Green beans / fine beans - really stupid question

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janew

janew

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Hi,

This is a really stupid question and I'm going to make myself sound really thick, but ... are green beans and fine beans the same thing? I'm not sure if they're different as they're labelled differently but they look/taste exactly the same. I know GPs can eat green beans and I've got some fine beans, but don't want to give them to the piggies unless I know they're ok!

Thanks x
 
i have no idea if there is a difference but mine eat both :))
 
Well, mine have only tried fine beans so far, and they absolutely loved them........but I picked up an RSPCA guinea pig information leaflet at the weekend which stated that green beans should be avoided as they're "poisonous" to guinea pigs! Eeek!

I assume that's a load of old tosh then, cos lots of people seem to feed them to their guinea pigs without ill effect!

Tracey
 
doglovinpiggylover said:
one is green the other is fine lol
Click to expand...

Love that answer - guess I asked for that! lol

Tracey - I've also read that RSPCA leaflet but from this forum I realised that green beans are ok. In fact, despite doing loads of research before getting piggies, I've learned a lot more on here.

Only 1 of my 3 will eat the beans though, fussy gits!

Thanks for your help guys x
 
OK - some clarifcation is needed here I think.

"Beans" consist of the outer pod and the inner seed/fruit (bit like peas)

In earlier days...green beans meant runner or dwarf beans that comprised not just the outer green pod but also the inner seeds (which in the case of runner beans are pink/black/purple speckled)

It's the seeds that are harmful....and therefore before "fine beans" were flown in from however many miles away...green beans used to mean mature runner/dwarf/french beans with their seeds enclosed.......hence were not a good idea

Fine beans (and today's green beans) are picked much earlier so no fruit/seeds......hence Ok for piggies to eat (if they like them)

You can also try sugar snaps....and mange tout

HTH
x
 
Pebble said:
OK - some clarifcation is needed here I think.

"Beans" consist of the outer pod and the inner seed/fruit (bit like peas)

In earlier days...green beans meant runner or dwarf beans that comprised not just the outer green pod but also the inner seeds (which in the case of runner beans are pink/black/purple speckled)

It's the seeds that are harmful....and therefore before "fine beans" were flown in from however many miles away...green beans used to mean mature runner/dwarf/french beans with their seeds enclosed.......hence were not a good idea

Fine beans (and today's green beans) are picked much earlier so no fruit/seeds......hence Ok for piggies to eat (if they like them)

You can also try sugar snaps....and mange tout

HTH
x
Click to expand...

Oh no the last pack of beans we fed ours I am sure were dwarf beans :... they had like stalky bits out of either end which I cut off because they didn't look very appetising and I snap the beans in half and they looked just like green/fine beans.

All piggies seem to be fine (excuse the pun there :)) ) do you think they will be ok not that they will be getting dwarf beans again that's for sure

Karen x
 
I grow runner beans for my piggiesbut pick them when young and if there are any small beans in the pods the piggies leave them. Best of all they love the leaves and stalks,so you could grow them and eat the bean pods yourself and give the leaves to the piggies. They are so easy to grow. I buy a packet of seeds of a tall variety (it tells you the height on the packet)then grow them up a 2metre fence ,they grow up there and over the top onto the garden shed
 
Thanks Pebble - that's a relief! My two both love fine beans, I wouldn't want to deprive them of something they love. x) Tracey
 
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