Can Guinea Pigs Eat Spinach?
Here’s What A Vet Has To Say

Dr. Ivana Crnec, DVM

February 13, 2022

Remember Popeye the Sailorman? All he had to do was eat a handful of spinach, and he would get supernatural powers. It was just a cartoon, but the concept is genuine – spinach really is a super-food.

Spinach originated in Persia, and in many parts of the world, it is still known as Persian green. Today, we are in love with spinach and cherish this dark leafy green for both its taste and nutritional value. In fact, we have even dedicated a day in honor of the spinach – yes, March 26th is marked as spinach day.

If spinach is a super-food for us, it is no wonder guinea pig parents consider feeding this green veggie to their pets and ask: ”Can guinea pigs eat spinach”? Is it safe, and is it nutritionally beneficial for piggies? And if it is, what are the feeding guidelines that ensure my pet stays healthy?

If you are interested in the answers, you are on the right page. This article will reveal everything you need to consider when adding spinach to your guinea pig’s food bowl.

Yes, guinea pigs can eat spinach. Spinach has many beneficial nutrients, including Vitamin C, which is vital for guinea pigs because they cannot synthesize it on their own. However, you should follow specific feeding guidelines, as spinach also contains calcium and oxalic acid, which may cause bladder sludge. Not to mention that overfeeding may result in tummy troubles.

When used correctly, spinach is an excellent dark leafy green for guinea pigs.
– Dr. Ivana Crnec, DVM

We will thoroughly discuss the potential health risks and benefits in a second and help you determine how much and how often you should be serving spinach to your guinea pig. But first, let’s see how spinach can fit into a nutritionally balanced guinea pig diet.

The ideal and nutritionally balanced diet for guinea pigs includes 80% high-quality hay, 15% veggies (primarily fresh leafy greens), and 5% pellets explicitly formulated for guinea pigs. Fresh spinach can fit this meal plan really well when offered in small amounts and occasionally.

The good news is there is nothing toxic about spinach. Plus, many guinea pigs are crazy about how spinach tastes. However, some guinea pigs might not be very fond of the strong metallic taste and prefer other leafy greens – it is all a matter of taste.

Although, in theory, all parts of the spinach plant are edible, the spinach stalk or stem is best avoided as it is too fibrous and stringy, thus very hard to chew and swallow. The stringy texture may even pose a choking hazard.

But what about baby spinach and spinach for baby guinea pigs? Baby spinach is an excellent choice for guinea pigs. In fact, it is better than regular spinach as it contains less calcium and oxalic acid.

Baby guinea pigs should only feed on their mothers’ milk. However, young guinea pigs can enjoy a little spinach when they start familiarizing themselves with veggies.

As you can see, guinea pigs can definitely eat spinach. However, the spinach safety for guinea pigs is not just a matter of yes or no. There are specific feeding guidelines that need to be followed – portion size, serving frequency, and spinach form – raw, cooked, or frozen. Keep reading to learn how to add this leafy green to your piggy’s menu safely.

With so many healthy nutrients, it is only logical that spinach offers plenty of benefits. These are some of the pros of feeding your guinea pig spinach.

Say goodbye to scurvy

It is a well-known fact that guinea pigs cannot synthesize vitamin C. Therefore, their diets need to particularly rich in this essential vitamin. And spinach is definitely a vitamin C-rich dark veggie.

Lack of vitamin C causes scurvy. It is a potentially life-threatening condition that manifests with bone, joint, and skin issues. A guinea pig suffering from scurvy will exhibit the following clinical signs:

• Weight loss
• Dental issues
• Lethargy
• Painful joints
• Bruising
• Alopecia
• Diarrhea

If you suspect your guinea pig might be suffering from scurvy, contact a vet as soon as possible to assess the situation and see if your piggy needs a change in its diet or veterinary help.

Impeccable eyesight 

Spinach is rich in vitamin A and certain antioxidants that promote healthy vision. Particularly, spinach is rich in lutein and zeaxanthin. These two antioxidants, together with vitamin A contribute to healthy eyes and impeccable vision.

