Pellets How much do you feed? Veg vs Pellets vs Hay?

[GrinnyPigs]

How important are pellets in your piggies diets? I've been giving my piggies fresh hay every day, plus 'flavoured', forage hay & veggies. They have roughly a bowl (heaped food bowl) of veggies (cabbage, green beans, peppers, dark salad leaves etc), plus pellets in the morning - just moved over from muesli-type food which they were being fed at the rescue centre. Also in the morning they get at least one whole medium carrot & sometimes some small tomatoes.

I've noticed that their pellets will last them all day & sometimes they won't eat all of them. Even in the rescue centre, they weren't eating all of their muesli food.. When we picked them up around 3pm last week, they had a whole bowl of food left!

They are scoffing their veggies & hay though, absolutely love it!

Are pellets that important in their diets? Am I feeding enough veg?

Am I right in thinking they should be getting 70% hay, 20% veg & 10% pellets?

 

[Catahoula]

Hay: Unlimited access

Veggies/Fruit: One cup per pig per day off of approved list. (See note in nutrition forum)

Pellets: 1/8 to 1/4 cup per pig per day.

 

[Mowgs]

You can actually give up pellets entirely (I think only if they are adult piggies though) as long as they have unlimited amounts of hay and are getting a sufficient amount of vitamins from their veggies. My vets have actually told me that too many pellets can cause their molars to grew at angles based on how they chew them.

I free feed hay, give 1/8 cup timothy pellets/day and then just feed veggies throughout the day. I give about 20-30 grams of yellow/green pepper, a grape tomato, a baby carrot, sometimes a strawberry and green leaf lettuce (which I just ran out of).

 

[bpatters]

[MENTION=27832]GrinnyPigs[/MENTION], I think the current recommendations are 80% hay, 15% veggies and 5% pellets.

They don't need muesli -- just pellets made from alfalfa (if they're young, pregnant or nursing) or timothy.

 

[lunarminx]

Unlimited hay, 1/8 cup of pellets and give or take 2 cups of vegs a day for two pigs. I do not really include the lettuce in the cup amount.


I will link a post that states *The general recommendation for pig diets is 80% hay, 15% or more of vegetables, and about 5% of pellets. The pellets are the least important part of their diets, so long as they're getting an adequate supply of the minerals that are usually added in pellets.* by Bpatters. The second page of the post.

https://www.guineapigcages.com/forum/diet-nutrition/87441-am-i-feeding-too-much-2.html

 

[lunarminx]

LOL.......@ Bpatters, you must have been typing it while I was looking for your response in that post.

 

[GrinnyPigs]

I don't mean to sound totally ignorant.. But when you say a cup.. What size cup are you using? Lol.

I might cut down the pellets a little then. They're not eating them all anyway, so I'm just wasting some of them! My veggies are all on the approved list, I'm slowly introducing them to new things - green beans were the latest, & a cabbage (can't remember the name of it though!). They didn't really tell me much at the RSPCA with regards to what they've been eating, other than veggies 'just the normal kinds you'd feed' - USEFUL! & muesli food, which I've switched them off of over 7 days or so. Today was their last bit of muesli, tomorrow they'll be on pellets exclusively. No more low quality muesli for them!! I was surprised the RSPCA were feeding it tbh as they have all of their rabbits on pellets. Maybe it's a cost thing? Saying that, my small bag (cost £5.50) will probably last me a while!

I'll be moving them indoors soon so I'll be able to monitor more closely what they are actually eating. They've trampled a lot of the hay, but have obviously eaten some too. It's so difficult with them being outside! Fingers crossed that won't be a problem by the end of the week!!

Thank you for your advice! I know with rabbits, some people don't feed pellets at all & feed hay & veggies exclusively. My bun doesn't eat that much hay (despite having it available) so he needs pellets. Once I see what the piggies are eating hay-wise, I'll be able to adjust pellets accordingly

 

[bpatters]

A cup is eight ounces.

Adult pigs only need 1/8 cup of pellets per day. Young, nursing and pregnant pigs need unlimited alfalfa pellets.

Pigs that fed too many pellets may prefer them over hay, and hay is what keeps their teeth ground down and their GI tract moving properly. It's far more to your advantage to give them hay than pellets, as it may help you avoid expensive dental bills.

Pigs can manage without pellets, but need extra attention paid to vitamin and mineral supplements. Many owners who stop feeding pellets do so because their pigs have symptoms of urinary tract problems (excess calcium in the urine, in the form of powder, sludge or frank stones), and it's almost impossible to find a low calcium pellet.

 

[GrinnyPigs]

So would I be looking at around 3 ounces (total) for my 3 sows? They're all adults & teeth are in good shape I think they prefer their hay (especially the forage kind), over the pellets

 

[bpatters]

That's right. And it's a good thing if they prefer the hay to the pellets. Just try to make sure they're getting enough vitamins and minerals if they don't eat pellets -- there are supplements available, although if they get a good variety of vegetables they should be ok.

 

[GrinnyPigs]

That's right. And it's a good thing if they prefer the hay to the pellets. Just try to make sure they're getting enough vitamins and minerals if they don't eat pellets -- there are supplements available, although if they get a good variety of vegetables they should be ok.

I will keep an eye on the veggies I'm giving & the qualities they have listed so they are definitely getting the right amounts of each vitamin/minerals They are eating most of the pellets, but it's the last thing they go for! It seems to be veggies & hay first, then they eat their pellets during the night - despite having had them since the morning!

They don't seem to be big chewers - which is the opposite of owning rabbits! Lol. I've always bought the rabbits toys to chew up, but the piggies just aren't interested! They actually hide in their hidey house.. Whereas my late bun, Frasier, would have just chewed that right up! Just means I need to keep them eating lots of hay to keep their teeth at a good length. Bunnies are so easy when it comes to teeth! Or mine have been anyway, thank God!