wood chews

[manda81]

my piggie doesn't like her wood chew. i even got the ones that taste like fruit, and she won't touch it. does anyone know of anything else that will help?

 

[kimklempa]

have you tried

Do you give them carrot sticks? Just plain carrots and twigs washed from outside work great

KK

 

[Denise]

I read somewhere they can knaw on twigs, but can't remember which site said which were toxic and which were OK. I remember apple branches were OK, but can't remember which others. Also, I read that they can play in leaf piles in the fall. Any word on that?

 

[manda81]

she won't touch carrots i've tried then even shredded and in her salad, and she's picks them out. i'll have to look into the twigs though. thanks.

 

[supertramp]

Bits of apple and pear branches with the bark still on are great. I've never seen a rodent yet who wouldn't gnaw the bark off apple wood.

 

[RileyPiggy]

About running through leaf piles, I think that even though it would probably be fun, ticks, fleas and other bugs are often crawling through leaf piles. So unless you don't might your piggy getting bug covered and infested then I wouldn't advice it.

 

[manda81]

good point. i think the piggy would have fun, but i don't know how healthy it would be. and that couple minutes of fun could lead to weeks of special care to get rid of all the bugs.

 

[kimklempa]

our pigs like

The pigs also like the empty paper towel roll or empty toilet paper roll, but one day I was cleaning their cage and put them on the floor w./ the trash out and they started eating the empty egg carton, so sometimes I cut up a whole empty egg carton and it lasts a month, I feel they know when they need to wear down the teeth because some days the toilet paper roll is half gone and other days it sits until I replace it

 

[mom to cujo]

Bits of apple and pear branches with the bark still on are great. I've never seen a rodent yet who wouldn't gnaw the bark off apple wood.

mine won't

 

[manda81]

i'll give it a shot. the worst that can happen is she won't touch it. i have a very picky piggy.

 

[iluvcavies]

No Pits

Just don't give it cherry, nectarine, peach, or any other wood that comes from a tree that has pitted fruits. They are toxic!

 

[manda81]

wow thanks for that info...i didn't know. i was just about to look up what she can and can't have. you saved me a search...thanks.

 

[Denise]

Didn't even consider bugs, yuck! Thanks. As usual, a one track mind. It's always great to hear another's point of view (I just learned a valuable lesson about that, huh, MnCaveylover! =) Totally didn't know that about the pitted-fruit trees!

 

[mncavylover]

Heehee... Anyhow, I read somewhere that pitted fruits aren't great for cavies either, just fyi. Does anyone know this for sure?

 

[Denise]

Mine love pitted fruits. Peaches, plums, nectarines. I'd like to know this, too!

 

[cinn&sprinslave]

My piggies, love to eat peaches, plums and other friuts with pits too.

 

[Treen]

It's my understanding that the actual fruits are fine, you just need to make sure you remove all the pits as they're a choking hazard. Wood from those trees is toxic to them though, so you shouldn't give them to chew.

 

[RileyPiggy]

Alright when I give my piggy a paper towel tube or egg carton he chews pieces off and EATS it! Is it alright? Same with newspaper or any kind of paper. I can't put anything like that down otherwise he'll eat it.

 

[mncavylover]

Thanks for the clarification, Treen! =) Now I'll try feeding them some.

 

[Treen]

Alright when I give my piggy a paper towel tube or egg carton he chews pieces off and EATS it! Is it alright? Same with newspaper or any kind of paper. I can't put anything like that down otherwise he'll eat it.

As long as it's not coloured or glossy it's fine (applies to paper and cardboard). But brown cardboard is fine and black and white newspaper is too - they usually used vegetable based inks, but if you're worried, just check with their printers. Try putting hay in the paper towel tube too - it's a favourite with mine!

Good luck mncavylover - hope the new foods go down well!