Last Updated on March 7, 2023 by Woody Pet
Can guinea pigs eat cheese?
If you keep guinea pigs, you need to educate yourself about what they eat and what they do not. That is, which foods are good for them and their development, and which foods can harm them over time.
Surely by now you have cleared up and found out which food is good for them, but what do we do about the question can guinea pigs eat cheese? Can a guinea pig consume this type of protein and should such a thing be considered at all?
Well, can guinea pigs eat cheese? No, unfortunately, it can not, although it is one of the favorite foods of people and is also a good source of protein and milk fat.
This is because can guinea pigs do not have the ability or do not have such enzymes to be able to digest them because cheese has a lot of calcium and a lot of fat. Of course, we do not say that if you give cheese to your guinea pig that it will die immediately, but the risk increases over time, so it eventually results in a death for which we will not know the consequences.
In the short term, it can cause digestive problems, abdominal pain, diarrhea, urinary complications, and heart problems. Therefore, instead of this choice, you should focus more on foods that contain dairy, ie hay, vegetables, and fresh grass.
The fact is that these creatures are greedy creatures, that they enjoy food and do not choose. In fact, the very name “guinea pig” implies that these creatures are actually pigs, so they have a huge reputation that they eat everything and do not choose in terms of food.
It makes them even sweeter to store, that whatever they see in front of them they will eat.
What can guinea pigs not eat?
There is even evidence that many guinea pigs have been eaten when they leave food near them. Although they do not choose what to eat, this does not mean that they have a strong stomach or digestive system.
Paradoxically, these creatures need to have a lot of dietary restrictions in order to survive, all for the sake of their health. Therefore, you cannot rely on their natural insects, because they cannot refrain from eating food, so any food can potentially be bad for them.
So you need to educate yourself about their diet, especially not to leave food around or let other people feed them. However, it is a pet that ultimately relies on you for its care.
Cheese is indeed a sweet product and a favorite among humans, but animals should abstain from such dairy products. This is the answer to what can guinea pigs not eat. Now is the time to look at the reasons why this is so, so over time, you will decide for yourself what is the best alternative to cheese substitute.
Can guinea pigs eat cheese and why not?
Cheese is not a good option for your Guinea Pig for many reasons, but we will single out three of them.
It first contains lactose and other milk proteins, which are certainly good for humans, but Guinea Pig can not store them.
Second, cheese contains a lot of calcium and the third reason is that it contains fat. The next three reasons answer the question: Can guinea pigs eat cheese?
Lactose and Milk Proteins
In the wild, many animals have problems processing and digesting the milk they receive from their mothers, especially when they mature.
In the wild, many mammals depend on their mothers, especially when they are suckling milk or even babies. In other words, milk is just baby food, and is its purpose to raise babies into mature animals, to stimulate their growth.
Then, they need to switch to stronger foods that are appropriate for their size and needs.
Guinea pigs are no exception to this rule. Cheese is primarily made from milk, so we need to know that this milk is primarily intended for young calves, ie in nature it is its meaning.
In us humans, it plays a special role in our lives and our children, but we also have people who are lactose intolerant. And even they avoid dairy products. The main reason that Guinea pigs can not and must not consume yellow cheese, is because they do not have the enzyme in their stomach, ie they can not break it down.
Let’s say in human language, Guinea pigs are lactose intolerant!
High Calcium
Due to the high content of Calcium, which cheese contains, it is a common food in humans. But that does not apply to Guinea Pigs, so we need to be careful about their diet. This applies to all mammals, calcium is the cause of many urinary diseases and urinary stones.
High Fat
Guinea pigs are not carnivorous creatures, so their food should consist of plants, vegetables, and hay. Of course, this includes various supplements that are put in food in the form of supplements and vitamins.
They just developed that way, and they need a lot of fiber to have a healthy digestive system. Fat is the reason why guinea pigs can gain a lot of weight because they have no dietary restrictions, which can lead to obesity, which can eventually lead to heart disease and diarrhea.
What can guinea pigs eat? and Can guinea pigs eat bread?
Now that we have seen the dangers of cheese, or what it can do to your guinea pig, it is worth looking at the alternatives that can be practiced, or in other words What can guinea pigs eat? Education is just a condition for the good functioning of your pet, so your love becomes the driver for such an educational upgrade.
If you want to give your guinea pig a variety of foods, there are other healthy options that can be taken, that is, to give them something that their digestive system can handle.
Of course, this includes hay and fresh grass, vegetables, and fruits, such as Peas, carrots, spinach, onions, cucumbers, kiwis, oranges, papayas, apples, and pears. But can guinea pigs eat bread? The bottom line is that guinea pigs should not be fed cheese.
There are many types of foods that are bad and unnecessary for them but are exotic and sweet to the eye. The main problem is fat and milk protein. If you want to take care of your Guinea pigs, focus on the foods that are good for them.
