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Vegetables My guinea pigs are babies, when do I start feeding veggies?

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GuineaPigMama89

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I'm not sure the exact age but they are very small. I heard you don't want to feed veggies too early from one source and that you can start feeding them veggies as soon as you want from another. Are my babies to small to eat vegetables? If so how do I start to hand tame them?
 

Paperpapillon

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As far as I know they can eat veggies at whatever age they want to...I don't think there is an age limit. Sooner the better! I've read breeders allowing their babies that are 3+ days old to eat veggies with their mom. Your guys didn't look TOO young from the pics, but it's hard to judge size from pictures. Do you have a food scale or anything you can weigh them with? That'll help give a better idea of age. I was told mine was 4 months when I got him, and from his weight he's more like 6+ months!

I would slowly introduce new veggies if they aren't used to eating them. They can get diarrhea or upset tummies from too much variety too soon. I started Vinnie with green leaf lettuce or romaine lettuce for like 3 days, then added small bell peppers, then carrots, etc. Every few days I would introduce something new. They can have about 1 cup (8 oz) per pig per day of veggies from what I've learned.
 

GuineaPigMama89

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As far as I know they can eat veggies at whatever age they want to...I don't think there is an age limit. Sooner the better! I've read breeders allowing their babies that are 3+ days old to eat veggies with their mom. Your guys didn't look TOO young from the pics, but it's hard to judge size from pictures. Do you have a food scale or anything you can weigh them with? That'll help give a better idea of age. I was told mine was 4 months when I got him, and from his weight he's more like 6+ months!

I would slowly introduce new veggies if they aren't used to eating them. They can get diarrhea or upset tummies from too much variety too soon. I started Vinnie with green leaf lettuce or romaine lettuce for like 3 days, then added small bell peppers, then carrots, etc. Every few days I would introduce something new. They can have about 1 cup (8 oz) per pig per day of veggies from what I've learned.

I doubt they've been eating veggies because I got them at a pet store. I don't have a food scale. I recently moved in with my grandparents out of my own place (financial constraints) and the three of us just within the last week moved to a new apartment and stuff is still a mess. We have all my stuff locked up in storage. I used to have a food scale but I have no idea where it would be right now. My guinea pigs still fit in the palm of my hand if that helps at all. They're...hand sized lol So far they haven't shown any interest in exploring their home and I'm getting worried since I haven't seen them drink since I got them home but I have seen them eat. Maybe they just aren't thirsty? I sent a friend request by the way =)
 

GuineaPigMama89

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bpatters

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What they need from the bell peppers is vitamin C, and it doesn't really matter what color as long as you overdo the red ones -- they have the most sugar.

They'll get plenty of calcium from their pellets. But don't feed alfalfa hay AND alfalfa pellets -- that's overdoing the calcium. It's better to feed them timothy hay and alfalfa pellets -- the timothy does a better job of keeping their teeth ground down.
 

GuineaPigMama89

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What they need from the bell peppers is vitamin C, and it doesn't really matter what color as long as you overdo the red ones -- they have the most sugar.

They'll get plenty of calcium from their pellets. But don't feed alfalfa hay AND alfalfa pellets -- that's overdoing the calcium. It's better to feed them timothy hay and alfalfa pellets -- the timothy does a better job of keeping their teeth ground down.

That's what I meant lol I'm getting my typing all tongue twisted! I already bought timothy hay so I guess I'm okay there. We're settling in really well. =)
 

Paperpapillon

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Vinnie will NOT eat any of the baby bell peppers I got him! Tried green, red, and orange. Grrr! I've tried different cuts and sizes and he just won't touch them. He eats just about everything else though...a pig in the true sense LOL. I read to de-seed them before giving, but then someone else said don't worry about it. I did it just to be safe since I heard they can choke on the seeds.
 

Paperpapillon

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bpatters

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The peppers are really good for him, so it may help to put the pellets down (VERY finely minced peppers on top of them) when he's really hungry, and then hold off on feeding any other veggies for a couple of hours.

The other thing that makes them eat almost anything is a buddy in the cage. The best food is ALWAYS in the other pig's mouth!
 
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