Veggies

[nlkiser198343]

Is it ok to feed my guinea pigs each a cup of green leaf lettuce every day. I also give them a baby carrot or 2 a day and I started feeding one bell peppers but the other one won't eat them. I was feeding them cucumber but than I found out they were waxed and was worried about it being bad for them. So is this a good diet along with oxbow Timothy hay and oxbow Timothy pellets. Plus I give them vitamin c cookies.

 

[Piggies&buns]

Each piggy should have one cup of veg per pig per day.
Please do not feed carrots once a day - that is far far too much. Carrots are far too high in sugar and are unhealthy. If you are going to give carrot, then it should just be one thin slice (never give a whole carrot) and don’t give it more than once a week. The only time mine get carrots are the peelings at Christmas.

Pellets should be just one tablespoon per pig per day.

You don’t need to give vitamin c. Piggies should get all they need from their normal diet. We do not recommend supplementing vitamin c over and beyond their normal veg diet due to the fact excess vit c is simply excreted in the urine. Long term over supplementation can cause health issues if the level then drops.

Please do read this guide
Long Term Balanced General And Special Needs Guinea Pig Diets

 

[nlkiser198343]

Each piggy should have one cup of veg per pig per day.
Please do not feed carrots once a day - that is far far too much. Carrots are far too high in sugar and are unhealthy. If you are going to give carrot, then it should just be one thin slice (never give a whole carrot) and don’t give it more than once a week. The only time mine get carrots are the peelings at Christmas.

Pellets should be just one tablespoon per pig per day.

You don’t need to give vitamin c. Piggies should get all they need from their normal diet. We do not recommend supplementing vitamin c over and beyond their normal veg diet due to the fact excess vit c is simply excreted in the urine. Long term over supplementation can cause health issues if the level then drops.

Please do read this guide
Long Term Balanced General And Special Needs Guinea Pig Diets

Should I just stick with lettuce then or are there other veggies I can give them daily? I thought of trying broccoli. I read bell peppers were really good but so far only of my pigs eats them the other nibbled a little and spit it out.

 

[nlkiser198343]

I read bell peppers are good but so far only one of my pigs eats them. The other nibbled once and spit it out.

 

[Piggies&buns]

Should I just stick with lettuce then or are there other veggies I can give them daily? I thought of trying broccoli.

Just giving lettuce will not provide a range of nutrients so do add in other things. Safe daily veggies are lettuce, coriander, cucumber and bell pepper.
My four piggies only get these four veggies routinely. I occasionally add in another item if ive got it in the fridge.

Broccoli is fine but it should also only one small amount occasionally. It is a member of the brassica family and can cause gas to build up.

A small slice of pepper is good - it provides vitamin c. It can take multiple tries at a new food before they accept it though

Please do read the green links I added as they explain the healthy diet more fully.

 

[nlkiser198343]

Just giving lettuce will not provide a range of nutrients so do add in other things. Safe daily veggies are lettuce, coriander, cucumber and bell pepper.
My four piggies only get these four veggies routinely. I occasionally add in another item if ive got it in the fridge.

Broccoli is fine but it should also only one small amount occasionally. It is a member of the brassica family and can cause gas to build up.

A small slice of pepper is good - it provides vitamin c. It can take multiple tries at a new food before they accept it though

Please do read the green links I added as they explain the healthy diet more fully.

I read a lot of places say cilantro, and parsley were good daily or 4-5 x a week vegetables and they both eat bell peppers now. I think I'm gonna try those. Kale to I read was good.

 

[Piggies&buns]

I read a lot of places say cilantro, and parsley were good daily or 4-5 x a week vegetables and they both eat bell peppers now. I think I'm gonna try those. Kale to I read was good.

Parsley and kale are fine to be given, they are good for vitamin c, but they are both very high in calcium so need to be fed sparingly. They can have a small amount once a week.

As I said the veggies which can be fed daily are lettuce, cucumber, Cilantro/coriander and bell pepper. Anything else needs to be kept in moderation (once or twice a week) and rotated for variety.

When it comes to high calcium veggies I only give them to my piggies if I’m buying them for us humans. Spinach (high calcium) for example - piggies will get a couple of leaves that week but I’ve bought it for a planned meal for us.

