Can Guinea Pigs Eat Watermelon? (How Much is Safe?)
Watermelon is a delicious red fruit that is enjoyed all over the world. It is a popular thirst-quenching food, particularly in the hot summer months. It also boasts many great nutrients and health benefits. But is it safe for guinea pigs to eat watermelon too?
Generally speaking, watermelon is safe to feed guinea pigs in small amounts. They can eat the red fruit and the rind. Offer it once a week at most due to the high sugar levels.
While watermelon is safe to feed in small quantities, there are a few things you should know before making it a regular addition to your guinea pig’s diet. I’ll cover everything you need to know throughout the article below.
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.
*Important Note: The quantity of watermelon shown in the photos is for visual purposes only and not indicative of the correct amount to feed your guinea pig in one serving.
Nutritional Value of Watermelon for Guinea Pigs
Watermelon contains a fairly balanced mix of nutrients that can benefit your guinea pig’s health in various ways. I’ll list the nutrients of watermelon per 100 grams in the table below:
| Nutrient | Amount |
| Calories | 30 kcal |
| Protein | 0.61 g |
| Fat | 0.15 g |
| Carbohydrate | 7.55 g |
| Fiber | 0.4 g |
| Sugar | 6.2 g |
| Vitamin C | 8.1 mg |
| Calcium | 7 mg |
| Phosphorus | 11 mg |
| Magnesium | 10 mg |
| Potassium | 112 mg |
| Vitamin A | 569 IU |
Benefits of Feeding Watermelon to Guinea Pigs
Watermelon is a sweet fruit with a variety of health benefits for humans and guinea pigs alike. I’ll cover these more in detail below.
Watermelon is a Great Source of Hydration
Watermelon is high in water, making it great for keeping your guinea pig hydrated, especially in the hot summer months. This fruit is made up of 92% water. In fact, the high levels of water in this delicious fruit are where the name “watermelon” comes from. Watermelons come from the same family as cucumber and zucchini, which are also pretty high in water content.
Watermelon Contains a Variety of Vitamins and Minerals
Watermelon is also a great source of potassium, magnesium, and Vitamins A and C. These minerals play essential roles in the body.
Potassium helps to regulate fluid in the body. It may also help prevent kidney stone development. Vitamin A is crucial for vision and eye health. Magnesium is also a critical element that helps the bones absorb calcium.
Additionally, Vitamin C is one of the most crucial minerals for guinea pigs. Watermelon contains a reasonable amount of Vitamin C, but it’s not an overly high source compared to other high Vitamin C foods.
For example, one cup of diced watermelon contains about 12.3mg of Vitamin C, according to the USDA food database. Your guinea pig will likely eat about a third of this amount per serving, working out to just over 4mg of Vitamin C.
Guinea pigs need an average of 10-30mg of this vitamin per day, so watermelon makes a small dent in this requirement. However, it’s a good idea to feed higher Vitamin C foods as well, such as kale, cauliflower, guava fruit, or bell peppers.
Watermelon also contains smaller amounts of vitamin B6, vitamin B1, copper, pantothenic acid, and biotin.
Watermelon Contains Several Beneficial Antioxidants
In addition, this fruit is rich in many antioxidants. These compounds help to fight off and neutralize free radicals in the body. Free radicals damage cells and cause oxidative stress when not kept in check. This can lead to a host of severe and chronic illnesses, including cancer, heart disease, diabetes, and accelerated aging.
Watermelon also contains an antioxidant called lycopene, which is responsible for the red color of the melon. Lycopene can be beneficial for eye health.
Lycopene and citrulline, an amino acid also found in watermelon, can also help lower blood pressure and cholesterol levels. This helps improve heart health and reduces the risk of a heart attack or heart disease.
Citrulline also encourages better physical activity and recovery. It works by increasing the body’s production of nitric oxide, which expands the blood vessels and makes it easier for your heart to pump blood through your body. This can potentially give your guinea pig a boost of energy and encourage them to be more active.
Additionally, watermelon contains antioxidants and other compounds that may help lower inflammation in the body. This can benefit guinea pigs with certain chronic conditions, especially senior piggies living with arthritis.
Risks of Feeding Your Guinea Pig Watermelon
While watermelon is generally a very safe food to offer your guinea pig, there are a few things to keep in mind before including this sweet fruit in your guinea pig’s regular diet.
Sugar Content in Watermelon
The main concern for feeding your guinea pig watermelon is its naturally high sugar content. Watermelon contains less sugar than some other fruits, but more than most vegetables you would be regularly feeding your piggy. For a small animal like a guinea pig, even small amounts of sugar can add up fast.
Too much sugar can lead to weight gain, diarrhea, stomach cramps, and even diabetes over time. Guinea pigs are built to consume mainly forage, so a diet with frequent consumption of fruit is unnatural for their digestive system.
Watermelon is High in Water
Watermelon is also made up largely of water. This is a good thing in moderation, but it can cause diarrhea in some guinea pigs. It’s a good idea to introduce watery foods slowly and see how it affects your piggy before feeding it regularly.
