Guinea Pigs Eating More Veggies Than Hay. New Owner

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Hello, I am very new to guinea pigs and I recently have got two guinea pigs. They are lovely two males. I noticed that they are always hungry for veggies whenever I offer then they would eat all, especially lettuce and beg for more. It seems they would eat veggies more than hay. I believe I read somewhere that I should only give a certain amount of veggie to them.
I am not sure if I am doing something wrong. Shall I constantly provide fresh veggies to them or not?
Thanks in advance.
 
Nope - don't offer them veggies constantly - they want them all the time because they love them, not because it is the best thing for them. Make sure they have a constant supply of hay - they will eat it (and enjoy it) until veggies come along.

Their diet should work out at 80% hay, 15% veg and 5% nuggets. Don't let them bully you!
 
Dito, though psonaly l like the vege to incude a fair amount of red/yellow peppers , cos they a high in vitermin C, (very important to guinea pigs
 
:agr:

The veg they get should form part of a balanced diet. Am on my phone so it's tricky to add links to the stickies but look in the section related to food and you will find loads of info.
 
AbiS said:
Nope - don't offer them veggies constantly - they want them all the time because they love them, not because it is the best thing for them. Make sure they have a constant supply of hay - they will eat it (and enjoy it) until veggies come along.

Their diet should work out at 80% hay, 15% veg and 5% nuggets. Don't let them bully you!
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I was pleased to read this as mine eat lots of hay and some veg but hardly any nuggets.

PS gizzy also posted about peppers but mine won't touch peppers :(
 
Toni D said:
I was pleased to read this as mine eat lots of hay and some veg but hardly any nuggets.

PS gizzy also posted about peppers but mine won't touch peppers :(
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Have you tried all the different colours? Mine will eat them all but definitely prefer green.
 
Well there you go - I have tried them with red and yellow which were ignored so the green one (left from the pack of 3) is still in the salad box! I will try them with a piece of green now and report back :)
 
They would eat Veggies till they came out of their ears! Have a read of this thread, it is very helpful Food

Ha ha green pepper is always the one ours like the least...
 
Toni D said:
Well they sniffed it and decided against it - but they may try it later I suppose :(
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Mine will always eat red pepper, often eat yellow pepper, and only eat green pepper if it's the last thing left in the bowl and nothing else is forthcoming! Aren't they all different in their tastes?
 
When I first got my girls they weren't really interested in hay at all. Then they would eat the good (expensive!) Burgess hay but not the standard pets at home meadow hay. Now they love it all!

They probably eat about a handful to handful and a half of nuggets per day between the 2 of them (have access to more in their bowl).

Veg they eat about 3 handfuls of veg a day between the 2 of them. I read somewhere they should have about 50g veg a day each but then others it seems more limited! I used to weigh out 100g of veg (mix of parsley, peppers, watercress etc) but now I just do it by eye.

They were really funny with veg when I first got them and would only eat a limited amount of types but now they have broadened their tastes! I just give one a try and then try again a few weeks later if they weren't keen first time.
 
Mine go mad for their veg like they have never been fed - ever ! They would eat them all day ... you have to resist their little wheeks for more....
 
Ha! mine all prefer the red or yellow peppers over the green ones
 
I had left some peppers in with mine, they'll go ahead and nibble but it doesn't seem to be their favourite...
 
Toni D said:
All peppers left here. :( I will try them again though sometime.
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Try them with it a few times, it does take time for piggies to take to a new veg (sometimes!). I left a piece of green pepper with a pig that hadn't really been given veg before but I persevered and after a day or so just as it started looking horrible and wrinkling he decided that was the right time to eat it and enjoy it! Needless to say the next time it was offered he wolfed it down :))
 
It took 10 months of trying pepper several times a week before mine would eat it. I'd give them 2 small slices and use the rest for us. Now they will eat a slice each any colour every day, although if there's a green bean around Peanut will swap his pepper for Spike's bean. They are fussy devil's for which fresh food they will eat. Spike ate a grape today for the first time, Peanut looked at me like I was trying to poison him. I wish they would eat more variety as their leftovers are pretty boring for us, I find you just have to keep trying to introduce different foods, slowly, piggies don't do much in a hurry :hb:
 
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