How old?

[drakonae]

I just recently obtained a little male guinea pig this past Tuesday, 8/17/2004. He still had his umbilical cord that just recently fell off (after a day or two in my care). I know he can't be but just a few weeks old, but I'm not sure how old they are when they lose their cords. Can anyone age my cavy for me?

 

[cinn&sprinslave]

I just recently obtained a little male guinea pig this past Tuesday, 8/17/2004. He still had his umbilical cord that just recently fell off (after a day or two in my care). I know he can't be but just a few weeks old, but I'm not sure how old they are when they lose their cords. Can anyone age my cavy for me?

I am not positive but he sounds like he is 1 1/2 weeks or 2 weeks.

 

[drakonae]

I am not positive but he sounds like he is 1 1/2 weeks or 2 weeks.

WOW. That's just way too young to be taken from his mother.

Is there any special care that he should receive? I have him on Alfalfa hey and hampster pellets....anything else other than fresh veggies?

 

[mncavylover]

Oops... hamster pellets are not good for cavies, thus they are "hamster" pellets and not guinea pig pellets. Just thought you should know. You need to change the food to Oxbow, the best stuff, check them out at (broken link removed) They have a list of retailers near you on the site, or you can order directly. Cavy Performance (alfalfa-based) is what the piggy would need. If not Oxbow, at least switch to a guinea pig pellet, though Oxbow is what I highly recommend. =)

 

[drakonae]

Oops... hamster pellets are not good for cavies, thus they are "hamster" pellets and not guinea pig pellets. Just thought you should know. You need to change the food to Oxbow, the best stuff, check them out at (broken link removed) They have a list of retailers near you on the site, or you can order directly. Cavy Performance (alfalfa-based) is what the piggy would need. If not Oxbow, at least switch to a guinea pig pellet, though Oxbow is what I highly recommend. =)

I meant guinea pig pellets, though I have no idea why I typed 'hampster'. Guess it's because I used to have lots of hamsters. Anyhow, I AM feeding him guinea pig pellets....I'm not sure what brand though. I'll have to check when I get him. Thanks for the link and info.

 

[mncavylover]

Ok, great! I thought that's what might have happened, but I still felt I needed to say something, just to make sure. When you see which kind of pellets you're feeding, can you tell me? Thanks! I'll try to help you see what's good and bad about the food. =)

 

[cinn&sprinslave]

I meant guinea pig pellets, though I have no idea why I typed 'hampster'. Guess it's because I used to have lots of hamsters. Anyhow, I AM feeding him guinea pig pellets....I'm not sure what brand though. I'll have to check when I get him. Thanks for the link and info.

I agree with mncavylover feed the little piggy an alfalfa baised pellet perferably
"Cavy Performance" by Oxbow. But if you find a good food, that isn't Cavy Performance use that.

 

[drakonae]

Ok, great! I thought that's what might have happened, but I still felt I needed to say something, just to make sure. When you see which kind of pellets you're feeding, can you tell me? Thanks! I'll try to help you see what's good and bad about the food. =)

Of course! I'll tell you the kind and post up the ingredients....assuming they are listed on the bag.

When I got him, I got him with a guinea pig 'starter kit'....before I found out about this websites and petstore dangers. They sexed him wrong, they sold him to me way too early, so there is no telling what brand of food they have him on and whether or not it's really good for him.

 

[mncavylover]

Oh, wow! I am certainly glad you've found this site, then. Good luck on your new pig, and I hope the ingredients are listed! Even if they aren't, I bet I could find them. Thank you again, and I hope you have many happy years with your new buddy! =)

 

[drakonae]

Oh, wow! I am certainly glad you've found this site, then. Good luck on your new pig, and I hope the ingredients are listed! Even if they aren't, I bet I could find them. Thank you again, and I hope you have many happy years with your new buddy! =)

Ok, little Lucifer is on LM Animal Farms Classic Blend Guinea Pig Food.

