Ah! My new pig won't eat her veggies!!

[Pumpkin_RIP]

What should I do??? I want her to get some vitamin C, but all she will eat is hay, pellets, and a tiny nibble of apple. I don't have any vitamin C tablets to give her either any advice?? The only way I can get her to eat the apple is to put it in her mouth, then she will reluctantly nibble it.

[fourboys4now]

Have you tried cilantro or parsley? My boys go gaga over those 2 choices. I would just continue to offer veggies. If you hold her and hand feed her maybe that would help. Bell pepper slices is another veggie they love so much. Just keep trying. Some piggies just need a little extra time to get used to eating veggies. Good luck.

[steve_and_pigs]

If she doesn't go for hand feeding, she may need some alone time with the veggies. I agree that cilantro and parsley typically big hits!

If she is shy and hidey, you might try putting some veggies in her hidey, or taking her hidey away, and leave her alone to get comfortable.

If that fails, you may try some fresh hand cut grass (not from mowing/clipping piles, which ferment quickly). It should not be soggy/wet, have mold, have chemicals sprayed on it (pest/fertilizer), or exposure to other pet (like cat/dog) droppings/urine.

Other pigs can also teach veggie eating, but since she is new she should be in quarantine.

[Renshai117]

Hi there, I have to second the notion that she may need to get aquainted with the new veggies on her own. I have four pigs, none of which have ever taken a strange veggie from my hand. Once they eat it on their own, they will generally go nuts for it (if they like it). My pigs are very picky with veggies, green beens, carrots, and celery are the only things they will take reliably. Try snapping some green beens and leaving them in their food dish, that might go over well.

Also, I noticed that you are new to the forums (as am I). There is a very helpful forum in the diet and nutrition section which you need to refer to when choosing new veggies for your pig:
http://www.guineapigcages.com/forum/...arts-info.html

[Pumpkin_RIP]

ok, thanks everyone!

[cinnyminny]

From my experience, sometimes it will take a few weeks for them to realize that its something they're supposed to eat. But if you keep introducing them to it each day, eventually they may realize that it is food. My pig currently won't touch parsley...which is very strange! I always put a few sprigs in with her lettuce and veggies but she always leaves it behind. Definitely keep trying!

[Pumpkin_RIP]

I finally got her to eat some lettuce, but it's more like, I put the food up to her mouth again and again and she finally eats a few bites to please me, then turns away. Ah well.....what should I do to get her vitamin C in the meantime? I thought about vitamin C drops in her water, but I heard that those were bad.

[newpiggiemommy]

I have heard of people crushing up sugarfree vitamin C tablets, but they usually put them on some lettuce! So, I am not sure how you would do it!

I would suggest to continue to offer romaine lettuce and add some cilantro. Just put it on a plate and set it in the cage for a few hours. During that time don't even go near the cage. Most of the time piggies curiosity will draw them to the veggies and then before you know it they are eating!

[Ly&Pigs]

Go to a health food store and get some plain Vitamin C tablets with less than 1 gram of sugar (no other stuff added like rose hips,etc.), get the lowest dose available which is usually 100mg. You won't give an entire tablet daily because that's too much. You would crush it and give about 1/3 of the tablet. It could be sprinkled over pellets, over veggies or mixed with a small amount of water and put into a syringe and fed that way.

Or you can get liquid C at the health food store and give about 30mg per day of that via syringe.

Or get Oxbow GTN tablets and give 1/2 tablet per day.

Vitamin C drops that go into the water are bad as they degrade very fast (within 2-4 hours) and distort the taste of the water.

[julsie]

My pigs go crazy over oranges and broccoli. Neither are good for everyday feeding, but they're high in vitamin C, so they're worth a shot. Other foods that didn't need a trial period at my house are kiwi, strawberries, and leafy celery tops. Good luck!

[Pumpkin_RIP]

ok, I will try crushing the vitamin C tablets, while continuing to try new veggies.