Oranges for pig?

[spinaylee]

Hi guys,
I'm new to this site and relatively new to keeping a guinea pig, i read somewhere that to increase their vitamin C level you can give them a 1/4 of an orange now and again...i was just wondering if this was true and if you can give them it skin and all? also are there any other Vit C enriched foods i can give him?

 

[AmiableAnimals]

Red bell peppers are much higher in vit C than oranges. :~)

 

[Ly&Pigs]

Hi spinaylee and welcome to the forums. What you read is incorrect information. Piggies need vegetables on a daily basis (1 cup per pig) and they need more leafy greens than anything. Oranges are fine to feed pigs occasionally but not daily because of its acidity and it causes mouth sores. Some great everyday veggies are romaine, red/green leaf lettuce, endive, radicchio, cilantro, any color bell pepper (very good for Vit. C), green beans, corn husk and silk. On a rotating non-daily basis (like every 2-3 days), they can have things like cucumber, tomato, spinach, parsley, a small amount of broccoli or cauliflower, kale and 1 baby carrot. Fruits in small portions can be given a couple of times a week. Also if you feed a good quality pellet with stabilized vitamin C, that helps as well, but they still need daily veggies.

 

[Cherryrosed]

Hello spinaylee and welcome to the site. Ly&Pigs is right about the veggies. My girls love green pepper, and all kinds of lettuce. They also get the occasional piece of fruit and a baby carrot now and then. Fruit is a treat that should be given sparingly and only 2 or 3 times a week.

 

[My Baby Mu]

You can find a good list of veggies here https://www.guinealynx.com/nutrition.html#lists also you can find other information at www.guinealynx.com

 

[CavySpirit]

Also, there is something about oranges that most animals don't like. They will --eventually-- eat them, however, put a wedge in a cage and watch them RUN AWAY from it. Some pigs will never eat it. I find that about 75% of the pigs will come around and eat the orange wedges. Definitely only a once-in-a-while item.

 

[Ly&Pigs]

My girls hate oranges, I have tried about 5 different times for several days but they still won't eat them. I haven't tried the boys or Baby Elly with oranges yet.

 

[NewGPMom]

Interesting..funny how piggers are so different. My two girls didn't devour oranges when I would give them to them but they did nibble on them. I did so about once a week just for a treat and a bit of vit c. Then one of my girls had babies (not of my doing), and the babies decided that they loved the oranges so now they all eat them. It was the same way with peppers. My girls wanted nothing to do with them until the babies started eating them. Now it is one of the first things they go for when they don't get fruit, esp watermelon and pineapple which are their favorites.

 

[smileyface cavy]

Welcome spinaylee!

I gave Carrot a wedge of orange once. He sniffed it, and then ran away from it.

 

[carrotflavour]

Dandelion leaves are actually a decent (and free if you have a garden) source of vit C. I give mine some once a week,

 

[spinaylee]

wow! thanks guys, that helps a lot, at the moment he is having fresh greens, with some pellets and half a carrot, cellery as well! i also heard that melon is nice for them and they will even eat the skin is this true?

 

[animallover]

I give my piggie oranges with skin and all. She loves them but she doesn't eat the skin. She just leaves it there.

 

[thundermuse]

I give my piggie oranges with skin and all. She loves them but she doesn't eat the skin. She just leaves it there.

All of mine ONLY eat the skin. They won't touch the rest of the slice.

 

[carrotflavour]

I just gave my piggies some orange for the first time (with skin) and ginge just gobbled it down. but he made a weird face with his mouth...

 

[Denise]

I squeeze the fresh juice on to their veggies.

 

[smileyface cavy]

Good idea Denise.

 

[CavySpirit]

Actually, it's not a good idea. Orange juice is not a recommended way to get them their vitamin C.

 

[smileyface cavy]

Actually, it's not a good idea. Orange juice is not a recommended way to get them their vitamin C.

Why isn't it recommended?

 

[cavia porcellus]

I have written that it is strictly forbidden to give any oranges (also lemon)???

 

[Denise]

I only do it when they won't eat the actual fruit instead of throwing the whole thing away. I do not by any means use that as their source of Vit. C. If there is some other problem, please let me know. Thanks!