Food 24/7

Cookieandcrumble

New Born Pup
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Is it best to give a bowl big enough so they never run out or are you looking at finding an empty bowl inn the morning to help minimise waste?
 
The only food they should have constantly is hay - make sure it is refreshed daily and never allowed to run out.

Everything else should be kept limited and never constant access - Veg is one cup per pig per day; Pellets are one tablespoon per pig per day.
Definitely don’t allow constant access to or overfeed pellets. Too many pellets cause reduced hay intake, obesity, potential issues with calcium intake which can cause bladder stone formation. Reduced hay intake can lead to dental and gut problems.

Once their portion of veg or pellets are gone for the day then that’s it until the next day

Long Term Balanced General And Special Needs Guinea Pig Diets

For my boys, they get just under a tablespoon of pellets each but I only tend to give them just three times a week (they get a mixture of dried forages for the other days). They get them sprinkled in hay (I don’t use bowls at all) so they forage for them which means they are kept entertained.
They get one cup of veg each in the evening. It’s gone within the hour.
 
The only food they should have constantly is hay - make sure it is refreshed daily and never allowed to run out.

Everything else should be kept limited and never constant access - Veg is one cup per pig per day; Pellets are one tablespoon per pig per day.
Definitely don’t allow constant access to or overfeed pellets. Too many pellets cause reduced hay intake, obesity, potential issues with calcium intake which can cause bladder stone formation. Reduced hay intake can lead to dental and gut problems.

Once their portion of veg or pellets are gone for the day then that’s it until the next day

Long Term Balanced General And Special Needs Guinea Pig Diets

For my boys, they get just under a tablespoon of pellets each but I only tend to give them just three times a week (they get a mixture of dried forages for the other days). They get them sprinkled in hay (I don’t use bowls at all) so they forage for them which means they are kept entertained.
They get one cup of veg each in the evening. It’s gone within the hour.
Thank you for that, I’ve been doing it wrong on all accounts!
Their new 6ft c&c cage arrives Monday so I’ll be able to set it up to be able to do all the above 😊.
 
No worries, we all make mistakes and care info moves on over time. Some owners don’t give pellets at all. I give them three times a week. I like to encourage plenty of hay eating which is essential for dental and gut health
 
I give the goblins a small (emphasis on the small) handful of pellets tossed into the cage last thing at night, because it's the only way to get their heatpads in without risking an accident, and now they know that's when it's pellet time. I'd do it less, but I need in and out of their cage and since they're only getting a few, well. Needs must.

They have hay 24/7 though. I go through a lot of it, but when they start shrieking for food, I throw in some more. Keeps them quiet til next time.
 
Lexi and Thea get a tablespoon each of pellets (scatter fed) first thing in the morning, veg between 4 and 4.30 (scatter fed) then between 10 and 11 in the evening, 3 peaflakes and 3 dried apple cubes each and some forage mix sprinkled with a pinch of Pro-C in a bowl for them to chomp on overnight. Obviously they have hay 24/7 too. For treats they have a Carrot Cottage, a Haycube and Hay Cookies (though not at the same time).
 
Guinea pigs are basically appetites with fur.
Their default position is “I’m starving!”

Mine get a handful of pellets between 2 , a lettuce leaf and a couple of piles of hay in the morning.
If someone is around at lunchtime they get some herbs and then late afternoon a pasta bowl of assorted veggies.
Hay gets topped up late evening.
They also currently have 1/2 a haycube, a tiny bit of hay cookie and an almost totally destroyed paper bag with some hay in.
 
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