Can Guinea Pigs Eat Celery? (How Much is Safe?)
Celery is a popular and versatile vegetable that people frequently use for cooking or snacking on raw. It is full of antioxidants and has many other great health benefits. But can guinea pigs eat this stringy green veggie too?
Generally speaking, guinea pigs can safely eat celery stalks and leaves up to 2-3 times a week.
Celery can have some great benefits for piggies, but there are some things you should know before including them in your guinea pig’s regular diet. I’ll cover these topics throughout the article below.
*Important Note: The quantity of celery shown in the photos is for visual purposes only and not indicative of the correct amount to feed your guinea pig in one serving.
You can also check out the Guinea Pig Food Chart for an alphabetical list of everything your piggy can eat and how often they can have it, along with calcium and Vitamin C levels for each food.
Nutritional Facts of Celery for Guinea Pigs
Celery contains a wide range of nutrients for both humans and guinea pigs, which I’ll list in the table below per 100 grams:
| Nutrient | Amount (per 100g) |
| Calories | 14 kcal |
| Protein | 0.69 g |
| Fat | 0.17 g |
| Carbohydrate | 2.97 g |
| Fiber | 1.6 g |
| Sugar | 1.34 g |
| Vitamin C | 3.1 mg |
| Calcium | 40 mg |
| Phosphorus | 24 mg |
| Magnesium | 11 mg |
| Potassium | 260 mg |
| Vitamin A | 449 IU |
| Vitamin K | 29.3 µg |
Benefits of Feeding Celery to Guinea Pigs
Celery contains a balanced range of nutrients that can benefit your piggy’s health in a multitude of ways. I’ll cover some of these benefits below.
Celery Contains a Variety of Vitamins for Guinea Pigs
Celery contains some beta carotene, folate, and Vitamins A and K, among others. Celery is also a good source of potassium, which helps regulate fluid in the body and lower blood pressure.
Vitamin K helps with blood clotting and bone health, whereas Vitamin A is excellent for maintaining healthy vision.
Celery contains a small amount of Vitamin C, but it’s not a significant source. Many foods, like kale, parsley, bell peppers, and oranges, are much higher in this nutrient.
Feeding veggies high in Vitamin C is crucial to prevent scurvy and other health conditions in your guinea pig’s body, so it’s important to ensure your guinea pig is getting plenty of Vitamin C from other sources if you feed celery regularly.
Additionally, celery contains some fiber and is very high in water content. This helps keep your piggy hydrated, especially if they’re not big on drinking water, and also keeps their digestive system in good shape.
Celery is Antioxidant-Rich
Celery is a source of several antioxidants that help protect the body against many ailments. Antioxidants keep the body healthy by neutralizing harmful free radicals that attack and damage cells.
If free radicals are able to overwhelm the body, it can cause a condition known as oxidative stress, which makes the body more susceptible to illness. Thus, it’s crucial to feed your piggy plenty of fruits and vegetables like celery that are antioxidant-rich.
Celery also has many anti-inflammatory compounds that can help reduce inflammation in the body. This may be beneficial for senior guinea pigs living with arthritis.
Risks of Feeding Your Guinea Pig Celery
Celery contains a fairly balanced ratio of vitamins and minerals, so the risks of feeding celery are quite low. However, there are a few key things to watch out for.
High Water Content in Celery
Celery may cause diarrhea in some guinea pigs, so it’s important to introduce it slowly into the diet. Celery is 95% water, which is a pretty high fluid level. This is not a problem as long as you’re feeding reasonable amounts, but be careful not to overfeed this veggie, especially if your guinea pig is new to eating it.
Celery Contains Moderate Levels of Calcium
Celery contains about 40mg of calcium per 100 grams, which is a moderate amount for guinea pigs. Many leafy greens, such as basil at 177mg per 100 grams, are much higher in calcium than celery. However, other foods like apples contain just 7mg of calcium.
Overall, celery is fine to feed in moderation, but be careful not to feed it in combination with too many high-calcium foods. Adult guinea pigs need very little calcium in their diet, and any extra can calcify and form stones in the bladder.