When it comes to calcium intake it’s about finding a balance which is right for your local area. Most calcium comes into the diet via pellets and drinking water. Piggies excrete excess calcium
In the urine. You will see the urine leaves white patches on the bedding. If the white patches feel gritty then they are getting too much calcium and are at risk of potential bladder health problems. However bladder issues are a genetic issue also but you can only control their diet. So, make sure you filter their drinking water and importantly keep their pellets to just one tablespoon per pig per day. High calcium veggies should be kept limited but are ok to be given in moderation.

 

[Betsy]

My piggies get lettuce (not iceberg) cucumber, bell pepper, aubergine (egg plant), and coriander (cilantro) daily. For a treat they get a bit of banana skin or a blueberry occasionally. They also like strawberry tops.

 

[nlkiser198343]

Parsley and kale are fine to be given, they are good for vitamin c, but they are both very high in calcium so need to be fed sparingly. They can have a small amount once a week.

As I said the veggies which can be fed daily are lettuce, cucumber, Cilantro/coriander and bell pepper. Anything else needs to be kept in moderation (once or twice a week) and rotated for variety.

When it comes to high calcium veggies I only give them to my piggies if I’m buying them for us humans. Spinach (high calcium) for example - piggies will get a couple of leaves that week but I’ve bought it for a planned meal for us.

When it comes to calcium intake it’s about finding a balance which is right for your local area. Most calcium comes into the diet via pellets and drinking water. Piggies excrete excess calcium
In the urine. You will see the urine leaves white patches on the bedding. If the white patches feel gritty then they are getting too much calcium and are at risk of potential bladder health problems. However bladder issues are a genetic issue also but you can only control their diet. So, make sure you filter their drinking water and importantly keep their pellets to just one tablespoon per pig per day. High calcium veggies should be kept limited but are ok to be given in moderation.

I did notice a white patch on the divider ramp that's in there cage. The first bag I bought was fiesta pellets which I found out recently were bad and has alot of seeds and corn and other dried fruit. Can't believe they'd put daily feeding amount half a cup on that. I just switched to oxbow all natural pellets. I use fleece for bedding so idk if it would show on that.

 

[nlkiser198343]

I

I did notice a white patch on the divider ramp that's in there cage. The first bag I bought was fiesta pellets which I found out recently were bad and has alot of seeds and corn and other dried fruit. Can't believe they'd put daily feeding amount half a cup on that. I just switched to oxbow all natural pellets. I use fleece for bedding so idk if it would show on that.

 

[nlkiser198343]

Most things I read said 8th cup of pellets a day which just fills there bowl. Idk if that's equivalent to a table spoon

 

[Betsy]

I keep a tablespoon measure in the food tin to make sure Lexi and Thea get the correct amount of pellets daily.

 

[Piggies&buns]

Most things I read said 8th cup of pellets a day which just fills their bowl. Idk if that's equivalent to a table spoon

1/8 of a cup looks to convert to two US tablespoons (or 1.66 imperial tablespoons) so if you are giving them a 1/8 of a cup each then they are likely getting too much.

One 1/8 of a cup once a day for them to share is fine (that means they will be getting 1/16th of a cup or one tablespoon each).

It can be a good enrichment exercise for them to not use bowls at all. simply scatter their tablespoon portion each through a pile of hay or just in the cage so they have to forage for it. It keeps them occupied and gives them to chance to use their foraging abilities. Particularly as it seems your piggies are boys - making sure they don’t have any reason to bicker over anything or food hog, and having a large cage (180x60cm recommended but 150x60cm as a minimum) is important for a boar pair.

I did notice a white patch on the divider ramp that's in their cage. The first bag I bought was fiesta pellets which I found out recently were bad and has alot of seeds and corn and other dried fruit. Can't believe they'd put daily feeding amount half a cup on that. I just switched to oxbow all natural pellets. I use fleece for bedding so idk if it would show on that.

It absolutely would show on fleece and is in fact much easier to spot on fleece than any other bedding

 

[nlkiser198343]

Each piggy should have one cup of veg per pig per day.
Please do not feed carrots once a day - that is far far too much. Carrots are far too high in sugar and are unhealthy. If you are going to give carrot, then it should just be one thin slice (never give a whole carrot) and don’t give it more than once a week. The only time mine get carrots are the peelings at Christmas.

Pellets should be just one tablespoon per pig per day.

You don’t need to give vitamin c. Piggies should get all they need from their normal diet. We do not recommend supplementing vitamin c over and beyond their normal veg diet due to the fact excess vit c is simply excreted in the urine. Long term over supplementation can cause health issues if the level then drops.

