How Much?: Two little guys with NEVER ending appetites!

[taisamarie]

I've been around guinea pigs before, but this is the first time we've had any in the family.

We have two little boys (both currently about 4.5" long). They are happy and VERY active little guys (they spend most of their active hours popcorning around the cage) and when we've let them run around the kitchen (2x a day for about 20 minutes) it is the piggie gran prix!

My question is, how much should they be eating?

I've been giving them alfalfa pellets (w/ added Vitamin C) at about the rate of 1/2 a cup a day (1/4 cup x2 daily) and as long as I am home, I refill their hay rack (timothy hay) any time it empties, which is about 3x a day. We've also been introducing fresh stuff to them (they never had any before so we are trying to take it slow so as not to upset their tummies). So far (this is about what they are up to each day) baby carrots are a hit (3 a day between the two of them), kiwi was an 'eh', apple was a hit (very limited, using as rewards for being calm when brushing/bathing, etc... bathing was a MUST, they were in a tiny little cage before we got them and they didn't smell none too good), and about a cup total each day of green leafies (spinach, kale, red leaf lettuce).

All in all, it at least visually seems to be a LOT of food for these two guys. I don't want them to become overweight, but I am not sure how much I should restrict for two growing and active little boys.

Also, what other fresh stuff can I add/rotate in their diet? I live in the central valley of California and so access year-round to pretty much anything is possible.

[fridzalone]

Have you check this link?

[taisamarie]

Thanks Fridzalone! That helps a lot with the what to/what not to give portion.

I'm still curious though if I should use these same portion amounts for my two little guys as I am guessing it was probably written with a full-grown adult in mind?

[Ly&Pigs]

Hi and Welcome to the forum.

Cavies need the minimum of one cup of veggies each per day. This is primarily made up of leafy greens. Pellets are the least part of the diet but if they are under 6 months of age, they can have unlimited pellets.

3 baby carrots a day is too many. Carrots aren't very nutritious and contain a lot of sugars and oxalic acid. One per pig per day is the norm as a treat.

Kale and spinach are not good daily foods. Lettuce, bell peppers and cilantro should be daily staples. Kale can be fed a couple times per week in moderation. Spinach is super high in Vitamin A and Oxalic acid and is best left out of the diet in my opinion, but if fed, no more than twice a week in very small amounts and opposite days from kale.

If fed things with too much vitamin A over time, they can develop liver/kidney problems.
If fed things high in calcium or oxalic acid, things like bladder sludge and stones can be a problem.

You would feed younger pigs the same amounts as adults.

[GizzyandMe]

Originally Posted by Ly&Pigs

Pellets are the least part of the diet but if they are under 6 months of age, they can have unlimited pellets.

When they reach the age of 6 months do you go cold turkey on cutting down the pellets or do you slowly take it down to an 1/8th of a cup?

O and my Gizzy is in my mind super active and also seems to have an unending appetite. I do however weigh her every day and keep a track of it in her record book. Maybe you can start weighing them so you can see when they reach a healthy adult weight. Gizzy is 5 months and only about 120grams from being the "adult" weight her Vet recommended.

Good luck and have fun!

[akstrohm]

You don't have to cut down slowly on pellets. Just start limiting them at 6 months.