Cherry tree leaves

[Simma]

We have a cherry tree in our garden and I am wondering if guinea pigs can eat leaves from this tree . Also what other types of tree leaves they can eat? Are apple and pear leaves safe for them?

 

[CrestedPiggies]

I'm not sure about cherry leaves sorry, although I'd now like to know the answer too as we have a cherry tree! Apple leaves are fine though along with the branches, ours love apple leaves

 

[Swissgreys]

There is some uncertainty around the suitability of cherry leaves and twigs.
In general I would say it is safer to avoid any things from trees which grow fruit with stones (cherry, plum, etc), however things like apple and pear are usually well recived and are safe to give piggies.

 

[Eddie & Elvis]

I've given mine a hawthorn leaf each before since we have one in the garden but I'd avoid the branches because of the giant spikes.

There is some uncertainty around the suitability of cherry leaves and twigs.
In general I would say it is safer to avoid any things from trees which grow fruit with stones (cherry, plum, etc), however things like apple and pear are usually well recived and are safe to give piggies.

@Swissgreys why would you avoid plums? I've given a very small piece to my boys once. I thought it was ok as a treat am I wrong?

 

[Posyrose]

I don't know whether it is recommended but I have a large cherry tree in my garden and it is impossible to keep the leaves from the piggies' run on the lawn. All my pigs over the years have eaten them and have had no ill effects. They have not eaten the twigs to my knowledge.

 

[Betsy]

I don't know about cherry leaves but my piggies have all eaten plum leaves that have fallen from the plum tree in old garden and loved them. Apple twigs are a def favourite. Here is Christian attacking one.

 

[Swissgreys]

I've given mine a hawthorn leaf each before since we have one in the garden but I'd avoid the branches because of the giant spikes.

@Swissgreys why would you avoid plums? I've given a very small piece to my boys once. I thought it was ok as a treat am I wrong?

No you aren't wrong - a small amount of flesh from a plum will not harm your boys.
Technically nor will a few leaves of cherry or plum trees as both @Posyrose and @Betsy have stated.

But this is a public forum, and anyone can read a piece of advice on here and take it out of context, so I tend to be quite conservative with my answers and sometimes a simplified 'blanket' answer of no is safer than a more complex answer.

Trees that produce stone fruit (such as plums and cherries) can have varing amounts (usually tiny) of cyanide in their leaves and bark as well as in the stones of their fruit. This ins't an exact science, but it is thought to occur in higher concentrations in older trees, but there aren't any precise figures for this (that I can find anyway).
So technically this could be dangerous when fed in large amounts, so the safest reply is avoid anything associated with stone fruit trees.
In all honesty I do occasionally feed my own pigges a leaf from the cherry tree in our garden, but if someone chooses to put an entire branch from a cherry tree in their piggies cage and the piggies later become ill, then I would look irresponsible for having said it's ok to feed cherry leaves.
The easiest reply is avoid anything associated with stone fruit trees and this can't be misinterpreted.

I hope this makes sense?

 

[Eddie & Elvis]

Yes that makes sense, thank you. I see how many people could read one answer and misinterpret it. If in doubt it's safer to not feed something than risk it