Nutrition: Whats this food like?

[Paula]

Originally Posted by Cornish Cavies

So what you are saying is its best to leave these pigs in a bad home where they are not being cared for than feed them the next best pellet?

I'm saying you need to be providing the pigs you have now the best you can before you start taking in more. When you get to a point where you're sacrificing the quality of your food and care so that you might take in more that "are in bad homes," it becomes unfair to all.

[akstrohm]

You didn't mention the Excel until later in this thread. The thread was originally about a mix that is not healthy.

I agree that it would be far better to provide Oxbow to a small number of pigs and take fewer pigs in. Help those you can. Offer advice on care to people who will take it. If you hear of someone looking for a pig, help them find one to rescue. Rehome pigs when they are healthy and screen new homes carefully. But don't compromise the care of your pigs by taking more in. If you can't afford proper pellets, can you afford vet care? Emergencies can be quite expensive.

Even with 16 pigs, you are feeding too much. You should be feeding 1/8 cup per day per pig of quality food. This works out to 2 cups per day or 14 cups per week. This is definitely less than the 9kg you are currently feeding.

Can you tell me what veggies you feed and how much?

[sophistacavy]

Originally Posted by angiekay

Yea, I just got my pellets/hay in the mail from Sweet Meadow, my pigs LOVE them! It was a 10lb bag, and I'm sure it will last me 2 months or more. I got 3 (all 20 oz bags) bags of tim. hay, 2 bags of meadow grass, and the 10lb bag of pellets for $34 bucks!!! I was paying $13.99 for a small bag (5lbs) of oxbow pellets alone at the pet store. So it really, really helps to buy in bulk, even with the shipping you are saving a ton of money in the end.

Cornish Cavies, didn't you read what Angiekay wrote??

It is really quite simple. All you have to do is go to the link that crazywiggy provided, and put in all your information, as if you were going to buy it, and see what kind of total you come up with.

Pellets are such a minimal (actually, the most minimal part of their diet except for fruit) part of their diet, but bad quality pellets still can have very bad health effects, even when fed in the proper 1/8 cup amounts.

Many guinea pig health problems could be diet related, except of course if theu received an external physical injury. The ones that aren't transmissible to other piggies are the ones that could be diet related.

And always remember, if worst comes to worst and have to euthanize your guinea pig, then it also costs money (not that much all in most places in USA, I'm not sure about UK) to have that done. Even an inexpensive euthanasia probably costs more than what little you'd save by skimping on "McDonald's quality" guinea pig pellets.

[Cornish Cavies]

Originally Posted by sophistacavy

Cornish Cavies, didn't you read what Angiekay wrote??

It is really quite simple. All you have to do is go to the link that crazywiggy provided, and put in all your information, as if you were going to buy it, and see what kind of total you come up with.

Pellets are such a minimal (actually, the most minimal part of their diet except for fruit) part of their diet, but bad quality pellets still can have very bad health effects, even when fed in the proper 1/8 cup amounts.

Many guinea pig health problems could be diet related, except of course if theu received an external physical injury. The ones that aren't transmissible to other piggies are the ones that could be diet related.

And always remember, if worst comes to worst and have to euthanize your guinea pig, then it also costs money (not that much all in most places in USA, I'm not sure about UK) to have that done. Even an inexpensive euthanasia probably costs more than what little you'd save by skimping on "McDonald's quality" guinea pig pellets.

As I have said before the excel are fine, it says so on this forum!
From day one of posting here I have always said I feed excel, I have never said I feed a mix, and yes this post is what’s this food like but at no point did I say I fed it!
I am well aware of how much vets bills cost I have owned pigs for over 20 years and I know that pellets are a small part of their diet. A lot of members on this forum free feed pellets just as I do.
I can assure you they have a wide range of veg and a little fruit daily.
And yes I did read what Angiekey wrote, but I am in the U.K and as I have said countless times before the cost is higher here. I have looked into the cost with lots of company, and I feel its too high for me.
I am not feeding them rubbish they are being fed a good pellet.
People on this forum seem to have it in for anyone who doesn’t do things the exact same way as they do.
If you have a large store brought cage the correct size, its still no good as its not a CC cage.
If you feed pellets that are not oxbow but a good pellet that’s been oked on this very forum its still no good as its not oxbow.
I have seen countless new members on this forum posting asking for advice on a particular thing, and it always goes off topic and everyone assumes no one else knows how to care for a guineas, that is often the last time that person posts on here.
While I know there are a lot of knowledgeable people on here no one seems open to another way to care for a guinea other than a CC cage and oxbow.
I always feel I have to defend my self and the way I chose to do things, which is not making this a fun place to be.
My guineas are in large homes they are not cramped are well cared for if anything is ever wrong they go to the vet, I feed veg and good hay. I do not see the point in spending vet bill money on a pellet that costs over double the one I am feeding now when it’s a suitable pellet for my guineas.
If you search for excel on the forum the diet queen says its acceptable, at no point does she say its Macdonolds quality as it isnt.

