They will not eat fruit

[x0xmx0x]

I gave them some peach and some apple (on different days) but they didn't even take one bite out of either of them, I give them 2 leafs of romain lettuce and 2 baby carrots and they eat those but they wont eat the pellets they only eat the little shapes in the pellets (they are kind of like the shapes you get in dog food sometimes but the same colour as the pellets) they don't seem to drink any water either but there were water bottles in the cage at the pet store, they had pellets there too and a slice of orange, is orange good for them because it is really high in calcium? Anyone have some tips on what there pigs really like to eat that is fruit?

this is the food I feed them:

"Nutriphase® is a pelleted small animal food, fortified with essential vitamins
and minerals, including high-quality vitamin C, which must be added to a
guinea pig's diet because they cannot store or manufacture vitamin C
on their own. Scientifically formulated to Provide the complete and balanced
nutrition needed to maintain your guinea pig's good health. Nutriphase foods
offer excellent nutrition at a great value."

[VoodooJoint]

Fruit is not necessary. It's high in sugar and should only be given as a treat. If your pigs won't eat it then they are smart.

Have you read the veggie list? http://www.guineapigcages.com/forum/...arts-info.html They should be getting more then just lettuce and carrots. At the very least they should also get green pepper but a wider and changing variety is best.

If your pellets have any kind of "bits" or colors or seeds or anything other then high quality pellets then you should not be feeding it. Switch their pellets to a better, plain brand like Oxbow, Kleenmama or Mazuri 5664

Nutriphase is a poor food. Not the worst but I wouldn't feed it.

Here is a breakdown of the ingredients. Bad/dangerous indredients are highlighted.

Nutriphase Guinea Pig Formula (Manufactured for PetSmart)

Crude Protein (min) 18%
Crude Fat (min) 3.5%
Crude Fiber (max) 14.0%
Moisture (Max) 12.0%
Ascorbic Acid (min) 75 mg/lb

Ingredients: (Bad ingreds are highlighted)

Dehydrated Alfalfa Meal, Ground Corn, Dehullled Soybean Meal, Ground Oats, Ground Wheat, Wheat Middlings, Dicalcium Phosphate, Dried Cane Molasses, Corn Oil, Salt, Calcium Carbonate, Magnesium Oxide, Potassium Chloride, L-Ascorbyl-2-Polyphosphate, DL-Methionine, Vitamin A Supplement, Choline Chloride, Yucca Schidigera Extract, Ferrous Carbonate, Riboflavin Supplement, Manganous Oxide, Zinc Oxide, Vitamin B12 Supplement, Vitamin E Supplement, Ethoxyquin (a preservative), Copper Oxide, Niacin, Menadione Sodium Bisulfite Complex (source of vitamin K activity), Cholecalciferol (source of vitamin D3), Calcium Pantothenate, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride, Thiamine Mononitrate, Biotin, Folic Acid, Calcium Iodate, Cobalt Carbonate, Sodium Selenite, Artificial Color.

That is just the pellets. The bits of fruit and veggie are a whole other issue.

[x0xmx0x]

Originally Posted by VoodooJoint

If your pellets have any kind of "bits" or colors or seeds or anything other then high quality pellets then you should not be feeding it. Switch their pellets to a better, plain brand like Oxbow, Kleenmama or Mazuri 5664

Its Nutriphase® Guinea Pig Food not formula But they don't eat the pellets only the bits and the bag is still more then 3/4 full!! What does the 5664 mean? Is this what you are talking about?:

[TX_2_Pigs]

Originally Posted by x0xmx0x

I they wont eat the pellets they only eat the little shapes in the pellets (they are kind of like the shapes you get in dog food sometimes but the same colour as the pellets)

This is why you shouldn't have mixed pellets. Get rid of that feed and find them a quality (Oxbow or Kleenmama) plain pellet. They'll eat it if they don't have any "special pieces" to pick out.

Originally Posted by x0xmx0x

Anyone have some tips on what there pigs really like to eat that is fruit?

Just keep trying. Sometimes it takes a while for them to get used to new things. Just keep offering little bits of different things once in a while. They really shouldn't have that much fruit anyway, so don't worry about it.

Increase the amount of greens you are giving them. (A great trick someone else mentioned if you are worried about their water consumption is to leave the greens damp after you wash them. That way they get extra water from the veggies.) 2 leaves isn't really that much. They should have 1 cup per pig per day. Check out the nutrition chart for some ideas to add variety. Things like red leaf, green leaf, raddichio, endive, boston, butter, and cilantro are all great everyday choices. Those nutrition charts are absolutely invaluable. Print them off if you can and post them on your fridge!

