Guinea Piggies & Weeds

[Celine298]

I've been doing a lot of research into the piggies diet as I'm a new mum, and I want to keep it as fresh and organic as possible for him. Trouble is, the Internet doesn't have a great list of what common European plants and weeds are safe for piggies I have a large meadow behind my house that is full of wild flowers and weeds and I was wondering if you guys could offer any suggestions?

I'm living in ireland so there's plenty of fresh greens, I just don't know what's toxic or not!

 

[Swissgreys]

I think one of the problems in defining what is ok for piggies is that they were actually developed to eat a very bland diet, the main component of which is basic grasses.
Chances are that they would be ok with a lot of European weeds, but that isn't their natural diet.
I have found a lot of lists that say things like 'young leaves' are ok, but not older leaves.
So to be safe I tend to stick to the basics (regular grasses, dandelions, and a reasonable selection of fresh veg), and whilst it looks a little repetitive and boring to me sometimes, the piggies still seem pretty pleased with their lot in life

 

[Beans&Toast]

I read somewhere that theoretically guinea pigs could live off a diet of grass/hay alone as they've evolved to live off quite a poor diet. Not that I'd ever recommend this but I think as long as they have enough vitimin c they don't need a massive variety. All mine get apart from veg is dandilions/leaves and grass, sometimes camomile and occasionally marigolds

 

[RosieMaia]

I have a few lists of safe wild plants with Latin names, but except for the Latin name of the plant, the lists are in Russian. (FYI for any other Russian speakers - there's lots of useful information out there) If I have the time, I will try to translate it. Fortunately, my mother in law is a professor of plant biology, so I gave her the list, and she brings me lots of wild plants from her field trips. I wouldn't know the difference between vetch and alfalfa

Actually, according to my mother in law, the vegetation in Europe is not too dissimilar to the one in South America, so I don't imagine there would be any issues as long as you don't feed something poisonous.

 

[Celine298]

Thanks guys!

Sunny loves his fresh veg (he's a demon for bell peppers and broccoli!) but I'd like to avail of the natural selection of plants growing wild outside while the summer is here.
I've tried him with nettles so far and he seemed to enjoy them, dandelions are a fave obviously. He'll happily munch the stalk of a daisy, but not the flower, and adores chickweed.

I think I might bring him on a foraging trip some day, try him with little pieces of non toxic plants to see if he likes them.

He was on a dry pellet diet in the petshop, and within a week of me introducing fresh vg into his diet, his coat went from dry and wiry to soft and silky, and his dry skin is almost cleared up!
So you can see why I'm eager to keep him on a fresh food diet

 

[7squeakers.]

There are quite a lot of wild weeds that are safe for piggies to eat. Just a few that I know of;

Plantain, ribwort and broad-leaf
Chickweed (small white flowers, single line of hairs growing up stem)
Daisies (NOT buttercups)
Dandelion (all varieties)
Shepherds purse (heart-shaped leaves)
Chickory (dandelion-like leaves, large lilac flowers)

Available from The Hay Experts;
Green Foods for Rabbits & Cavies .

£6.49

 

[Celine298]

Cheers! Yeah I've been avoiding buttercups and most wild flowers that I know are toxic to people and animals

 

[Hank288]

Thanks for the tip on the book, I just brought one as I would love to go out and forage for my piggies. I also need to know what weeds on my lawn are safe. I will let you know what it is like when it arrives.

I always got told that daisies were poisonous to guinea pigs?

 

[GPTV]

i'm not so good with the latin names & some may just be what i call them as a localised name,but i know that guineas can be fed or i have fed in the past
some of the following

plantain (wide & narrow leafed varieties), Yarrow, daisies, cleavers (stickybuds plant), bramble/blackberry leaves although i usually squash/knock off any hard prickles, but they love the young leaves with no prickles, dandelion (whole lot, flower,stem & leaves), groundsel, raspberry leaves, milk (sow?) thistle, cornsilks (stringy bits between maize cob &leaves, mine go nuts for them).
marigold leaves, rose petals, fennel & echinacea.

i think the general rule of thumb is if its come from a bulb it is poisonous/harmful to guineas. eg Buttercups (apparently ok if fed dry in hay)
i dont usually feed dock as this has a high oxalic acid content which contributes to kidney/renal problems (higher acid content after the flower stems appear & the stalks are woody).
watercress can be given, but i would be careful with it fresh out of a stream as they are apparently prone to a "fluke" i think its liver fluke that attaches itself to the leaves & then comes off when inside the animal & attaches itself there. so i would personally just stick to watercress grown for human consumption or check it thoroughly first!

just check that the plants dont have any mould or mildew on them & give them a quick rinse off to wash off any dust, debris & insects. x

 

[Celine298]

I think there ok, he's shown no ill effects. I know they can have camomile and daisies are a member of that family.

There is much conflicting information put there :/