Allergies or Bad Reactions to Watermelon
Like with other foods, there is always a chance that your guinea pig is allergic or has a bad reaction to watermelon. 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 Often Can Guinea Pigs Eat Watermelon?
Guinea pigs can eat small amounts of watermelon as a treat once a week. Stick to a small 1-inch cube of red fruit per serving or a couple of inches of the rind at a time. Guinea pigs should not eat watermelon every day due to the high sugar content.
Avoid feeding your piggy watermelon around the same time as other sugary vegetables or fruits like carrots, apples, or blueberries, so your guinea pig is not consuming too much sugar at once.
Do Guinea Pigs Like Watermelon?
Watermelon has a sweet juicy flavor that many guinea pigs love. Piggies that don’t love sweetness may prefer the rind over the flesh. However, all pigs have their own likes and dislikes. If your guinea pig is not a fan, you can always try leafy foods like endive, basil, arugula, swiss chard, cilantro, radicchio, or mustard greens.
If your guinea pig doesn’t want to try it right away, it may be worth trying again a few more times. Some guinea pigs are hesitant to test out something new but then discover they like it at a later time.
Can Guinea Pigs Eat Watermelon Rinds?
Guinea pigs can eat the green watermelon rind and the white part too. These contain many vitamins and minerals and much less sugar than the juicy red fruit.
However, your piggy may not like it as much as the red flesh. It’s a good idea to rinse the rind before feeding to remove any potential traces of pesticides.
Guinea pigs can eat watermelon rind a couple of times a week since they are lower in sugar than the flesh. However, it’s still essential to feed in moderation as the high water content can cause diarrhea in some piggies.
Also, the bulk of your guinea pig’s diet should consist of low-sugar vegetables and leafy greens like celery, tomatoes, spinach, and lettuce.
Can Guinea Pigs Have Watermelon Seeds?
Watermelon seeds are not poisonous to guinea pigs, but they are not safe to eat. The hard black seeds are much too big and pose a choking risk to guinea pigs. It’s crucial to remove these before giving your piggy a piece of watermelon.
White immature seeds that are often found in seedless watermelons are softer and less of a risk, but there’s a chance your guinea pig could choke on those too.
It’s a good idea to remove any seeds you find in the watermelon before offering it to your guinea pig. Be sure to check the rind as well for seeds. While less common, seeds occasionally turn up in the white part of the rind.
Can Guinea Pigs Eat Watermelon Leaves?
There is little information known about feeding watermelon plant leaves to guinea pigs. For this reason, it’s best to avoid offering them to your piggy. There are so many other great greens and plants you can give your pig, so it’s best not to take the risk on watermelon leaves.
For example, did you know guinea pigs can eat the entire dandelion plant, from the roots to the flowers? Piggies also love to munch on raspberry and strawberry plant leaves.
Can Baby Guinea Pigs Eat Watermelon?
Baby guinea pigs over four weeks of age can have small amounts of watermelon. It’s best to introduce this food slowly, as young piggies are not used to digesting large amounts of sugar. It’s a good idea to start feeding the whiter part of the rind, as this contains less sugar. As long as there are no adverse reactions, you can gradually increase the quantity.
However, be sure to stick to leafy greens like parsley and collard greens as your baby piggy’s primary source of veggies to ensure they get the calcium and Vitamin C they need for proper growth and development.
How to Prepare and Feed Watermelon to Your Guinea Pig
To feed watermelon to your guinea pig, start by cutting a small, appropriately sized piece. Cut a cube approximately 1″ square of the red fruit, or you can chop off a couple of inches from the rind. If your piggy really loves the red flesh, you can cut a piece of rind with a small amount of red fruit left along the edge of the rind.
Be sure to remove all seeds before giving a piece to your guinea pig. While seeds are commonly found in the flesh of the melon, occasionally, some seeds will find their way into the rind as well.
It’s also a good idea to rinse the piece of watermelon rind before giving it to your pig. This helps to remove any traces of pesticides or germs. It’s also best to let the fruit warm up to room temperature before feeding, so it’s easier on your piggy’s digestive system.
If your guinea pig has never tried watermelon before, start with a tiny amount at first. Offer a few bites or a very thin slice of flesh or rind to give their body time to adapt to the new food.
Sometimes guinea pigs take a bit of time to adapt and try a new type of food, so if they don’t eat it right away, try it for a few more days. It also often helps to give the new food separately from their regular vegetables (i.e., new food in the morning, regular veggies at night.) Guinea pigs are often more willing to try something if they have fewer options.
Observe your guinea pig for several hours after they try the new food. As long as there’s no diarrhea or odd behavior, you can gradually increase the amount of watermelon next time. Remember to feed watermelon as an occasional treat and offer it separately from other sugary fruits.
More Fruits and Vegetables That Guinea Pigs Can Eat
Did you know that guinea pigs can also eat dill, watercress, and parsnips?
These foods all contain various nutrients that can boost your guinea pig’s health in numerous ways. They can also eat peaches, bananas, pears, and so much more.
For a complete list of all the fruits and vegetables that guinea pigs can eat, check out our article, Complete List of Safe Foods for Guinea Pigs.
