Want to make sure I'm feeding correctly

[Feylin]

I've had my 2 8month old boys for about a month now (plus a new one getting adopted today!!) and I want to check and make sure that I have the diet portion all correct. Please tell me if anything should change.

Hay: They have a box of KM timothy. How often do you need to change it, since they pee on the bottom layer? I keep carefresh on the very bottom, but I still notice some wet hay. The hay has only been here a week, but they both really seem to eat a lot!

Pellets: I have KM timothy pellets. They are in a bowl and there is basically an unlimited amount for the boys. They tend to go through about a cup in 1 week. I just refill the bowl when it is empty. Should I be limiting pellets?

Veggies: I make my own "base" of equal parts Romaine, Kale, Red or Green leaf lettuce. I add in parsley, cilantro, collard greens, escarole/endive at about a 1:3 ratio ( add in :base). I put green peppers in there but the boys flat out refuse to eat them. On top I sprinkle small amounts shredded carrots or an orange slice or a grape. They get the extras sprinkled on once a day. The "base" however, I refill 2 or 3 times a day. I"m pretty sure the boys are getting more than 1 cup per day per pig. I think it's closer to 2 cups. Is this OK? Will guinea pigs over eat? Am I filling their bellies so they dont want to eat as much hay (bad for teeth, i know) ? I know the green peppers are good for vit C so I checked the charts and started offering Kale instead which they love.

ETA: Of course there's water bottles around the cage.
Thanks so much for whatever advice you have.

[newpiggiemommy]

You are doing a good job and I don't think you are feeding too much.

You have some things that concern me though in your base and in your add in menu.

Base: Kale is on the chart as a 1-2 times per week. You said you feed it 2-3 times per day. You need to cut that down to 1-2 times per week. Kale is very high in A (according to the chart).

Peppers really should be fed. One person got their piggies eating peppers by rubbing the flavor of pepper on their favorite lettuce. After a few times of that when they put in the pepper the piggies ate it right up.

Add ins: Carrots don't have to be shredded, but you can. Make sure you are not feeding any more than 1 small baby carrot per day.
Orange slice or grape ~ fruit should be a treat to be given only 2-3 times per week at the most. Fruit is very high in sugar.

As for the hay, I check my hay every day and take out anything wet of dirty. Hay can mold very quickly if it gets wet!

Your pellet serving is just fine. I think that is about what I feed mine, too. 1/8 cup per pig per day is what it should be, so if you are feeding about a cup per week per pig you are fine!

[guineapigluver1]

Originally Posted by Feylin

I put green peppers in there but the boys flat out refuse to eat them.

Have you only tried green peppers? Some guinea pigs like some color peppers, and don't like others.

[Ly&Pigs]

Ditto to pretty much everything that NPM said. I do also want to point out that collard greens and parsley aren't good daily.

If they aren't eating a lot of hay maybe cut their veggie portions down just a bit so they are forced to eat more hay. They need the hay for their digestion and for their teeth. I would only refill their base a couple times per day. Once in the morning and the other in the evening.

I am a believer of not overfeeding carrots. I think the shredded carrots on top is better than a baby carrot. I always give my girls either shredded, matchstick or carrot chips. This way they get some carrot but it doesn't equal too much. Carrots honestly don't have a lot of nutritional value and are high in A and oxalic acid.

Pellets are the least part of any pigs diet. If they are eating a cup a week between them, that's good and you can continue to feed pellets as you are.

[Feylin]

Thanks! SO, here's what I'll do.

I will reduce the Kale, collards, and parsley to every 2 or 3 days.

I'll try the trick of rubbing the peppers all over the leaves- the boys hate all kinds of peppers. We'll see if I can trick them

The fruit will be reduce to once a week or so.

I'll pull wet hay out at night when I do a poop sweep!

Did I miss anything you guys suggested?

[pigglet]

I am new here, need to know if I am feeding to much.
I feed three times a day, Romaine or green or red lettuce, or spring greens, cherry tomatoe,green,red,orange and yellow bell peppers and cilantro. 1 baby carrot a day. 1/8 cup of pellets, and unlimited cleanmama's hay. Please advice. Thanks

[newpiggiemommy]

Pigglet, it sounds like you are feeding all the right foods, but I can not tell you if you are feeding too much unless I know how many piggies and how much of each food you are feeding!

[newpiggiemommy]

Feylin, how are the diet changes going?

Is the hay change going well? Do you have bedding at the bottom of your hay box?

[Ly&Pigs]

Originally Posted by pigglet

I am new here, need to know if I am feeding to much.
I feed three times a day, Romaine or green or red lettuce, or spring greens, cherry tomatoe,green,red,orange and yellow bell peppers and cilantro. 1 baby carrot a day. 1/8 cup of pellets, and unlimited cleanmama's hay. Please advice. Thanks

I need amounts for what you are feeding. The veggies are ok but how much are you giving per feeding and how many pigs are you feeding? For clarification purposes, it's Kleenmama, not cleanmama.

[Feylin]

Well, my boys still refuse to eat any peppers. I actualy saw Fred get one in his rush to eat lettuce and spit the pepper back out! They are getting pretty good at picking out the peppers and leaving them to the side in a little pile. I'll keep offering them and see what happens- it's winter here and the peppers aren't in season so we might have more luck when they are fresh and tasty. If you remember, Fred is the one who is afraid of the way parsley leaves rustle- so we're a little wierd about food around here!


The hay is just fine- I had to add a second hay box because I added a 3rd boy and there was some squabbling over who got to burry themselves in the hay first.

[Ly&Pigs]

Feylin, try giving the peppers at a different time than when you feed other things. This way if they are hungry for veggies, the only thing that will be available at that time is the peppers and they will have a choice to eat them or not. Then wait a couple hours and see what happens.

You can go back after the couple hours and give the other stuff.

[Feylin]

Very sneaky, Ly! I will try that tonight since they had a smaller than usual breakfast (it's time to go grocery shopping again!) and should be hungry. I'll try to pick out some perfect peppers.

[Pumpkin_RIP]

Hi, I'm new and I've read that cavy's eat on their own time, and you can just give them a bowl of pellets then refill when it's empty. But here I have heard other wise(about 1/8 cup per pig) so, opinions??? My pig seemed just fine with not feeding 1/8 cup a day....but I don't know. I want to the best for her so I would appreciate some feedback.

[alerz]

Fred seems like a very funny guy. Another suggestion for the peppers is to try and cut them in different patterns/shapes, which might spark their interest. For example, you could try cutting them in thin strips which may look like the carrot shreds to the piggies, sort of tricking them into trying the peppers. My Dudley hated peppers until I added Willie to the mix who gobbled them right up. Dudley just needed someone there to tell him it was okay to eat the peppers. ha!

[Ly&Pigs]

Originally Posted by Pumpkin_RIP

Hi, I'm new and I've read that cavy's eat on their own time, and you can just give them a bowl of pellets then refill when it's empty. But here I have heard other wise(about 1/8 cup per pig) so, opinions??? My pig seemed just fine with not feeding 1/8 cup a day....but I don't know. I want to the best for her so I would appreciate some feedback.

If your pig is over 6 months it needs to be limited. Under 6 months, they can have unlimited pellets. Read all of the sticky threads in this forum section for a better understanding of a good balanced diet.

[Pumpkin_RIP]

ok, thanks so much!