Nutrition: Tima Mega C pellets

[Cornish Cavies]

I dont feed this food, but came across it when looking for bedding. Is it a new one never herd of it before. If it is a new one thaught it mite be usefull to add to the list of foods here good or bad.

Ingredients:
alfalfa green meal, wheat bran, soy meal extract (steam heated), barley, molasses chips, oat, linseed cake, rapeseed meal, premix.
Ingredients/kg:
vitamin A 25.000 IU, vitamin D3 1.500 IU, vitamin E 150mg, vitamin C 3.000mg, copper 15mg
Analysis:
raw protein 19.5 %

raw fat 2.5 %
raw fibers 12.5 %
raw ashes 9.5 %
phosphor 0.8 %
sodium 0.23 %
calcium 1.2 % lysine 1.2g/kg

[CavyLuver516]

Unless your guinea pigs are under 6 months old, you need pellets where the first ingredient is some type (timothy, orchard, ect.) of grass hay. Afalfa has to much calcium and could cause bladder stones in adult pigs.

[ferndalezoo]

Alfalfa-based pellets CAN be fed to older pigs, as long as you limit it to 1/8 cup per pig per day. The Mazuri 5664 pellets are lafalfa based and they are listed on this site as "aceptable". I owuld think that the wheat, soy, and molasses all make that food not an acceptable one to feed.

[CavyLuver516]

Mazuri pellets are listed 'acceptable' because they don't contain as much junk as other pellets do. I'm just saying it's BEST to feed an adult guinea timothy hay-based pellets as there is less of a chance that the piggy will get to much calcium and suffer from it. Oxbow pellets and Kleenmama's pellets are good choices.

[ferndalezoo]

I agree, but that wasn't what you said in your first post, which is why I corrected the info. You said

Unless your guinea pigs are under 6 months old, you need pellets where the first ingredient is some type (timothy, orchard, ect.) of grass hay. Afalfa has to much calcium and could cause bladder stones in adult pigs.

, which isn't fully the truth. I believe one of the mods even feeds the 5664 (I could have that incorrect), and as long as you are careful to limit it to 1/8 cup per pig per day, in the absence either of the other brands (for some, the shipping from KM's is prohibitive, and Oxbow can be extremely pricey) the 5664 (even though it's an alfalfa based pellet) CAN be safely fed to pigs over 6 months of age.

There are ingredients listed in the brand Cornish Cavies mentioned that WOULD make it unacceptable to feed, but alfalfa by itself isn't really a major cause for concern.

[Cornish Cavies]

I wonder what they mean by pre mix?? Why do you think its so high in Vit C? Its higher than any other food I have seen

[Ly&Pigs]

These would go on the do not feed list. I don't know what they mean by premix either. If you run across more foods, can you just send me the lists via private messages. That way I can go over them first and add them to my database.

To clarify some points- better quality alfalfa based pellets can be fed in cavies up to a year old (or even longer if you cannot readily obtain or afford pellet brands such as KM's or Oxbow). I normally recommend the change at around 6 months to lower calcium levels.

Originally Posted by ferndalezoo

I believe one of the mods even feeds the 5664 (I could have that incorrect), and as long as you are careful to limit it to 1/8 cup per pig per day, in the absence either of the other brands (for some, the shipping from KM's is prohibitive, and Oxbow can be extremely pricey) the 5664 (even though it's an alfalfa based pellet) CAN be safely fed to pigs over 6 months of age.

I'm the mod that feeds Mazuri 5664. I also feed high quality KM's hay and keep the amounts of veggies high in calcium very low and some things I won't feed at all such as spinach. Pellets are the least part of any pigs diet whether they are alfalfa based or timothy based. Personally, I've always limited pellets in pigs no matter the age and have never fed unlimited amounts.

[Cornish Cavies]

Ok will Pm them if I find anymore. Thanks