feeding multiple piggies

[Lvpiggies]

My son and I now have 4 male piggers. We have been adding one at a time since last fall. Our most recent has been in the cage for about 2 weeks now. He couldn't wait to get with the herd and out of quarantine. He's doing great. Our problem is feeding them all together. My son likes to have two areas for feeding. I think it would be better to only have one so they all eat together and bond more. Anyone have some advice. Enzo, Radar, Kai and Ember will appreciate settling this issue once and for all. They seem to sleep seperate in different areas of the cage and all seem to get along fine with an occasional chase between the two older guys.

 

[Poohbear]

I think having two seprate feeding areas is good becuase it gives them some space and less fighting over food.

 

[Lvpiggies]

That's a good point. I guess maybe I just love watching all four of them together around the pellet dish or playing in a big heap of parsley or hay. We'll stick to the two areas then.

 

[Slap Maxwell]

Definetilly at least 2 pellet dishes, and three water bottles. When giving daily veggies, spread them out.

 

[Lvpiggies]

So, I guess the kid wins after all. He does have two pellet dishes, and 1 small and 1 large water bottle that get filled more than once a day. He's been putting the veggies around in different places in the cage for them to find them. And during floor time he puts them up on bricks, in "hidey places" and everywhere. They run around looking for all the different veggies and fruits just to see what's available today on the menu and then they go straight back to what appeals to them at the time. The strange part is our male cat loves to lay in with them and they like him too. They will actually nap together. Shadow likes Kia in particular, he likes to reach out and nudge him a little and then Kia makes his trilling sound and runs around and then comes back to him. Our vet doesn't believe us.

 

[Denise]

I also have two pellet dishes and two water bottles. I have 3 girls. Each girl has her own veggie dish for breakfast and dinner. I line them up about 3-4 inches apart so they are near each other but not close enough to easily steal out of each other's bowls. It's hysterical to watch them jockey for position for the best bowl.

 

[Lvpiggies]

That is an excellent idea. Will have to tell Rich about that. I'll bet it will be a riot watching the guys running from bowl to bowl. Tonights menu will be raw spinach, apples, parsley and a little carrot for color.

 

[Pam05]

That is an excellent idea. Will have to tell Rich about that. I'll bet it will be a riot watching the guys running from bowl to bowl. Tonights menu will be raw spinach, apples, parsley and a little carrot for color.

We have 3 gp's and what we do is keep food for them all day long. We put fresh pellets, timothy hay, sweet grass, alafa blocks, and we have a treat hanging up by the hay holder. Oh, we put sweet grass in a tissue box it is fun watching them to see who will get in the box first. Please let me now if we should do diferently. By the way we also have two small dogs that love to nose them to get them to sqeal.(sp)

 

[Ketus15]

We have 3 gp's and what we do is keep food for them all day long. We put fresh pellets, timothy hay, sweet grass, alafa blocks, and we have a treat hanging up by the hay holder.

Here's a couple of notes:

Adult pigs usually do not need Alfalfa and store bought treats aren't necessary.

Here's a great thread about the vegetables that guinea pigs can/should eat: https://guineapigcages.com/forum/showthread.php?t=5414

Good luck!

 

[suzy_99]

I am not against two food bowls and I even had two bowls of pellets when I first introduced my newest piggy, but I only give them one dish of veggies. I tried spreading them out before, but I found that they were not bonding enough when they were eating and they seemed to be getting a little aggressive with their pellets. Now I feed them in one big tuperware container and they all try to stick their heads in at the same time. They no longer fight over food at all, except for when they try to take it from each others mouths.

 

[Rachy1412]

I have four boys living together too. I give them two feed bowls because they do fight over the food. My six girls on the other hand have just the one bowl for their vegi's, they don't fight over it at all.

 

[Baby Bears]

That is too funny about the cat. We have four males too and whenever they go out on floor time, Sassy, the cat, comes running and gets right in and lays down and just loves them to climb on her and she licks them and nudges them. They nudge all under her and lay next to her. It's SO funny to watch. She got her picture in the local paper with two gerbils laying on her back. She has a HUGE maternal instinct for small animals.