Fussy Eaters - Help

Jamesey

Jamesey

Junior Guinea Pig
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I have two very fussy guinea pigs who will eating everything that’s bad for them!

I need to change their diet to contain less calcium, but how do i get them to other food? I really want them to eat peppers (any colour but especially green or yellow) but they are just not interested I have been adding a slice to their hutch but they don't touch it.

I wasn't sure whether to stop giving them other vegetable until they finally give in and start eating it? But if I'm worried about their vitamin c intake will drop while i do that.

Has anyone been in this situation or have and helpful ideas on how i can get them eating peppers.
 
How long do you leave the veg in there for them? And how often have you tried peppers? In my experience persistence pays off. I once had a piece of pepper in a cage with a lone male for around 24 hours, just when I was about to give up and throw it away (because it was starting to shrivel and looked grim) he decided he was going to eat it after all
 
Hi, what are the things they like to eat that are bad for them? Do they have any calcium related health issues? If they are getting a wide variety of veggies in moderate amounts without too much of any one thing I don't think you need to worry. I wouldn't stop feeding them vegetables as they will end up eating more nuggets and the calcium in grain (so therefore in nuggets) is worse for them than the calcium in veggies.
Often piggies don't eat things they are not use to as they don't recognise them as food and their instinct is therefore not to eat it. I would keep trying them with peppers every couple of days along with their other veg, once they try it they will probably like it.
 
It took 10 months to get Spike and Peanut to eat peppers. I put a small bit in the cage everyother day and left it there all day. Now it's one of their fsvourite foods!
 
Lady Kelly said:
How long do you leave the veg in there for them? And how often have you tried peppers? In my experience persistence pays off. I once had a piece of pepper in a cage with a lone male for around 24 hours, just when I was about to give up and throw it away (because it was starting to shrivel and looked grim) he decided he was going to eat it after all
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I have tried hand feeding my two male guinea pigs the pepper (normally red or green) and also left it in the hutch all night and all day and there just not interested. Thats promising your guinea pigs eat the pepper, I think i will just have to keep trying. Thanks for your advice.
 
piggieminder said:
It took 10 months to get Spike and Peanut to eat peppers. I put a small bit in the cage everyother day and left it there all day. Now it's one of their fsvourite foods!
Click to expand...

Thats good to know, I have been trying for quite a few months but had no luck but i will keep going - Thanks
 
Patience and perseverance are what’s needed.
Also each piggy will develop its own likes and dislikes.
I try new things occasionally and they are usually ignored but sooner or later one brave piggy will risk it.
The exception was when I offered sweet potato for the first time
It didn’t touch the sides on the way down!
 
Jamesey said:
I have tried hand feeding my two male guinea pigs the pepper (normally red or green) and also left it in the hutch all night and all day and there just not interested. Thats promising your guinea pigs eat the pepper, I think i will just have to keep trying. Thanks for your advice.
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Keep going with it. When I took in buddy I don't think he had been given veggies before. It took time but by the time he left me he was eating a whole variety of veggies. I think it properly bably helped that his cage was next to my group of 4 so he probably saw them eating the same things
 
Lady Kelly said:
Keep going with it. When I took in buddy I don't think he had been given veggies before. It took time but by the time he left me he was eating a whole variety of veggies. I think it properly bably helped that his cage was next to my group of 4 so he probably saw them eating the same things
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Well I have been trying. And no luck yet. Can I ask when you give them something new and they dont eat eat do you give them something else? Or just leave them with the food they dont like allday/overnight?
 
Jamesey said:
Well I have been trying. And no luck yet. Can I ask when you give them something new and they dont eat eat do you give them something else? Or just leave them with the food they dont like allday/overnight?
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I was harsh and gave him his selection of veg and then just left it there. Like a naughty child, if you don't eat your dinner you aren't getting dessert :))
 
Lady Kelly said:
I was harsh and gave him his selection of veg and then just left it there. Like a naughty child, if you don't eat your dinner you aren't getting dessert :))
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I will try the same. Thanks
 
I don’t know if anyone’s ever noticed this, but have you tried different peppers from different supermarkets? My two love peppers from Aldi, and kale, but if I buy it from Asda they’re not that keen on it. I don’t know if it’s because the kale from Asda is not washed before packaging I think...
 
This may sound daft but when I got my first two girls at about 6 weeks old they wouldn't eat peppers either so I offered it to them at eye level and when they wouldn't take it I would nibble it and eat it in front of them.

The premise is that pigs learn what to eat from their elders and other pigs so I thought I'd show them that it was safe and I swear it did the trick! I don't know if it was a coincidence but I always ate new things with them when I offered it and they now have eat pretty much anything! :)
 
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