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Yes, guinea pigs can eat kiwi as a small treat. The PDSA, VCA and Burgess all list it as a safe fruit. Give a teaspoon-sized piece of peeled kiwi per guinea pig, no more than once a week. Kiwi is one of the richest fruits in vitamin C, but it is also sugary and acidic, so a little goes a long way.
| Safe? | Yes, as a treat |
| How much | A teaspoon-sized piece per guinea pig |
| How often | Once a week at most |
| Best served | Ripe, peeled, cut into small cubes |
| Watch out for | Sore lips, soft droppings, weight gain |
Is kiwi good for guinea pigs?
Yes, in small amounts it is one of the better fruits. Guinea pigs can't make their own vitamin C, and VCA says they need 10 to 50 mg a day. Worked out from the Guinea Lynx food chart, green kiwi has about 95 mg of vitamin C per 100 g (3.5 oz), and the Vet Desk gives 92.7 mg. So even a 5 g (1/5 oz) piece, about a teaspoon, gives roughly 5 mg.
The catch is sugar and acid. Kiwi has about 9 g of sugar per 100 g, and VCA warns that too much fruit can upset the gut bacteria. The Vet Desk adds that kiwi's acidity can make the mouth sore, leading to drooling or a dip in appetite, and that its calcium can add to bladder stone risk if fed often. For everyday vitamin C, see our guide to vitamin C for guinea pigs.
How much kiwi can a guinea pig eat?
A teaspoon-sized piece, about a 1.5 cm (1/2 in) cube, per guinea pig, once a week. That is the Vet Desk's guidance, and it fits the PDSA's advice to give fruit in very small amounts. Start smaller the first time. If droppings stay firm and the lips look clean, you can keep to that portion as a weekly treat. Don't add other fruit on kiwi day, and keep the rest of the daily diet the same: unlimited hay, about a cup of veg and a tablespoon of pellets.
How to prepare kiwi
- Pick a ripe kiwi. It should give slightly when pressed. Unripe kiwi is sharper and more acidic.
- Wash, then peel. Rinse the fruit, then remove the hairy skin, as the Vet Desk advises.
- Cut a small piece. Slice off a teaspoon-sized cube for each guinea pig. The seeds can stay.
- Clear up leftovers. Kiwi goes soft and sticky quickly, so take away anything uneaten within an hour or two.
Kiwi is a good weekly fruit to rotate with strawberries: both are high in vitamin C, so you get more out of the small amount of sugar you give.
Skin, seeds, gold kiwi and dried kiwi
- Skin: peel it off.
- Seeds: fine to leave in.
- Gold kiwi: treat it like green kiwi, same small piece.
- Dried kiwi: no. Guinea Lynx advises avoiding treats with dried fruit, and it is often sugared.
- Kiwi juice or jam: no. Sugar without the fibre.
Who should skip kiwi?
Leave it out for babies, guinea pigs with sore mouths or crusty lips, those with loose droppings, overweight guinea pigs and any with a history of bladder stones. If your guinea pig drools or eats less after kiwi, stop and offer a gentler food.
What to offer instead
Peppers are the best everyday vitamin C food. For fruit, try strawberries, a segment of orange or a small cube of melon. See what guinea pigs can eat and our guinea pig care guide.
Kiwi questions
Can guinea pigs eat kiwi skin?
We'd peel it. The Vet Desk, a vet-reviewed guide, says to remove the skin before feeding kiwi to a guinea pig. The skin is hairy, tough and carries any residue from growing and shipping. The flesh is where the vitamin C is, so you lose nothing by peeling.
Can guinea pigs eat kiwi seeds?
Yes. The tiny black seeds in a kiwi are safe and there is no need to pick them out, says the Vet Desk. They are far too small to choke on, unlike the stones in cherries or peaches. Just serve the peeled flesh with the seeds in it.
Can guinea pigs eat golden kiwi?
Is kiwi enough to stop scurvy in guinea pigs?
No. Kiwi is rich in vitamin C, but you can only feed a little because of its sugar and acid. VCA says guinea pigs need 10 to 50 mg of vitamin C every day, which should come from daily veg such as peppers, plus good pellets. Kiwi is a bonus on top.
