What about cabbage?

[Kriket]

As I said in my first post, I've been bumming around the site for awhile, but just decided to post tonight. I've seen you guys post all kind of veggies that you give your piggers, but I haven't seen cabbage mentioned among them. Is this something I shouldn't be giving them?

 

[DocDolittle]

Cabbage is okay maybe every three days, but it tends to give them gas, so don't use it for every day.

 

[Kriket]

hmmmm... ok. I just give it to them every day because they love it (so do the buns), but if it gives them stomache problems, thats not cool . I'll chill out with the cabbage, even though the wheeking is SO cute when they hear me go near the fridge kitchen area

 

[aqh88]

It's best to avoid cabbage. It might make an ok treat on occasion but I wouldn't feed it out weekly. Guinea pigs don't get the concept of if I eat this I will feed uncomfortable later. They'll learn to wheek for all the other veggies. Mine don't really seem to care what they get when they wheek so long as it tastes good enough to eat.
This page has the basics on what to feed or not to feed https://guinealynx.info/fave.html If you look through the rest of the diet links you can find more detail on what's good for them.

 

[Kriket]

Thanks! Thats great, as I'm hitting the farmers market tommoro, and can pick up lots of new viggies. (Along with people food, ya know, so the kids can eat too

 

[cavy-cool-crazy]

Replace the cabbage with lettuces - any type but not iceberg. Romaine, Lollo Rosso (red leaf), Round (loose leaf) and Little Gem lettuces are my staples, but endive, escarole and radicchio would be my staples if I could get them!

 

[Cavie Cove]

Mine love their cabbage!They have it at most 3 times a week 1 leaf each. They seem to like the darker stuff best for some reason . Any one know why this is?. Personally I would say its better than lettuce(just my opinion) as letuceis a dearectic(sp?) and contains a seditive.

 

[cavy-cool-crazy]

I have never heard that lettuce contains a sedative - where did you hear this? The diuretic factor is the worst in Iceberg, which is one reason why you should avoid this type, but other lettuces are fine.

Cabbage can cause gas, which is a reason why I advise every 3-5 days. Savoy is my pigs' favourite type of cabbage!

 

[Kriket]

I went out and picked some grass for the piggers! They're SO excited about it. Who would have thought, some grass and I got the same reaction. And I don't even have to PAY for grass, lol.

 

[Cavie Cove]

I have never heard that lettuce contains a sedative where did you hear this?

em the vets told us and my mum whos a nurse well one of the doctors told her. Its been said by docors that if you have a lettuce sandwich before bed it helps you sleep. I don't know how true it is though.

 

[Slap Maxwell]

When cut, the stems of lettuce plants ooze a milky juice whose appearance, taste, and smell are said to be similar to opium. Once dried, the substance is called lactucarium, or lettuce opium. Used by the ancient Egyptians, the stuff was listed in the Pharmacopeia of the United States of America as late as 1916. It can still be found in herbals and such, which describe it as a sedative and cough suppressant. Lettuce opium can be found in all lettuce species but is most commonly extracted from wild lettuce, Lactuca virosa.

Anyway, it is like 2 to 10 parts of morphine per billion. To put that in perspective, the usual therapeutic dose of morphine is 0.5 to 50 parts per thousand, roughly a million times as much.

So it isn't going to affect the pigs or yourself. However, it is deadly when enough of the juice is injected into your system.

 

[Cavie Cove]

I was just about to post what Slap_Maxwell has posted.
So maybe it is untrue that a lettuce sandwich will help you sleep? anyway thats for clearing that up Slap_Maxwell I now feel like I can give them more lettuce than what they get. Thankyou

 

[Piglet]

Lettuce should be a staple in their diet. It's good to give everyday and there are so many varieties to choose from.

 

[Ly&Pigs]

Slap, you should have posted the site you took that information from. Next time please include a link. Thanks.

 

[Slap Maxwell]

Sorry Ly, completely slipped my mind.

(broken link removed)