Timothy Based, High Fibre and Low Calcium Pellets?

[Pigglywinks]

Hi guys so this is my first post. I have 4 boars who range in age from 2-4 and I am currently looking into changing their pellets as 2 of them have previously had problems with excess calcium and grit, 1 of my boys also passed an extremely small stone back in 2010. I currently feed them Burgess Excel Oregano and Blackcurrant pellets and my one extremely picky boar has Burgess Excel Tasty Nuggets with Mint. They generally get around 2 full eggcups of pellets per day each; I've heard that they should only be getting 1 eggcup full each? Though when poured into a bowl this doesn't seem like much and is devoured within minutes!

I have only just also found out that Burgess Excel uses alfalfa (never realised that Lucerne is alfalfa, doh!) and am concerned about the calcium content as according to the Burgess website, the blackcurrant variety contains 0.8% of calcium, 0.5% phosphorous and only 15% fibre whilst the tasty nuggets contain 0.9% calcium, 0.5% phosphorous and 17% fibre. I am also slightly concerned about the use of soya, beet pulp, maize and wheat, aren't these just used as bulk fillers?

I have been doing an awful lot of research on the internet and am thinking about trying them on a grainless pelleted food made out of natural ingredients. I've been looking at a variety of different foods and am on the quest of finding a timothy based, high fibre but low calcium pellet. Here are the foods I'm currently looking at:

• Vitakraft Emotion Professional Prebiotic: http://www.zooplus.co.uk/shop/small_pets/food/guinea_pig/vitakraft/262148

• Bunny MeadowFeast Herbs for Guinea Pigs: http://www.zooplus.co.uk/shop/small_pets/food/guinea_pig/bunny/195681 (though this does contain corn and various brans and meal, though is largely made up of tons of different vegetation)

• JR Farm Grainless Complete Guinea Pig: http://www.zooplus.co.uk/shop/small_pets/food/guinea_pig/jr_farm/178336 (no grains, largely made up of different grasses, though am slightly worried about bean flakes?)

I have heard lots of good things about Oxbow Cavy Cuisine due to hay fibre content and the fact it is timothy based, however it does have quite a bit of soya and also has added limestone as well as calcium iodate, the maximum calcium content is 0.85%.

http://www.oxbowanimalhealth.com/products/animal/detail?object=1582

Lastly there are Kleenmama's pellets which look quite good but am not sure whether I could have them shipped to the UK? Please could you tell me what you think of these foods, what your own experiences are with using them and also whether you have any other suggestions of food I could try. I'm really paranoid that my boys aren't getting the best nutrition they could possibly have. (I have also tried them with FibaFirst but only 2 would try them!)

Thanks so much for reading, I realise it's quite a long and lengthy post!

 

[Amanda1801]

Wow you've done a lot of research! Welcome to the forum

I think the main thing is finding something they will actually eat! It's all very well and good (in my experience) finding something that on paper, is really good for them, but then to find they don't eat it, much like the fibafirst (mine won't touch it either!).

You could try emailing the companies that produce those foods and request a free sample, see if they will eat it, and then go from there. Most will send out a free sample, or some money off vouchers

If you're concerned about the levels of calcium in their diet, they don't *need* to eat commercial food (although they sound like they clearly enjoy them ) as long as they're getting a good quality hay in unlimited quantities, and a good selection of veg.

If you decide to stick to the burgess pellets, the amount that you feed really depends on your pigs. Mine get offered varying amounts as 2 of them are fat and 2 of them aren't, the non-fat ones are older, etc. etc. etc. The older ones get theirs twice a day in their bowl, the fat pair get a smaller amount once a day, but rather than offering it in a bowl, I scatter it about. Not only does it take them longer to eat it, but it induces natural forraging behaviours.

I don't know if you've seen this stickied thread, but you may find it interesting http://www.theguineapigforum.co.uk/showthread.php?t=30297

 

[Poppy'sMum]

I will say the Oxbow Cavy Cuisine are expensive & mine don't really like them that much. Are you in the US or UK?

 

[Bekki]

You could try emailing the companies that produce those foods and request a free sample, see if they will eat it, and then go from there. Most will send out a free sample, or some money off vouchers

Ive just done this and I am getting a sample of selective science, fibafirst, voucher for money off harringtons, burgess oregano and thats all for now :-)

 

[Pigglywinks]

I'm in the UK so if I bought oxbow I would have to get it online, I've seen it on the hay experts but it costs nearly £13.00 for a 2.25Kg bag, I don't mind paying that bit extra as long as its all good stuff.

 

[Abi_nurse]

I would have to agree with Amanda that they do not neccessarily need commercial pellets at all. What veg are you feeding them this can also be a contributing factor, for example, curly kale and spinach are very high in calcium so best to completely take them out of your boys diet.

x

 

[Pigglywinks]

They don't like spinach and rarely get kale, a couple of times a year at most. They have a mix of mainly cucumber, pepper, romaine lettuce, pak choi, dill, parsnips, carrots and the odd bit of apple. The carrot and apple they get twice a week at most, the dill is usually a once or twice a week thing. They never get parsley due to it giving my 2 of them gas. Cabbage isn't often either due to bloat issues and none of them really like fruit, one will eat a grape now and again but that's about it.

 

[Amanda1801]

I could be wrong, but I think pak choi is quite high in calcium?

 

[Pigglywinks]

The pak choi they only get a couple of leaves a week each and it is one of their favourites.

 

[Pigglywinks]

I forgot, they also sometimes get basil, chicory and extremely small amounts of dried pineapple and papaya. Can't think of what else they get, though there's bound to be more.