Petsolino is reader-supported blog. If you buy something through our posts, we may get a small commission. Read more here.

Can Guinea Pigs Eat Peas?

Guinea pigs are exclusive herbivores and therefore their diet is mostly made of plant food. The best option for healthy diet of your tiny friend is to keep to commercial food, because it is well balanced and contains all the vitamins and minerals needed for normal and healthy development of your pet. Guinea pigs are delicate little creatures and they need to eat fresh and clean food, so be careful if you let them eat grass.

If we let guinea pig eat grass, we need to make sure the grass is fresh and not located next to traffic, because of the toxins and gases that could easily affect their health.

The basics of guinea pig’s diet are commercial granules, hay for shortening their teeth and vegetables. Beside commercial food, guinea pig’s menu includes a variety of vegetable food. They can eat almost all the vegetables as humans do. In addition to granules and hay, fresh vegetables, especially green, and fruits need to be on a daily menu. Raw fruit and vegetable is packed with useful nutrients, which are good for us as well for our small vegetarian friends. The list of the vegetables which guinea pigs can eat is long, but the best choices are zucchini, cucumber, lettuce, chard and green peas.

Are peas good for guinea pigs?

The answer is yes. Since green sort of vegetables contains a lot of useful nutrients for herbivores like guinea pigs, it is warmly recommended in their diet. Green peas are rich in vitamin C and other important nutrients for healthy development of a guinea pig.

Peas contains a considerable amount of calcium, acids and phosphorus, which is why it is to be given but only on a once a week basis. Meanwhile, potatoes are not safe for guinea pigs.

Interesting fact about peas is that it is actually a fruit, since it has seeds, developed from the ovary of a flower. From the culinary pint of view it is always considered as a green vegetable. Nutrition facts for peas per 100 gr are the following.

  • 81 calories
  • 4 gr fat
  • 0 mg cholesterol
  • 5 mg sodium
  • 14 gr charbohydrate
  • 5 gr protein
  • 5% vitamin A
  • 10 % vitamin B6
  • 48% vitamin C
  • 3% calcium
  • 9% magnesium
  • 15% phosphorus
  • 11% iron

Peas are good for a guinea pig’s health because of a high value of its vitamin C content. Vitamin C is the most important element in guinea pig’s nutrition. They do not have natural ability to synthesize this vital vitamin in their body, so they need to receive it on a regular basis through the food they consume. Guinea pig’s daily need for vitamin C is about 30 to 40 mg. Peas are one of the best resources of it.

However, considering other nutritive facts, guinea pigs shouldn’t eat peas on a daily basis.

Also, peas should always be given raw and with the pods they come in, as well. Frozen or tinned peas are not recommended.