Ingredients:

Crude Protein...min.......22.0%
Crude Fat........min.........3.5%
Crude Fiber......max.......15.5%
Moisture..........max.......12.0%
Vitamin C.........min...200 mg/kg

Wheat Middlings, Dehulled Soybean Meal, Dehydrated Alfalfa Meal, Ground Soybean Hulls, Ground Corn, Cane Molasses, Soybean Oil, Calcium Carbonate, Lignin Sulfonate, Salt, Yucca Schidigera Extract, Dicalcium Phosphate, Ascorbic Acid, Choline Chloride, Vitamin A Supplement, Vitamin D3 Supplement, Vitamin E Supplement, Niacin, Calcium Pantothenate, Thiamine Mononitrate, Riboflavin Supplement, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride, Menadione Sodium Bisulfate Complex, Folic Acid, Biotin, Vitamin B12 Supplement, Ferrous Sulfate, Managanous Oxide, Manganese Sulfate, Zinc Sulfate, Zinc Oxide, Copper Sulfate, Ethylednediamine Dihydriodide, Calcium Iodate, Sodium Selenite, Cobalt Carbonate, Dried Saccharomyces Cerevisiae Fermentation Extract, Dried Lactobacillus Acidophilus Fermentation Extract, Dried Enterococcus Faecium Fermentation Extract, Dried Aspergillus Niger Fermentation Extract, Dried Bacillus Subtilis Fermentation Extract




WHEW!!! That was a lot of typing!!

One other thing I wanted to mention.....I don't know if it is because he is new and still scared, but he takes no interest in fresh veggies and fruits. He eats his alfalfa hay and eats his food, he drinks like normal, so I don't really know what would be wrong or why he wouldn't want veggies and fruits.

 

[cinn&sprinslave]

Ok, little Lucifer is on LM Animal Farms Classic Blend Guinea Pig Food.

Ingredients:

Crude Protein...min.......22.0%
Crude Fat........min.........3.5%
Crude Fiber......max.......15.5%
Moisture..........max.......12.0%
Vitamin C.........min...200 mg/kg

Wheat Middlings, Dehulled Soybean Meal, Dehydrated Alfalfa Meal, Ground Soybean Hulls, Ground Corn (no corn products), Cane Molasses, Soybean Oil (says avoid oils), Calcium Carbonate, Lignin Sulfonate, Salt, Yucca Schidigera Extract, Dicalcium Phosphate, Ascorbic Acid, Choline Chloride, Vitamin A Supplement, Vitamin D3 Supplement, Vitamin E Supplement, Niacin, Calcium Pantothenate, Thiamine Mononitrate, Riboflavin Supplement, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride, Menadione Sodium Bisulfate Complex, Folic Acid, Biotin, Vitamin B12 Supplement, Ferrous Sulfate, Managanous Oxide, Manganese Sulfate, Zinc Sulfate, Zinc Oxide, Copper Sulfate, Ethylednediamine Dihydriodide, Calcium Iodate, Sodium Selenite(not sure about this), Cobalt Carbonate, Dried Saccharomyces Cerevisiae Fermentation Extract, Dried Lactobacillus Acidophilus Fermentation Extract, Dried Enterococcus Faecium Fermentation Extract, Dried Aspergillus Niger Fermentation Extract, Dried Bacillus Subtilis Fermentation Extract




WHEW!!! That was a lot of typing!!

One other thing I wanted to mention.....I don't know if it is because he is new and still scared, but he takes no interest in fresh veggies and fruits. He eats his alfalfa hay and eats his food, he drinks like normal, so I don't really know what would be wrong or why he wouldn't want veggies and fruits.

Well I highlighted what I saw (from a site mncavylover posted in a thread) that was bad.
https://www.guinealynx.info/forums/viewtopic.php?t=3748&start=0 this is the site that lists what is bad. Mncavylover can probably find more than me. When I got new piggies they wouldn't eat veggies for a while until they realized they weren't some *green monsters* (waiting to attack them lol) siting in the front of their cage, I think they were scared or didn't know what they were.

You did a lot of typing!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[mncavylover]

Ok, little Lucifer is on LM Animal Farms Classic Blend Guinea Pig Food.

Ingredients:

Crude Protein...min.......22.0%
Crude Fat........min.........3.5%
Crude Fiber......max.......15.5%
Moisture..........max.......12.0%
Vitamin C.........min...200 mg/kg

Ok, first of all, the 1st ingredient should be either Timothy or Alfalfa.