[x0xmx0x]

I won't be able to go out to get new food untill monday so what do I feed them untill then?

[VoodooJoint]

Originally Posted by x0xmx0x

Its Nutriphase® Guinea Pig Food not formula

It's the same thing.

Originally Posted by x0xmx0x

But they don't eat the pellets only the bits and the bag is still more then 3/4 full!!

Return it even though it's opened. I believe Petsmart has a food quality guarantee. if you are not satisfied you can return the unused portion.

Originally Posted by x0xmx0x

What does the 5664 mean? Is this what you are talking about?

Mazuri makes several different GP foods. Most are poor quality the Mazuri 5664 (the formula number) is the only decent food they make and at this time it is the 3rd rated in quality with KMs being #1 and Oxbow being #2.

Originally Posted by x0xmx0x

I won't be able to go out to get new food untill monday so what do I feed them untill then?

You can feed the Nutriphase for now but take the time to pick out the kibble bits.

[VoodooJoint]

I just called Petsmart to ask if they have a food guarantee. They do

If you want to return a food you buy from them, for any reason whatsoever, even if it's open, you can return it. If you have the receipt they will give you back the money or credit your credit card. If you don't have a receipt you get store credit.

[x0xmx0x]

Originally Posted by VoodooJoint

I just called Petsmart to ask if they have a food guarantee. They do

If you want to return a food you buy from them, for any reason whatsoever, even if it's open, you can return it. If you have the receipt they will give you back the money or credit your credit card. If you don't have a receipt you get store credit.

I put the bag in the garbage because I am using a container so I can't return it.

[kayleemommy01]

I have read the many posts on how most pet store food is bad for the piggies. The bad thing about the GOOD food is that I checked to see if anywhere near me sells it and it is only available through a vets office. We will probably use that vet anyway because I saw it on a list of Cavy savy vets in my area. We may order online too I am not sure. I have directed my husband to this site since my gp's will probably be a gift. I will be sure to inform him on what to read though or show him. Maybe he will just get the GP's and cage material so I can go out and show him what is good and what is bad for the GP's. Either that or I can make a list of good and bad things and give it to him. There is so much to read and remember.

Also does anyone know of a good hamster food? We have gotten our hamster the petstore not good food with colored pieces. She will not eat them. I want to switch to a better food.

[Ly&Pigs]

When I had hamsters, I fed them Harry/Hazel Hamster food. I was told it was a good brand for them by a good hamster forum. Hamsters can eat seeds and bits where guinea pigs shouldn't have them.

I also want to say that on the PetNotSoSmart website, the ingredients list for Mazuri is not correct.

[kayleemommy01]

Originally Posted by Ly&Pigs

When I had hamsters, I fed them Harry/Hazel Hamster food. I was told it was a good brand for them by a good hamster forum. Hamsters can eat seeds and bits where guinea pigs shouldn't have them.

I also want to say that on the PetNotSoSmart website, the ingredients list for Mazuri is not correct.

Our hamster eats all the seeds, everything except for these big green pieces, (I think there are some red ones too). Thanks for the info.

[x0xmx0x]

All I have for vegetables in my house are baby carrots, romain and iceberg lettuce, onion, potatos and celery, the fruit I have- apples, peaches, tomatos, bananas and baby oranges,

[Ly&Pigs]

Well can't you go to the store and buy more veggies for the piggers? Some of the stuff you listed they can't have either at all such as onion (although you can feed green onion tops, leek tops and chives), potato is also a big no-no. They can have celery but not daily. They can eat tomato daily but only need a very small piece about the size of a cherry/grape tomato. Fruits really need to be fed very sparingly as you already know.

[envisionary333]

Here's another good link for info on what to feed your piggies: Guinea Lynx :: Diet

[Percy's Mom]

My pigs rarely if ever eat fruit. They just don't care for it. Give them just about any veggie, and they will gobble it up. I'm ok with that. Occasionally, I'll give them a bit of canteloupe or other kind of melon, and they like that, but they aren't big fruit fans.

Originally Posted by Ly&Pigs

When I had hamsters, I fed them Harry/Hazel Hamster food.

This is what I'm currently feeding my hamster. He was getting miffed because I ran out, and his shipment took a couple days longer than we thought to get here. Hopefully, he has forgiven me now that he has his Hazel Hamster food.