Can Guinea Pigs Eat Corn? Facts to Consider

Corn contains a high level of carbohydrates and calories. As a matter of fact, more than 3% of its content is made up of sugar.

So, regular feeding of guinea pigs with corn exposes them to obesity and other weight-related ailments. Still, you can give corn as a treat on selected days in a month. While some piggies love eating corn, others prefer other types of food.

Either way, do not serve cooked corn to your pets. It is worth noting that cooking corn reduces the nutrients level. Also, it leads to a couple of digestion ailments for your little friend.

Feeding Corn to Guinea Pigs

An ear of entire corn together with silk and husk makes an ideal carbohydrate serving. Cornhusk is normally tasty and shares a similar nutritional value and texture with hay.

Therefore, you can feed it freely to your cavies and as a replacement for hay or grass. Also, you can mix it with other food such as commercialized meals or hay.

To get the most nutritious corn husks, look for organic cobs. Note that you do not have to cut it up for your pet to enjoy. Instead, serve them a whole piece at a time.

If possible, add corn leaves and stalk as foliage. This comes as additional nutrition and important fiber for your piggies digestion.

Cavies also love the kernel part of the corn. Nevertheless, this is the content you should be very careful when feeding your fuzzy friends.

Given that kernel contains plenty of water and calories, it easily causes bloating and stomach upsets. Consequently, serve the kernel in minimal content or avoid it whatsoever.

Baby corn is another nutritious part to feed your cavies. However, avoid feeding them in plenty and always include the cob for added nutrition value.

It is should be noted that corn contains 94 calories in every 100 grams. Then, the water content takes 73% of the entire corn. In 100 grams of corn, 21% of it counts as carbohydrates. Equally, the sugar content stands at 4.5 grams in 100 grams.

While fat content follows slowly at 1.5 grams in 100 grams. On that account, limit corn intake to two or three times a week. If your pet carries excess weight, exclude corn from their diet completely.

Is Canned Corn Good for Guinea Pigs?

Processed food contains several ingredients not suitable for guinea pigs. Before canning, food goes through a semi-processing or fully processing process.

Although canned food is ideal for human beings, it contains lots of preservation salt, dangerous to guinea pigs. It is also rich with preservatives and additives to last longer on the shelf.

This may not go well with your guinea pig and may cause discomfort or sickness. Likewise, most manufacturers cook corn before packaging. As mentioned above, this may have a minimal nutritional benefit to your pet.

Can Guinea Pigs Eat Corn Flakes?

This is a breakfast cereal rich in grains like corn, barley. What’s more, it contains flavorings, food coloring, sugar, additives, and some vitamins. All in all, this is not a healthy combination of nutrients for guinea pigs. While some experts recommend a limited amount of corn flakes to guinea pigs, do not fully replace it with hay.

Note that there are plain-tasting corn flakes in the market without flavorings. This is the best form of corn flakes to feed your little friend. Yet, avoid mixing it with any amount of milk.

A large percentage of cavies are lactose intolerant. That boils down to an inability to digest proteins available in milk. If consumed, milk causes stomach upsets, bloating, or excess gas.

Interestingly, there is a whole load of healthy meals to feed your pets rather than cornflake. Some of them include pellets, fruits, and vegetables. For a healthy guinea pig, always give them fresh food and clean water.

Is Popcorn Safe for Guinea Pigs?

Popcorns contain low amounts of sugar and salt. This means that they are not essentially detrimental to your pet’s health. On the other hand, they have high levels of fat, calories, phosphorus, and proteins. This enhances the probability of making your piggies obese.

The most preferred intake of popcorns is few days in a month. You should not give them a full meal but as a snack. There is no real danger of feeding your guinea pigs with limited popcorns. It is then astute to understand that popcorns contain about 500 calories in 100 grams.

Compared to healthier snacks like fruits, this is a bit on the higher side. Similarly, it poses a huge threat if served frequently and in large amounts.

There is a slight difference between air-popped popcorns and regular ones. While popped popcorns contain less fat, they are still not adequate as your pet’s snack.

Likewise, they contain plenty of phosphorus likely to cause phosphate stones. This is an agonizing and deadly ailment to guinea pigs. As a result, reduce consumption of air-popped popcorns to a few times a year.

Can Guinea Pigs Eat Cooked Corn?

Even though corn is not an everyday meal, avoid cooking them for your guinea pigs. There are selected cases where little cavies got burnt after served with hot corns. Furthermore, guinea pigs benefit very little from cooked corn.

It should be noted that some guinea pigs may not manage to digest cooked meals. Sometimes, this leads to serious complications or death. For that reason, always serve their meals raw. To avoid contamination always wash the veggies and fruits before putting them in the cage.

Wrap Up

It can get puzzling on whether to feed your guinea pig with corn or not. Besides, some cavies prefer eating anything on the owner’s plate. Before giving your pair a share of your coin, consider the health implications first.

Given that corn contains a high amount of sugar and carbohydrates, it does not serve as a balanced meal.

Therefore, give it as a snack and on counted days in a year. If introducing corn to your pet, observe the reaction after. Immediately consult a veterinarian if you notice strange symptoms.