Can Guinea Pigs Eat Marigolds?

Guinea Pigs are one of the cutest small pets that you can take care of. Due to their small size which reflects their fragileness and sensitivity, you might wonder what kinds of food are safe for them to eat. Can Guinea Pigs eat Marigolds?

If they can eat green leafy vegetables, maybe they can eat flowers too, right? We are here to find out! 

Can Guinea Pigs Eat Marigolds?

Yes, Marigolds are safe for Guinea Pigs to eat. In fact, Marigolds can be fed as snacks for them. Just make sure to feed them in moderation which can be once or twice a week to prevent tummy aches.

There are several plants and flowers that you can feed to Guinea Pigs. Many of them offer diverse health benefits that can improve Guinea Pigs’ health. Moreover, feeding them with different kinds of food that are suitable and nutritious for them can improve not only their health but also their feelings and overall wellbeing.

Benefits of Marigolds in Guinea Pigs

Marigolds offer a lot of health benefits to Guinea Pigs. Marigolds’ flavors alone, which are mildly citrusy similar to citrus fruits like orange and lemon, can be a good treat for your Guinea Pig. Having a lot of choices when it comes to food will brighten the mood of your Guinea Pigs which can also reflect on their health and energy.

Here’s a list of the health benefits of Marigolds to Guinea Pigs:

• It prevents bug bites, ulcerations, warts, sunburn, blisters, dry skin, and other skin problems for Guinea Pigs. It can also help treat skin problems if it already has one! 
• It strengthens Guinea Pigs’ immunity since Marigolds are highly rich in nutrients. 
• It can help detoxify Guinea Pigs. Once consumed, Marigolds can remove viruses lurking inside the body.
• It prevents indigestion and improves gut work for Guinea Pigs which can help them avoid stomach problems.
• It helps fight diseases and common illnesses such as infections and flu through its antibacterial properties.
• It can aid with fast recovery for injuries. Marigold ointment can alleviate pain and help with wound healing for Guinea Pigs. 

Of course, moderation is the main key to maintaining Guinea Pigs’ health. Marigolds can be poisonous and can cause indigestion if consumed in large quantities. Feed them to Guinea Pigs only once or twice a week.

Marigolds can only be fed in adult Guinea Pigs! In addition to this, only feed them the blossom parts of Marigold and do not feed them if the flowers are treated with pesticides and other chemicals.

How to Keep Guinea Pigs Healthy Through Food

Having a wide variety of food options for Guinea Pigs can help them to have a healthier and happier lifestyle. However, this can also be a double-edged sword. Due to the varieties of food that they can consume, people can be careless about Guinea Pigs diet.

Moreover, it can also create confusion with what kinds of food, plants, or flowers are safe for them to eat. With this, people are more prone to feeding them food that might be harmful to them. However, there are a lot of ways to help us understand how to keep track of your Guinea Pigs’ health so they can live long and fulfilling lives!

Know What Are Safe for Them to Eat

Research about the foods, plants, and flowers that are safe for Guinea Pigs to eat. Having knowledge about the varieties of food that you can offer to Guinea Pigs as well as the health benefits and risks that come with them. For example, Marigolds are safe for Guinea Pigs but it also comes with health risks if fed without moderation.

Thus, being safe is not enough for you to weigh out what kinds of food you will feed to Guinea Pigs, you also have to make sure that they are fed with the proper amount of food.

Understand What Is Harmful for Them

While a lot of food might be safe for Guinea Pigs, there are also a lot of foods, plants, and flowers out there that can be extremely harmful and poisonous for them. Knowing about these things will prevent you from accidentally feeding or exposing them to one. Guinea Pigs are chewers and even if you did not directly feed them specific food, they can chew and eat them if they can.

Here is a short list of a few plants and foods that can be harmful to your Guinea Pigs:

• Chocolate
• Caffeine 
• Daisies, buttercups, and celandine
• Grass clippings and wheatgrass
• Rhubarb leaves and stalks
• Potatoes
• Nuts and seeds
• Cooked and processed foods for humans
• Dairy and meat products

Always remember that Guinea Pigs are vegan! Therefore, they cannot consume dairy and meat products as well as food designed for humans. They can only eat specific fruits, vegetables, and flowers.

Related Questions

What Flowers Can Guinea Pigs Eat?

Guinea Pigs can eat a wide variety of flowers which can also be nutritious and healthy for them. Herbs can also be a weekly part of Guinea Pigs’ diet which promotes different kinds of health benefits that helps them prevent common diseases and boosts their immunity.

Some of these flowers can be grown in gardens such as Calendula, Lavender, Nasturtium, Sunflowers, Roses, Wall Flowers, Basil, Catnip, Thyme, Chamomile, and Buddleia to name a few. In addition to this are wild plants such as Chickweed, Clover, Dog rose, Goldenrod, Grass, Willowherb, Yarrow, and a few more which can also be healthy for Guinea Pigs if consumed in moderation.

What Plants Are Poisonous to Guinea Pigs?

Only a few plants that grow from a bulb can be edible for Guinea Pigs. Most of them, such as onion, spring onions, leeks, shallots, and garlic are poisonous for them. This includes bulb plants and flowers such as daffodil, crocus, tulips, bluebells, hyacinth, tulips, and lily.

Make sure to search about the origin of the flower or plant before feeding them to Guinea Pigs to avoid indigestion and possible poisoning which can cause death.

Conclusion

Guinea Pigs can eat Marigolds which can give them various health benefits that include immunity boost and detoxification from harmful viruses. In addition to this, Marigolds can also prevent indigestion, skin problems, and aids with injuries and wound healing.

Just make sure to only feed adult Guinea Pigs and feed them at least once or twice a week to avoid possible health risks such as indigestion and poisoning if consumed in high quantities.