What do I feed my baby pig?

[MuPiggy]

I have a baby guinea pig, 6 weeks old, and my vet told me to ONLY feed her unlimited alfalfa hay and guinea pig pellets as a "treat" meaning only a little bit of pellets. She told me to make her diet about 70% alfalfa hay and not to introduce timothy hay or veggies until she's 4-5 months old. So I'm asking your help, what should I really do? Because I'm reading they should ALWAYS have a grass hay like timothy hay. Also how many pellets should she have?

[masher]

I'm not too sure about the amount of pellets, but from what I remember I think tyhey are supposed to be unlimited for young piggies?

Timothy hay is fine for younger guinea pigs. Veggies can be eaten practically from birth. When my rescue piggy had babies, the babies ate veggies right from around 2 days old. At 6 weeks then he should definately be eating veggies, waiting til around 4-5 months is total nonsence(sp?).

If I were you I'd get a new vet

[Percy's Mom]

Your vet appears to know little or nothing about guinea pigs. Until they are about 6 months old, they should have unlimited pellets, and lifetime should have unlimited grass hay like timothy, bluegrass, or meadowgrass. If your pig doesn't have hay until 4 or 5 months, he is likely to have tooth problems and possible motility problems. Like masher suggested, they should have veggies available from the time they are born.

[rabbitsncavyluv]

They need vit c which they get from their veggies. masher is right. They start nibbling as soon as they are born.

You can free feed timothy hay now. They need the grass hay. Alfalfa is merely a supplement. If she hasn't had veggies, slowly introduce fresh foods.

Your pig would also do well with another piggie friend.

[Ly&Pigs]

Your questions could have been asked on the other thread you started basically saying the same thing. http://www.guineapigcages.com/forum/...a-pig-mom.html

Please don't start new threads on the same subjects.

[MuPiggy]

Sorry didn't know! Thought it would fit in better diet/food section. Sorry, won't happen again.

[Ly&Pigs]

It's ok. We just discourage people making multiple posts asking the same things. Makes things harder to keep track of and harder for us to help you at times.

[MuPiggy]

Hi, thanks for all the advice! I will try to slowly introduce some veggies to her (I love that veggie chart VERY helpful)! I do plan to get her a friend next year when I get a bigger place! Might be moving to Oklahoma after I finish grad school, so I will definitely research adopting out there.

[Sugar]

Hello,

I don't know a lot about Guiena Pigs yet, but thats why I'm on here, and I also am a new Guiena Pig Mummy

I feed Sugar vegtables (apples & carrots) but never lettuce as it is bad for them, even though they like it a lot. This is for Vitamin C, as Guiena Pigs cannot produce it themselves.

I also feed Sugar a special mix I bought at the Pet Store when I bought Sugar, and it is made up of all sorts of things. However, I am probaly not going to continue using it, as there is better stuff avalible at the local Produce Store.

I am going to start feeding Sugar some hay (just hay I bought at the produce store, no special kind) and when the weather gets a bit warmer, and she's outside in her hutch more, she will be eating grass (just normal grass on the lawn).

Love,

Sugar & Claire xox

[Aertyn]

Sugar,

The only lettuce that should be avoided is iceburg. The other types of lettuces are fine to feed, mine get a mix of Cos, Endive, Red Coral and Green Coral every day.

Carrots aren't actually that high in Vitamin C, they also contain...Oxalic (please correct me if I am wrong) Acid, which isn't too good. You should only feed 1/2 to 1 small baby carrot per day. A much better choice for Vitamin C is red Capsicum. It's high in Vit. C, and low in just about everything else.

Apples should be fed sparingly as they are high in sugar (ideally fruits should be as a once a week treat).

[rabbitsncavyluv]

Apples and carrots are not really veggies. They are treats and they are actually not very high in vit c. The pellet mix is also bad. Please review the proper diet info posted here.

[Ly&Pigs]

I feed Sugar vegtables (apples & carrots) but never lettuce as it is bad for them, even though they like it a lot.

Not sure where you heard lettuce is bad for them. The only lettuce that should never be fed is iceburg. It's mostly made up of water and contains little nutrition and may cause diarrhea. All other varieties are very safe to feed.

Carrots aren't actually that high in Vitamin C, they also contain...Oxalic (please correct me if I am wrong) Acid, which isn't too good.

You're correct Aertyn. Carrots contain only very small amounts of C and are more of a treat veggie or what I'd call a filler. They are pretty high in Oxalic Acid and Vitamin A.

[Melissa82]

I want to make sure I'm feeding the right things even though I've done lots of research.

I have been feeding my 3.5 wk old Vitalis: romaine, cilantro, green pepper, unlimited timothy and alfalfa hay and Martins pellets. I give him a quarter of a mini carrot a day (but he doesn't always eat the whole thing). I give him a piece this morning and I heard wheeks of joy! I was so happy, he hasn't made much sound since I got him yesterday.

Oh yes, I also sprinkle a portion of a Vit C tablet on his pellets.

[Ly&Pigs]

I have been feeding my 3.5 wk old Vitalis: romaine, cilantro, green pepper,

I'd start adding new veggies a couple times per week. Try other varieties of lettuces, and other things 2-3 times per week such as kale, turnip greens, cucumber, broccoli (1 floret per pig), tomato, etc. Your diet so far is good but you just need more variety in there. They key to a great veggie diet is variety.

[Melissa82]

Good to know, I just got him yesterday afternoon so tonight I will get some new things for tomorrow. Thanks.

[MuPiggy]

I fed Mu a baby carrot last night and she wanted nothing to do with it...came back a couple hours later and it was all gone! Today I fed her some romaine lettuce and parsley and she's just chomping away! I'll have to try something new again in a few days, want to make sure she's fine with these 3 veggies first, is that a good idea?

[Isis108]

We just had babies born Sunday and by the end of the night, they were eating mommy's vegies and Timothy hay. Our vet said to let them eat as they want. I guess... basically if they eat it, let them have it.