Pellets + Food Hogging? questions

[AliKH]

I've been wonder how much pellet food were supposed to give our pigs each day?

I've been giving my 2 female pigs 35g each in the morning and another 35g in the evening. I'm not sure how much I'm suppose to be giving them each day but am trying to keep from over feeding them as pigs will just eat because its there.

I also need help with another problem I've notes. I've got a larger female whose about 1 1/2 years old thats a bit over weight and likes to hog the all the food. Our smaller female just turned a year last May is about half the size of the older & larger female. I'm wondering how to deal with the food aggression. Its mostly just the older one pushing the younger away with her noes, she not biting lucky but I dont want it to escalate into that either.

Only thing i can think of is to split their cage in half but beside the food the females get along fine and the smaller female follows the larger one everywhere.

Any help would be appreciated and I can get the weight of each pig tomorrow morning when they are awake if it would help. I'm planing to give the older one extra floor time to help with her added weight.

[Toadies]

Have you tried two food dishes in different locations, like opposite sides of the cage? If you're planning on giving your big girl extra floor time, could you use that time to make sure that your little one gets her share of the goodies? You could save the extra-special goodies, like carrots or fruit, for lap time and that way the you have more control over quantity and calorie intake. As far as pellets go, they should be the smallest part of the diet, 1/8 cup per pig per day. Some days they will eat them all and some days they will barely touch them. It does seem that the piggs eat just because food is there but they really don't. I had a lard-butt but he often left food when he was full. Pigs are like people in that they have different metabolisms, frame size and body proportions. Although my two boys were very close in weight, Charlie was long and slender and Slick was as wide as he was long.

[AliKH]

Thanks for the replies Toadies. I have tried the two dish's in different locations and the larger one will eat her food then steal the rest of the smaller ones dish. I can understand the different size thing but I will still be weighing mine just in case she is over weight. I got them from someone who had too many guinea pigs and couldn't given them the attention they needed.

I'm going to take some our extra grids and make a temperate wall for during feeding times (about half an hour) that can be taken down after words. I'll mostly likely leave any left over food until it time for feeding again, except veggies which after an 2 hours I remove any left overs. I make sure they have plenty of good Timothy hay in the cage at all times, I tend to remove any wet hey (from them peeing) when I check on the pile size.

[Duffinvt]

I often take my "hog" out for floortime (giving her hay and water there) and then give the other three food, pellets and hay to enjoy for a while (15 minutes or so) before they go out on the floor.

[AliKH]

Thanks for the tips everyone. I took the guinea pigs weight today, you'll have to forgive me I weigh everything by grams. Anyways Charlotte *pudgy butt* as I've taken to calling her when I'm trying to change out the food & give veggies and shes in the way. She 1,120g and Angel is 758g.

While I think if I'm not careful her weight could get worse, I currently think shes fine for now. I still plan to give them a bit of extra floor time though. I know that they tend to go to sleep once they are pooped from playing, doing laps, hopping *something new* & munching on hay.

[Cogni]

That is great that your piggies have started popcorning! It shows they are content.

[pinky]

I don't think 1120 grams is that big unless your guinea pig has a small frame. My females are 2 lbs. 6 oz, 2 lbs. 4 oz., 2 lbs. 1oz. and 1 lb. 13 oz. I was concerned that my smallest one was too thin. I think it depends on their frame. Just like people, you have taller ones and bigger boned ones.

Thanks for the tips everyone. I took the guinea pigs weight today, you'll have to forgive me I weigh everything by grams. Anyways Charlotte *pudgy butt* as I've taken to calling her when I'm trying to change out the food & give veggies and shes in the way. She 1,120g and Angel is 758g.

While I think if I'm not careful her weight could get worse, I currently think shes fine for now. I still plan to give them a bit of extra floor time though. I know that they tend to go to sleep once they are pooped from playing, doing laps, hopping *something new* & munching on hay.

[Cogni]

I've seen guinea pigs smaller than mine that I think are obese--their belly is large, extends horizontally and hangs a bit. My boys are 1435 and 1340 grams--but they are long head to rump, and their bellies don't hang. My vet said my boys are not overweight for their size, but to make sure they don't eat too many pellets. Pellets are very concentrated calories. If their weight goes up any I am supposed to reduce pellets, even below the 1/8 cup per pig.
What brand of pellets are you feeding? Commercial guinea pig food is mostly pretty bad for piggies, full of empty calories. Junk food for animals. You need plain pellets with no added sugar, seeds, nuts or grains.

[AliKH]

I've been using just the plan walmart brand with no added seed, fruit or soft white things that I have no idea what it. I given them the 1/8 cup pellets + 1 small baby carrot + 1 leaf of Romain lettuce each + Lots of Timothy hay.

I took a look at both females today as I was letting mom clip and round there nails down. They both mostly gotten used to mom + me and I think I will be very annoyed at the last keeper of them in about another 5 weeks if I'm correct about what I saw today.

[Deb's4Pigs]

The WalMart brand isn't good. See if you can get Oxbow. How old are the? If they're over 6 months they shouldn't be getting alfalfa which I'm sure is what the WalMart brand is made of. Oxbow has an timothy based pellet.

Also they should be getting more variety of veggies. Romaine (which you are giving), red and green leaf lettuce, bell peppers, cilantro are good basics. Also tomatoes, parsley, dill and other veggies are good. Nothing that will cause gas though.

[AliKH]

I could call the place in Lynnwood Washington and see if they'd be willing to ship a bag of the Oxbow pellets. Or could ask my cousin to if she'd be willing to buy me a bag then let me pay her back when I see her next since she lives over there. I could always check farmland *feed store* but I dont really want to since they also sell animals that they keep in poor condition & they buy from backyard breeders. I've along with many others have been trying to get this place closed down for a while but its the only feed store in my area.

Regular Romain I think...my dad bought it so I dont really know what kind it is. I planing to print out the food sheet and take it with me next time we go shopping. my cavys are 1 year as of may and 1 1/2 years old

Edit: hahah My vet place sells it apparently, I did a store search for the stores. call them tomorrow and ask for prices.