Switching my guinea pig’s pellets

Vanessa_bee29

Vanessa_bee29

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Hello, I recently got another guinea pig from my friend who could no longer care for him because her daughters became allergic to him. They had him for about 5 years. They also gave me his cage, pellets, hay etc. I will note that he earned his name “Fat Potato” for a reason. He is BIG! Anyway the pellets they were feeding him were some generic pet store pellets with the colorful “cereal” bits. I don’t like those pellets because it’s not good for them and it makes their poop stink lol. So I want to switch him over to the pellets I’m feeding my other guinea pig, which is the Oxbow Essentials Adult Guinea Pig food. (I do feed my guinea pigs veggies in the morning and at night not just pellets) But when I try putting it in his bowl he’s not interested and he tips his bowl over. I also tried giving him a bit of the cereal pellets mixed with the oxbow pellets and he still just eats the cereal bits. Does anyone have any ideas what to do? I’d much appreciate it
 
It’s really just a case of tough love here - just don’t give him any more of the cereal mix (throw the whole lot in the bin). When you continue to offer them, he is going to want to pick those bits out because they are the sweetest and therefore unhealthiest.
You can offer one tablespoon per pig per day of the oxbow but if he doesn’t want to eat them then it really doesn’t matter. Piggies do not need to eat any pellets at all so as long as he is filling up on hay, he will be absolutely fine.
 
Piggies&buns said:
It’s really just a case of tough love here - just don’t give him any more of the cereal mix (throw the whole lot in the bin). When you continue to offer them, he is going to want to pick those bits out because they are the sweetest and therefore unhealthiest.
You can offer one tablespoon per pig per day of the oxbow but if he doesn’t want to eat them then it really doesn’t matter. Piggies do not need to eat any pellets at all so as long as he is filling up on hay, he will be absolutely fine.
Click to expand...
Ok thank you! So pellets are not essential to their diet? That’s reassuring I was worried he was starving himself all day
 
Vanessa_bee29 said:
Ok thank you! So pellets are not essential to their diet? That’s reassuring I was worried he was starving himself all day
Click to expand...

No they are the least important part of the diet. The serve their purpose in bridging nutrition but if they are fed plenty of hay, grass and variety of veggies then they don’t need pellets at all.
They shouldn’t be left with access pellets all day in any event - one tablespoon per day only

I only give mine 5 pellets each and I only give them twice a week as treats.

Wiebke

Thread 'Long Term Balanced General And Special Needs Guinea Pig Diets'

1 The recommended ratio of food groups
2 Hay and fresh grass
3 Vegetables, fresh herbs and fruit with an illustrated balanced sample diet
4 Special dietary needs
- Urinary tract infections, bladder stones and sterile IC (non-bacterial interstitial cystitis)
- Diabetes and long term digestive problems
- Impaction in boars
- Pregnancy and nursing dietary tweaks (only visible to registered members who have accepted our no intentional breeding policy)...
  • Like
 
Piggies&buns said:
No they are the least important part of the diet. The serve their purpose in bridging nutrition but if they are fed plenty of hay, grass and variety of veggies then they don’t need pellets at all.
They shouldn’t be left with access pellets all day in any event - one tablespoon per day only

I only give mine 5 pellets each and I only give them twice a week as treats.

Wiebke

Thread 'Long Term Balanced General And Special Needs Guinea Pig Diets'

1 The recommended ratio of food groups
2 Hay and fresh grass
3 Vegetables, fresh herbs and fruit with an illustrated balanced sample diet
4 Special dietary needs
- Urinary tract infections, bladder stones and sterile IC (non-bacterial interstitial cystitis)
- Diabetes and long term digestive problems
- Impaction in boars
- Pregnancy and nursing dietary tweaks (only visible to registered members who have accepted our no intentional breeding policy)...
  • Like
Click to expand...
That’s very helpful thank you - I’ll make note of it
 
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