a nutritional powerhouse because of the abundance of nutrients it contains. It contains a wide variety of nutrients, ranging from vitamins to minerals to antioxidants and everything in between.

Chards can be an excellent addition to the diet of your Guinea Pig, but we must serve them in moderation because overfeeding can cause bloating and diarrhea in some guinea pigs if they are not fed properly.

There are many different types of chard available on the market, and you can feed your guinea pigs almost any variety you choose. Some of the most frequently encountered variations are as follows:

• Red chard
• Green chard
• Swiss chard
• Rainbow chard

Green vegetables including chards provide a lot of benefits to our guinea pigs. Some of the most common benefits of feeding chards are:

• Prevention of diseases including Scurvy.
• A smooth and healthy coat
• Quick recovery of wounds
• Improving eyesight

Ensure that you combine chards with other vegetables so that your guinea pigs receive a well-balanced and comprehensive diet. Tomatoes, bell peppers, carrots, cucumber, zucchini, green beans, cauliflower, and other vegetables are some of the most common vegetables that you can include in your diet.

Suggested Feeding: Your guinea pigs would benefit from being fed a small leaf of spinach two to three times per week at the very least. Never feed it on a daily basis because it can cause health problems in your piggies.

To learn more about feeding chards to your guinea pigs you can refer our in-depth article on the same.

Spinach

An additional nutritious leafy green to consider including in your guinea pig’s diet is spinach.

It is an excellent source of Vitamin A and Vitamin C, and it is also a good source of other important nutrients such as iron, potassium, and phosphorous.

The result is that it makes an excellent addition to our guinea pig’s diet.

Spinach, on the other hand, should be served in moderation to our guinea pigs because it contains a high concentration of calcium and oxalate, both of which can cause health problems in guinea pigs.

Some of the common benefits of including spinach into our guinea pigs diet are as follows:

• An excellent source of Vitamin C
• Contributes towards healthy muscle
• Strong immunity
• It helps fight back diseases.

Because spinach is high in calcium, it should be combined with other low-calcium vegetables to ensure that your guinea pigs have a well-balanced diet.

Our guinea pigs need only one small or one small and one baby spinach leaf per day, which is just the right amount for their nutritional needs.

Spinach can be served once or twice a week, depending on your preferences. Make sure to spread out the servings throughout the week rather than putting them out on the same day every week.

Please see our in-depth guide on guinea pig spinach for more information on how to prepare spinach for your pets and which parts of spinach are suitable for our guinea pigs to consume.

Arugula

Arugula is a salad with a peppery flavor that is known for its high concentration of nutrients.

It is high in a variety of nutrients, including vitamins A and C, vitamin K, iron, potassium, zinc, and other trace minerals and nutrients.

It also contains a high concentration of antioxidants, which are critical for our guinea pigs’ health. You can certainly incorporate some arugula into your guinea pig’s diet if you want to.

It does, however, contain a significant amount of calcium, which can cause bladder stones in guinea pigs. As a result, it should only be fed in small amounts.

The following are some of the advantages of feeding arugula to your guinea pigs:

• Helps in quicker recovery of wounds and clotting of blood
• Improves vision and other vital functions of the body
• Helps in the formation of red blood cells
• Helps fight back diseases

Despite the fact that arugula has some beneficial properties for our guinea pigs, we are unable to include it in their daily diet.

The high calcium content of arugula can result in the formation of bladder stones and sludge, which can be harmful to our guinea pigs when consumed in large quantities.

Suggested Feeding: Ideally, only a small amount of the greens should be given to your pet guinea pig in one sitting. Additionally, it is best to limit the serving to 1-2 times per week in order to prevent your guinea pigs from consuming an excessive amount of calcium in their diet.

You can learn more about feeding arugula to your guinea pigs from our in-depth guide on the same.

Parsley

Parsley is a widely used herb in cooking all over the world, and it is especially popular in Italian cuisine.

It is high in vitamins A, B, and C, as well as iron, potassium, and flavonoids, among other nutrients. Additionally, you can include parsley in your guinea pig’s diet without any problems.

However, you must limit the amount of food you give your guinea pig because overfeeding can cause digestive problems as well as the formation of bladder stones in the animals.

Feeding parsley to your guinea pigs has a slew of advantages for them as well. Some of the advantages are as follows:

• Prevention of scurvy
• Healthy body growth
• Fights against diseases
• Improves eyesight and other vital functions

Overfeeding parsley, on the other hand, has some negative consequences. Overfeeding parsley can cause a variety of health problems, some of which are as follows:

• Diarrhea
• Stone formation
• Renal system failure

Fortunately, most of these issues can be avoided if you feed parsley in the appropriate amount.

Suggested Feeding: Guinea pigs can eat 5-10 sprigs of parsley at a time, depending on their size. It can be fed as often as twice a week. However, make sure to keep the serving size consistent and to feed it with a reasonable amount of time between two servings to avoid any potential health consequences.

You can learn more about feeding parsley to your guinea pigs from our in-depth guide on the same.

