The question of what foods are safe to share with our pets is always present, particularly if they come running when they hear the fridge door opening. If you’re eating a sweet mango and want to share it with your guinea pig, you may have some questions about its safety for them. Do guinea pigs like exotic fruits? Absolutely! Can they eat exotic fruits like mango? Yes, guinea pigs can safely eat mango – in moderation – and they’ll love it as part of a diet well-balanced with different fruits and vegetables.
When it comes to whether mangos are healthy for guinea pigs, the answer is a definite yes. Most fruits contain natural fruit sugars (fructose), which can sometimes cause problems, but a small amount of mango includes nutrients that are very beneficial to guinea pigs. Vitamin C, for example, is essential to guinea pigs because like humans, they cannot make their own vitamin C in their bodies. Vitamin C helps guinea pigs maintain healthy skin and joints, including their gums, and it plays an essential role in wound healing. Guinea pigs can get very sick if they lack vitamin C in their diet, and mango is an excellent source. In fact, only 3.5 ounces of mango flesh provides 36 milligrams (mg) of vitamin C, and it’s hydrating and tasty too!
Another advantage of mangos is that they are low in calcium oxalate. Calcium oxalate is one of the contributing factors to the formation of stones and sludge in guinea pig bladders, which can cause painful, even fatal, blockages in the urethra. Mangos have only 1mg of calcium oxalate in an entire mango, making them an ideal treat for guinea pigs.
However, it is important to note that mangos still contain sugar. One mango contains an astonishing 46 grams of sugar, so only a very small amount should be given to your guinea pig occasionally. Too much sugar can easily cause obesity in guinea pigs, and diarrhea can occur due to an imbalance in intestinal bacteria. This diarrhea can quickly become fatal, so it’s essential to limit any fruits you give your guinea pig.
When it comes to what parts of the mango a guinea pig can eat, the answer is only the flesh of the fruit. The skin is rough and fibrous, which means that it can be challenging for guinea pigs to chew on. Plus, some mangoes are covered in a layer of wax or other chemicals to give the skin a shine and protection during transport; this can be dangerous for guinea pigs, so it’s best to avoid giving them the skin altogether. The pit at the center of the mango is also not worth giving your guinea pig as it has no nutritional value, and it’s unlikely your pig will even eat it!
Like any fruit, the amount of mango given to your guinea pig should only make up around 5% of their total diet. The main component of a guinea pig’s diet should be hay (75%); the rest should be leafy green vegetables and a small number of hay pellets. If you plan on serving a variety of fruits as treats, make sure mango is only a small part of the selection to provide balance. All fruits should only be given once or twice a week, maximum.
To safely prepare mango for your guinea pig, choose a mango that is ripe and soft. Wash it and peel the skin, then remove the pit before chopping the mango into slivers for your guinea pig to eat. Only give them one or two thin slices, and remove any mango not eaten immediately. If the fruit is allowed to go bad in your guinea pig’s living space, it can attract flies and other insects that can cause mayhem. Guinea pigs, like rabbits, are susceptible to fly strike, so keeping their living space clean and free from rotting food is essential.
Guinea pigs can safely enjoy a small amount of mango as an occasional treat. Mango is non-toxic to them and provides a good boost of vitamin C. However, mango is also high in sugars which can cause weight gain and obesity, alongside potentially fatal GI bacteria imbalance and diarrhea. Fruit should only make up a maximum of 5% of your guinea pig’s total diet, so feed mango sparingly, only once or twice a week. Other fruits guinea pigs can safely eat alongside mangoes are kiwi, apples, berries, pineapple, pears, oranges, and cantaloupe.
