Fruits That Guinea Pigs Can Eat – Complete List (And What To Avoid)
There are so many fruits you can feed your guinea pig. In this article, I’ll be covering all the safe fruits you can give your guinea pig, which ones are best, how often you can feed them, and which fruits you should avoid feeding your piggy.
Most fruit is high in sugar and is best fed as a treat rather than every day. However, many fruits are very nutrient-rich and make a great addition to your furry potato’s diet.
Fruit is also generally low in calcium, which is crucial for adult guinea pigs to prevent issues like bladder stones.
Many types of fruit also contain significant levels of Vitamin C, which is essential for piggies as they need to get this nutrient exclusively through their diet.
So without further ado, let’s get started with a list of safe fruits that you can feed your guinea pig.
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 fruit shown in the photos is for visual purposes only and not indicative of the correct amount to feed your guinea pig in one serving.
Safe Fruits for Guinea Pigs: Complete List
This is a quick reference list of all the fruits you can safely feed guinea pigs.
You can find more details on how much and what parts of the fruit you can feed when you scroll further down this page.
- Strawberries
- Blueberries
- Raspberries
- Blackberries
- Cranberries
- Watermelon
- Honeydew Melon
- Cantaloupe (Rockmelon)
- Bananas
- Bell Peppers
- Zucchini
- Cucumbers
- Butternut Squash
- Tomatoes (cherry and regular are fine)
- Apples
- Pears
- Grapes
- Oranges
- Grapefruit
- Guava
- Apricots
- Cherries (sweet and sour)
- Peaches
- Nectarines
- Plums
- Kiwi
- Mango
- Starfruit
- Papaya
- Pomegranate
- Pineapple
- Eggplant
- Okra
- Pumpkin
You can also find a complete list of all the foods (fruits, veggies, and herbs!) your guinea pig can eat here: Complete Guinea Pig Safe Foods List.
Fruit You Should NOT Feed Your Guinea Pig
The following list is some fruits or parts of fruits that are potentially dangerous or harmful in other ways.
- Avocado – most parts are poisonous.
- Some Citrus – Lemon and Lime – are too acidic and can cause mouth sores.
- All spicy peppers.
- Rhubarb – all parts are poisonous to guinea pigs.
- Tomato stems and leaves – always remove greenery before feeding – also, never feed unripe tomatoes!
- Apple seeds – the seeds contain amygdalin, which produces cyanide when chewed – this is very poisonous to guinea pigs! Always remove apple seeds before feeding.
- Fruit pits – many contain cyanide, a poisonous compound.
- Dried fruit – including raisins – while not poisonous, they are high in sugar and stick to your guinea pig’s teeth.
Related: 45 Foods Your Guinea Pig Shouldn’t Eat
Safe Fruits for Guinea Pigs – How Much and How Often to Feed
The following is a thorough list of safe fruits to feed to your guinea pig. Under each item, you’ll find more information, including the nutritional benefits and how often to offer each food.
Can Guinea Pigs Eat Strawberries?
Strawberries are an excellent fruit to offer your guinea pig as an occasional treat.
These sweet red berries contain countless nutrients, including Vitamin C. Since they contain some sugar, it’s best to feed no more than one strawberry once a week.
Guinea pigs can also eat the strawberry tops (in many cases, they like them even more!) If you grow your own strawberry plants, guinea pigs can even eat the leaves of the plant.
Can Guinea Pigs Eat Blueberries?
Blueberries are healthy and full of antioxidants. They are safe to feed guinea pigs and offer many nutritional benefits.
They are a great source of antioxidants, manganese, Vitamin K, and Vitamin C, which are crucial for guinea pigs.
They are also low in calcium and a very popular favorite food of many guinea pigs. All 13 of my piggies get super excited when I have blueberries and eat them eagerly.
However, due to the sugar content, it’s best to feed a couple of blueberries at a time, once or twice a week.
Can Guinea Pigs Eat Raspberries?
Raspberries are safe to feed, and many guinea pigs love them! They are rich in antioxidants, fiber, potassium, and Vitamin C, which is great for piggies.
They contain some sugar, so it’s best to feed them occasionally. A couple of berries a week makes a perfect treat for guinea pigs.
If you grow your own raspberry plants (they are very easy perennials to grow in the garden!), your guinea pigs can also eat the raspberry leaves off the plant.
Can Guinea Pigs Eat Blackberries?
Guinea pigs can eat both raspberries and blackberries alike. Blackberries contain many great antioxidants, fiber, and Vitamin C.
Like raspberries, these sweet berries should be fed in limited quantities due to their sugar content. You can offer your piggies a couple of berries per week as an occasional healthy treat.
Can Guinea Pigs Eat Cranberries?
Cranberries are safe to feed guinea pigs, and they have some great health benefits. They are high in Vitamin C, manganese, and fiber.
Cranberries also have high levels of antioxidants proanthocyanidins (PACs), which discourage bacteria from sticking around and growing in the bladder. Because of this, cranberries can be beneficial for guinea pigs that are prone to UTIs or other bladder problems.
It’s best to feed cranberries in small amounts only, once or twice a week, if your guinea pig likes the flavor. Only one of my little potatoes was keen to gobble up cranberries (luckily, he was the only one with bladder problems that needed them!)
Can Guinea Pigs Eat Watermelon?
Watermelon is a popular and delicious fruit that guinea pigs often love. It is not high in calcium, so there’s no real concern about feeding it besides the sugar content. It also does not contain a lot of Vitamin C, but it’s high in potassium, which regulates fluid in the body.
Guinea pigs can eat the flesh and the watermelon rind. The rind and white part of the flesh is lower in sugar, so it’s best for chunky piggies. Be sure to rinse thoroughly and remove seeds before offering your guinea pig a piece.
Because of the sugar in watermelon, it’s best to feed it as an occasional snack once a week or so.
Can Guinea Pigs Eat Honeydew Melon?
Honeydew melon is high in sugar and water, but many guinea pigs love it. Like watermelon, guinea pigs can eat both the flesh and the rind. Rinds are lower in sugar but not as tasty as the lime green flesh.
Be sure to remove seeds before giving anything to your piggy. Honeydew melon is best fed as an occasional treat, in small amounts every week or so.
Can Guinea Pigs Eat Cantaloupe? (Rockmelon)
Cantaloupe (also known as rockmelon) is high in Vitamin C and makes a great treat for your guinea pigs. This fruit also contains sugar and phosphorus, so feed it sparingly.
Cantaloupe is also very popular with piggies! I had a high success rate with my herd, and nearly all the guinea pigs gobbled it up on the first try.
You can feed a small cube or slice of the rockmelon flesh weekly. Be sure to remove the seeds and rind first, as the seeds pose a choking risk, and the rind is tough for guinea pigs to chew and digest.
Can Guinea Pigs Eat Bananas?
You can safely feed bananas to your guinea pig in moderation. Bananas contain some Vitamin C and lots of potassium, which help regulate fluid in the body.
Bananas are incredibly high in sugar, though, so offer your cavy no more than a few bites once a week.
Can Guinea Pigs Eat Bell Peppers?
