Apple tree branches

Question
Hi Pat,
I'm wondering if it is ok to feed my 2 piggy pigs apple tree branches with lots of leaves on?
I'm guessing it's ok but don't want to give them tummy ache!

Many thanks,
Paula

Answer
Because they are herbivores they should in theory be able to eat the leaves of the apple tree. They will probably try to chew on the branches. They need something hard to chew on to help keep their teeth worn and may try anything. That doesn't mean the apple branches are safe for them. I would not offer branches as roughage. I use the rule of thumb: would I eat it? By that I mean is it safe. If the answer is no I don't give it to my pigs.

I recently saw yet another video on the internet about what guinea pigs can and cannot eat. Putting it on the internet does not make it true and in most cases advice given is actually misunderstood word of mouth by people who may own pets but have no clinical experience to base their advice on. I have an advantage because I have friends who are breeder/exhibitors and vets who special in exotic pets such as guinea pigs.  Their knowledge is both medically and experience based.

Good example:  Never give a guinea pig Iceberg lettuce. Some go so far as to say it is poisonous. Absolutely untrue. It has little or no nutritional value, but is an excellent source of water and is used by many of us when traveling state to state for shows. Water bottles leak easily when being transported, leaving the bedding wet and often making a mess of a specially groomed coat in coated animal.

Potatoes: "poisonous" - never feed to a guinea pig.  Not true. It's not the skins or the meat of the potato that is the danger. It's the green part of the potato that develops as they sit that can be toxic. So we just eliminate that completely.  

Rabbit food is dangerous.  Not so. The issue is two fold.  Some rabbit foods have added antibiotics that are toxic to guinea pigs. They also do not contain Vit C which is manufactured by rabbits as it is in humans. Guinea pigs must have it supplemented as they do not produce their own.

I know a great number of breeders who feed rabbit pellets because they are less expensive. They add Vit C to make up the deficit. They've done this for years with no harmful results. You just have to know the true dietary needs of the animals you are raising.

Another I just read recently: Never feed banana peels to your pig. Again, false. My pigs love the peels and won't eat the meat. Same goes for melons, they prefer the rinds. Works out well as we eat the inside of the melon and give the rinds to the pigs.

Guinea pigs love apples. As for the leaves I can't honestly tell you that they should or should not. You want to consider whether or not pesticides have been used on the tree to treat for fungus and insects that would damage the production of the fruit.

Rabbit breeders do not feed apple leaves or branches to their rabbits as they claim they have some form of toxicity that is harmful to their bunnies and impacts reproduction. For that reason I would say no to feeding it to guinea pigs as well. I feed apples in limited amounts to my pigs as the acid in the apple fruit can cause sores on the sides of the mouth.

I've also read that some claim there is an issue with the seeds. I think this is more a reactionary claim than a scientific one. But there really isn't any reason to give them a whole apple with seeds included, so it shouldn't be a problem. I know that mine will NOT eat the stem of an apple. I don't know if it's because it's too hard to chew or do they sense that they should not.

Because the branches are so fibrous they would cause digestive problems. With that in mind I wouldn't offer them to your pigs. I don't offer mine celery stalks either. But they do enjoy the leaves.  When you have a large caviary of nearly 100 pigs you don't often have enough leaves to offer all of them, so I have to choose carefully who gets them and who doesn't.

The basic rule of thumb with extra treats for guinea pigs should be the same rule you would use for you other pets.  All things in moderation. Their main diet should be their pellets, not the treats.

I hope this helps you. You're fortunate to have access to an apple tree. Just don't get too over zealous with offering them to the pigs.