No, Guinea pigs cannot eat onions. It is not safe to offer even a 7gm of onion to them because a little munch of any part of onion including the skin, and seeds can cause serious illness to guinea pigs.
Onions, red or green, are both highly toxic and do not contain any useful ingredients for piggies. These pigs cannot swallow any form of onions either, cooked or raw.
Onions are hard on the tummy and bring severe urinary infections to guinea pigs and death in some cases.
Also, they don’t like to have it for their pungent smell.
Can Onions Be Poisonous?
Yes, onions can be poisonous for Guinea pigs.
Onions do not contribute to the nourishment of these pigs.
Chemicals in onions such as disulfides and thiosulphates are both dangerous for their well-being.
Feeding onions to guinea pigs even in small quantities can cause intense urinary difficulties and digestive issues to them which include: Hemolytic anemia, and anaphylactic shock, which eventually leads to death.
Always inspect for the signs, if your guinea pigs have accidentally munched on the onions.
Its major symptoms are that they will have increasing salvation and continuous discharge coming from the eyes.
Do Guinea Pigs Like Onions?
No, guinea pigs don’t like onions. Guinea pigs are very choosy when it comes to what they want to have in their diet.
Their likes and dislikes are so obvious to their owners that when they don’t like any food they just leave it uneaten.
Guinea pigs have well-built noses. With their powerful sniffing, they first test before having a mouthful of the food.
Due to the pungent smell of the onions, they are not attractive.
Also, onions contain some acidic compounds that are difficult to ingest for the tummy of guinea pigs.
Nutritional Facts of Onions
Is Raw Onions Safe for Guinea Pigs?
No, raw onions are not safe for guinea pigs. Raw onions contain some poisonous acidic compounds and 46mg of phosphorus, which is too high to consume, 37mg calcium, 6.78 gm high sugar, 6mg salts (low), and bulk water.
Raw onions peels, roots, bud all can impose severe risks to the life of guinea pigs.
The digestive system of guinea pigs is not made for onions, both as a regular feed or an occasional treat.
Even a microsecond of carelessness towards your pet could be deadly in this regard.
Don’t ever just allow them to munch over even a small scrap of raw onions. A cautious eye over your pig is very crucial.
Is Cooked Onions Safe for Guinea Pigs?
No, cooked onions are not safe for guinea pigs. Onions, cooked, fried, frozen, or raw all are seriously fatal for guinea pig’s health, leading to disaster effects in their body processes.
Onions are rich in additives that are toxic so the cooked food is also contaminated as frying them on heat doesn’t make a big difference or make them toxin-free at all.
Cooked onions are deadly for guinea pigs, so avoid offering ones, if you have fed your pet before.
Give them other stable vegetables to complete their deficiency of Vitamin C.
Can Guinea Pigs Eat Red Onions?
No, guinea pigs cannot eat red onions. Red onions are as toxic as any other kind of onion.
The toxicity level of red onions persists for the guinea pigs owners to look out for other nutrition-rich healthy diets for them.
Red onions are not only unpleasant in taste for guinea pigs, but they can lead to the internal organs and blood vessels emanating to diffuse oxygen into the blood.
A small bit of red onion peel, skin, or flesh could cause trouble in breathing and loss of red blood cells.
Can Guinea Pigs Eat Green Onions (Scallions)?
No, Guinea Pigs cannot eat scallions. In simple terms, green onions (scallions) are not suitable for guinea pigs.
A lethal crunch of green onions is sufficient to cause the death of your guinea piggy. As compared to red onions, green onions are more venomous.
However, it is admissible to offer your guinea pigs the upper-most part of green onions.
They can bear to have it in their tummies as the top of green onions are low in calories and sugar.
The top is immensely curbed with rich vitamins, and so offers a healthy treat to them.
Can Guinea Pigs Eat Onion Skin?
No, guinea pigs cannot eat onion skin. The skin of onions does not serve any health benefits to guinea pigs.
For the well-being of your guinea pigs, avoid feeding them all the sections of onions including, peels, skins, seeds, leaves, and onion flesh.
Onions are abundant in an oil-soluble compound which is known as a disulfide.
Onions also contribute to various unfavorable circumstances in the body of guinea pigs including kidney stones or results in the formation of bladder stones.
That is why onion skin is pervasive for them.
Benefits Of Onions For Guinea Pigs
Onions are not a healthy choice for guinea pigs; they can cause several diseases in them. They can cause complications in the urinary system and digestive system, lead to anemia, and even cause death.
However, there is a benefit that we can associate with onions for guinea pigs. Onions contain a large quantity of vitamin C, and vitamin C is very favorable for them.
They are mammalian animals like humans, and just like humans, they also need vitamin C from an external source for many reasons.
Insufficiency of vitamin C can develop scurvy in them. Vitamin C does numerous functions in their bodies, including forming and safeguarding their body tissues. It is okay to say that onions are beneficial for them in this regard.
Still, the intake of onions should be avoided because it has more disadvantages than advantages. Even only 7 to 7.5 grams of onion is intimidating for them. Although onions can be a source of vitamin C, finding another alternative is strongly preferable.
What To Do If A Guinea Pig Has Eaten An Onion?
Problems are inevitable if your guinea pig has consumed onion either in large or small amounts; the only thing you can do now is to look for the treatment of your pet. Fortunately, most of the diseases are treatable before they become lethal.
The first and most crucial step while treating them is to check the consumption of onions; if the amount is less than 7 grams, there is no need to worry. But if they have consumed even a little more than 7 grams, then there is something alarming, and you need to take specific measures.
Changing the diet plan of your pet while they are ill could be proved beneficial.
Studies have demonstrated that sick guinea pigs need more vitamin C than healthy ones. Vegetables are a good source of vitamin C. You should feed more fresh vegetables to your pet when they are ill.
The grass has unlimited advantages, and when they are sick, their keepers should serve them unlimited amounts of grass.
Just like grass, fresh water is also very beneficial to them. Owners should make sure that these little pets have access to freshwater so that they can recover fully.
Medication is another option for their treatment that their owners can always opt for if they are not satisfied with changing the diet.
How to Prevent Guinea Pigs From Eating Onions?
Guinea pigs should never be exposed to onions because onions are nothing less than poison for them. As already described, that even only a tiny amount could be deadly for them. But there is also the fact that these little rodents are so naive that they cannot resist eating onions if they are accessible to them.
Due to this habit, it becomes the duty of their owner to make sure that they are not having any part of onions. They should always have to keep a strict eye on them, not let them go close to onions, and nurture them with onions.
Providing other substitutes for onions could also prevent them from eating onions. Blueberries, pellets, tomatoes, etc., are some of the healthier alternatives of onions that their masters could offer to them.
Conclusion
All in all, concerning the health of guinea pigs, onions are not good. Even onions cannot be used as scrap food to offer occasionally.
If your pig unluckily, would have it, take him up to the vet immediately.
It is suggested to provide your guinea pigs with a bowl of other healthy food items such as guinea pigs pellets that supplements the need for major vitamins.
They can also be offered some tasty treats like sweet hay, blueberries, green peppers, and strawberries, enriched with fibers and carbs.
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