Vegetables: Just romaine lettuce ok?

[rjramer06]

I've been to all the stores around my city, including regular grocery stores down to small Asian markets. The only type of lettuce I can find (for a reasonable price) is romaine from Sam's Club. One huge container lasts us about a week for $4. If I want anything else (red/green leaf, for example) the costs are super expensive for a very little amount. So until I can find something cheaper to alternate, is JUST romaine lettuce ok to give to my guinea pigs?

[Peggysu]

I guess if it's all you can find. They really do need a variety other then just Romaine. Have you tried Endive, Escorole, Cilantro, Swiss chard, etc.? There are a lot of leafy greens that can be fed. Variety is key as it keeps them interested. What type of veggies are you feeding?

[rjramer06]

Originally Posted by Peggysu

I guess if it's all you can find. They really do need a variety other then just Romaine. Have you tried Endive, Escorole, Cilantro, Swiss chard, etc.? There are a lot of leafy greens that can be fed. Variety is key as it keeps them interested. What type of veggies are you feeding?

Endive/Chard are the same as far as being pricey. I do give Cilantro everyday too along with Romaine Lettuce. I will keep checking, but like I said unless I want to pay $3 or more for a bag that will only last maybe 1-2 days, I'm kind of out of luck here. I've got 3 pigs, at 1 cup of leafy greens/day, = 21 cups/week of leafy greens.

[twiztedlilfae]

Then don't buy the prepackaged bags? I bought a whole head of red leaf for under $2 plus the cilantro. The whole amount? less than $4.

[Milkingit]

We'll let me put it this way, yes they can survive on just romaine every day.

But the reason they say to add different types of lettuce is variety. If you ate your favourite food every day for your entire life, your going to get bored of it. Variety helps keep up their appetites. I know some of the different lettuces are expensive. I just recently got laid off so I have to watch my money more, but this is what I buy for a week with my two girls.

Costco Club Pack - 6 Romaine Hearts
Endive Leaf Lettuce - 2 Heads
Radicchio Lettuce - 2 heads
Red Leaf Lettuce - 1 head
Belgium Lettuce (Forget full name) - 1 head

Then I also get them:

Baby Carrots - 1 small pack lasts a few weeks (only 2 every other day)
Cilantro - 1 Bunch
Parsley - 1 Bunch
Green Pepper - 1
Yellow Pepper - 1
Dandelion Greens - 1 bunch
And random other seasonal things I find when available.

I also grow my own wheat grass in my apartment for the girls to graze on once and a while.

My girls actually dislike fruit, they refuse to eat it which isn't a bad thing, I will still try every once and a while. The most they've eaten between the two of them is maybe 1/4 of a 1 inch cube of watermelon.

So yeah variety is good, my total veggie bill for my girls is about 25 a week, which isn't so bad. But I have a feeling it will be going up once winter hits.

[rjramer06]

Originally Posted by twiztedlilfae

Then don't buy the prepackaged bags? I bought a whole head of red leaf for under $2 plus the cilantro. The whole amount? less than $4.

Where do you live/shop at? Different places of the country/world have different prices on produce.

[Paula]

Originally Posted by rjramer06

Endive/Chard are the same as far as being pricey. I do give Cilantro everyday too along with Romaine Lettuce. I will keep checking, but like I said unless I want to pay $3 or more for a bag that will only last maybe 1-2 days, I'm kind of out of luck here. I've got 3 pigs, at 1 cup of leafy greens/day, = 21 cups/week of leafy greens.

I have MANY more pigs than you do and MANY more cups per day than you and I manage to get the best deals to make sure the pigs are getting both the variety and the amount they need. You might have to shop around, but I'm reasonably certain you can find better deals on things so that your pigs can get the variety they need. Romaine every day is fine for a while, but probably something you don't want to keep up indefinitely. If the only other veggie you're feeding is cilantro, you really need to broaden your selections for your pigs. Variety is the key not only to keeping them interested, but in keeping them healthy.