Wheat Middlings, Dehulled Soybean Meal, Dehydrated Alfalfa Meal, Ground Soybean Hulls, Ground Corn (bad), Cane Molasses, Soybean Oil (icky), Calcium Carbonate, Lignin Sulfonate, Salt, Yucca Schidigera Extract, Dicalcium Phosphate, Ascorbic Acid (good, but this type of vit c is not stabilized and will degrade more quickly than other forms), Choline Chloride, Vitamin A Supplement, Vitamin D3 Supplement, Vitamin E Supplement, Niacin, Calcium Pantothenate, Thiamine Mononitrate, Riboflavin Supplement, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride, Menadione Sodium Bisulfate Complex, Folic Acid, Biotin, Vitamin B12 Supplement, Ferrous Sulfate, Managanous Oxide, Manganese Sulfate, Zinc Sulfate, Zinc Oxide, Copper Sulfate, Ethylednediamine Dihydriodide, Calcium Iodate, Sodium Selenite, Cobalt Carbonate, Dried Saccharomyces Cerevisiae Fermentation Extract, Dried Lactobacillus Acidophilus Fermentation Extract, Dried Enterococcus Faecium Fermentation Extract, Dried Aspergillus Niger Fermentation Extract, Dried Bacillus Subtilis Fermentation Extract




WHEW!!! That was a lot of typing!!

One other thing I wanted to mention.....I don't know if it is because he is new and still scared, but he takes no interest in fresh veggies and fruits. He eats his alfalfa hay and eats his food, he drinks like normal, so I don't really know what would be wrong or why he wouldn't want veggies and fruits.

Thanks sooo much for typing all that!!! I know it must have been a lot of work! =) As for the fruits and veggies, they are somewhat hesitant when you are first giving them. They will eventually take them; they just need a chance to get used to them.

By the way, here is another page I was searching for earlier, but did not find until now: (broken link removed). It rates each piggy food. This one is on there, too... just keep scrolling down. It says:

"I've heard some rather bad things about this, like the fact that the vitamin C isn't stabilised. (woo! I caught that one, yay!) Also, animal fat is used in all L/M products making them all unhealthy choices. It contains alfalfa meal, corn meal, soy bean meal, Lactobacillus Acidophilus, hydrolysed animal & vegetable fats. Preserved with Ethoxyquin. Protein not less than 22%, fat not less than 3.5%, fibre not more than 15% & vitamin C not less than 200 mg/kg."

Contains Lactobacillus Acidophilus.
Preserved with Ethoxyquin.
Contains corn.
Contains animal & vegetable fat.
One of the highest in fat content.
Low in fibre (recommended 25-28%).

----------------------------------------------------

I didn't see Ethyoxyquin or animal fats, so I think they may have changed their ingredients since this was posted. However, I just thought another source might be good for further reference. =)

 

[CavyCrazyMom]

I don't know if it is because he is new and still scared, but he takes no interest in fresh veggies and fruits. He eats his alfalfa hay and eats his food, he drinks like normal, so I don't really know what would be wrong or why he wouldn't want veggies and fruits.

I am having the same problems with my pigs, and (I'm dreading saying this due to a few raised eyebrows...lol) mine were about the same age when I got them. They still had their cords on too. I had to hand feed mine for 2 weeks because they weren't eating their food very much. And now they still wont eat their veggies very well, although we have made some progress. Maggy eats a few bites of carrots, and Pozzy will nibble on an orange, but that's it. They don't get it yet. They all told me to just keep putting it in there and eventually they'll eat it (not a direct quote lol).

Oh, and btw, LM is a product of Hartz...I never knew that until tonight because that's what I was feeding my pigs! LM Bonanza. They LOVE it! lol...I'm bummed because I have to find a new food!

~~Cheri~~

 

[drakonae]

Thank you everyone for taking the time to respond. The information will undoubtedly prove to be priceless.

mncavylover-Thank you for the info and the link...that was great! I didn't realize how much info was out there on these little critters.

cinn&sprinslave-Thank you too for taking the time to respond. I'll take your advice about the *the green monsters* and just keep trying with the veggies.

CavyCrazyMom-good luck with the piggies.