Uh oh...Ran Out of Pellets

[Haley0489]

I made an order to Oxbow Friday night for Timothy pellets and hay, but while waiting for my order I've run out of pellets! My only options are a crappy Walmart brand or Hartz.

My question is, can my guinea pigs go a week or so without pellets if I give them extra hay and veggies? If not, I'll run straight out and buy some, but given the quality of the pellets available to me, it seems like no pellets and Hartz pellets are about the same, LOL.

Thanks for your time!

[babyboo]

Pellets are just a extra. You can go a while without needing any pellets because pretty much the pellets are just compacted hay. As long as they always have hay and veggies and fruit then you should be good for a while.

[Ly&Pigs]

Make sure you give extra veggies to ensure vitamin C during the time you are out.

[Jane_G]

Have you checked your vets office? The vet that I bring Cookie to also sells Oxbow pellets and hay. You might be able to get some to at least see you through until your order comes.

[RufussMom]

The most important thing is to make sure they get timothy hay and vitamin C which is most potent in the form of oranges.

[Jane_G]

Broccoli and peppers (all colors) are very high in vitamin C. Be careful with broccoli since it can upset their tummies. Kale and a lot of other green leafy veggies have much more vitamin C than oranges do.

The sticky on the top of this forum has a nutritional list. It will help you figure out what you need to get veggie-wise for your pets.

[Ly&Pigs]

vitamin C which is most potent in the form of oranges.

In all actuality, oranges don't have near the C that some other veggies do. Plus it's an acidic fruit and fruits should not be fed more than a couple times per week. Kale, broccoli, bell peppers and kiwi have much higher C than oranges. Refer to my charts on how often to feed them.

[Haley0489]

Sadly, my vet only sells Science Diet for cats and dogs.

I did, however, just make them a second bowl of veggies to munch on through the afternoon. I've read that bell peppers are high in vitamin C, so I'm glad you confirmed that! I gave them extra bell peppers and a floret of broccoli.

I have most of the stickies in this area printed out and stuck to my fridge so I'll be referring to them with extra attention.

Thanks for all the information!

[CF#5]

The foods highest in vitamin C all have to be fed in moderation for a variety of reasons. Peppers have an inverse Ca:Ph ratio and can cause mild gas problems. Kale is a cabbage and can cause significant gas problems. It's also very high in calcium, as is parsley. Broccoli is one of the worst vegetables for causing gas. Also, only organic broccoli should be fed to guinea pigs because it's difficult to wash the pesticides out of the florets in broccoli. Other vegetables don't have to be organic as long as they're washed well. Peppers tend to end up with a huge amount of pesticide on them, but they're easy to wash. Parsley is very high in oxalic acid, and like kale, is high in calcium.

The solution to all this is to use green and/or red leafy lettuce (Ca:Ph ratio 2.7) and romaine lettuce (Ca:Ph ratio 0.8) to balance out whatever negative effects are attached to the high-C foods your pigs eat. Generally, I don't like for gas-inducing foods to comprise more than 1/3 of a plate of vegetables, and I don't like for the high-calcium foods to comprise more than 1/3 of a plate of vegetables. These two requirements I have are mutually exclusive and don't really have anything to do with each other. Obviously the total Ca:Ph ratio should be around 2:1.

Also, red, orange, and yellow peppers have about double the vitamin C as green peppers.

[QuackXP]

Have you checked the Oxbow site for dealers withen your area. There may be some that you dont know about. If not given the advice of others id just up the veggies and wait for your order.

[Haley0489]

My Oxbow pellets and hay came in today and the piggies survived the week without, hehe.
I'm absolutely in love with Oxbow now. The pellets and hay are so green and the hay is so soft! My boys are thrilled and munching away as I type.

[auburnmare5]

I always have a bit of extra pellets on hand. Even if it is Kaytee or something like that, I think it is better than no pellets at all.

[paula.m.moore]

Originally Posted by auburnmare5

Even if it is Kaytee or something like that, I think it is better than no pellets at all.

I very much disagree with this statement. I have run out of my usual Oxbow and my only options are Hartz or Kaytee. This has only happened a couple times and only for two or three days at the most but I would always very much prefer to give them extra vegetables those days than give them something I know could be detrimental to their health. Even if it is just a little bit, they are tiny, fragile animals and their digestive systems are very sensitive.

[Ly&Pigs]

Paula, you aren't the only one that disagrees with auburnmare's statement. I disagree with it as well.

It's fine, perfectly fine to give extra veggies and extra hay for a day, two days or a week when without pellets. I would never subject my herd to having to eat such crap as Kaytee, Hartz or any of those other garbage brands.

[CF#5]

Pellets contain much more supplemental material than is really necessary. All the metals and additives do more harm than good in excess amounts. Pellets were originally designed to be the only dietary requirement for young guinea pigs in labs who weren't expected to live very long. A good pelletless diet rich in a large variety of different grass hays and lots of vegetables is actually preferable to any other diet. I only give my pigs pellets because they're high in fat, and I like my pigs to be a little pudgy, so they'll have plenty of extra energy in case they get sick and start losing weight. This too is dangerous, because obesity in guinea pigs is just as bad as obesity in humans. But a little extra cushion of fat never hurt anyone. It's probably a good idea to give one or two servings of pellets per week, not per day, and they should never be counted on as the pigs' primary source of vitamin C. Romaine lettuce is relatively low in vitamin C, but the amount is still statistically significant. Still, the only food sources that I ever use as a primary vitamin C source are the ones that have over 100mg of vitamin C per 100-gram serving of food. Like with the pellets, vitamin C isn't all that stable in food either, so if you get half of what the nutrition chart says you're supposed to get, you're still doing pretty good.

[Justin]

CF#5pig: Thanks for the information. It was the assurance that I needed because my pigs don't like pallets much.