Eating cloroplast

Re: Eating cloroplast

Here's my answer about the chewing from the other thread you posted this in..

You could try putting something on it they don't like the smell or taste of. Bitter apple spray has worked for many people, so has vinegar. My pigs only had a tiny nibble at a couple of places and I put a tiny dab of lavender oil on those places as they don't like the smell of that and I haven't had any trouble since. Sometimes they just have a little chew when it's new and then leave it be anyway.

You could also try covering the edges with report binders - these are really cheap so you could easily cover the whole cage if you needed to and they;re too tough for them to chew through.

Has your pigger got anything else to chew in the cage like an untreated apple branch or a nice plain cardboard box? Maybe distracting them with something else will work too.

The coroplast is like corrugated cardboard but made from a thin plastic so I think you have the right stuff there!

Treen
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Eating cloroplast

Thanks for the suggestions. I like the report binder idea. However, do they ever pull those off? My pigs are brand new, and they are sort of wild, since they did not get any human attention at their previous home. Their also pretty young, maybe 7 weeks.

Anyway, I haven't got them anything to chew on yet. I saw some pummice stones in the petstore, but wasn't sure if they were safe or not, so I didn't get them.

I give them lots of Timothy Hay, pellets for guinea pigs and fresh vegetables. Anything I'm forgetting?

Re: Eating cloroplast

They fit on really snugly so them pulling them off wouldn't be a problem - I think getting them on is the trickiest part!

I've not heard of buying pumice stones for their teeth - I can't see why they'd be unsafe although I doubt they would be of much use as piggers don't really tend to enjoy chewing on rock. The main way the front teeth are worn down is by the opposing action as they grind the back teeth. Apple branches and boxes do seem to provide enjoyment for them and help keep the front teeth in trim, but it's hay that that is the most important for teeth - they happily chomp and grind all day!

The diet you are providing sounds good to me! Remember they might be a little picky and unsure about some veggies at first but keep offering a wide variety, and maybe some fruits too while they develop their taste buds.

Treen
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