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Can guinea pigs eat peanut butter? Human beings are very affectionate; they tend to share their life with their beloved pet. They may want to share their food with their beloved pets in that context. As all human foods are not safe to eat, you may wonder can guinea pigs eat peanut butter?

The answer is no. Guinea pigs can’t eat peanut butter because they cannot digest the sugar, fat, and preservatives present in the peanut butter. Guinea pigs are not supposed to eat peanut butter because the thick texture of peanut butter can pose a choking hazard. Additionally, high calories and additives can cause obesity in your guinea pig.

Cavies have a sensitive stomach, and they can get sick when you feed them the wrong food. Read to know the potentially harmful effects of peanut butter that will make the decision easier for you.

Is peanut butter bad for guinea pigs?

Can guinea pigs eat peanut butter? Is it bad for them? Yes, peanut butter is bad for your guinea pig. Several reasons can make your mind avoid feeding peanut butter to your guinea pig. Let’s start with the important ones. The nutritional profile of peanut butter will make things easier for us.

Additives

Peanut butter does not contain any health benefits for guinea pigs. Instead, it contains ingredients that are a health threat to piggies. The peanut butter that you purchase from the store contains the following additives.

Trans fat
High sugars
Vegetable oils

A Guinea pig’s stomach is not supposed to encounter lots of fats and oils. Suppose guinea pigs encounter lots of sugars and oils.

In that case, they will be prone to many illnesses such as obesity, diabetes, kidney and heart problems, etc. these medical problems will be discussed later.

High calories

Looking at the calorie content can make us understand the whole story. You should know that only two tablespoons of peanut butter contain 3g of sugar, 15g of fats, and 190 calories.

This is threatening because guinea pigs are supposed to eat this many calories, sugars, and fats. It can easily lead to a bad health state.

Vitamin C

Peanut butter contains no vitamin C. we are talking about vitamin C because it is the essential component of a guinea pig’s diet.

The Guinea pig’s body doesn’t synthesize its vitamin C but needs it badly. It is important to run the basic metabolism of the body.

The deficiency of vitamin C can lead to a disease called scurvy. Scurvy is a wasting disease in which the guinea pigs start losing weight, become lethargic, vocalize frequently, and face problems with teeth grinding. I am sure it is not something you want for your guinea pig.

Compromised health

Feeding high-calorie and high sugar-containing food can compromise your guinea pig’s life. You don’t want to shorten your piggie’s life by satisfying the urge to share the foods. Your guinea pig is not worth feeding health hazard foods like peanut butter.

Being the pet owner, it is your responsibility to avoid such incidences that can compromise your beloved piggie’s health. I have mentioned below the possible health concerns caused by eating peanut butter.

What are the health risks associated with feeding peanut butter?

Some of the health risks that can arise from eating too much peanut butter are;

Allergic reactions

Introducing a new food also brings the risk of allergic reaction. Peanut butter and some fruits and vegetables can risk developing allergic reactions.

However, peanut butter bears more chances of developing allergic reactions than fruits and vegetables. The reason is its nutritional profile contains additives and high sugar contents.

Digestive problems

High sugar high fat can cause your guinea pig to develop stomach problems. Your piggie’s stomach will have to work more to digest peanut butter.

Eating too much peanut butter can cause diarrhea, vomiting, and gastric irritation. The diet of guinea pigs must contain fiber to help the stomach digest. Peanut butter does not contain fiber which is a drawback.

Choking hazard

You may have overlooked it, but the texture of peanut butter makes it a choking hazard. Peanut butter is too thick and sticky that it is difficult for your guinea pig to handle in large amounts.

You know your guinea pig is very fond of tasty treats, and he may want to eat all the tasty food in one go. You should prevent your piggie from such situations.