Almost every person likes to have fun with the lovely cute small furry balls, i.e., the guinea pigs. And mostly, the kids consider these guinea pigs to be their best play partners. However, one problem of having such kind of pet animal is that we hardly understand about their right and nutritious diet. We often try to find out the healthiest food for the guinea pigs by giving them various vegetables. One of these vegetables that many guinea pigs choose for the pets is the tomato. Although a vet can say whether a tomato is good for your pet’s health, here some information may help you in advance.
Most of us love to eat tomatoes because these vegetables can bring lots of positive effects on our body. However, does it also indicate that these vegetables are good for the small pets? The following discussion may clear most of your doubts. Alternatively, you can also read our article on celery and guinea pigs.
Effect of Tomatoes on Health
Tomatoes have the ability to boost up the cardiovascular strength as well as the health of the bones. They have also the power to fight against cancer, particularly the cancer in breast, prostate, in pancreas and in lung.
There are some more benefits, given by the tomatoes, and these are helpful to lessen the possibility of one’s neurological disorder. If you plan to give the diets, containing tomatoes, you can also prevent the guinea pig from obesity. Read about guinea pigs and peaches now.
Information About the Nutritional Value of Tomatoes
While it is the true fruit portion of tomato, this vegetable may be most suitable for your furry guinea pigs. Thus, the tomatoes may be easily incorporated to the diet of pig. The treats that are based on tomatoes may be a superb variation, which can break any dull schedule of eating foods. Your pet may also be able to get a completely new taste. The tomatoes will offer nutritional elements to fulfill the requirements of the piggy.
Thus, it is better to have a look at all the details on the dietary content of juicy and red snack. The tomatoes are really amazing for your pets.
The fruit piece of tomato consists of some carbohydrate that is about 5.8 gm. It may also comprise the sugars, some protein and nutritional fiber. This has no selenium and starch; however, it also includes high amount of vitamin A and C. There are also some minerals, contained in tomatoes, such as, copper, manganese, zinc, fluoride, sodium, phosphorus, potassium and many more. The other vitamins, like K, B12 and niacin are also present in the red colored fruit, tomato.
If you take one cup of the juice of tomatoes, there is thirty two percent of vitamin C that is really desirable for any fuzzy creature. The bodies of guinea pigs are not capable of making vitamin C in a natural way, thus it is important that your pigs get this from foods that are eaten.
The disadvantage of eating tomatoes is that these vegetables have sugar, and thus, there may be some harmful impacts on the piggy’s stomach. You may introduce tomatoes to the guinea pigs’ food. But, they must be given in moderate amount.
You are perhaps thinking of the amount that you have to serve to the pigs. The specialists state that only a small portion (one cubic inch) two times very week may be enough.
The thing that must be kept in mind is that no matter what you have included as your piggy’s food, there should be vitamin C present in high amount. Besides, the fresh water must be given together with the other foods.
Some Precautions While Giving Tomatoes to Guinea Pigs
The fruit portion of the vegetable is completely safe. However, you must not forget to take out the green area of the plant because this part may be poisonous for the body of your cavy. The stalk as well as the leaves is toxic. Thus, you have to be extremely careful about it and ensure that you take them away before feeding them. Or else, the pet can consequently feel unwell.
You may have grown some tomato plants in your garden. In this case, you have to make certain that the guinea pigs do not get a chance to go near those plants because your pet may begin to crunch on your tomato plant. In addition to it, cleanse the fruit properly, because the peel of the fruit may have a little impurity, which may affect the fitness of the guinea pig.
It may also be better to give the naturally produced tomato to the little guinea pigs. Besides, the pesticides or also some other elements are detrimental for the sensitive digestive system of the guinea pig. As a result, the small piggy may be easily become ill. That is why, when you are not able to produce tomato in garden, you should rinse the purchased tomatoes carefully with the use of apple cider vinegar. In this manner, you may remove pesticides also.
Besides, you should also eliminate all the tomato seeds prior to helping the piggy to gobble those tomatoes. The pig may eat nearly one-fourth of a big tomato or a single small tomato.
Though tomato has vitamin C in high, they are quite acidic in nature. Due to an extremely high content of acid, the excessive amount of tomato will perhaps cause the digestive troubles in the cavies. Moreover, the sugar content of these vegetables is also very high, and for this reason, it may lead to the diarrhea of the guinea pig. Keep in mind that some guinea pigs’ species will possibly not take pleasure in the taste of tomato due to the acidity. You have to be certain that you have fed the piggy with such fruits, which it likes. Obviously, that fruit should also be the healthy options. In general, guinea pigs may consume tomatoes, when the moderate amount is chosen.
Besides the tomatoes, you can introduce forages to the diet of piggy. However, at the same time, grass should be another main item in the diet of pigs, especially during spring and autumn. At this period, the grasses grow in huge amount and they are also very tasty. You may attempt to give a few grasses on a daily basis. However, have one break while there is the cover of snow. Young clover, chickweed, plantain or dandelion may be added to the diet, especially if they are tender and young. If you like to reduce the calcium content in the piggy’s food, chickweed can be the perfect alternative. Thus, you should be conscious about the nutrients of the food that you are giving to the guinea pig.
