Pellets Guinea Pig Won't Eat Pellets

[LemonySnickers]

Hello! I have a dilemma. I bought this new brand of pellets for my guinea pig, Snickers, probably like two months ago, and he won't eat them. The pellets are the new Oxbow Garden Select, and I was so excited, because they looked really healthy and had really good reviews, but Snickers barely touches them. I tried to slowly integrate the new stuff by mixing it with the old stuff, but it didn't really work. I thought at first he just wasn't sure, because sometimes it takes him a while to get used to new food, but it's been weeks now. Does anyone have any tips on how I could get him interested? I've been giving him lots of veggies to make up for the vitamin c he isn't eating, especially bell peppers. Thoughts?

 

[spy9doc]

It's not as though these pellets are your only option, and the simple fact that Snickers simply doesn't like them despite repeated attempts to entice him. Why not consider donating the pellets to a nearby rescue?

If you're concerned about his Vit. C intake, perhaps buy the Oasis Vita Drops Vit. C and syringe it on a daily basis, at least while you are working things out. My Sparky occasionally decides that he doesn't want his peppers so Vit. C has become a part of his daily care routine. One of our members has recommended a different Vit. C preparation which I haven't tried as yet.

 

[Knclark2010]

Hello! I have a dilemma. I bought this new brand of pellets for my guinea pig, Snickers, probably like two months ago, and he won't eat them. The pellets are the new Oxbow Garden Select, and I was so excited, because they looked really healthy and had really good reviews, but Snickers barely touches them. I tried to slowly integrate the new stuff by mixing it with the old stuff, but it didn't really work. I thought at first he just wasn't sure, because sometimes it takes him a while to get used to new food, but it's been weeks now. Does anyone have any tips on how I could get him interested? I've been giving him lots of veggies to make up for the vitamin c he isn't eating, especially bell peppers. Thoughts?

I am having the same issue. Except I'm not sure what food mine were eating previously. Mine eat their veggies - at least 1 cup each - and all the hay they can get. But the refuse to eat their pellets.

I normally give pellets in the morning and then veggies in the afternoon and evening. Hay all day, refilled as needed. When I go to give them the veggies for lunch and dinner they have still refused the pellets. They don't start on them until after dinner and they've been put back in the cage. They go over give it a sniff and then ignore it until **I assume** they realize I'm done giving veggies. I know they get enough Vit C as I handfeed and make sure they eat the peppers before anything else, but if I approach the cage they act as if they need more to eat after dinner. **Again still with pellets in their bowl**

I guess I'm just wondering if they need the pellets and if not how should I adjust their diet, if at all.

Thanks in advance for the advice, I'm new to owning piggies and can use all I can get.

 

[ItsaZoo]

The nice thing about pellets is the balanced nutrition and vitamin C. However, pellets are not as important as having grass hay such as Timothy available 24/7 and about a cup of fresh veggies which include sweet bell pepper, leaf lettuce, maybe some cucumber and a little carrot.

The Garden Select are so fragrant I thought mine would love them and she did for a few weeks. Then I got a good price on a second bag and she decided she didn’t like them anymore. Then I tried mixing with Oxbow Adult and she picked those out and left the Garden Select.

For vitamin C I give her an Oxbow Natural Science tab each day. Most of the time she likes those, but sometimes not so much. She will hold out for fresh veggies or fresh grass regardless of what food she has available.

 

[Knclark2010]

So I shouldn't be worried about the pellets then - just keep up with hay and veggies, and offer the pellets?

 

[ItsaZoo]

That’s what I would do. I give mine 2 tablespoons of pellets each day and sometimes she eats them all, other times some are left. I do put some of them in a treat toy that she rolls around and the pellets fall out. She enjoys this and tends to eat more. Here is a link to the toy I use:
(broken link removed)

 

[Smileandnod]

I have also tried the Oxbow Garden Select pellets and out of 10 pigs, only 1 will eat them but she will only eat them if there is no other kind of pellets in the bowl. They are fragrant and the ingredients appear to be healthy...but they will not touch them.

My pigs devour KMS pellets and they like the other Oxbow adult pellets, but for some reason they are not fans of the garden select variety.

 

[Soecara]

I feed my guinea pigs oxbow garden select pellets, all of them love them. However having said that for many of them it is the only kind of proper pellet they have ever had (as in previous owners either didn't feed pellets, or fed those mixed pellets with dried fruit and nuts that shouldn't ever be fed). I have heard trying to get guinea pigs to eat the garden select pellets can be a bit hit or miss if they already are used to a different pellet.

I do agree with the suggestion of trying Oxbow essentials Adult guinea pig food, and perhaps donating the bag of garden select to a rescue. I haven't heard of the same hit or miss reaction with the essentials line.

 

[LemonySnickers]

I'll try the Oxbow Essentials pellets and see how he likes those. Good idea about donating the Garden Select pellets to a rescue. Thanks for the advice!