General Using Cavy Poop to Fertlize Plants?

[merrycat]

Since our experiment in foraging for grass ended in a flea infestation, I'm trying to grow grass and other yummy treats indoors instead. Obviously, as plants grow, they use up the nutrients in the soil. But using fertilizers on stuff the boys are going to eat worries me. Can piggy poo be used instead? Or will it make them sick?

If you do use poo, how much do you add per liter of soil? And how often? Do you add them directly, grind them up, or do you make a "tea" first, by soaking in water? Whenever I've put poops in directly soil they start to go fuzzy and white - is this normal?

Sometimes I think that it would be easier just to dump the whole thing every few weeks and start over with fresh soil. But that seems so wasteful to me. I like to use as little as I can, and reuse as much as I can, so as to minimize my footprint. Are there perhaps cavy-safe fertilizers we could use instead?

If you've read this whole thing, thanks so much!

 

[SurfingPigs]

https://www.guineapigcages.com/forum/cafe/53514-compost.html

Response #4 in that link should be helpful to you.

 

[brupoppiggies]

I just use organic soil and compost in our garden, I know you can compost the poos and the hay. I don't know if you can burn a plant by putting the poos directly in the soil or what if any health issues could arise for your pigs. I wouldn't put them directly in if you were planning to consume any of the treats you grow.

 

[Duffinvt]

Composting the pig poop is the best idea. Then, you can use the finished compost to fertilize anything you are growing-for you or for the pigs. Basically, hay, poop, kitchen waste in a pile, turn it every so often and when you have a good size pile, don't add more stuff, just let it compost. If you keep two piles going, you will always have some decent compost to use.

 

[Duffinvt]

If you choose not to compost, you might be wise to use the poop/hay on ornamentals or under trees and not in the vegetable garden.

 

[merrycat]

Thanks for the feedback, everyone, I really appreciate it The link was especially helpful. I had thought that composting was too long and complicated a process to manage in an apartment but, based on the links, I should be able to do it out on our balcony using a plastic tub to compost it in.

Do you grow plants directly in the compost, or mix it in with soil?

 

[Duffinvt]

Mix the compost with soil. Another cool way of composting is with special composting worms. You can use a rubbermaid bin and have excellent vermicompost. Very handy, even in apartments-no smell if done correctly. One of the best resources ever is a fellow in Canada named Bentley who has this site www.redwormcomposting.com

 

[brupoppiggies]

Mix the compost with soil. Another cool way of composting is with special composting worms. You can use a rubbermaid bin and have excellent vermicompost. Very handy, even in apartments-no smell if done correctly. One of the best resources ever is a fellow in Canada named Bentley who has this site www.redwormcomposting.com

They kids' school does worm composting in the classrooms, it's great for small spaces! (I for one didn't know they liked piggie poo but I may offer to start brining it over, we use the compost on the school grounds!)