Collards

Collard greens are yet another excellent vegetable for your guinea pigs to consume. It is high in vitamin K, vitamin A, vitamin C, manganese, fiber, vitamin B2, vitamin B-6, iron, and many other nutrients as well as calcium and iron.

Collard greens were ranked as the fourth most abundant source of antioxidants in a study conducted by some organizations in the Southeastern United States.

Although it is not harmful to your guinea pig’s health to overfeed collards, doing so can be detrimental to its health. The following are some of the most common health problems associated with overfeeding collards:

• Formation of bladder stones
• Diarrhea
• Urinary system problems

Although most of these issues can be avoided by feeding collards in small amounts to your guinea pigs, there are some that cannot.

Suggested Feeding: You can feed your guinea pigs one small leaf of collard greens at a time if you want to be efficient. Never feed your guinea pig more than 1-2 times per week because doing so can result in an excess of calcium in their diet, which can lead to a variety of health problems in them down the road.

Coriander: Best Leafy Greens For Your Guinea Pigs

Coriander, also known as Cilantro, is one of the most important herbs in our guinea pig’s nutritional regimen. In addition to Vitamin C, it contains a number of important nutrients such as Manganese, Choline, Beta-Carotene, Beta-cryptoxanthin, Lutein, Zeaxanthin, and others.

A variety of advantages are also provided by coriander for our guinea pigs. Some of the most notable advantages are as follows:

• Provides a tonne of Vitamin C thus prevents scurvy
• Strengthen the immune system
• Fights harmful diseases including cancer
• Reduces pain and inflammation
• Also has some Antifungal properties

However, you must make certain that the serving size is kept to a minimum in order to avoid some potential health issues. Overfeeding can cause diarrhea and bloating in guinea pigs, which are two of the most common health problems.

Suggested Feeding: It is possible to feed your guinea pigs up to 5-6 coriander leaves at a time. Cilantro can be fed on a daily basis, as long as you keep the serving size consistent.

Pak choi(Bok Choy) for your guinea pigs

Pak choi, also known as Bok choi, is a leafy green vegetable belonging to the cabbage family that can be fed to guinea pigs.

It is high in vitamins A, K, C, and E, as well as minerals such as zinc and magnesium, all of which are necessary for our guinea pigs’ health.

It does, however, contain a significant amount of calcium, which should be considered when feeding it to children.

Bloating, diarrhea, and stone formation are some of the common side effects of overfeeding pak choi to your guinea pigs, as well as other issues.

Despite this, if it is fed in the proper quantity, it can provide numerous benefits. The following are some of the significant advantages of feeding pak choi to your guinea pigs:

• Rich Source Of Vitamin C
• Anti-cancer properties
• Production and growth of collagen that improves bone health
• Reduces chronic inflammation

However, you must make certain that it is served in moderation in order to prevent your guinea pigs from developing health problems..

Suggested Feeding: At a time, you can serve your guinea pig one small leaf of Pak Choi to eat. You should only feed your guinea pig pak choi 1-2 times per week at the most, as regular feeding can be detrimental to its health.

Watercress: Best Leafy Greens For Your Guinea Pigs

Providing your guinea pigs with watercress is one of the healthiest things you can do for them.

With a variety of vitamins and minerals, it’s like giving your guinea pigs a superfood meal every day. Watercress contains a variety of nutrients, including:

• Vitamin K
• Vitamin C
• Vitamin A
• Vitamin E
• Thiamin
• Riboflavin
• Vitamin B-6
• Magnesium, etc.

Watercress, on the other hand, has a variety of advantages for our guinea pigs. Some of the most significant advantages of watercress are as follows:

• Cancer preventive oxidants
• Full of Vitamin C thus prevents scurvy
• Maintains healthy bones
• Lowers blood sugar level

You must, however, maintain the balance in their diet and combine watercress with other vegetables to ensure that they are eating a well-balanced diet overall.

When guinea pigs are fed an excessive amount of watercress, they can develop health problems such as diarrhea, bloating, and other digestive problems.

Suggested Feeding: It is possible to feed your guinea pigs a small bunch (30 grams) of watercress in a single serving. Although watercress can be fed on a daily basis because it is completely safe for our guinea pigs, it is recommended that it be served only three to four times per week.

I would definitely recommend using a salad spinner (available on Amazon) to ensure that all excess water from the vegetables is removed and that the vegetables are thoroughly cleaned before serving.

Make sure to check out this fantastic vegetable bowl for your guinea pigs while you’re at it, as well.

We have guinea pigs, and this is the perfect size for them. I purchased it from Amazon, and I absolutely love it because it does not flip over.

Sources: Lettuce, Kale, Cabbage, Chards, Spinach, Collards, Parsley, Arugula, Coriander, Pak choi(Bok Choy), Watercress, Diet Composition and Mineral Balance in Guinea Pigs, Dietary Vitamin C, and Vitamin E on Guinea Pig Immune Responses to Mitogens, Vitamin C requirements of the guinea-pig, Is Your Guinea Pig’s Diet Providing the Right Nutrients? Care of Guinea Pigs.