Can Guinea Pigs Eat Aloe Vera Leaves? (You Need To Know)
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You know many plants are good for guinea pigs to eat. But there’s one plant you’re not so sure about and it’s aloe vera. And you want to know if your guinea pigs can eat aloe vera leaves, don’t you?
Guinea pigs should not eat aloe vera leaves because they’re poisonous to them. Plus, they can cause choking and digestive problems in guinea pigs. The juice from the aloe leaves will also irritate the skin of your guinea pigs. Plus, aloe vera has compounds that can cause cancer in guinea pigs. So it’s best to steer clear of this plant entirely.
There are plenty of other plants and vegetables that your guinea pigs can eat. So don’t worry, there are plenty of options for your piggies to munch on.
So, you shouldn’t give your guinea pigs aloe vera leaves, not even a little. Keep reading, I’ll tell you why aloe vera leaves are a no-no for piggies. But before that, let’s see…
What Are Aloe Vera Leaves?
Aloe vera leaves are from the succulent aloe vera plant. This plant has many medicinal uses and has more than 500 species.
Aloe vera is a very common houseplant that requires little to no maintenance. Aloe vera leaves are popular for their cosmetic uses in healing wounds.
The leaves can also help with dermatitis and acne. Plus it has antibacterial and moisturizing effects. Aloe vera leaves contain around 99% water and 1% chemicals.
The internal part of the leaves contains the clear aloe vera gel.
Can Guinea Pigs Have Aloe Vera?
No, guinea pigs shouldn’t eat aloe vera. Its compounds can drastically affect your guinea pig’s digestion. The little part of aloe vera that isn’t water is filled with harmful chemicals.
These chemicals (when swallowed) can be cancerous to guinea pigs. The entire aloe vera leaf contains compounds with laxative effects. Eating it is likely to give your fuzz spuds diarrhea.
It can even develop into hepatitis in your piggies. There are many better plants to give your piggies instead of aloe vera.
We’ll be discussing them later but for now, let’s see…
Is Aloe Vera Toxic To Guinea Pigs?
Yes, aloe vera is toxic to guinea pigs. It contains aloin A and Anthraquinone. These chemicals are disastrous to piggies.
Eating aloe vera can make your fur babies prone to the following risks:
1. Poisonous
Aloe vera contains aloin A and anthraquinone. Both of them are poisonous to guinea pigs when ingested. They’ll disrupt the bowel movement and cause diarrhea.
They are also capable of causing cancer in your piggies. Plus they can result in liver inflammation (hepatitis). To cut the story short, aloe vera treats are like feeding your fur babies poison.
2. Choking Issues
Drifting away from the issue of poisoning, aloe vera can choke your little friend. Yes, it may not even make it to your piggie’s stomach. The texture of aloe vera leaves is difficult for guinea pigs to chew.
Feeding your piggies aloe vera can make the thorns on it injure your piggies. So you shouldn’t do it.
3. Digestive Issues
Like I said earlier, aloe vera isn’t great for your cavy’s digestive system. In fact, it’ll wreak havoc there. It’ll start by giving your piggies cramps and then diarrhea.
The chemicals in aloe vera can result in critical digestive issues.
4. Skin Irritation
Aloe vera has chemicals that are irritants. Once they get on your piggie’s skin, it starts feeling itchy. It’ll make your fuzz spuds scratch themselves until the skin is raw. This skin irritation is unpleasant for guinea pigs.
Here’s some posts that should be useful to you: What Guinea Pigs Can Eat (Everything You Need To Know) and What Fruits Can Guinea Pigs Eat? (What You Need To Know)
Nutritional Facts for Aloe Vera Leaves
If you still want to give your piggies aloe vera, wait till you see this.
For 1 serving (per 100 g), the nutritional values of aloe vera leaves are:
- Total Fat – 0g (zero fat is cool, at least for piggies).
- Sodium – 0mg ( too low, not good at all).
- Carbohydrates – 1g (piggies need energy so this is a turn-off).
- Net carbs – 1g (very low, wouldn’t be significant).
- Sugar – 0g (zero sugar, not bad).
- Fiber – 0g (uh oh zero fiber, now tell me why you think your piggy should eat aloe).
- Protein – 0g ( zero protein, lesser energy, not cool).
- Vitamins and minerals – 27mg (great vitamin amount which is good for the immune system).
- Calcium – 10mg (it’s quite low on calcium which is a yes for piggies).
- Fatty acids – 0g ( well, not bad at least for piggies)
- Amino acids – 1g (not great, piggies need amino acids to grow).
There’s not a whole lot of anything useful that aloe vera leaves can offer to guinea pigs. That…and, oh…the fact that it’s poisonous to cavies means that it’s a big no-no.
Can Guinea Pigs Eat Aloe?
Guinea pigs cannot eat aloe because it’s bad for their health. Aloe vera can lead to several complications in your piggies. The leaves of aloe vera have three parts – the inner pulp contains aloe vera gel.
Aloe has a lot of water and some lipids and vitamins. But there’s also calcium (which is not good for piggies). Plus there are cancerous compounds in aloe.
Bottom line is that feeding your piggies aloe vera is a bad idea.
Can Guinea Pigs Eat Aloe Vera Gel?
