New Guinea Pig Mum/slave

[Raff :-)]

Hello we recently added two beautiful boars to our family called Sven and Snowflake. They squeak and we all run. I need some advice.
We put our piggies onto sawdust at first ( as advised by our pet shop, even though I queried that I thought it was not good for them), but it made my asthma bad, goodness knows what it did to our poor piggies so I am now trying fleece. I've put hay in their house to snuggle when they sleep, do they need this?
I've read so much about what veg they should eat that I'm now worried about causing liver problems and stones, sores etc. Does anyone have a weekly veg menu for their piggies so I can stop worrying. Thank you for your time. This forum is fab.

 

[Flutterby]

Hello and welcome to the forum!

In the case of Hay in their houses, it will do them no harm and they will probably enjoy it! Whether they NEED it or not for bedding depends on if you keep them inside of out. My piggies live indoors, so just get unlimited access to eating hay. They don't have any 'bedding' in their houses and just have fleece cosies etc but my house it warm.

If you go to the food section of the forum there is a wealth of knowledge on guinea pig diet including lots on veggies etc.

I hope to see pictures of your piggies soon!

 

[sport_billy]

Hello we recently added two beautiful boars to our family called Sven and Snowflake. They squeak and we all run. I need some advice.
We put our piggies onto sawdust at first ( as advised by our pet shop, even though I queried that I thought it was not good for them), but it made my asthma bad, goodness knows what it did to our poor piggies so I am now trying fleece. I've put hay in their house to snuggle when they sleep, do they need this?
I've read so much about what veg they should eat that I'm now worried about causing liver problems and stones, sores etc. Does anyone have a weekly veg menu for their piggies so I can stop worrying. Thank you for your time. This forum is fab.

Hello, Welcome to the forum!

Fleece is a good bedding, never wash it with softener though as it stops it being able to wick away wet and always put something like a towel underneath it.

Piggies need unlimited good quality hay to eat, but indoor piggies don't need it to snuggle in. Are your piggies indoors?

Here is a link to some info on diet https://www.theguineapigforum.co.uk...or-a-balanced-general-guinea-pig-diet.116460/

Our diet is roughly this

Morning
Cucumber
Celery
Red/Orange/Yellow/Green Bell Pepper

Tea
Cucumber
Lettuce or Corainder Feed in rotation 5 times a week Savoy Cabbage once a week
Red/Orange/Yellow/Green Bell Pepper

then
Carrot once a week/ Green Beans once a week/ Baby corn once a week/broccoli
Parsley or spinach occasionally once a month maybe


Try not to worry too much, avoid giving too much high calcium foods and feed fruit only as a treat

Could you add your location to your profile so if we need to tailor any advice to your geographical location it is easier as we have members all over the world.

Looking forward to hearing more about your boys. It would be great to see some photos of them, we have a Photos and Videos section on the forum if you would like to post some.

Welcome again
Lee

 

[Wiebke]

Hi and welcome!

New piggy ownership is quite demanding, isn't it? You can find out about alternative beddings like fleece in our housing section. Please be aware that hay should make about 80% of the daily food intake, so you have to live with that irritation to your asthma. We have a number of members with asthma issues. You may want to start a thread asking for tips.

The advice on veg can be confusing and very contradictory. We have put a detailed diet thread together that can help you put together a decent menu that is adaptable to your piggies' specific likes and dislikes, as well as the limitations of your own purse and shopping options while still being healthy and covering all necessary nourishments. @sport_billy has already given you the link.

To help settle in your boys, you may also find these information threads here helpful. You can find more at the top of our various Care sections, but you are always welcome to ask any questions you may have along the way.
https://www.theguineapigforum.co.uk/threads/how-do-i-settle-shy-new-guinea-pigs.36239/
https://www.theguineapigforum.co.uk...stincts-and-speak-piggy-body-language.117031/
https://www.theguineapigforum.co.uk/threads/boars-a-guide-to-successful-companionship.76162/
https://www.theguineapigforum.co.uk/threads/dominance-behaviours-in-guinea-pigs.28949/
https://www.theguineapigforum.co.uk/threads/guinea-pig-body-quirks.58854/

 

[LisaAli]

Hi to the forum...

 

[Raff :-)]

Hi everyone
Thank you for your quick replies already. Our piggies are indoor ones, but think I will keep putting hay in their house as it's cute hearing them munching. We've also got a hay in a box , stuffed kitchen roll tube and a small dangling ball (ideas from this forum) Sven seems to like going into the box, diving into the hay and munching it completely immersed. It was just the powdery sawdust that bothered my asthma, the hay seems fine. Thank you for your veg rota. I think I'm going to write a rota menu. So we know what to buy.

 

[sport_billy]

Hi everyone
Thank you for your quick replies already. Our piggies are indoor ones, but think I will keep putting hay in their house as it's cute hearing them munching. We've also got a hay in a box , stuffed kitchen roll tube and a small dangling ball (ideas from this forum) Sven seems to like going into the box, diving into the hay and munching it completely immersed. It was just the powdery sawdust that bothered my asthma, the hay seems fine. Thank you for your veg rota. I think I'm going to write a rota menu. So we know what to buy.

They sound very pampered

 

[Chief Guinea Pig]

Hi there, welcome to the forum.

 

[7squeakers.]

Sounds like these two boys are going to have a very good life, with people who care about them. Lucky boys!

 

[aimzer]

Congrats on the new piggies and welcome to the forum.
Guinea ownership will get a bit (if only a teeny bit) easier as you go on with regards to veg and bedding.

The veg I feed is very similar to sport_billy - mixed lettuce (never iceberg), coriander and bell peppers daily. Cucumber maybe every second day and I rotate between celery, carrots, babycorn, green beans and dill. I like to give them a good mix. High calcium veg are fed rarely, maybe something every 1 or 2 months (parsley, spinach, kale).

I currently use cage liners for bedding which is like really thick fleece. If you find that fleece doesn't work for you I could recommend Fitch bedding. I used this before switching to cage liners and it is excellent. Totally dust free and really absorbable

 

[Raff :-)]

We have been so excited about getting our new family members. We have been reading the information on here as a guests and so excited to now be guinea pig owners. The guinea pigs are training us really well. They are so cute! Photos will be posted when they are more settled. Thank you for all your replies.