Lutein and zeaxanthin have another critical role – they protect against UV damage. This is particularly beneficial for guinea pigs that enjoy spending time outdoors.

Promotes cardiovascular health

Low in fat and cholesterol while rich in dietary fiber, spinach promotes a healthy cardiovascular system. In addition to keeping the blood cholesterol levels in the normal range, spinach is good for maintaining adequate blood sugar levels. Also, the antioxidant content contributes to cardiovascular health.

Weight-management friendly treat

Guinea pigs might be tiny, but they have huge appetites. Because of their modern and sedentary lifestyles and the owners’ inability to resist the cute high-pitched wheeks for food, guinea pigs are prone to gaining weight.

This is where spinach is helpful – packed with water and healthy nutrients while lacking sugar and fat; it is the perfect treat for maintaining a healthy body weight.

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Spinach is a healthy super-food for guinea pigs, but if served too frequently or insignificant amounts, it will trigger some serious health issues. These are the health risks you need to consider before overfeeding spinach to your guinea pig.

If served too frequently or insignificant amounts, it will trigger some serious health issues.

Oxalic acid, calcium, and bladder sludge

Spinach contains high amounts of oxalic acid. Guinea pigs can handle this acid when present in smaller quantities. However, in excess, oxalic acid disrupts calcium metabolism.

Spinach is also high in calcium. In the right amounts, guinea pigs need calcium for strong and healthy bones. However, unlike other mammals, guinea pigs can absorb most of the calcium from their foods. Therefore, if a guinea pig overeats high-calcium foods, it can easily experience calcium overload.

When oxalic acid and calcium bind together, they form bladder stones. The condition manifested with bladder stone formation in guinea pigs is commonly called bladder sludge.

Guinea pigs suffering from bladder sludge have a hard time passing urine. In more extreme cases, the stones will have to be surgically removed.

Tummy troubles

Guinea pigs have fragile digestive systems, and any food, if eaten in excess amounts, can result in tummy issues. Spinach is not an exception.

In a nutshell, overeating on spinach can result in either bloating or diarrhea. Both conditions are considered emergencies and can worsen really quickly.

If you suspect either bloat or diarrhea, you should contact a vet for more advice on how to help your pet.

Dirt and pesticide issues

Unless you have spinach in your garden or you’re buying exclusively organically grown spinach, you will have to ensure the spinach is thoroughly washed before serving.

This is because commercial growers regularly use tons of pesticides to protect the spinach from pests. These pesticides can be harmful to your piggy too. Plus, because of how it grows, spinach is often covered with dirt.

Choking hazard

Guinea pigs have small but powerful munching jaws. However, spinach has a stringy texture, and the strings pose a choking hazard. The stems are particularly fibrous and stringy, so they are not recommended to be fed for guinea pigs.

Respecting the spinach feeding guidelines is the only way of getting its health benefits and avoiding the risks.

How much spinach can I give my guinea pig?

There are no officially approved guidelines regarding the amounts of spinach for guinea pigs. However, most vets and experts would agree that the serving size of spinach for guinea pigs is one small leaf of regular spinach or two leaves of baby spinach. 

Young guinea pigs do not have to avoid spinach until adulthood. Just bear in mind that their digestive systems are still developing, and the served amount must be tiny – between a quarter of a baby spinach leaf and half baby spinach leaf.

If introducing spinach for the first time, give your guinea pig a particularly small amount – like a quarter of a leaf – and see how its tummy reacts to the new food. If there are no signs of digestive upset, you can slowly increase the amount to half a leaf then three-quarters of a leaf until reaching the recommended portion size.

How often can guinea pigs eat spinach?

Spinach is tasty and healthy, but you should not feed it daily. The general rule of thumb is to limit the spinach serving frequency to once per week.

You can serve spinach alternatives like cucumbers, lettuce, or zucchini on other days.

Another important consideration is not to feed spinach together with other high-calcium greens like Brussels sprouts, collard, parsley, kale, broccoli, and green beans.

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How to give spinach to your guinea pig?

Luckily for you and your guinea pig, spinach is readily available in most grocery store’s salad sections and at the local farmer’s market.

