New Pig(s): first time ever ive been an owner of Gpigs

[cudley n pepper]

Hi Guys just like to say Hi to all and think this site is fab, Ive never before had pets like these and feel hopeless after finding this site I feel a lot better already thanks to all you on here, but I still have a few doubts if im doing things right
1- how often should I give them veggies ( im at the moment giving them morning and evening is this too much ) they are also having there GP food left with them all day

2- I got my 1st lill cudley about 4 weeks ago she was 8 weeks old when I got her, then with reading on here they need a freind ive just under a week got a new lill girlfriend for her yep they are both girls, now what I dont know is pepper my new pig keeps head butting her is this playing or is this bullying I cant work it out, she is definatley the dominant one for sure, and she always looks like she is going to bite her when she gets close, they are both as I write this sat on my hubbys belly loving the attention, I would be grateful if anyone could just answer these 2 questions sorry for the waffling, and im sure I will be back with more

[vicky2]

Hi and welcome!
1- One cup of veggies a day per pig. Twice a day is fine (half a cup per pig per meal then.) Personally, I give veggies once a day. They Should have 1/8 of a cup- 1/4 cup of pellets per pig everyday. Don't forget unlimited grass hay!
2- They're just asserting dominance. Nothing really to worry about unless there is blood shed.
If you add anymore pigs in the future, they should be behind closed doors in a different room than your current pig/s for three weeks of quarentine.
Good luck!!

[Peggysu]

1- At the minimum one cup of veggies per pig per day. Check out the veggie charts in the diet and nutrition forum. It has information on how often to feed certain things. They need a variety of veggies. Also feeding twice a day is best as they are foragers and eat throughout the day and night. What kind of pellets are you feeding? The only pellets really recommended on here are Oxbow and Kleenmama, there are a few others but those are the best.

2- It sounds like a dominance thing. They will have to work this out. Did you adopt or did you get them from the pet store? If you got them from a pet store I would suggest taking them to the vet to make sure they are infact both female and that they are healthy.

I would get a kitchen scale and start weighing them weekly as well. In the future please a adopt and when bringing a new piggie into the household quarantine for three weeks so that you don't have more then one sick piggie on your hands.

Welcome to GPC! I hope you enjoy the site and learn a ton.

[vicky2]

This is the food chart Peggysu was talking about: http://www.guineapigcages.com/forum/...tml#post254730

[Ly&Pigs]

The minimum of veggies is one cup per pig per day made up of primarily leafy greens. You can give a bit more. It's best to feed the veggies split up into at least 2 meals as cavies are constant foragers. Keep things like baby carrots to a minimum, keep fruits to a bare minimum as they are very sugary and some are acidic. Fruits are best fed only once or twice a week in tiny amounts.

[akstrohm]

Veggies should be fed at least twice a day. If this is inconvenient, chop them all up and once, put them in containers, and feed one container at a time.

You mention leaving guinea pig food all the time... do you mean pellets or hay? They need unlimited grass hay available at all times. Pellets (only Kleenmama, Oxbow, Mazuri 5664, or Sweat Meadow) can bed fed unlimited until 6 months but after that should be limited to 1/8-1/4 cup per day per pig.

What kind and size cage do you have?

[angiekay]

Congrats on the new baby girls! This site is the BEST GP informational site I have found, and the members/moderators here are awesome! Since they have already answered your questions, just wanted to say hello, and hope you stick around, there's SO much to learn about GP's, I learn everyday!

[cudley n pepper]

Thanks all for your great advice, I will definatley be sticking with this site theres more to know about Gpigs than I would of ever thought