[twiztedlilfae]

True but if I was to buy the prebagged stuff it'd be $4 dollars for 1 bag, which is pricey. I'm on the east coast. I understand that different places have produce for different amounts, but prepackaged is always going to be more expensive anywhere you go. Just like it's more expensive to buy your favorite foods at a restaurant than make them at home, it's the convenience.

[rjramer06]

Originally Posted by Milkingit

We'll let me put it this way, yes they can survive on just romaine every day.

But the reason they say to add different types of lettuce is variety. If you ate your favourite food every day for your entire life, your going to get bored of it. Variety helps keep up their appetites. I know some of the different lettuces are expensive. I just recently got laid off so I have to watch my money more, but this is what I buy for a week with my two girls.

Costco Club Pack - 6 Romaine Hearts
Endive Leaf Lettuce - 2 Heads
Radicchio Lettuce - 2 heads
Red Leaf Lettuce - 1 head
Belgium Lettuce (Forget full name) - 1 head

Then I also get them:

Baby Carrots - 1 small pack lasts a few weeks (only 2 every other day)
Cilantro - 1 Bunch
Parsley - 1 Bunch
Green Pepper - 1
Yellow Pepper - 1
Dandelion Greens - 1 bunch
And random other seasonal things I find when available.

I also grow my own wheat grass in my apartment for the girls to graze on once and a while.

My girls actually dislike fruit, they refuse to eat it which isn't a bad thing, I will still try every once and a while. The most they've eaten between the two of them is maybe 1/4 of a 1 inch cube of watermelon.

So yeah variety is good, my total veggie bill for my girls is about 25 a week, which isn't so bad. But I have a feeling it will be going up once winter hits.

Thanks for showing a sample of what you get! I'd love to give them Dandelion Greens but we live in an apartment with no yard of our own (and I wouldn't trust the grass around here anyway to be honest...). I had to give up on Yellow Pepper and just stick with Green. For some reason the Yellow Peppers are SO small here but 3x the price of Green Peppers. Carrots, Celery, and Cilantro I have no issues getting. Zucchini is starting to go up in price, so I'm not sure what I can do during the winter for that. I also REALLY want to start growing my own wheat grass but still need to find a place to buy seeds.

Here is a question: Would 2-3 heads of lettuce last 3 pigs for a week? I just realized I may have added up my number of cups wrong when I first figured how much lettuce they would need in a week. 3 pigs is roughly 21 cups/63 oz for a week (according to Ly's chart and Do's and Don'ts).

[rjramer06]

Originally Posted by Paula

If the only other veggie you're feeding is cilantro, you really need to broaden your selections for your pigs.

Cilantro is not the only other veggie I feed them. Please ask before making assumptions.

And as I have said, I am still trying to find where I can get more of a variety for them. I wouldn't be asking others where they shop if I didn't care to find more types of lettuce, would I?

[rjramer06]

Originally Posted by twiztedlilfae

True but if I was to buy the prebagged stuff it'd be $4 dollars for 1 bag, which is pricey. I'm on the east coast. I understand that different places have produce for different amounts, but prepackaged is always going to be more expensive anywhere you go. Just like it's more expensive to buy your favorite foods at a restaurant than make them at home, it's the convenience.

I'm not buying it because it is pre-packaged. I am buying it because of the amount I get that I know will stay fresh and last a good amount of time. The amount I get in this "bundle" is more than at a regular grocery store.

[twiztedlilfae]

A package that last 2 days lasts longer than a head? I don't understand how that works. Usually heads of lettuce are pretty big in comparison to what's in those salad bags. Where are you at? Maybe someone in your area on here could help you find somewhere?

[Milkingit]

I get my dandelion greens at the grocery store. The are an Italian delicacy, so if you live in an Italian neighborhood you should be able to find it in the store.

As for wheat-grass any health store will carry the seeds.

For celery you have to watch and cut the pieces small. The strands can be very hard to digest can can be a choking hazard.

