Okay, I have looked at the charts both here and at guinealynx and there are a few veggies I have heard of that do not seem to be on the charts, and I just wanted to double check that they are safe.
1. Radish leaves? I know that radishes are questionable, but what about the leaves?
2. Banana peels? Like radishes, I know not to give banana, but peels?
3. Strawberry tops? Not the berry itself, but the leaves attatched to it?
Thanks in advance...
1. Yes in moderation. Radishes can also be fed in moderation. Maybe once or twice per month as they are a bit spicy.
2. Yes, in great moderation like bananas
3. Yes, my girls will only eat the tops and not strawberries. Can be fed daily if desired.
Personally I do not, will not, feed banana at all. I have heard of 3 different cases where GPs died or suffered severe bloat, probably caused by constipation, after eating banana. I don't like the risk and won't chance it.
Everyone has the right to make an ass out of themselves. You can't let the world judge you too much.
Maude from Harold and Maude
I am in agreement with you on that one VJ. There are two veggies that I refuse to feed. Banana and Spinach.
Ok, great, thanks for clearing that up for me.
Ly&Pigs, you brought up a great point: which veggies we never feed at all. I personally never feed any type of cabbage, broccoli, cauliflower. I have heard that these all can cause bloating, and I certainly don't want that.
LY, please forgive me but why won't you feed spinach? My piggies love spinach but I feed only a couple times a week. I take it I shouldn't be doing this??
I've been feeding spinach to my new mum; is there a danger of too much calcium?
New mums need extra calcium as she'll be nursing her pups for a few weeks. Either a bit of spinach, parsley or kale each day OR alfalfa hay should be plenty.
Spinach is high in calcium and oxalic acid. I don't know much about oxalic acid and it's effects but I do know excess calcium can build up in the bladder eventually leading to sludge and sometimes stones. I never feed spinach either.
Because I feel it's way too high in oxalic acid. Oxalic acid tends to bind with calcium and other minerals. It can lead to the formation of kidney stones. It can cause digestive irritation. It can also result in calcium deficiencies. I've been studying this more and more and am going to be re-evaluating a couple of veggies like bell peppers which I've been learning also have high levels of oxalic acid in them.LY, please forgive me but why won't you feed spinach?
It's also pretty high in Vitamin A which can lead to liver and/or kidney damage.
If the extra calcium causes bladder sludge, is there any way, such as feeding certain things, to clean out the bladder?
Cabbage is very commonly fed to piggies in the UK. The most important thing to remember is to make sure the leaves are not wilted or showing any signs of yellowing. Also introduce them very slowly and feed in relatively small amounts once or twice a week. I am very careful about feeding cabbage and make sure I am around after they've eaten it to make sure they don't get bloat. I don't feed it often or in large amounts because bloat is so serious. I have baby gripe water medicine and a book that gives the dosages in case it were to happen because it needs to be treated very quickly. I am very careful and feel bad because my piggies love it so much, but given that it isn't all that good for them it's best as an occasional treat. Grass can also cause bloat if introduced too quickly in Spring. It also ferments quickly in hot weather.
Oh buoy. What other veggies, pray tell? (shaking my head, laughing)Originally Posted by Ly&Pigs
Now Ly...you KNOW how neurotic I already am about this menu stuff! I just got these guys to get on the "pepper" train. Now what? (ha ha!)
You know, while we're speaking... I could use advice on something that's a relatively new development: What if your pigs start to get sick of most veggies? Mine are really over green leaf and curly endive. I've tried cutting down, but if I replace w/too many other common ones I use like romaine, then they stop being interested in that!
Whew. A cavy slave's work is never done.
Sorry to hijack!!! (I figured it was relevent.)
Muffin: I don't ever feed cabbage. It has very little nutritional value from what I understand, and it's way too gassy to warrant ever feeding it. There are too many other things to choose from instead.
Ly, please let us know what you find out about the peppers as soon as possible. They are a daily staple at my house and now I am worried about it.
I've never had that problem. But you can rotate some of the lettuces around and see if that helps. Feed one type one day, another the next, another the next, etc.What if your pigs start to get sick of most veggies?
It's not so much "extra" calcium persay that causes bladder sludge as the extra calcium is expelled through the urine. Feeding veggies high in calcium on a daily basis is what can cause sludge and lead to stones. If you were to feed a lot of things daily that are really high in calcium, then over time (probably several months) the pig may get sludge or stones.If the extra calcium causes bladder sludge, is there any way, such as feeding certain things, to clean out the bladder?
As for the bell peppers, you all don't need to worry and keep feeding them as you have been. I had read on a couple sites that they were really high in oxalic acid but compared to other veggies, they really aren't. I have found no evidence that they contain super high amounts of oxalic acid. Although depending on where different veggies are grown, the soil and other factors, the nutrition in veggies will differ.
Thank you, Ly.
I feed only about 20 grams of pepper a day approx. 5 days/week. They've finally started eating it, but Bandit still leaves a whole piece once in a while. I use red, yellow & green. Yellow is pretty high in sugar, like the red, right?
I was thinking about their recent dislike of veggies last night...and I thought that maybe I feed too much of a variety! (For instance, I'll give romaine, green leaf and curly endive all in one feeding = about 30 grams total.) I think I'll try cutting it down to one, like you suggested. Thanks!
I have literally gotten my menus down to a science as far as the ratio and Vitamin C goes. My next project is to hone in on the sugar content, calcium, Vitamin A and Oxalic, etc. So far I have seen ZERO white spots though! It's been great--
Aridane -- Thanks for the questions. Great ones!
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