Can Guinea Pigs Eat Kale?
Kale is very rich in a range of nutrients, hence its modern day label of a “superfood” – for human consumption at least.
But what about guinea pigs? Should guinea pigs eat kale, and if so, how much and how often?
This leafy green is actually part of the cabbage family, and we know that cabbage itself is one of those foods to be taken with caution with guinea pigs. However, kale is not particularly closely related to the forms of cabbage we know, but rather to the wild original types of cabbage that was the original type from which domesticated cabbage was bred from.
With that out of the way: what does it mean when it comes to feeding kale to guinea pigs?
We need to keep in mind some of the important things about kale and how these relate to guinea pig health:
1. Kale is high in calcium – guinea pigs older than 6 months of age should be limited in the amount of calcium rich foods they eat. One risk of too much dietary calcium intake is bladder stones.
2. Kale is high in Vitamin C – this is good for guinea pigs
3. Although not a very close relation to domestic cabbage, kale still holds the risk of gas and bloat in guinea pigs if fed too often or in too high amounts.
So as we can see, there are both positives and negatives to kale when it comes to guinea pig health.
Some recommend feeding it very sparingly: one to two times per month at most.
Can Guinea Pigs Eat Kohlrabi Leaves?
Have you heard of kohlrabi?
Also sometimes called a turnip cabbage (although it is not a turnip at all).
This is a cabbage type vegetable. It’s a close relative of the more familiar cabbage, broccoli, cauliflower and all the other plants in the Brassica family. The leaves themselves look similar to broccoli leaves and stems, indicating how closely related they are.
Is kohlrabi ok for guinea pigs to eat?
Yes, kohlrabi is safe for guinea pigs.
It has a good amount of vitamin C in it which makes it attractive. Dietary fiber levels are also high.
Kohlrabi leaves or greens are recommended to be fed to guinea pigs in moderation along the same lines as regular cabbage, broccoli, kale and some other greens.
Growing Kohlrabi at Home
Kohlrabi is easy to grow yourself in most climates, so if you’re a bit of a green thumb it’s worth considering having a spot for some organic kohlrabi in your garden.
