Bread is one of the most common foods that can be found in every kitchen. We eat it at almost every day, but can guinea pigs eat bread? Now this is an interesting question to think about! If you have one of these animals keeping you company, there is no way that this question could not have come up in your mind!
There are many types of bread and the great thing about it is that it can be so delicious and consistent in combination with other foods. It is the perfect base for a sandwich, for instance, but can it also be given to these small fur balls? Let’s find out.
Can Guinea Pigs Eat Bread – Not Necessarily
If you are new in this area and you have just acquired a small guinea pig, the first thing that comes to your mind is what to feed him. You know by now that their diet should be made of hay, pellets and vegetables. However, you might also take into consideration another food. Food that we, humans, tend to eat on a daily basis such as bread.
Before giving your furry pet bread, you should first conduct a small research on this aspect. Bread is not particularly healthy but humans can digest it easily. How about guinea pigs? There are so many things that could actually go wrong feeding bread to your furry friends. However, this is also valid for every new food you want to introduce into your pet’s diet, not just the bread.
So, can you feed bread to guinea pigs? The experts say that bread is not the best food option for your these pets. It will not kill them, but it will definitely not bring any benefits. There are no real nutritional benefits in bread, so it’s best to keep your guinea pig away from this food.
Bread-Related Dangers
You are probably wondering by now why bread is not recommended for guinea pigs. Here is what some owners observed after giving their pets pieces of this food:
- If the bread is soft, it can stick to the guinea pig’s mouth and pose a chocking hazard.
- If you decide to give bread to your pet guinea pig, serve it as a treat only and not an everyday staple food.
- Eating too much bread will make your pet bloated.
- If you do decide to feed bread to your fur ball, opt for the brown bread instead of white bread. Brown bread is healthier choice.
The decision of feeding bread to your guinea pig is up to you. Take into account all the pros and cons. When feeding any new foods to your guinea pig, observe him carefully to spot any loose stools or discomfort.
Other Bread Products
There are also many other products that are related to bread and you might wonder if these are a great option to take into consideration when feeding your guinea pig. Toast, bread crusts, banana bread or breadsticks – they are delicious additions to your meal, but are they good for your pet? Let’s have a closer look on this issue!
- Banana bread – This is somewhere in between. It is not good for them, but it is not bad, either. So, this could be a rare treat for guinea pigs, but nothing more than that. It should not become a habit. Also, if you decide to feed it to your pet, make sure it will not contain any nuts.
- Toast – What applies in the case of the bread, can also be applied in the case of toast. It will not bring any real benefits to your pet. Moreover, it can be fitted into the junk food category! Not to mention that, it represents a real choking hazard.
- Bread crusts – This can be fed to these little and cute pets, but make sure that they are chopped into tiny pieces and the amount is really small. This way, you can prevent any potential choking hazards. Offer them as a treat and they might even like them!
- Bread sticks – Just like in the previous case, bread sticks should be given only as a treat and nothing more. They will not bring any extra health benefits, except for changing their dietary routine. So, offer them moderately.
Conclusion
In conclusion, we can draw the line by saying that guinea pigs can eat bread, though it is not recommended. You can see the above mentioned dangers but if you decide to test this hypothesis, make sure to give them tiny amounts of bread, in order to prevent any damage to your beloved pets.
There are definitely better food options you can give your guinea pigs. You can browse our website for other foods such as fruits and vegetables you can give to your pet instead.
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References:
http://www.onlineguineapigcare.com/can-guinea-pigs-eat-bread/
My guinea pig is not eating food from almost 10 days. I went to the vet, but no profit. Even vet gave him an injection of B Complex and Rentica for two days. But everything is invain. Now what should i do? He is taking his food very much less. Give me some suggestions.