If your guinea pig has had previous run-ins with stones or bladder stones, it may be best to leave celery off the menu. Celery mixes best with other low-calcium foods to ensure your guinea pig’s diet is balanced and not too high in calcium overall.
If you’re unsure of whether your guinea pig has too much calcium in their diet, keep an eye out for dried powdery white urine stains in your guinea pig’s cage. This usually indicates that they are consuming too much calcium.
Allergies or Bad Reactions to Celery
Like other foods, there is always a chance that your guinea pig is allergic or has a bad reaction to celery. This is rare, but it’s always important to introduce new foods gradually and keep an eye on your guinea pig in case they have an adverse reaction.
How Much and How Often Can Guinea Pigs Eat Celery?
Guinea pigs can eat celery in relatively small amounts a couple of times a week. Never feed an entire stalk all at once. You can offer an inch or two of the stalk or a few stems of the leafy top each time you feed it.
Celery should not be given every day as it contains some calcium and may cause digestive upset.
Can Guinea Pigs Eat Celery Leaves?
Celery leaves are safe to feed, and many guinea pigs actually prefer them over the stalk. The leaves contain the highest number of nutrients, but they are also the highest in calcium.
Can Guinea Pigs Eat Celery Strings?
Guinea pigs can chew through celery strings, but there is a small potential for them to choke on the long strands. It’s always a good idea to supervise your piggy while eating them.
Guinea pigs that tend to eat really fast may have a bigger risk of choking if they don’t chew it properly before trying to swallow.
If your pig has any trouble with the strings, you may want to remove them in the future.
Do Guinea Pigs Like Celery?
Celery is a favorite vegetable for many guinea pigs. Many piggies especially love the leafy tops.
However, all guinea pigs have their own preferences, and some may not be fond of celery. If your pig isn’t a fan, you can always try some other popular favorites like carrots, strawberries, lettuce, radicchio, tomatoes, or cucumbers.
How to Safely Prepare and Feed Celery to Your Guinea Pig
To feed celery to your guinea pigs, you should first rinse it thoroughly to remove any chemical traces or dirt. Always feed celery to your guinea pigs raw, not cooked. Chop off a slice of the celery stalk, or cut the leafy top to offer to your piggy. You can remove the strings from the stalk first if you wish.
When introducing celery to your guinea pigs for the first time, give them a tiny piece to try. You can offer it by hand or leave it in the cage to taste at their own pace.
If you leave it in the cage, be sure to remove any uneaten food after a few hours, so it doesn’t go bad.
Observe your guinea pig for some time after they try the celery. If they seem fine and normal, you can gradually increase the amount of celery you feed next time.
If your guinea pig didn’t seem interested in the celery right away, it can be a good idea to try a few more times before giving up entirely.
Guinea pigs often need time to adjust and adapt to a new food, especially if they’re older. You can try offering it two or three more times and see if they change their mind. If they decide celery is not for them, that’s perfectly fine too. There are so many other great fruits and veggies for them to try that are full of nutrients.
Can Baby Guinea Pigs Eat Celery?
Baby guinea pigs older than four weeks can eat small amounts of celery. The calcium content is good for their growing bones, but celery can cause digestive upset in some piggies.
Just like the adults, be sure to feed in moderation and switch it up with a variety of other colorful veggies and leafy greens.
It’s especially crucial for young guinea pigs to get plenty of Vitamin C in their daily diet to support good growth and development, so foods like bell peppers, collard greens, dandelions, etc, are particularly beneficial for them.
More Vegetables That Guinea Pigs Can Eat
Did you know that guinea pigs can also eat grapefruit, broccoli rabe, and cherries? These veggies are rich in vitamins and can boost your piggy’s health in countless ways.
They can also eat kiwi, papaya, asparagus, and so much more!
For a complete list of all the foods that guinea pigs can and can’t eat, check out our article, Complete List of Foods That Guinea Pigs Can Eat.