Please do read this guide
Long Term Balanced General And Special Needs Guinea Pi

1/8 of a cup looks to convert to two US tablespoons (or 1.66 imperial tablespoons) so if you are giving them a 1/8 of a cup each then they are likely getting too much.

One 1/8 of a cup once a day for them to share is fine (that means they will be getting 1/16th of a cup or one tablespoon each).

It can be a good enrichment exercise for them to not use bowls at all. simply scatter their tablespoon portion each through a pile of hay or just in the cage so they have to forage for it. It keeps them occupied and gives them to chance to use their foraging abilities. Particularly as it seems your piggies are boys - making sure they don’t have any reason to bicker over anything or food hog, and having a large cage (180x60cm recommended but 150x60cm as a minimum) is important for a boar pair.



It absolutely would show on fleece and is in fact much easier to spot on fleece than any other bedding

I was also wondering about fresh grass from outside. Is this the same as hay? Last couple days I've been picking grass from my back yard and making half there cage into a jungle with it. They seem to love eating and playing in it maybe more than the hay. No pesticides or anything get in my grass and a lawn mower hasn't touched it in at least 6 months

 

[Siikibam]

Grass is good. Just be careful to introduce it slowly if they’ve never eaten it before. So a small handful to start and slowly build up the amount every day.

 

[Piggies&buns]

I was also wondering about fresh grass from outside. Is this the same as hay? Last couple days I've been picking grass from my back yard and making half their cage into a jungle with it. They seem to love eating and playing in it maybe more than the hay. No pesticides or anything get in my grass and a lawn mower hasn't touched it in at least 6 months

It is their natural diet and is very good for them - it is hay like in that it also wears down their teeth and their guts are designed to function on a grass diet. However they need to be introduced to it slowly if they haven’t had it before - a small handful at a time an build it up over a matter of weeks.
Fresh grass - particularly rich, spring time growth - has the potential to cause digestive upsets if not built up slowly.
Summer grass is more hay like as it’s drier. Winter grass is lower in nutrients.

Feeding Grass And Preparing Your Piggies For Lawn Time

 

[nlkiser198343]

Grass is good. Just be careful to introduce it slowly if they’ve never eaten it before. So a small handful to start and slowly build up the amount every

Grass is good. Just be careful to introduce it slowly if they’ve never eaten it before. So a small handful to start and slowly build up the amount every day

It is their natural diet and is very good for them - it is hay like in that it also wears down their teeth and their guts are designed to function on a grass diet. However they need to be introduced to it slowly if they haven’t had it before - a small handful at a time an build it up over a matter of weeks.
Fresh grass - particularly rich, spring time growth - has the potential to cause digestive upsets if not built up slowly.
Summer grass is more hay like as it’s drier. Winter grass is lower in nutrients.

Feeding Grass And Preparing Your Piggies For Lawn Time

I was hoping since there snack log is stuffed with hay they would just eat what little bit they want and burrow through the rest but I will start small

 

[Piggies&buns]

I was hoping since there snack log is stuffed with hay they would just eat what little bit they want and burrow through the rest but I will start small

Piggies will eat and eat - you need to portion control it when adding something new into the diet.

They are fine to have lots of grass once they are used to it. I acclimatise my boys to grass every spring time by putting them on the lawn for increasing time periods, start with 10 minutes a day for a week, increasing it to 20 minutes a day for a week etc etc until come the beginning of summer they are spending 14 hours a day on the lawn.

 

[Pound Shilling & Pig]

Most things I read said 8th cup of pellets a day which just fills there bowl. Idk if that's equivalent to a table spoon

When I have measured and then weighed a tablespoon it weighs 8g
Grass once introduced carefully is the very best thing for them to eat as it is what they have evolved to do.

 

[nlkiser198343]

Piggies will eat and eat - you need to portion control it when adding something new into the diet.

They are fine to have lots of grass once they are used to it. I acclimatise my boys to grass every spring time by putting them on the lawn for increasing time periods, start with 10 minutes a day for a week, increasing it to 20 minutes a day for a week etc etc until come the beginning of summer they are spending 14 hours a day on the lawn.

Can somebody identify these I got at a restraint. I wanted to try them for my guineas. My guess is the long piece is cilantro? My grandma says the other 2 are radish and lime?

