Can Guinea Pig Eat Apricots?

Can Guinea Pig Eat Apricots?



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Apricot

Apricots are amazingly versatile and delectable natural fruits. They are fruits that grow on trees and are part of the plum family (Prunus Armeniaca), a drupe or stone fruit that looks like peaches. Apricots have thin velvety skin with a chewy texture inside and a hard large pit. Apricots for humans can be eaten raw, poached, boiled, or dried. These fruits continue to be one of the favorite fruits of humans because of their diversified uses and their iron-rich properties like their cousin, the plum (prunes) along with good fiber and nutrients.

 Apricot is common mostly in the summer period during this period, pet owners are tempted to feed their pets apricots, hence, leading them to research if the fruits are good for their guinea pigs. This article will enlighten you on everything you need to know about the cons and pros of apricots for guinea pigs.

Can Guinea Pigs Eat Apricots?

The answer to this researched question is absolutely yes, Guinea pigs can indeed eat apricots. The fruits are among the safest fruits for your pet due to the decent amount of vitamins and mineral nutrients. They are essential for the growth and development of guinea pigs because of the packed nutrients found in each of the fruits. These fruits also consist of a decent amount of sugar which makes them snacks recommended to your pets in moderation. Pet owners that do not thoroughly measure the serving size of these fruits when served to their pets will make their lovely and furry pets prone to health risks because of overfeeding, and overfeeding leads to too much unused nutrients which can be dangerous to guinea pigs.

What is the Standard Proportion Of Feeding Apricots To Guinea pigs?

Apricots given to guinea pigs should be occasional treaties or snacks because too much or daily intake of these fruits in the right proportion can lead to health risk complications for your furry friend. Therefore, on medium size apricots should be given to guinea pigs once or twice a week. And you should also make sure to space out the time it was given to them. Apricots should not be served alone instead, serve them with different vegetables, or you can choose to serve them with Hay or Pellets. This is because the fruits contain a high amount of sugar hence, serving it with other vegetables with low sugar content can neutralize the sugar with other essential fruits.

Guinea Pigs

What Are The Nutritional Benefits Of Serving Apricot To Guinea Pigs

Just like any other fruits, apricots are also riched in various nutrients apart from the common vitamins and minerals everybody knows about. The fruits are also enriched with sugar as a nutrient and it is known to take up the largest part of the carbohydrates present in the fruits. Other essential and beneficial nutrients found in the fruits are listed below.

  • Dietary fiber
  • It should not be news for pet owners to acknowledge the fact their guinea pigs' nutrients revolve around the fiber. Fiber is known to help in the digestion of their daily food intake and also helps in regular bowel movements in their body. This nutrient is also known to help clean the leftover waste, increase the metabolism of your pets, and also help them to reduce the cholesterol and glucose level in their body system. Therefore, this is an essential nutrient for guinea pigs, and the good news is that apricots contain a decent amount of nutrients.

  • Vitamin A and Beta Carotene
  • One of the common challenges guinea pigs encounter as they become older is poor eyesight. This condition tends to worsen as they keep increasing in age every year. Vitamin A and beta carotene are essential nutrients that can help them improve their poor eyesight, it is also known to provide healthy growth of hair which makes them adorable to behold. These nutrients also improve their immune system. Apricots contain a decent amount of these nutrients therefore, it is safe to give them to your pets.

  • Vitamin C
  • Any organism that is capable of existing is prone to diseases, thereby, these organisms need nutrients that can help them fight these diseases. For pet owners, vitamin C is mostly used for boosting and maintaining the performance of their immune system. These benefits also extend to their pet when they feed on food high in vitamin C. Apricots are known to contain a sufficient amount of vitamin C that can help guinea pigs fight diseases like scurvy in their body.

    Apricot

    Possible Health Risks for Guinea Pigs When They Feed on Apricots

    We have established that Apricots are riches in nutrients that are considered essential for the well-being of a guinea pig. Thereby indicating that the fruits are safe for those pets when given to them in the right proportion. The question now is what possible health risk can arise from overfeeding your pets the fruit? Before answering the question, you should know that apricots contain too much sugar, and in the body of a guinea pig effects can vary from mild to detrimental which is listed below

  • Diarrhea
  • Diarrhea is the major illness guinea pigs encounter when there is too much sugar content in their meal. This is because of the sensitivity of their digestive system hence, introducing food like that, or sweet treaties can lead to your pet suffering from stopping or diarrhea. The solution to this problem is to place your furry friend on a fiber-rich diet to help them regulate the problem.

  • Diabetes
  • Diabetes is another health complication that can arise from too much intake of a high-calorie diet by your pets. Your pets can be well-behaved to the extent of you trying to reward them with a lot of sugary treats which can be harmful to your pets. The solution is for pet owners to be keen on whatever they feed their pets.

  • Obesity
  • Obesity can arise from too much or overfeeding your pets. This can lead to a detrimental condition for your guinea pigs if they are not monitored or cautioned. The solution is to lessen their sugar intake and place them on a regular vegetable or hay diet.

    Conclusion

    Guinea pigs love apricots because of their sugary taste hence, they feed on them. This article has already highlighted the advantages and disadvantages of apricots for your guinea pigs. It has also established the fact that the fruits are safe for your pets when given to them in the right proportion. Therefore, all pet owners should endeavor to read this article to the end.



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