No, guinea pigs shouldn’t eat aloe vera gel. It only means the cancerous compounds aren’t there. Aloe vera gel can still cause digestive issues in your guinea pigs. It can even choke them. Its nutrient combination isn’t worth it either.
Can Guinea Pigs Drink Aloe Vera Juice?
No, piggies can’t drink aloe vera juice. Drinking the juice will irritate your piggies’ bowels. Then it’ll give your guinea pig diarrhea. That’s because the juice has compounds with laxative effects.
Too much aloe vera juice can also cause hepatitis in your piggies. This means your guinea pig’s liver will be inflamed (terrible right?).
While drinking the aloe vera juice, it’ll make contact with your piggie’s skin. And that’s not good. The skin might end up red and itchy.
Do Guinea Pigs Like Aloe Vera?
Guinea pigs don’t like aloe vera. It’s not part of their go-to treats. Aloe vera irritates their skin so they don’t like it. Aloe vera leaves, juice, or gel aren’t good food for piggies. They’re unhealthy too. So it’s understandable that piggies don’t like it.
Can Guinea Pigs Eat Cooked Aloe Vera?
No, guinea pigs can’t eat cooked aloe vera (or any cooked food). Aloe vera isn’t great for guinea pigs and cooking it worsens the case.
Aloe vera is bad for piggies in whatever form you present it. No matter how you modify it, don’t give it to your guinea pigs. It still retains its toxic compounds even when cooked so it’s not healthy.
Cooked aloe vera can still cause diarrhea and worse illnesses in your guinea pigs.
Can Baby Guinea Pigs Eat Aloe Vera?
No, baby guinea pigs shouldn’t eat aloe vera. Aloe vera is poisonous to adult guinea pigs and worse for baby piggies. Your baby guinea pig may not survive the effects of eating aloe vera.
The compounds in aloe vera are way too harsh for baby guinea pigs. They’ll get almost instant diarrhea (that’s if they don’t choke while eating it).
Aloe vera is disastrous to baby piggies so you should never try giving it to them.
Baby guinea pigs can eat most foods that adult guinea pigs can eat. But, you’ll want to introduce them very slowly at first. And make sure you do it one at a time, too.
Can Pregnant Guinea Pigs Eat Aloe Vera?
No, pregnant guinea pigs can’t eat aloe vera. Pregnant piggies are as fragile as baby guinea pigs. They have a strict diet and shouldn’t eat any random food. And aloe vera is not just any random food, it’s a toxic one.
Eating aloe vera will make your pregnant piggie sick and might kill her. This is because pregnant piggies are especially vulnerable due to their pregnancy. They may not be strong enough to endure diarrhea and poisoning.
Can You Use Baby Wipes With Aloe On Guinea Pigs?
No, you can’t use aloe vera wipes on guinea pigs. The wipes are not skin-friendly to piggies. Using aloe vera wipes on piggies will make their skin itchy. They might start scratching till the skin peels and bleeds too.
Now that’s bad, isn’t it?
The cause of this irritation is aloin A and anthraquinone. They’re present in aloe vera wipes and they’re irritants.
Using aloe vera wipes on guinea pigs is not a good idea.
Can Aloe Vera Be Used On A Guinea Pig Skin?
No, aloe vera should never be used on a guinea pig’s skin. That’ll be disastrous. Aloe vera has powerful skin-irritating compounds. It’s capable of damaging your little friend’s skin.
If the juice from aloe vera touches your guinea pig’s skin, there’s danger. This is because the juice contains aloin A and anthraquinone. They’re strong irritants.
Asides from the aloe juice, anything from aloe vera will have the same effect. So don’t apply any aloe vera product on your guinea pig’s skin.
What Leaves Are Poisonous To Guinea Pigs?
Evergreen leaves and bulb plant leaves are poisonous to guinea pigs. There are many plant leaves that your piggies shouldn’t eat.
You should be extra careful when picking out plants for your piggies. Be especially wary of the following:
- Amanita Mushrooms
- Amaryllis
- Chrysanthemum
- Cyclamen
- Ivy
- Lilies
- Mistletoe
- Tulip
- Rhododendron
- Calla Lily
- Caladium
- Castor Bean
- Chive
- Spring onion
- Garlic
Don’t feed any of the above plant leaves to your guinea pigs. Always be cautious of what plants you feed your piggies to avoid health issues.
Which Vegetables and Fruits Do Guinea Pigs Like The Most?
Guinea pigs love fruits and healthy vegetables. They love a good and tasty treat. But some fruits are too sweet for piggies. And not all vegetables are healthy either.
So here’s a list of safe fruits and vegetables that guinea pigs love:
- Apple
- Pear
- Bell pepper
- Spinach
- Zucchini
- Raspberry
- Tomatoes
- Cauliflower
- Broccoli
- Cucumbers
- blueberries
- Cabbage
- Parsley
- Carrots
- Brussels sprouts
- Radicchio
- Romaine lettuce
Things guinea pigs love are not limited to the above list. But those are some of the most popular ones. Give your piggie those fruits in moderation to make them happy.
Final Thoughts
So can guinea pigs eat aloe vera leaves?
Of course not.
You can feed your guinea pigs any of the healthy alternatives I listed. And also take note of the harmful plants and herbs.
Aloe vera (in whatever form) is not good for your guinea pigs. Share this info with your cavy-loving friends so they won’t make a mistake.