Enough? or Too Much?

[luv*my*pigs]

I'm not quite sure if I'm feeding my piggies properly. Can anyone tell me whether this is enough or if it's too much?

They were not used to much other than pellets and the occasional veggie at the shelter they came from so I'm slowly trying to introduce variety. This is the food they will eat - I'm adding tiny bits of new stuff on a daily basis, but they mostly turn their little piggie noses up at it.

Morning (I give this to each of them)
1 - 2 romaine leaves (depending on size)
1/4 green pepper
1 1/4" slice carrot (3 times a week)
handful of grass (6" long grass about a fistful 1 1/2" in diameter)
a bit of young clover, plaintain and dandelion
1/8 cup pellets

Evening (I give this to each of them)
1 - 2 romaine leaves (depending on size)
1/4 roma (plum) tomato
tiny slice of apple (3 times a week)
handful of grass (6" long grass about a fistful 1 1/2" in diameter)
a bit of young clover, plaintain and dandelion
1/8 cup pellets

And unlimited timothy hay and water

One more question. Not that we're in any danger yet, but when the snow flies what can I substitute for the grass - they love it! We have snow cover from the end of November until at least late May. Without grow lights, nothing grows in my windowsills, either, so it would have to be something store bought.

 

[Ly&Pigs]

Don't give dandelion greens everyday. They are extremely high in calcium. Twice a week is sufficient. Tomato should only be fed 2-3 times a week. It's acidic and can cause mouth sores. Try introducing some string beans (green beans) and cilantro on a daily basis. The rest of what you are feeding is fine. Keep trying even if they don't seem to eat it in the first few tries.

If they get unlimited hay, that will be sufficient for winter.

 

[Slap Maxwell]

How old are they?

 

[luv*my*pigs]

I don't know their ages.

Our local SPCA seized them and 28 other piggies a week after a pet store in town closed their doors for good and left all the critters inside. They did not know the ages, but indicated that when the siezure was made they had piggies aged from baby to adult.

The best they could tell me is that my piggies are anywhere between 6 months and a year old.

 

[carrotflavour]

If they're small and quite hyper/skittish they'll be quite young. If they're more relaxed, lazy and such then they'll be older.

Eventually they'll get too hungry to care about what the veg is and eat it anyway. once they pluck up the courage to try it they'll realise they love it.

Remember loads of hay and fresh water (bottle) changed everyday.

 

[luv*my*pigs]

They both ate cucumber for the first time today. That's after about a 4 day period of popping a little piece in with their morning and evening veggies!

 

[Ly&Pigs]

Patience pays off. Just remember that cucumber should only be fed 2-3 times per week. You may also want to try some different varieties of lettuces such as red or green leaf, butterhead, radicchio, endive, etc.

 

[emithebug]

I'm voting for Cilantro/Romaine in 2008!

XD

Seriously, this stuff is great. My pigs loooOOOOOOoooooove their cilantro. They get romaine every day and cilantro if they haven't already finished it all off XD They play tug o' war with their veggies ^.^

 

[aqh88]

Cilantro is one of the healthiest foods I've found that is also easy to get. It's nearly right on for all the ratios. All pigs are picky at first but the more you offer something the more times they'll try it and eventually it may become their favorite. Also the more variety they get the more likely they are to try new things.
For winter I used some grids to hang a grolight from and put a container of bluegrass and other plants underneath. You can buy a 2 bulb shoplight at 48" or 24" for really cheap and then just buy some plant growing bulbs or bulbs labelled daylight(not the normal house bulbs or ones labelled warm/white light). I also grow some lettuce, basil, and cilantro under the lights. Peppers can be grown but take up alot of space and a big pot. I wouldn't try things like peppers unless you have a big window that isn't north facing or they won't get enough light.

 

[carrotflavour]

Patience pays off. Just remember that cucumber should only be fed 2-3 times per week. You may also want to try some different varieties of lettuces such as red or green leaf, butterhead, radicchio, endive, etc.

whats wrong with cucumber? Mine get it everyday when we have it in the house.

 

[Slap Maxwell]

Cucumber has a high water content and too much can cause diahrea. It also has very little nutritional value.

 

[carrotflavour]

Oh thats ok then, they dont get masses and only one of my pigs drinks from the water bottle (that i know of) so I'm sure they wont get overhydrated

I give it them often in hot weather BECAUSE its watery.