Won't Eat Picky Piggies!

[Sifjada]

Hi y'all

I bought the ONLY available pellets-only food for my pigs and they refuse to eat it! Literally, their stomachs were growling and they still would not even look at it! So, I eventually gave in and let them have their Gerty back, which they love to pick apart and eat only the things they like. I know it's so bad for them, but should I just buck up and let them feel the hunger pains until they give in and eat the icky pellets?

Also, one of my boys refuses to eat bell peppers. I looked up the best vitamin c vegetables and all I got was parsley, brussel sprouts, and broccoli... I really don't think I should let him eat more of those as a supplement, and I can't find vitamin c tablets for animals anywhere in this country... I've said it before and I'll say it again, this country really does not care for small animals! Do you guys know of any other veggies I can give him to boost up his vit. c?

Thanks!

 

[madelineelaine]

Don't give them the other pellets. Give them the proper ones for them, and they will get used to them.

Pellets make up the smallest part of there diet anyways, so really there is no concern.

You don't need animal vitamin C tablets. Look for a childrens dose at the grocery store (100mg) or you can try and cut up a 500mg one with a pill cutter. Cut it into 5, then give them 1/4 of 1/5. ]

In terms of peppers, dry different colours? Most will eat things like green and orange. Once they get used to the pellets, you can chop the bell pepper up and add it to the pellets to get them used to it.

Are you giving unlimited hay?

 

[lifesvr7]

Be persistent with the veggies. Mine would not eat ANY when I got him but I kept trying and now he can get enough of them! One thing I did was to dip and kind of coat the slightly damp veggies in hay "dust" (the little pieces you find at the bottom of the bag or box ). It fooled him by making the veggies smell like the hay he loved so that he got brave enough to take a nibble. Once he tried it, he decided he liked most of them. Now box time I try to introduce a new veggie, I coat it in hay dust to get him to at least give it a try. Worked great for me. Good luck!

 

[Sifjada]

Don't give them the other pellets. Give them the proper ones for them, and they will get used to them.

Pellets make up the smallest part of there diet anyways, so really there is no concern.

You don't need animal vitamin C tablets. Look for a childrens dose at the grocery store (100mg) or you can try and cut up a 500mg one with a pill cutter. Cut it into 5, then give them 1/4 of 1/5. ]

In terms of peppers, dry different colours? Most will eat things like green and orange. Once they get used to the pellets, you can chop the bell pepper up and add it to the pellets to get them used to it.

Are you giving unlimited hay?

Yes, they have hay at all times in their cage. Thankfully, my workplace sells hay, so I get it on discount!
He has taken bites of every color bell pepper I've put in his cage, and he literally turns his nose at it. It's so frustrating! :/

I had the pellets in their bowls for a whole day, even tried to hand feed it, but they always take a bite and then try to eat my finger as revenge, haha.
I'll try the hay dust method with Hazel's bell pepper. Basil loves his bell pepper, so I'll definitely try cutting them up into the pellets. Only thing is it's like he's unable to find the veggies I'm putting into his cage unless I wave it in front of his face, so he just squeaks at me until I show him where it is. Silly pig

I just hate having them be hungry, but I'll try to slowly remove the Gerty out of their diet and reintroduce the pellets.

I'm still trying to find a way to import KMS or Oxbow, hopefully if that does happen they'll be more receptive. I really don't know how good the pellets I have are for them, they were the only pellet-only food I could find.

 

[CritterSlave]

I personally am using sweet meadow mainly because it costs a fortune to ship kms from washington state to new york and sweet meadow is only a few states away.

 

[madelineelaine]

I wouldn't bother trying to faze it out either, honestly. I would just give them the new pellets and say this is how it's going to be haha.