If you love eating chocolate, you have developed a good taste. Undoubtedly, chocolate is the most popular treat on earth, and almost everyone likes to eat it. However, the question is, can guinea pigs eat chocolate? How much chocolate is safe for a guinea pig to eat?
No. Guinea pigs can’t eat chocolate because it is toxic for them. Although chocolate is the most famous eatable for humans, it is not safe for many pets. Guinea pigs are among those pets who should not eat chocolate even for once.
You may wonder why can’t guinea pigs eat chocolate? The later section of this article explains the very question. Stick with us to know the complete explanation of chocolate toxicity in guinea pigs.
What are the nutritional stats of chocolate?
Although chocolate bears harmful effects on guinea pigs, it does not mean that it is devoid of nutritional benefits. If you look at different varieties of chocolate, you will see that dark chocolate and low sugar chocolate are even better to enjoy. These varieties of chocolate can be consumed daily in moderation.
Let us look at the nutritional status of chocolate; every 1.5 ounces of chocolate would contain the following amount of nutrients.
- 215 calories
- 24g carbohydrates
- 5g fibre
- 7g protein
- 5g fat
You should try it yourself every time you buy a pack of chocolate. Make a habit of reading the nutritional content listed at the back of the pack. The darker the chocolate, the more nutritious it is. Let us see the nutritional contents of dark chocolate.
- Vitamin B12
Do You Know?
Guinea Pigs can eat a variety of foods, we have researched lots of them. Check out this One: Can Guinea Pigs Eat Tangrines?
Can guinea pigs eat chocolate?
Besides having so many nutritional benefits, guinea pigs can’t eat chocolate. In fact, chocolate is toxic for guinea pigs, and it can kill your little piggie. You may wonder why guinea pigs can’t eat chocolate. The main reason for toxicity is the presence of two compounds that play a critical role in causing toxicity.
The first compound is caffeine, and the other compound is theobromine. Both these compounds relate to each other. These compounds act as stimulants that the sensitive stomach of guinea pigs can’t deal with. Both these compounds have toxic effects; the liver is responsible for the metabolic degradation of these compounds.
But, in guinea pigs, the liver does not efficiently degrade both these compounds. Resultantly, these compounds cause toxicity in guinea pigs. The toxic effect of these compounds can start immediately after the ingestion of chocolate or maybe after a few hours of ingestion.
The time of onset of toxicity symptoms depends on the amount of chocolate ingested. If your guinea pig accidentally eats a large amount of chocolate, he may not survive the toxic effects and develop a serious health condition. However, ingestion of a small amount of chocolate may not impose serious effects.
Is chocolate good for guinea pigs?
No, chocolate is not good for guinea pigs. The best diet your guinea pig should eat is timothy hay. The daily meal of your guinea pigs must contain all the essential nutritional components in a balanced amount. A balanced diet is compulsory for normal growth and wellbeing.
As far as chocolate is concerned, its nutritional contents are not balanced to eat. But the most important factor is the presence of toxic substances in it. Even if your guinea pigs like the chocolate, you can’t offer it.
Do guinea pigs like chocolate?
It is pretty much possible that your guinea pigs like the taste of chocolate. However, the guinea pig’s stomach is not strong enough to deal with lots of sugar present in the chocolate. Guinea pigs possess a sensitive stomach which can be easily affected by any irritating thing.
You should not even try to check whether your guinea pigs like eating chocolate or whether he hates eating it. There is a harmful risk in offering even a small amount of chocolate to your guinea pig.
How much chocolate Can guinea pigs eat?
You should not offer even a single gram of chocolate to your guinea pig. Toxic substances are not safe to play with. Guinea pigs are very sensitive pets that immediately respond to irritants. The toxins present in chocolate are intensively damaging. It will be better for you to keep your piggie away from chocolate. You would better enjoy chocolate yourself.