Pellets

[OliviaP]

Just wondering who else has problems obtaining lucerne pellets in Australia?

I've yet to find any.

Peters have a type of pellet (found in supermarkets) as lucerne pellets but they actually contain grain according to the ingredient list.

I've been giving my pigs a grain mix for as long as I can remember (well over 20 years) but I would like to find some decent pellets for them.

I've read on here about how dangerous the grain mixes are but I can tell you that i've never had a cavy get sick on it in the 20+ years i've been feeding it. I know a lot of other Aussie cavy "parents" who also use a grain mix. It's pretty much the done thing here and the only thing we can feed due to the lack of lucerne pellets.

[enchantingcavy]

You can purchase lucerne pellots in rather large bags at most produce stores although they usually arn't labelled as lucerne pellots they can often be different brands of kitty litter. I spoke to our produce store last week and he puts the lucerne pellots from the kitty litter they get in in his piggy mix that he sells...( it is called kitty litter but they are simply lucerne pellots he told me although i never got hte brand name of the kitty litter ).

I also know another produce store up here in brisbane that sells lucerne pellots in 20kg bags properly labelled as lucerne pellots.

Jess

[enchantingcavy]

oh i just remembered one of the brands is called Natty Cat cat litter and they are simply lucerne pellots. Our produce man who's pretty reliable said they are safe to feed to the pigs.

Jess

[OliviaP]

I've seen that and often wondered whether they are safe to feed.
Would you happen to know if they have any binders or whether they are just 100% chopped lucerne.

[enchantingcavy]

Here we go...I just cheated i found a great link online. Looks like it is 100% lucerne.

http://www.nrrbs.com.au/animalhealthnattycat.htm

[Aertyn]

Does anyone know if this is available in Victoria, at the moment I'm feeding them the Peters Pellets, because it's the best I can find (don't you just love small country towns). But have been looking everywhere for better pellets for my pigs.

[Gunnedah]

We feed peters and we have found it the best, have been feeding it (as well as other stuff) for about 2 years.

The cheaper pellets that are around our pigs wont eat them.

Em

[Aertyn]

Gunnedah, do you have a box of the peters around, I want to check the ingredients list, I just used a new box on Wednesday, and our rubbish got collected on Thursday, so I don't have the box with me anymore.

[OliviaP]

The only thing i'd be worried about with Natty Catty would be the quality of the lucerne that is used. It is most probably the old scrappy lucerne that is second grade.
Why would they use a first grade lucerne if it is only going to be used as a cat loo?

[Bellebelle]

I make my own mix for the pigs. We cant find quality pellets anywahere so our guys get Castlereigh pellets mixed with high quality lucerne chaff, oats, lupins, rolled oats, wheat geram and cracked corn.

They love the mix. If you are after just the pellets that are made purely from lucerne why dont you just buy a bag of lucerne chaff and feed that? All feed stores stock it and its very cheap.

Emma

[Alanas]

Find a pet produce manufacturer/wholesaler there are plenty around. My piggies don't like the peters pellets or any supermarket food, I get all mine from wholesalers.

[albert]

Peters Lucerne pellets ingredients include- finely ground cereals, lucerne, grains, legumes, molasses, vitamins and minerals. I feed a similar mix to Bellebelle except I mix stud mix in as well. I dont know how many pigs you have but a bag of lucern chaff from the produce instead of lucern pellets is a good idea. I bought a bag today 30kg for $25.00.

[floey]

I'm always trying to search for new yummy things for my piggies too, so yesterday I finally got my butt to Kensington Produce, they're only open Mon-Sat, and close early so I never get a chance to go.

But when I got there it was quite a disappointment! I've never been to a produce store before, but it looked quite empty to me. Everything was in huge 30KG bags, and I only have 4 piggies, so no way could I buy a 30KG bag of everything that I wanted!

Though there was an array of small "bags" near the front, such as pellets and hay. But what a disappointment, there was this one single bag of mixed feed, which was labelled (written in black marker) Rabbit Mix, when I asked the man there what was in it, he didn't even know himself!! Then he tried to sell me this bag which was written "Rabbit Pellets", I asked him what the pellets were made of, and he didn't know either!
He just kept saying they're Rabbit Pellets, how weird!
I don't expect him to know what is suitable to eat for guinea pigs, because mainly horse people go there, but he doesn't even know what it is that he's actually selling. WEIRD. and Disappointed.

So I guess I'm stuck with the Peters Lucerne pellets!

[kathrynj]

I feed Breeders Choice Guinea pig mix, I get a big bag from the vet quite regularly. The only issue I have is that it has sunflower seeds. Let me tell you, before I knew to try to get them all out, they DO get stuck on the piggies teeth, many times!
I have used Natty cat too with my piggies, I looked into it once when I trialled it as bedding, and discovered they ate it!

[*Lynz*]

Hey Guys
I make my own mix as well, these "mix" bags marked as guinea pig food at the produce stores is often Completo a horse mix, my guineas wont eat pellets they would rather starve. Completo isnt bad for piggies but lacks the Vitamin C i add Peters lucerne pellets (with added Vit C) into my completo and feed. In winter i add rolled oats for energy. But as you guys know most importantly lots of greens and fresh fruit and veg.
Lynz xx

[Alanas]

Well I am going to do a big western suburbs plug here. You won't find many produce things in the city. Only at expo's and the like. The western suburbs have many pet produce places because we are closer to the country where things like that are produced, and because there are more houses out here we have more land and therefore are more likely to have pets.