Spring greens -where do they fit into piggy diet?

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kayemerton

kayemerton

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Hi all

I am slowly getting my head around feeding the piggies but in the list on the Sticky Weibke set up i cant find Spring greens- are they safe? Also what about green beans? Trying to sort a routine for them of when to feed them what and make sure they get everything. Am thinking of getting some Readigrass for them to top up as we are low on grass that hasn't had dogs on it and will be a while before they are in a run. I have given them the Excel Fresh Herbahe with Timothy Hay everyday but not sure if that is enough hay for them as mixing in with their bedding hay. Any suggestions?
 
Green beans and readigrass are both big favourites here. I can't get much fresh grass so I like to supplement the hay with something else; readigrass is relatively cheap and easily available, although I'll get some Oxbow Orchard Grass when I can afford it next. :)
 
Gosh there is so much to think about getting a bit overwhelmed by it all! I don't think i shall get time to be weighing veg and herbs and the choice of foods is really confusing me too! Arghhh! Currently on Allen and Page mix which they do seem to pick at and also worried they haven't drunk from the water bottle as haven't seen them near it yet. I know they had a bottle where they came from but should i be worried about it or do you think they will be having some at night?
 
I think you can tie yourself up in knots worrying about guinea pig diets (and spend a fortune). I try to make sure I give a good variety and not too much of any one thing. I only give fruit once or twice a week and don't give kale and spinach at the same time.
There's only me and the pigs here so I have to be sensible about what we can eat up between us. I have learned to like cabbage and kale so that things don't get thrown away and now buy the 'value' peppers because the pigs don't care what they look like. :(|)
My girls drink hardly any water but they pee loads so I guess they get enough fluids through their food.
 
Hey, don't overdo it!

These are only guidelines; and for healthy piggies, you do not have to be absolutely exact - only when you have a bladder stone piggy. I works if you just measure out the rough amount of each veg once and then go by what we call in German "wrist times pi". I usually go by the "handful" and if I have something special or extra, like melon or dandelion from the border etc., the piggies get that as well!

It's the same with hay and pellets - any good quality will basically do.

I grew up with guinea pigs who lived a very healthy, happy life (apart from a couple of tummy upset) until nearly ten years old on what we would nowadays think of as a bad diet and unacceptable conditions. Then, nobody knew better - and piggies still thrived and were often more long lived than today's!
 
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I think the only thing to bear in mind is that things like celery, cucumber, carrots etc are fairly concentrated in terms of weight - ie a far smaller looking amount would make up 10g, than would 10g of, say, kale, herbs etc - you'd get quite a pile for the 10g, rather than one small slice of cucumber.

But yes, try not to worry too much. None of us really knows the perfect piggy diet anyway.
 
Wiebke said:
I grew up with guinea pigs who lived a very healthy, happy life (apart from a couple of tummy upset) until nearly ten years old on what we would nowadays think of as a bad diet and unacceptable conditions. Then, nobody knew better - and piggies still thrived and were often more long lived than today's!
Click to expand...

Had to smile at this Wiebke.
My first pigs lived to 7+ & 8+ & ate petshop muesli, hay, spring greens, carrots, grass & dandies (not every day), lived in a hutch outside (no run) that was far too small by todays standards & bedded on shavings with straw in their bed side in winter.
In their lives only one of them saw the vet once when he was neutered & again when he had a hay poke injury.
 
Niki said:
Had to smile at this Wiebke.
My first pigs lived to 7+ & 8+ & ate petshop muesli, hay, spring greens, carrots, grass & dandies (not every day), lived in a hutch outside (no run) that was far too small by todays standards & bedded on shavings with straw in their bed side in winter.
In their lives only one of them saw the vet once when he was neutered & again when he had a hay poke injury.
Click to expand...

I often think of that with my childhood rabbit! :))
 
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