Eating/Chewing Habits

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LittleMissPiggyWinkle

LittleMissPiggyWinkle

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Is it normal for piggies to eat everything under the sun?

I mean, I understand a few things like wood and my finger! but paper? Carpet? Cardboard?

Unfortunately I haven't got a clue how to stop this behaviour, or even if it can harm them. Especially the carpet, as in some places the carpet has become threadbare!

Has anyone got any ideas of what i can put in the pen area to stop this from happening as i want to keep my carpet lol

They have a good selection of hay/pellets/muesli/fruit/veg to eat, along with wood to gnaw on and play with, along with each other as company. So I really do not think that it is due to boredom or hunger.

Any suggestions? Thankyou.
 
hehe you tell me lol bandit and basil are good but smokey and boris are shocking they chew my couch,there bed,newspaper,carpet and anything else they can get.to slove is i would get a flooring to lay down in your pen to save your carpet meybe fleece? its natural for them to chew so there isnt heaps you can do xxxxx
 
Aww, they're like puppies lol. I didn't mind until i saw the damage lol

Do you think they would attempt the fleece?

Does it harm them at all? Or can get rid of it at all, because i never find the bits they bite off! ?/

I was thinking maybe a plastic "thing" to put on the floor, but the problem with that could be them not being able to walk on it due to slipping lol
 
it should be fine anything that we use in piggy cages is safe for them to chew because at some point they will chew it i think the fleece is not harmful at all to chew and yes they **** will chew it eventually the best way to help limit chewing is to have more toys and lots of hay;)
 
only one of my three likes carpet
but wood, plastic bags, furniture, my hands, pretty much anything will be tried to see if it's tasty =]
they're curious little animals and i think they use eating as a way of exploring, so it's pretty normal
have you tried putting towels down? or maybe just distracting them when they go to chew something you don't want them to?
 
I may try putting hay outside the cage aswell as inside, they may not be as tempted then perhaps.

They tend to eat towels as well unfortunately. But it might work as a distraction. A towel isnt as costly i suppose:):
I also try and stop them by telling them no and shouting their name, even moving and startling them but 2 seconds later they either go back to the same patch or chew somewhere else lol.

Little Monkeys they are lol!
 
Okie dokie, how else can i let them know that it is wrong to do?
They dont seem to mind really though, and at times they dont take me on lol
I'm quite new to piggies so i need all the help i can get lol
x
 
the best way i have found is providing alot of interesting things and once they know there names all you do is say there name and it should shift there focus it does with my piggies anyway.they will always chew so be prepared.Did you read up much on piggies before you got them?
 
Yeh, i read up on them and i had one years and years back. So i knew pretty much what to expect. I just wasn't expecting so much chewing as my 1st piggy lived outdoors (which isn't really the same as indoors so I'm noticing different behaviours), not indoors like the ones i have now.

I think i am going to get some more toys tonight when i go to pets at home, they will think its Christmas! :))
 
LittleMissPiggyWinkle said:
I mean, I understand a few things like wood and my finger! but paper? Carpet? Cardboard?

Unfortunately I haven't got a clue how to stop this behaviour, or even if it can harm them. Especially the carpet, as in some places the carpet has become threadbare!

Has anyone got any ideas of what i can put in the pen area to stop this from happening as i want to keep my carpet lol

They have a good selection of hay/pellets/muesli/fruit/veg to eat, along with wood to gnaw on and play with, along with each other as company. So I really do not think that it is due to boredom or hunger.

Any suggestions? Thankyou.
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I personally put newspaper down when they are in the run because my young boar likes to nibble on the carpet as well (plus they can wee on it too!). Then I lay an extra piece down because they enjoy making their own tunnels in it and run in and out of it! :)) Of course they like to nibble on the newspaper too, but its much more comforting to me than my carpet getting ripped up.
 
its called muesli isnt it? The food with different pieces of food in it rather than just pellets? Sorry if i used the wrong term =S

I started off feeding them this originally, but I have started to wean them off it as i prefer them to use the pellets after reading that they tend to eat their favourite pieces and not a variety, meaning they don't get all the minerals they need. Because i noticed this i decided to put Vitamin C drops in the water. Lately however, the majority of normal food they get is the pellets and just a small amount of the other stuff to save stomach upsets (as i also read that changing food straight away can make them feel poorly?)

I like the newspaper idea! I have a "potty" thing outside in the pen also and 9 times out of 10 they use this and not the floor which is handy! :)

xx
 
LittleMissPiggyWinkle said:
its called muesli isnt it? The food with different pieces of food in it rather than just pellets? Sorry if i used the wrong term =S
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I'm sure you're right, I am American and not familiar with some of the terms you all use, so I ask :)

I got the idea though, thanks! ;)
 
mueslis is generally dried fruits,nuts,seeds,oats or some mixture similar guinea pigs should not eat it because as you say LMPW they pick out there fave bits and the other reason is most of the time there is something included in it that they cant have
i think what LMPW is feeding is a seed mix which i wouldnt recommend i would advise good brands of pellets but i dont know what brands you guys have in US and UK
If they are getting enough of the right food in order endless hay,regular supply of pellets,Veges at least in in morning or morning and night is preferable,also include grass and dandilions into there diet and fruit sometimes or as a treat.If they have a good diet then there is no need for Vit C drops and because you have more than one in the cage they wouldnt get even amounts of it anyway because one would drink more than the other;) well i hope i didnt ramble to much and i covered everything i think pm me if you need to know anything else
 
Thankyou for all the information its been very helpful,

I actually tried them with strawberries this morning but they seem to be turning their noses up at them lol, They've never had them before so ill leave them in for a few hours, or until their celery has gone and they don t turn their noses up at that! :))

xx
 
LittleMissPiggyWinkle said:
Thankyou for all the information its been very helpful,

I actually tried them with strawberries this morning but they seem to be turning their noses up at them lol, They've never had them before so ill leave them in for a few hours, or until their celery has gone and they don t turn their noses up at that! :))

xx
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hehe have you tried giving the strawberry tops they love those;)
 
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