Won't Eat Veggies Only likes eating carrots

[Tamara Lewis]

I have tried getting my baby guinea pigs to eat other veggies but they seem to only like the carrots I have tried giving them cucumber, capsicum, zucchini, cauliflower, broccoli I keep offering it to them everyday they have a sniff of it the run back into the bed but as soon as I have a peice of carrot in my hands they go mental and wanting more. How can I get them to eat other veggies?

 

[GuineaPiggies7]

My piggies are similer, they eat other veggies through. But once they try carrot, thats all they want to eat and will not touch the other veg.

 

[Tamara Lewis]

I'm just a bit concerned cause I'm not sure if it's enough vit c for them although they do have enough hay and they have pellets too

 

[GuineaPiggies7]

Mmmm, This is a tricky one...

 

[Lagertha]

I think it was bpatters that shared a trick of chopping up different veggies very very finely and mixing them in with their pellets. They can't pick around the veggie pieces and eventually start to get used to the taste of the veg and will start eating it whole. Also try giving them dark leafy lettuce like green and red leaf, my pigs go bonkers over it!

 

[pinky]

I don't give mine cucumber, broccoli or cauliflower. Cut those out, temporarily eliminate carrots and offer leafy greens like romaine, red and green leaf lettuce, endive, escarole. 1/8 of a bell pepper give the daily requirement of vitamin c. Carrots are high in sugar and since that's all your guinea pig wants, eliminate it until it eats the healthier foods. The others you mentioned are gassy foods. Just make sure you off unlimited, fresh grass hay and 1/8 cup of pellets. Refer to the Diet and Nutrition chart for other good vegetable options.
https://www.guineapigcages.com/foru...n-Charts-amp-Poisonous-Plants-List#post254730

 

[GiuneaPigLover]

To make sure they have enough vit c have you thought of giving them chewable vit c tablets. My piggies love them and try oranges.

 

[Lagertha]

oranges actually aren't that high in vitamin C and should only be given to them 1-2 times a week since they are high in sugar and VERY ACIDIC. Feeding too much of it to them can cause sores around their mouths.

 

[Tamara Lewis]

@ GuineaPigLover I have thought about giving them vit c tablets but been told not too unless they are not eating at all I don't no why what about drops giving to them but syringe?

 

[GiuneaPigLover]

Guinea Pigs need vit c in their diet every day. It comes in many veggies. If your piggies will only eat carrots I suggest adding tabs. https://www.guinealynx.info/scurvy.html. Also @Lagertha is right I forgot that oranges are high in acid and should only be feed sparingly. Drops will also work I just give mine tabs cause it gives them something semi hard to chew.

 

[Lagertha]

actually @guineapiglover the drops do not work. The vitamin C in the drops (the ones that are put in their water) is very unstable and doesn't stay potent for long. It can also make their water bitter and make them not want to drink their water at all. The Oxbow vitamin C tablets are great, but shouldn't replace their veggies if they can get them.
@Tamara Lewis I would just take the carrots out of their diet for at least a week and start with giving them green and red leaf lettuce, romaine works too but for some reason causes a lot of calcium discharge in some pigs. along with the lettuce, try zucchini too! My pigs are all super picky and they actually don't mind the zucchini! Just take the carrot away and try introducing different veggies if they refuse to eat it then I would give them the tablets (oxbow vitamin c supplement) as a precaution, but ONLY if they don't start trying the new veggies in the next day or 2.

 

[wombats]

Bell peppers are a good choice for daily vitamin c. The green and yellow ones can/should be given daily, and the orange/red ones can be given every few days as they are higher in sugar.

It's all about variety...you never know what they're going to like if you don't try! Mine used to only eat lettuce and was timid trying peppers, but now he can't get enough of them! He literally digs through the veggie bowl to get to the peppers first. And if you've never prepared peppers before, make sure you de-seed them...either cut them in half and carve out the center white soft stuff and seeds with a knife, or carve around the stem and pull it out. Most of the seeds come out with it, and then you can just cut it into sections. Bell peppers already have weird little ridges so you can just cut along those ridges and you're good to go.

 

[Tamara Lewis]

Thanks guys for ur help much appreciated will cut out the carrot and keep trying them on other veggies

 

[Morning_shadow]

@Tamara Lewis You have to have your piggies learn of the other vegetables slowly. They will learn to like them eventually. Don't give too many sweet fruits as too much sugar is not good for them.. and don't give dark leafy greens either as these cause bladder stones.