1.  Shop smart. When spinach shopping, look for fresh leaves that look healthy and juicy.

If there are discolorations or signs of decay, you need to keep looking. Basically, when making a choice, ask yourself, ”Is this something I would eat and serve to my family”? If the answer is yes, then the spinach is suitable for guinea pigs.

2. Wash, wash, wash. Usually, spinach is sold in a plastic bag and ready for consumption. However, spinach grown for commercial purposes is treated with pesticides, implying the need to rewash it despite being washed before packing.

Just open the bag and rinse it leaf by leaf. Alternatively, you can buy organic spinach and eliminate the need to wash as there are no pesticides in organically grown veggies.

We should note that spinach is usually sold in its natural state at the farmer’s market – no package and no prewashing. In such cases, you will need to dedicate some quality time washing and rinsing every spinach leaf to ensure there are no pesticides and dirt leftovers.

3. Store in the refrigerator. Once the spinach is clean, you can store it in the refrigerator in an air-tight container.

4. Rip up the spinach into small pieces. Then, when it is treat time, all you have to do is open the container and chop or rip up the spinach into small pieces. However, don’t tear the spinach into tiny pieces, as this will make the removal of uneaten pieces very hard.

5. Remove any uneaten pieces. Generally, if there are uneaten spinach pieces left after an hour, remove them from the enclosure. This will prevent your guinea pig from eating spinach that has gone bad as spinach is quick to decay.

Can I give raw, cooked, frozen, or canned spinach?

Raw fresh spinach is the ideal spinach option for guinea pigs. This is because fresh spinach has tons of nutrients and a texture that promotes healthy teeth trimming.

Cooked spinach is a no-go as guinea pigs are not equipped for digesting cooked foods. Cooking processes, boiling, and baking reduce the number of healthy nutrients in spinach. Once the vitamins and minerals are excluded the spinach is a high-carb food. Plus, during cooking, we usually add oil and spices, which guinea pigs definitely cannot digest.

You can serve frozen spinach to guinea pigs as long as it thaws at room temperature first. If served frozen, it will harm the stomach and result in health issues.

Finally, canned spinach is not suited for guinea pigs because it is boiled and blanched before being canned. What is more, it usually contains tons of preservatives and harmful additives.

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These are some of the nutrients a bulky 100 g of spinach offer:

• 23 calories
• 91.4 g water
• 3 g protein
• 3.8 g carbohydrates
• 2.2 g fiber
• 0.3 g fat
• 0 g saturated fat
• 0 mg cholesterol
• 70 mg sodium.

Spinach is also a good source of the following vitamins and minerals:

• Vitamin C
• Vitamin A
• Vitamin K
• Vitamin E
• Folate
• Potassium
• Calcium
• Iron
• Magnesium.

As you can see, spinach is loaded with vitamins and minerals while being low in calories and free from fat. These features make spinach a healthy choice of leafy greens for guinea pigs – but only when served moderately and as part of a balanced diet that meets the cavy’s nutritional requirements.

Yes, fortunately, guinea pigs can enjoy spinach, that is, as long as they do not mind the strong metallic taste. However, just like many other foods, spinach is safe and healthy only when used in moderation and occasionally.

Guinea pigs need a complete and nutritionally balanced diet comprised of mostly hay, some leafy greens, and guinea pig pellets. In these terms, spinach can contribute a lot to the leafy greens part.

Vet’s Comment

Guinea pigs need a wide array of veggies, especially leafy greens, to stay in tip-top health and shape. When used correctly, spinach is an excellent dark leafy green for guinea pigs.

Most guinea pigs do not mind the unique metallic taste and squeal with happiness upon seeing spinach.

It should be noted that although particularly rich in nutrients, you must never offer spinach stalks to your piggy – they are too stringy and likely to cause choking.

Finally, if possible, always choose baby spinach instead of regular as it is a safer and healthier alternative for guinea pigs.

– Dr. Ivana Crnec, DVM

NOTE: Advice provided within this article by FeedingMyPet.com is not a substitute for veterinary advice. Please discuss your pet’s specific dietary needs (based on his breed, weight, age, and health status) with a veterinarian.

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