Last updated on January 22nd, 2023 at 06:28 pm
In order to be healthy and happy, guinea pigs need to have a regular diet, which helps them to get the necessary ingredients, vitamins, and minerals.
Water, in addition to food, is certainly an inevitable part of the diet of guinea pigs, but what about milk?
Can guinea pigs drink milk?
No, guinea pigs cannot drink milk so they are lactose intolerant and may just have health problems. Baby guinea pigs can drink breast milk as long as they are babies or about 28 days, but adults cannot.
In today’s article, we will learn why guinea pigs are not allowed to drink milk, what to do if they drink milk, and other questions related to this topic.
Can guinea pigs drink milk?
No, guinea pigs should not drink milk.
Guinea pigs are lactose intolerant and therefore if they drink milk they can only have problems and can get poisoned.
When the guinea pigs are still babies, the mothers breastfeed them for the first 4 weeks and then switch to more stable food.
Guinea pigs after one month do not need milk from their mothers and they eat more solid food.
How dangerous is milk for guinea pigs?
Milk can cause problems with digestion and the overall functioning of the digestive system. Guinea pigs are mammals, but they are herbivores and cannot drink milk or eat other dairy products.
Since guinea pigs are lactose intolerant this means they cannot digest milk in their stomachs. When guinea pigs stop nursing, they stop using the lactase enzyme and their bodies cannot digest milk.
That is why it is very important to avoid giving them any dairy products that can only make your pet sick.
For example, cheese, yogurt, and other dairy products are not suitable for guinea pigs to eat.
Guinea pigs should eat food that does not contain dairy ingredients, such as soy or something similar because such food will not cause problems with their health.
What to do if the guinea pig still drinks milk?
No matter how careful you are, sometimes the guinea pig can manage to drink milk, but you should not be afraid for your pet if it is a small amount.
It is best to give him water immediately so that the milk and its ingredients can be more easily neutralized in their stomach.
Diarrhea and stomach pains may occur, so you will have to watch your pet for a certain time. If the stomach problems do not go away and continue then you need to take your guinea pig to the vet.
Milk and milk products can cause fatal consequences and death of guinea pigs, so care must be taken and their condition monitored.
in the future, you should be careful that the guinea pigs do not have access to milk and milk products near them because the guinea pig’s curiosity will make them find a way to try some.
Should you give milk to baby guinea pigs?
When baby guinea pigs are born, they receive milk through nursing from their mother for the first 4 weeks.
You can only give them milk if the mother has abandoned the baby guinea pigs.
If you already have to give them milk, it should be either goat’s milk or evaporated milk mixed with water in a ratio of 50-50 so that they can drink it.
At the same time, for small babies, you should use a spoon for slow feeding and avoid using a syringe because they can choke on it.
You can also use bread soaked in milk which is good for baby guinea pigs as the bread will absorb the liquids and the babies will get the nutrients they need through the bread.
Small baby guinea pigs should be given milk more often or every hour in small amounts so that they can digest the milk more easily.
Apart from milk, baby guinea pigs need a warm and comfortable environment in order to develop properly.
Can guinea pigs drink skimmed milk?
No, guinea pigs should not drink skimmed milk.
Since guinea pigs are herbivores, they should consume plant food, and in no case milk.
Skimmed milk contains lactose, which guinea pigs cannot digest in their digestive system, and can only have health problems, such as diarrhea.
Can guinea pigs drink goat’s milk?
Goat’s milk is easier to digest than cow’s milk, but guinea pigs can drink it in very small quantities.
Goat’s milk has less lactose and sucrose than cow’s milk, so it can sometimes be given to guinea pigs.
This type of milk can be digested in the digestive system of your furry friends, but don’t give them a lot, one tablespoon per week is enough.
Can guinea pigs drink soy milk?
No, guinea pigs cannot drink soy milk.
Soy milk is made by soaking soybeans in water and grinding the whole mixture to make milk.
Soy milk is also unsuitable for guinea pigs because of the amino acids found in soy proteins. Guinea pigs do not like soy milk at all and should not try to give it to them.
Can guinea pigs drink oat milk?
Yes, guinea pigs can drink oat milk. Oat milk does not contain milk substances, is very low in fat, and has a lot of fiber.
However, you should be careful what kind of oat milk you buy because there are different types that can be found on sale.
Some of them have a lot of salt and sugar which is not good for the health of the guinea pigs.
Salt in particular can cause many problems with their health because it can cause the appearance of stones in the bladder.
Too much salt can also cause dehydration in guinea pigs, which can be fatal to the life of the guinea pigs.
When you buy oat milk, apart from its ingredients, you should also pay attention to the amount you feed the guinea pigs, it is best to give them one to two teaspoons a week.
Can guinea pigs drink almond milk?
Under no circumstances should you give almond milk to guinea pigs because almonds are toxic and dangerous to their health.
Apart from being toxic, almonds also contain a lot of fat and can cause weight gain and other related diseases in your pet.
Avoid giving them almond milk, you can only give them fresh and clean water, it is the best possible drink for guinea pigs.
Can guinea pigs drink coconut milk?
Yes, guinea pigs can drink coconut milk because there are no milk ingredients in it.
You only need to pay attention to the amount because it contains a lot of fat that can increase the weight of the guinea pigs and make it difficult for them to move.
Therefore, if you want to give them coconut milk, then practice once a week for two teaspoons, that is quite enough.
Read more: Can Guinea Pigs Drink Cold Water? Let’s Discover
Can guinea pigs drink other drinks?
No guinea pigs should drink anything but clean and fresh water.
This means you should not give them:
- tea
- juices
- coffee
- soda
- carbonated drinks
We, humans, can drink them, but not our furry friends.
Read more: Can Guinea Pigs Drink Tea? All You Need to Know
Conclusion
Guinea pigs cannot drink milk because they are lactose intolerant or simply cannot ingest any dairy ingredients.
Guinea pigs and their digestive system are not adapted to process dairy products such as milk, cheese, yogurt, etc.
If they still manage to drink milk, you should immediately give them water and take them to the vet, because they can have fatal consequences.
Fresh and clean water is the only and best possible drink for guinea pigs.
Read more: Why Guinea Pig Drinking A Lot Of Water? (Find Out Now)
