How Much? Question on veggie portions

[AryaAndCharlie]

Hi all,

I've been using the nutritional charts and sample menus on here - they're so helpful. I just have a question on the lettuce portions. When it says "1 large leaf" etc, does it refer to a whole leaf off the head of lettuce or just making a largish leaf portion for a guinea pig? I've been using whole leaves and tearing them up, but it makes the amount of daily veggies well over a cup per day. Sorry if this is a silly question; I'm not used to dealing with so many veggies! The piggies' diet is far better than my own, hehe.

Also, I can't seem to get Arya and Charlie interested in any fruit. They take maybe one nibble and then ignore it. Any ideas for a no-fail fruit or does it just depend on the pig?

 

[Duffinvt]

As for lettuce, if the lettuce itself makes the daily amount over a cup, I'd not worry about it. Just make sure they have variety in other veggies and are eating them, not just eating the lettuce and leaving the other veggies. If they have loose poop, cut back on the lettuce. If they'd don't care for fruit, that is really OK. Fruit is high in sugar and does not have to be fed at all, really. I would not push it.

 

[GuineaPigLova]

Have you tried peaches or blueberries? They seem to be loved by all the pigs I know.

 

[GPigsRSweet]

I take a big leaf or two (or a few smaller leaves) and tear them into smaller pieces when I feed my pig lettuce. Just as long as the total veggie count is at least a cup, you're fine. My pig gets more than that a day normally though. I agree - she eats a better diet than me!!

If your pigs aren't crazy about fruit, I wouldn't stress about it. Fruit is a special treat only given occasionally, so if your pigs don't like it they aren't missing an important part of their diet. My pig has foods she doesn't like as well, and I give small portions to her every so often but never push it. If she doesn't like it, she's not going to eat it!

 

[Ly&Pigs]

Hi all,

I've been using the nutritional charts and sample menus on here - they're so helpful. I just have a question on the lettuce portions. When it says "1 large leaf" etc, does it refer to a whole leaf off the head of lettuce or just making a largish leaf portion for a guinea pig? I've been using whole leaves and tearing them up, but it makes the amount of daily veggies well over a cup per day. Sorry if this is a silly question; I'm not used to dealing with so many veggies! The piggies' diet is far better than my own, hehe.

Also, I can't seem to get Arya and Charlie interested in any fruit. They take maybe one nibble and then ignore it. Any ideas for a no-fail fruit or does it just depend on the pig?

1 large leaf refers to one whole large leaf (outside leaf) of lettuce. It's fine to have more than one cup.

I wouldn't worry too much about fruits really as they are high in sugars. They're best limited to a couple times per week in very small portions.

 

[AryaAndCharlie]

Thanks for the help, everyone.

 

[Cinpepmeg]

My girls also don't care for fruit, I usually find it half-nibbled at but that's all. As for lettuce, each of my girls gets 1-2 whole lettuce leaves, as everyone else has said, it's fine to have more than one cup of veggies and greens.

 

[livkokoloko]

About the fruit, Melvin really loves cherries (pitted!), whenever I buy some for myself he wheeks like crazy until I finally give in and give him one or two. One day I baked a cherry pie from scratch and we had a singing piggie through all the process. And a dog begging for pie, as well.