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Won't Eat Veggies Can piggies be healthy if they DON'T eat greens?

bmctga

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We just got a little piggie on Monday for my daughter. She has one (Nico), and even with all day attention she gives her girl, we just know it's best they have at least one piggie friend. So we got his lil one on Monday and I'm really not sure how well she was taken care of. She is scared, freezes anytime we approach their home, and is soooo different than Nico. Nico loves attention, loves to be held and cuddled. Loves being pet inside and outside her home. Eats whatever we give her and LOVES food! This little girl, Gizmo, she doesn't like veggies - or fruit?!?!

I guess it could be she is just nervous in her new home, but we have tried cilantro, green leaf, red leaf, parsley, carrot tops, celery and celery greens, carrots and kale. Today she took a tiny bit of Kale - but barely ate a small piece. We stopped hand-feeding, just wanting her to get greens in her belly but she won't even eat them if they are in her home. We also have tried fruit - pineapple, apple, blueberry and even the coveted banana that we only give Nico once in a blue moon. Nothing. She sniffs everything, but won't try to nibble them. She eats pellets and hay and drinks water, but doesn't seem interested in the veggies.

so my question is - how long is this ok for? At what point does she HAVE to start eating greens or I need to bring her in for some kind of vitamin? Do they even give vitamins to piggies?
 

bpatters

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Slow down. A lot. Create a partial shelter at the end of her cage with a towel over it, put her food and hay under the shelter and the water just outside. Give her time to settle in and eat her hay and pellets.

Then read this, and start the veggies one at a time, and only one (preferably start with bell pepper), for several days until she eats it regularly. Then add one more, and only one more, for another several days.

Here's some recommended reading for new pig owners: https://www.guineapigcages.com/forum/threads/113176-Information-for-new-guinea-pig-owners

And by the way, immediately turn them both over and make sure they're the same sex. If they look different, separate them immediately. Don't believe what anyone else told you about their sexes, verify them yourself. If you have questions, see https:///www.cavyspirit.com/sexing.htm.
 

spy9doc

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Sorry.......double post.
 
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spy9doc

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Cavies don't have to have greens. Many of them have never had greens offered to them.

Your little one is terrified right now. She needs time to adjust and will learn from Nico. I presume that you feed Nico sweet peppers? They are an excellent source of Vit. C for cavies as guinea pigs are like humans in that they can't manufacture Vit. C and need it to be supplemented. A good quality pellet will have Vit. C but you should check the pellets you feed to be sure that they provide an adequate amount.

I recently acquired two little boars and they mostly froze when we came into the room. They still run if we try to pick them up, but we hold them for short periods of time just to get them accustomed to lap time. I guess I was lucky.......I don't know if they previously had any veggie except carrots. They are eating me out of house and home and eat everything on their plate! I have previously had very "picky pigs" so this is a joy to see them clean their plate. They will eat when I put their large salad in the cage, run a bit, and then collapse in a food coma. After a nap, they will return to the plate and then do zoomies in the cage. Then comes another nap and they will do a third trip to the salad.

Cavies are as individual as we are and the little one may develop different tastes than Nico has. Give her time......patience, patience.
 

bmctga

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Slow down. A lot. Create a partial shelter at the end of her cage with a towel over it, put her food and hay under the shelter and the water just outside. Give her time to settle in and eat her hay and pellets.

Then read this, and start the veggies one at a time, and only one (preferably start with bell pepper), for several days until she eats it regularly. Then add one more, and only one more, for another several days.

Here's some recommended reading for new pig owners: https://www.guineapigcages.com/forum/threads/113176-Information-for-new-guinea-pig-owners

And by the way, immediately turn them both over and make sure they're the same sex. If they look different, separate them immediately. Don't believe what anyone else told you about their sexes, verify them yourself. If you have questions, see https:///www.cavyspirit.com/sexing.htm.

Thanks! She is very comfortable in the home - she explores her heart out and is not shy about eating the hay and pellets. So she is good there - she loves Nico and seems to have adapted quickly to her surroundings - as long as we aren't moving about. Once she gets used to us sitting there, she'll unfreeze and come out to explore again.

Now that I know they don't HAVE to have the veggies everyday - makes me feel better. She'll come around to liking something I'm sure. And enough of watching Nico pigging out - that probably will help. LOL

Definitely both girls - both look like pics you linked to for girls.

Thanks much!!!
 

bmctga

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Cavies don't have to have greens. Many of them have never had greens offered to them.

Your little one is terrified right now. She needs time to adjust and will learn from Nico. I presume that you feed Nico sweet peppers? They are an excellent source of Vit. C for cavies as guinea pigs are like humans in that they can't manufacture Vit. C and need it to be supplemented. A good quality pellet will have Vit. C but you should check the pellets you feed to be sure that they provide an adequate amount.

I recently acquired two little boars and they mostly froze when we came into the room. They still run if we try to pick them up, but we hold them for short periods of time just to get them accustomed to lap time. I guess I was lucky.......I don't know if they previously had any veggie except carrots. They are eating me out of house and home and eat everything on their plate! I have previously had very "picky pigs" so this is a joy to see them clean their plate. They will eat when I put their large salad in the cage, run a bit, and then collapse in a food coma. After a nap, they will return to the plate and then do zoomies in the cage. Then comes another nap and they will do a third trip to the salad.

Cavies are as individual as we are and the little one may develop different tastes than Nico has. Give her time......patience, patience.

Thanks for that. I was under the impression that it was vital they had veggies everyday so now I feel better about letting her take her time to see what she likes. LOL after saying Nico loved to eat everything - I retract!!! Sweet peppers is so far the only thing she snubs her little nose at! Any - green, red, yellow and orange!!!! But they are both on Alfalfa pellets as they are young - as well as a mix of alfalfa and timothy hay.

They can eat one out of house and home I tell ya!!!! I guess I should count myself lucky that she isn't eating like Nico...yet!!!! :D
 

PocketPets

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I make feeding veggies a part of the morning routine. I also make it interesting so can introduce a variety in a fun way. 08C6900F-C94C-49B3-9270-C9BF8692E721.jpg14CAAAFE-0D8E-407A-8AE3-9AAEA07F9645.jpgD982840D-69DF-40AE-B6CB-4DC1311249C5.jpg
 

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jklasvegas

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I think she is scared and doesn't trust you yet so she is only sticking to foods she knows. Try giving Romaine Lettuce. I don't know any pigs that don't go crazy for romaine lettuce. Or bay leaves. My pigs were scared when i first adopted them from people who only feed them pellets. I tried to give them all kinds of veggies but they wouldn't try them. But romaine lettuce was the ice breaker. She also just may have been traumatized by something before you got her and so now is really skittish.
 

bpatters

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