Day and Night Feeding Amount Difference

[Ithilgil]

I've noticed that my cavies seem to eat more during the day now. I used to need to refill their pellet bowl and hay rack ever morning, but now I only need to refill them in the afternoon and at night (but even then, the night time complete refill is now tentative considering that less than half of the food had been eaten). Is that normal?

I give than 1/4 cup of pellets, 2 plates full of hay, and 1 cup of veggies each time (I don't worry about the veggies because they finish it within minutes). That should enough for 2 cavies (from what I've read in the forums), right?

Also, their pellet bowl isn't getting emptied as fast (not counting when they tip over the bowl), unlike before. I don't think they like their pellets as much anymore. Is that also normal?

[foggycreekcavy]

If a pig is getting lots of good hay and veggies/greens it may not eat as much pellets. Since pellets are the least important part of the diet it's fine. Are you weighing the pigs weekly?

[Ithilgil]

Should I lessen the amount of pellets then?

No. I don't have a scale. But they don't seem overweight.

They're 2 months old, and I could wrap my hand around them, leaving only about 1 inch space between my thumb and my fingers.

[bpatters]

They don't need that many pellets. One-eighth to one-fourth cup per day per pig is plenty -- the older they get, the fewer pellets they get. Don't refill the cup when they've eaten them all -- just give pellets once a day.

They need hay all the time -- never let them run out of hay. At two months of age, they need about a half cup of veggies each per day, and I'd split that into two or three servings if my schedule would allow. Pigs forage all day, rather than eating one meal, so the more spread out the feedings are, the more that fits their feeding style.