I also wonder how many of you would chose oxbow if you had to pay the U.K prices and delivery on top?

[Cornish Cavies]

Originally Posted by Paula

I'm saying you need to be providing the pigs you have now the best you can before you start taking in more. When you get to a point where you're sacrificing the quality of your food and care so that you might take in more that "are in bad homes," it becomes unfair to all.

I am not sacrificing care at any point, How dare you say this when you don’t know me, and you don’t know how I care for my pigs. It’s a very sad world of yours if care is based on the make of food you feed!

[frankie&bennie]

I've been reading and I just wanted to make a point of saying that I too am based in the UK and the prices over here seem to be sadly, twice as high as in the USA. Buying in bulk does seem to be the answer, and that is what I intend to do, to cut down on costs. Its a shame that alot of rubbish guinea pig food is readily available in the shops, but yet the good quality stuff has to be ordered online, and therefore includes delivery charges aswell.

[Cornish Cavies]

Originally Posted by frankie&bennie

I've been reading and I just wanted to make a point of saying that I too am based in the UK and the prices over here seem to be sadly, twice as high as in the USA. Buying in bulk does seem to be the answer, and that is what I intend to do, to cut down on costs. Its a shame that alot of rubbish guinea pig food is readily available in the shops, but yet the good quality stuff has to be ordered online, and therefore includes delivery charges aswell.

Yes bulk is cheeper, although storage is an issue as well, I have no where to keep any more than 10kg. But I also use a lot so bulk wouldnt really last either.

[Ly&Pigs]

Originally Posted by Cornish Cavies

A lot of members on this forum free feed pellets just as I do.

If you search for excel on the forum the diet queen says its acceptable, at no point does she say its Macdonolds quality as it isnt.

I just have a couple of quick comments. If you start limiting pellets in pigs over 6 months, you will save money. Pellets are the least part of the diet.

I'm not the "diet queen". The "mod queen" part of my title is an inside joke, the "diet specialist" part of my title is because I've studied cavy nutrition now for about 4 years. Excel is an ok pellet just like Mazuri 5664 is an ok pellet. They aren't top of the line, they are just ok. They are suitable, just not the best. They also are better fed in limited amounts.

You've asked about several brands of pellets that are not acceptable. I know you've been looking for other alternatives, but unless you were willing to switch to Oxbow, you're already feeding something better than anything else you've posted ingredients lists for. What I've been trying to get you to understand is that most of the pellet brands out there are pure garbage.

[Cornish Cavies]

Yes I do understand that, here we dont really have a lot of choice its just the two pellets and PAH own. And when I said Diet queen I wasnt going by your title, I said it because you know your stuff. I would love to switch to oxbow but cant at the mo. Hopefully next year when hubby is working again this will be possiable. I just got cross because people were bashing me for feeding the best that I can afford at the moment. And as you said your self the excel is sutiable.

[pigsforlife]

I can understand where you are coming from price wise. A 5lb bag in the US costs only $10.50 from Dr Foster and Smith. Where I live in Aus, I am lucky to get it under $30.80 (if one of the nurses that knows me, serves me - I get it for $24.80, but it is still expensive). Nevertheless, cavy cuisine is what the crew get. We have to do the best we can with what we have available.

[CavyMama]

Originally Posted by Cornish Cavies

People on this forum seem to have it in for anyone who doesn’t do things the exact same way as they do.
If you have a large store brought cage the correct size, its still no good as its not a CC cage.

Not true. C&C cages are recommended because they provide much more room than a store-bought cage and are quite versatle in that they can be changed around easily. No one said they are the ONLY acceptable way to cage a guinea pig.

If you feed pellets that are not oxbow but a good pellet that’s been oked on this very forum its still no good as its not oxbow.

