vegetables for more than one GP

[zachdave]

I have two pigs and both are eating a variety of veggies. I wonder how other people deal with the fact that when you are feeding more than one pig veggies that are supposed to be limited in quantity (e.g., tomato, carrot, cucumber, green beans etc.) the pig that eats faster or is dominant will invariably "hog" more than her fair share of her favorite things. Unless you separate the pigs during feeding (which is not really practical for me on a day to day basis), you can't dictate that each one only gets one baby carrot, half a cherry tomato, etc. I just put in the amount for two pigs and let it go at that. I do use two separate bowls on separate sides of the cage but that doesn't help very much. Thanks for any comments.

[CF#5]

I have the same problem. Since I just got a new pig six days ago, I've been separating them during feeding, but I would like to be able to feed them all on a single plate. I've had pigs for over six years, and I still don't think there's really a good solution to this problem. If you're lucky, all your pigs will like the same types of food and eat at the same pace.

[Aertyn]

When it comes to food that is limited (tomato, sultana's, cucumber etc) I hand feed it to them and make sure another piggy *coughs* Caramel *coughs* doesn't scoff theirs down and go pinch someone else's !

[fourboys4now]

My pigs always know they get half a baby carrot each morning and night. Of course they are standing up against the cage crying to get them first. I hand one to each boy and they run their separate ways to keep the others from stealing. Then I divide up the remaining veggies for them, they seem to eat them pretty equal.

[Haley0489]

My dad was asking me about this the other day. I really didn't have an answer for him. I said I just fed the right amount and kind of hoped they ate the way they were supposed to. I imagine it all pretty much evens out, one pig steals the tomato today, the other pig steals it tomorrow. Mine are really more crazy about gulping down the lettuce than anything else.

[paulammoore]

I've gotten my pigs into the habit of taking things from me that they can only have one of, like carrots or baby tomatoes. Then for reasons I don't quite understand, they seem to only eat theirs and let their cagemates have their space (and food).

I'm not sure why it works but it does with every one of my pigs. I think it might be because things they can share and have unlimited amounts of, like hay and lettuce, goes in a separate place in the cage. But if I give them something myself they think of it as *theirs* ? I dunno, good question and good luck.

[pigsforlife]

I hand out the things they are only allowed one of. But it doesnt work. Rosie eats twice as quickly as the others, so she has well and truly finished her cube of apple (for example) and goes and nicks a cube off someone else, protesting when they get grumpy at her for doing so.

[Toadies]

When I give my boys their veggies, I tell them "hidey house". They both run to their respective hidey houses and I give them the limited veggies first. I don't worry about the leafy greens as much as carrots, tomatoes, cabbages and any other occassional treats. They both have very healthy appetites and there isn't alot of competition, so one doesn't get significantly more than the other.

[bamby71994]

My pigs eat at different spots. One on top the other on the bottom. I know meeka hops on the pigloo to get up to the top so I all so put hay and pellets on the pigigloo. So if your pig only goes one way and the other the other way just put it on their side.

[CarpeDiem]

When I had Duchess and Poppy, Duchess had inevitably nominated herself as the Dominating piggy. Which meant she would kick Poppy out of the way and eat first or eat the most. I rememdied this situation by dividing the food up and usually I let Poppy eat on my bedroom floor near me(she was very shy with me) I would hand feed the carrots and the sugary things because I didn't want one getting too much of a specific piece of veggie/fruit.

[tpals]

Mine know that baby carrots are the bedtime treat. When I ask if they're ready I get a row of piggie tummies pressing against the sides of the cages closest to the kitchen. As each receives a carrot they dash off to eat by themselves. At first there was some carrot snatching but they've got the routine down now.

[Malhablada]

They learn very quickly how to keep their treats away from the bullies. I've got 2 bullies in my sow herd, and when it's time for evening vegetables, the whole herd disperses to line up around the outside of the cage for their baby carrots. I give them each a carrot, and they pull it through the bars and hunker down somewhere with it.

Of course, it's a free for all for the greens. But if you just give every individual a piece of something you want to keep separated, they'll work it out.

Really, they only have to lose their treat to a bully once to learn how to handle it. My shyest little one actually hops up on top of one of the pigloos to eat her carrot almost every night.

[LoveCutePiggies]

What about pellets, if you have a baby who eats alfalfa pellets/hay, and a mom who who eats timothy pellets/hay... I know the baby can eat everything, but what about the mom...?