Forget The Grass, We Like The Weeds?

[Andie]

We started giving our two pigs outside time about a month ago. My yard has just as much clover, weeds and random stuff as grass and with observation we noticed that they were ignoring the grass and eating the weeds! Last night, I moved them to a different part of the yard that gets more sun so there is more grass. They ignored the grass and went to the weeds again! Along with that, our one piggie crawled under a bush and started eating the underneath branches! I had considered putting a patch of sod in thier c&c cage for the winter for them to play with and on but they seem to not care about the grass. Has anyone heard of this?

 

[hattie.r]

one of mine doesn't like clover at all, the other one does, and one of them has tried to gnaw her way through the mesh to get to the dry crispy leaves! guess it's just their personal preferences, or it could be linked to a mineral/vitamin need maybe?

 

[Andie]

I'm not sure, they get regular pellets, hay from petselect and regular fruits and veggies. I guess its possible they are missing something. I read that planting grass in thier cage wont work because they will eat it all before it can regrow. Its going to start getting cold soon and then I wont be able to let them out there. Also, sod doesnt have weeds so they may not enjoy that anyway.

 

[Perfectpets11]

My boys aren't too keen on clover. They will eat it but it isn't their favourite. Their favourite, by a mile, is dandelion. They love it! They love the grass too. I buy bagged forage from asda it's called "rosewood simple nibbles" it's £2.00 for 100g and I find 100g lasts me a week and they get a little bit every night. Just to add some variety into their diet.

 

[Perfectpets11]

Rosewood naturals also make some really nice forages for guinea pigs that are also around £2. Wilkos also have their own dandelion and green oat forage for £3 ish. Really recommend them. Especially in winter x

 

[gus+walter]

My boys absolutely love the wilkos dried dandelion and green oat forage! I put it in a lunchbox so they can pick out their own treats at laptime.
You could grow grass in plant pots for the Winter months and let them have a munch on rotation so it'll have a chance to grow.

 

[adelhide]

from what i can gather from a quick internet search, you can grow clover in pots. and i know most weeds will grow in pots. cause they take mine over.

 

[Gizi]

Interesting

 

[TAN]

Bought mine some forage stuff from P @ H a couple of years ago - was really pricey for a samll bag - they all took 1 sniff and ran away like they had been bitten or something.

 

[Lecie89]

That's a good idea to grow some grass inside for winter time! I live in western New York and we get tons of snow usually. I think ill pot some grass myself and keep it inside !

 

[Treacle]

Guinea pigs have evolved on a poor forage diet, they will eat the rougher stuff. The first flush of spring grass is not good for them, and too much would give them bloat. So they are better off with the weeds.