[rjramer06]

Originally Posted by twiztedlilfae

A package that last 2 days lasts longer than a head? I don't understand how that works. Usually heads of lettuce are pretty big in comparison to what's in those salad bags. Where are you at? Maybe someone in your area on here could help you find somewhere?

The package is industrial size, from a store called Sam's Club. It last me a week, not 2 days.

I will ask again: About how long should 1 head of lettuce last 3 guinea pigs?

[Paula]

Originally Posted by rjramer06

Cilantro is not the only other veggie I feed them. Please ask before making assumptions.

You'll notice I did say "if," IF it's the only other thing you're feeding. No assumptions were made, thanks.

Originally Posted by rjramer06

And as I have said, I am still trying to find where I can get more of a variety for them. I wouldn't be asking others where they shop if I didn't care to find more types of lettuce, would I?

You started this thread to ask if romaine is acceptable as the only lettuce your pigs get day in and day out - it is okay, yes, but more variety is highly advisable. You're going to get better answers if you can stop being argumentative and less defensive.

Originally Posted by rjramer06

Here is a question: Would 2-3 heads of lettuce last 3 pigs for a week? I just realized I may have added up my number of cups wrong when I first figured how much lettuce they would need in a week.

I would definitely think so, yes. And this would be a great way to mix up the types of lettuce they are getting.

ETA ... RE Wheatgrass, you can buy kits online, if that's an option. I've had great luck here, or if you can find wheat berry seeds at a local health store, you can grow your own if you have space.

[rjramer06]

Originally Posted by Milkingit

I get my dandelion greens at the grocery store. The are an Italian delicacy, so if you live in an Italian neighborhood you should be able to find it in the store.

As for wheat-grass any health store will carry the seeds.

For celery you have to watch and cut the pieces small. The strands can be very hard to digest can can be a choking hazard.

No Italian neighborhoods here. We have lots of Asian markets because we are near a college campus with lots of foreign students.

How much do wheat grass seeds usually run? Besides a health store, can you get them at places like Lowes or where there are garden centers?

What do you consider "small" pieces? I give them 2" pieces, according to Ly's chart, so maybe chop it a 2" slice into 4-5 pieces?

[rjramer06]

Originally Posted by Paula

You'll notice I did say "if," IF it's the only other thing you're feeding. No assumptions were made, thanks.

You started this thread to ask if romaine is acceptable as the only lettuce your pigs get day in and day out - it is okay, yes, but more variety is highly advisable. You're going to get better answers if you can stop being argumentative and less defensive.

I would definitely think so, yes. And this would be a great way to mix up the types of lettuce they are getting.

Sorry. A lot of people on this site I am finding are argumentative/defensive so I am just following the crowd, I guess.

I will see what a nearby grocery has tomorrow. Mondays are usually lettuce shopping day. If I can find a good deal where I buy our normal groceries with the heads of lettuce, then I can start buying it when I get the rest of their veggies.

[Milkingit]

I buy 1 pound of seeds, and they run me about $5 at the health food store, and that lasts me a long time.

Yeah I'd say you just want to make sure the string parts aren't to long.

[rjramer06]

Originally Posted by Paula

RE Wheatgrass, you can buy kits online, if that's an option. I've had great luck here, or if you can find wheat berry seeds at a local health store, you can grow your own if you have space.

Buying online would probably not be an option, depending on price. I'd love to grow my own here in my apartment. I've checked this website:

Growing Wheat Grass

The directions seem easy enough. I hope it's not super hard to grow.

[Paula]

Originally Posted by rjramer06

How much do wheat grass seeds usually run? Besides a health store, can you get them at places like Lowes or where there are garden centers?

I don't think so, but if you have a grocery store that has a bulk food section, it's possible they might have them. And they're usually just a couple bucks a pound in my area, but it probably depends on your location.

Celery is fine as long as the pieces are smaller than 2 inches, but I cut them smaller because the pigs seem to prefer smaller pieces.