Updated
Small mammal food safety
Can Small Mammals Eat Bok Choy?
Species-specific
Bok choy can be a useful fresh green for some small mammals. Guinea pigs and rats can usually have a small washed piece; hamsters, mice, and gerbils need a tiny piece. Chinchillas and ferrets should skip it.
Bok choyGuinea pigs
Small washed piece
A guinea pig may have a small washed bok choy piece as part of a varied fresh-food routine around hay and vitamin C.
Syrian and dwarf hamsters
Tiny piece
A hamster may have a tiny washed bok choy piece. Check the hoard and remove wet leftovers.
Rats
Small piece
A rat may have a small washed bok choy piece if the normal staple and stool stay steady.
Mice
Tiny crumb
A mouse needs only a tiny bok choy crumb. Remove leftovers before they sour or get guarded.
Gerbils
Tiny piece
A gerbil may have a tiny bok choy piece occasionally, but wet greens should stay controlled.
Chinchillas
Skip greens
Skip bok choy for chinchillas unless an exotic-pet veterinarian gives a specific plan.
Ferrets
Do not feed
Do not feed bok choy to ferrets. Ferrets need meat-based food, not leafy vegetables.
Use both leaf and stem carefully
The pale stem is wet and crisp, so keep the piece small and remove leftovers promptly.
Seasoning changes the food
Plain raw bok choy is the only version considered here. Stir-fry leftovers are a different, unsafe food.
Wash and trim
- Use fresh bok choy only; wash the leaf and pale stem well.
- Serve one plain piece with no oil, salt, soy sauce, garlic, onion, or seasoning.
- Remove wet leftovers before they sour or get hidden.
Avoid
- Cooked bok choy with oil, garlic, onion, soy sauce, salt, sauces, or seasoning.
- Large wet portions or wilted, slimy, sour-smelling leaves.
- Fresh greens when the animal is bloated, quiet, eating less, or producing abnormal stool or droppings.
Watch
- Stop and call an exotic-pet veterinarian if appetite drops, droppings or stool change, bloating appears, or the animal becomes quiet.
- For guinea pigs, chinchillas, or any weak animal, reduced eating or fewer droppings is urgent.
Portion
Guinea pigs or rats: a small leaf-and-stem piece. Hamsters, mice, or gerbils: a tiny piece. Chinchillas and ferrets: none unless a veterinarian gives a plan.
Helpful food-safety supplies
Optional tools for measuring, storing, serving, and cleaning up small portions safely.
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