Can guinea pigs eat celery?

Yes is the answer, it is fine. I feed Jimmy my little guinea pig celery, but more than two half a sticks only, that is because Jimmy is no fan of it but I make sure to cut off all those stringy bits as well, as they can cause them to choke. Even though I am freaked out with the whole chocking thing, Jimmy loves eating the leaves of celery. Again, even though he does not like celery he will eat a little then start on the leaves. 

Key Takeaways

• Safe in Moderation: Guinea pigs can have celery 1-2 times a week as an occasional treat but not a main food source.
• Choking Hazard Warning: String the stalk together and slice lengthways into long, thin strips. Never give a feed of whole stalks or untangled discs.
• Leaves Are Safe: Celery leaves are OK and high in Vitamin C - feed sparingly with the stalk, however.
• Hydration Over Nutrition: Celery is 95 percent water. This gives you water and some fiber, but bell peppers are better for daily Vitamin C intake.
• Quick Safety Note: Those, long strings on celery stalks can get around teeth or choke your pig. Always strip these away and cut down in the grove of the celery and not horizontal.

Are Guinea Pigs Actually into Celery?

• The Picky Eaters: Guinea pigs will eat the leaves first, chew a tiny piece of the stalk and eat the rest. Leaving a half-chewed piece in the cage after 2 hours will prevent spoilage if your piggy does not remove it immediately.
• The Leaves Factor: The soft leaves are preferred by most piggies to the crunchy stalk. You can safely give 1-2 small leaves as a weekly dose.

Also, I tend to try to give him the actual leaves but only 1-2 times a week. I would not feed yours everyday. I know I normally write about spiritual things but because I actually own Jimmy hopefully I will help you from a real life perspective.

What does celery do for my guinea pig?

*Values are approximate and based on 100g of raw celery.

Is celery good or bad for Guinea Pigs?

It is good, but not all the time. There is not a lot in there to be honest. If you look at my table above. Most of it is water, hydration matters more than people think with these guys, especially when it's warm. It has a little fiber in it too, to keep his gut moving (guinea pig digestion is a bit tricky for a small animal). And there's some vitamin C in there (only a bit), that's one thing every guinea pig owner has drilled into them early on because of the risk of scurvy, they can't make their own Vitamin C, like we can, so it has to come from food or they can get scurvy.

Jimmy's my Abyssinian does look like he has been dragged backwards through a hedge with his fur sticking out everywhere. I got him from this breeder years ago, and I remember sitting in her kitchen and he was going through his diet with me like it was a checklist. That boy was also dead serious about it. I think he knew I was one of the first-time owners who would Google everything at 11pm so he got ahead of me and told me straight.

I've since bought a more guinea pig care books too, partly because I felt like I did not know enough and partly because Jimmy looks at you like you have let him down when his dinner's wrong. But celery isn't doing the bulk of the nutrition here. It is more a bell peppers' job for Jimmy in his world. Celery's just an extra. Celery has these long stringy fibres going up it so make sure that you stay close by as they might be choking hazards or get stuck awkwardly. Now I just pull those strings off and chop it up small before I take it near him. It sounds fussy, but it just takes about 10 seconds so its better for you to do that than not.

Do guinea pigs like celery leaves?

Yes. Guinea pigs may eat celery leaves safely. They are packed with flavor and Vitamin C that piggies like better than the stalk. Leaves may be fed sparingly in your overall weekly vegetable mix.

Why does my guinea pig not like celery?

Not necessarily - celery is not necessary. If your guinee pig turns his nose up at it, switch it out for safer daily fare like green leaf lettuce or romaine lettuce or sliced bell pepper. I say that lightly because Jimmy has opinions on everything. If you give him a bell pepper he loves it. And Celery gets... a shrug. He will have a nibble, wander off, come back, have another go and leave the rest. Nine out of ten times there's a half-chewed bit still in the corner of the cage two hours later because he thought it was fair game and decided it was not worth finishing. Actually it has become a joke with my daughter, "did Jimmy leave the celery again?" Yeah. Yeah he did.

Can guinea pigs eat celery everyday?

No. The high water content of celery may cause diarrhea upon daily feeding and may raise the risk of bladder stones due to calcium buildup. Follow a 1-2 times a week schedule.

How do I prepare the celery?

I used to slice celery horizontally into discs, it just seemed like the easiest thing to do, like you would chop it for soup or on a snack tray. It turns out that is not the way to raise a guinean pig, and it took a little reading, and another reminder from the breeder as to what to expect.

How To Cut It Horizontally

Celery has those long stringy fibres running up the stalk. Cutting across the stalk into rounds keeps the strings inside each piece that choking risk I was warned about early on. That leaves Jimmy with a larger chunk to bite into instead of something he can nibble easily on, too.

What I Do Now

• First unroll the strings. I snap the end of the stalk and pull - the strings come away in one go - like you'd string celery before cooking with it.
• Cut it lengthways into thin strips rather than across into discs. Cutting with the grain rather than against it also means there's no stringy bit trapped inside each piece.
• Limit the strips to a couple inches - thin enough that he cann't wrestle with it.
  Such a simple switch (cut with the grain, not across it) makes all the difference in how safe and manageable each piece is.

How many times do I give him celery?

Not every day, not even necessary. It's more a "why not mix it in" a little bit twice or three times per week with stuff he likes. A varied diet generally helps guinea pigs and even food he does not care for has its place.

Should you give it?

Yeah, honestly. Just chop that properly, and don't get mad if your guy isn't impressed! The tastes vary, Jimmy's just said to me in his own gritty little way that celery is OK but nothing exciting. You can not win them all.