 

[Piggies&buns]

Can somebody identify these I got at a restraint. I wanted to try them for my guineas. My guess is the long piece is cilantro? My grandma says the other 2 are radish and lime?

The long one looks almost unidentifiable? but it looks more like asparagus than coriander/cilantro to me?

The red one looks to be radish. They can only eat that if it is mild. As a very strong tasting veg, a lot of piggies wont like it.

The other does look like lime. I would not give this at all to be honest. Citrus fruit is best avoided given the risk of cheilitis

 

[Siikibam]

Given they weren’t used to eating veg, I would stick to the staples mentioned earlier for now.

 

[nlkiser198343]

So that almost filled my cup. I've been giving them that much twice a day. Along with a strip or 2 of bell pepper and slices of cucumber. I'll have to get some cilantro. Does that sound proper? There hay logs always full and I drop a table spoon of pellets twice a day since there's 2?

 

[Piggies&buns]

Yes one cup of veg per pig per day and one tablespoon of pellets per pig per day.

I don’t know what you mean by a hay log. Make sure there are large loose piles of hay on the floor so they can get right inside a pile of hay to freely forage and play inside it.

 

[Siikibam]

1 lettuce leaf each is day is enough. If the lettuce leaves are big then you can give half each.

Have a look at the link below to get an idea of a good portion size per piggy.
Long Term Balanced General And Special Needs Guinea Pig Diets

 

[nlkiser198343]

Yes one cup of veg per pig per day and one tablespoon of pellets per pig per day.

I don’t know what you mean by a hay log. Make sure there are large loose piles of hay on the floor so they can get right inside a pile of hay to freely forage and play inside it.

A lot of sources said most of there hay should be in a feeder because if they pee on it they don't eat it. At first I had a metal one but I heard these logs were better because it's also a tunnel. They also say there pellets should be in a bowl but they don't like the bowl. I got a lot of my info from scottysanimals YouTube channel at LA guinea pig rescue. Same guy advises 1 and 1/2 cup to 2 cups of veggies for guineas tho so idk. Everybody's got different info. They kinda make there own piles of hay

 

[nlkiser198343]

A lot of sources said most of there hay should be in a feeder because if they pee on it they don't eat it. At first I had a metal one but I heard these logs were better because it's also a tunnel. They also say there pellets should be in a bowl but they don't like the bowl. I got a lot of my info from scottysanimals YouTube channel at LA guinea pig rescue. Same guy advises 1 and 1/2 cup to 2 cups of veggies for guineas tho so idk. Everybody's got different info. They kinda make there own piles of hay

I think I'm probly stuffing it to much tho now you mention loose

 

[Piggies&buns]

A lot of sources said most of there hay should be in a feeder because if they pee on it they don't eat it. At first I had a metal one but I heard these logs were better because it's also a tunnel. They also say there pellets should be in a bowl but they don't like the bowl. I got a lot of my info from scottysanimals YouTube channel at LA guinea pig rescue. Same guy advises 1 and 1/2 cup to 2 cups of veggies for guineas tho so idk. Everybody's got different info

I disagree it should be in a feeder. Large loose piles of hay provide a lot of benefits for enrichment and foraging. Hay is so much more than just a food source. It doesn’t matter if it gets urinated on. Wet hay should be removed daily and topped up with fresh hay.
I haven’t used hay racks or feeders in 35 years of small animal keeping.
I literally fill my hutches with hay, it is in no way restricted. Sometimes I struggle to find my piggies - they’ve nestled themselves in the hay for eating, sleeping in.

Pellets absolutely do not need to be in a bowl. Not using a bowl and scattering it amongst hay piles provides more opportunities for foraging. It means that their meal times are exercise for body and brain. Sitting mindlessly eating from a bowl removes all need to use their brains to find their food.

 

[nlkiser198343]

Yes one cup of veg per pig per day and one tablespoon of pellets per pig per day.

I don’t know what you mean by a hay log. Make sure there are large loose piles of hay on the floor so they can get right inside a pile of hay to freely forage and play inside it.

I try to only keep the hay on one side so I can easily clean all there poop out of there sleep side each day but maybe I should put a pile on that side to then

 

[Piggies&buns]

I try to only keep the hay on one side so I can easily clean all there poop out of there sleep side each day but maybe I should put a pile on that side to then

I would remove that tunnel thing and just throw the hay directly in that side of the cage.
they can’t use it as a tunnel if it is so tightly stuffed with hay and it also restricts their ability to get to the hay