Again, not true. Oxbow is a good brand but I have seen other brands recommended as well. You might be only seeing what you wish to see to support your complaint.

I have seen countless new members on this forum posting asking for advice on a particular thing, and it always goes off topic and everyone assumes no one else knows how to care for a guineas, that is often the last time that person posts on here.

I would be careful of using the superlatives "always" and "never". You can't know that it happens every single time. Just like you can't know that the new people never post again.

While I know there are a lot of knowledgeable people on here no one seems open to another way to care for a guinea other than a CC cage and oxbow.

I think you should spend some time looking around the forums then because although people might strongly discourage the use of a cage they know isn't going to provide enough room, they don't have blinders on. If there is something else that works, I think people are open to it.

I always feel I have to defend my self and the way I chose to do things, which is not making this a fun place to be.

It seems to me, that it's not so much you trying to "defend yourself" as you trying to start an argument any chance you get. There seems to always be something you are up in arms about. This forum is what you make of it. You get out of it what you put in. If you want to see it as an "un-fun" place, so be it. No one is forcing you to stick around.

[Cornish Cavies]

I am not trying to cause an agruement but i feel no one is listening, A while ago I posted about the cage I have, it is the recomended size (here) for a pair of pigs, its just a store cage. And the amount of times I have had to say and still do, thats it is big enough is mega. But it seems everyone sees store cage and asumes its not big enough. My only wish is for people to listen. I feel I have to repeat my self over and over.

[Cornish Cavies]

You mentioned I should be careful using always, well I am not "always up in arms about something".

There is often a time when something you say can be taken the wrong way, on forums its not always easy to get your point across. And maybe this is a prime example. Some people seem to read too much into what another member has said.

[Ly&Pigs]

Off-topic Notice: Let's please get back to the original poster's topic! This thread really isn't the place to get into cage size discussion as that would be off topic and belongs in another thread. Thank you.

This thread is about pellets so let's please get back on that discussion.

Originally Posted by Cornish Cavies

And when I said Diet queen I wasnt going by your title, I said it because you know your stuff.

Thanks for your vote of confidence in me. I've had people use the "Queen" part in a not so nice way before.

Originally Posted by Cornish Cavies

There is often a time when something you say can be taken the wrong way, on forums its not always easy to get your point across. And maybe this is a prime example. Some people seem to read too much into what another member has said.

I agree with this wholeheartedly. 5 different people can read something and each person can interpret it in an entirely different way. That's the reason a lot of responses come across the way they do. Even I did it in this thread when I read your part about the Mod Queen. I initially took it in a bad way when it was meant as a good thing, for that I am sorry.

As far as the pellets, I myself use a little lower quality pellet than KM's or Oxbow and buy high quality hay in bulk due to being on a tight budget. Sometimes what people don't realize is that not everyone is made of money and we do the best we can with what we have. Sometimes, some of us have to sacrifice one thing for something better. I buy Mazuri 5664 and KM's hay because pellets are the least part of the diet. I give a nice variety of veggies to make up the difference. I don't feel that it makes me a bad person or bad owner, I do the best I can to provide the best I can afford for all my furry friends.

[Cornish Cavies]

Originally Posted by Ly&Pigs

Off-topic Notice: Let's please get back to the original poster's topic! This thread really isn't the place to get into cage size discussion as that would be off topic and belongs in another thread. Thank you.

This thread is about pellets so let's please get back on that discussion.

Thanks for your vote of confidence in me. I've had people use the "Queen" part in a not so nice way before.

I agree with this wholeheartedly. 5 different people can read something and each person can interpret it in an entirely different way. That's the reason a lot of responses come across the way they do. Even I did it in this thread when I read your part about the Mod Queen. I initially took it in a bad way when it was meant as a good thing, for that I am sorry.

As far as the pellets, I myself use a little lower quality pellet than KM's or Oxbow and buy high quality hay in bulk due to being on a tight budget. Sometimes what people don't realize is that not everyone is made of money and we do the best we can with what we have. Sometimes, some of us have to sacrifice one thing for something better. I buy Mazuri 5664 and KM's hay because pellets are the least part of the diet. I give a nice variety of veggies to make up the difference. I don't feel that it makes me a bad person or bad owner, I do the best I can to provide the best I can afford for all my furry friends.

Thank you that's very well said.