We love our guinea pigs so much, and we want to give them nothing but love and delicious foods.
And one of those delicious foods can be sweetcorn. Guinea pigs can eat sweet corn, and it is their favorite snack, especially in the summertime.
Can Guinea Pigs Eat Sweetcorn?
Yes, you can give guinea pigs sweet corn. It is one of their most favorite snacks to eat because it is very sweet, and it is bite-sized, which makes it easy to digest. But, you do not want to give this snack to them often. Because of its high sugar and starch content, giving this snack to them regularly will cause them to develop high blood sugar and obesity. At most, you should give sweet corn to them once a week. But do not give it to them if they had a different high sugar snack in the last day or two. All foods that are high in sugar and starch should be kept to a minimum.
How to Serve Guinea Pigs Sweetcorn?
When you serve your guinea pigs sweet corn, you need to shave an ear of corn so the kernels can be put in a small bowl. Do not give you guinea pig an entire ear of corn. That serving size is far too big, and they won’t stop eating until they physically can’t eat more. Do not give your guinea pigs canned corn either.
Components of a Proper Guinea Pig Diet
Three main components make up a proper diet for a guinea pig. You can mix up the types of food that they are given, but you cannot give them more of the vegetables, fruits, and pellets and less of the hay. You must strictly stick to 80% hay and 20% veggies, fruits, pellets.
1. Hay
Hay is the main component of a guinea pig’s diet, as it provides it with most of its fiber and a lot of calories. When you buy hay, make sure it is high quality, and it is not treated with a lot of pesticides.
2. Vegetables and Fruits
Vegetables and fruits, along with pellets, make up the other 20% of the guinea pig’s diet. These foods provide the guinea pig with many vitamins and minerals that they cannot create in their bodies. Vegetables should be given as a meal every day. You should provide guinea pigs with about 1 cup of vegetables or leafy greens, although some foods, like sweet corn, require a smaller serving. When you serve guinea pigs sweet corn, only give them around two tablespoons. Because of their high sugar content, think of sweet corn as a fruit.
Fruits are not everyday foods. Fruits should be thought of as a snack food. Giving guinea pigs foods that are high in sugar could cause them to develop several obesity-related diseases, so you should provide fruit to them twice a week at most.
3. Pellets
Pellets provide guinea pigs with the amino acids and fats they need in their diet. Because of the fat, only serve two tablespoons of pellets to your guinea pigs every day. Giving them too many pellets can cause them to gain weight.
The Nutrition of Sweetcorn
Even though sweet corn has a lot of sugar, there are also several vitamins and minerals that it provides your guinea pig.
1. Vitamin C
Sweet corn is a robust source of vitamin c for your little furry friend. If you don’t know, guinea pigs cannot make their own vitamin C, so they need to get it from their diet. The main reason they need vitamin C is that they are prone to developing scurvy.
2. Folate
Folate is also another essential vitamin that guinea pigs need, especially when they are babies. Folate helps in the development of their bones and their bone marrow, and aids in the creation of red blood cells.
3. Magnesium
Magnesium is vital for the correct formation of a guinea pig’s bones and teeth. If they do not receive enough magnesium, their growth will be stunted, and they’ll have weak teeth and misshapen jaws.
Can I Feed Guinea Pigs Canned Corn or Creamed Corn?
Canned Corn
No, you cannot give your guinea pig canned corn. You think guinea pigs should be able to eat canned corn, but there are two significant reasons why canned corn is a terrible food for them.
Corn is not only high in sugar but is also high in salt. These ingredients can wreak havoc on your guinea pig’s health. Plus, canned food has a lot of preservatives, and guinea pigs are easily affected by the additives in their food.
Creamed corn
No, you should never feed your guinea pig creamed corn for several reasons. First, creamed corn is very sugary, more sugary than regular sweet corn. The second reason is that guinea pigs cannot eat cooked food. All foods that you give guinea pigs should be raw.
Other Vegetables That Guinea Pigs Can and Cannot Eat
If you’re at the market and you’re looking for more things to feed your guinea pig friend then here’s a list of vegetables and leafy greens that they can eat.
- Carrots
- Cucumber
- Tomato
- Parsley
- Celery
- Broccoli
- Romaine lettuce
- Asparagus
- Spinach
- Bok choy
- Brussel sprouts
But not every vegetable or leafy green is suitable for guinea pigs. Some foods cause extreme gas and bloating, or others have compounds that cause diarrhea and vomiting. These foods are:
- Cabbage
- Cauliflower
- Iceberg lettuce
- Onions
- Leeks
- Avocado
- Garlic
- Beans
- Rhubarb
Conclusion
- Guinea pigs can eat sweet corn
- Sweet corn is a very popular snack to give to guinea pigs, especially in the summer
- Because of their very high starch and sugar content, this morning should be given once a week at most
- Only give about two tablespoons of sweet corn as a snack
- To give sweet corn as a snack, the kernels must be sliced off an ear of corn.
- Sweet corn has a lot of vitamin C, which will help prevent scurvy.
- It also has folate, which helps red blood cell production.
- You cannot feed your guinea pigs canned corn or creamed corn.
