Vitamin C

[Bay]

I got my guinea pigs last week and they do not seem to like veggies. At all.

For now they like apples and grapes, their hay and pellets.

I know that I have to give them a lot of vitamin c so I sliced up some oranges. They wont touch it. I bought some treats, citrus c tangerine dream. They wont touch that either.

I will try parsley and red bell peppers but I doubt they will eat it. What else can I try?

I think they have a sweet tooth, like mommy! However I love veggies too..

I just want to give them a great and spoiled life.

 

[Banana]

You need to be feeding them greens. I would try cucumber to start with, piggies seem to love that. Also cabbage, broccoli, carrots and freshly picked grass.

Take a look at this thread: http://www.theguineapigforum.co.uk/showthread.php?t=30297
which holds some very useful information about what ratio you should be feeding things in.

And BE PERSISTENT! Piggies can be like faddy children about new foods. Mine took some persuading to eat peppers and carrot, I added a couple of tiny pieces to their food bowl day after day with no more than the very occasional nibble, but now they've come round and will eat them happily.

But definitely cucumber. Piggies really do seem to like it, it's full of water and has a fairly low calcium content so it's safe to feed every day.

Oh, and I'd try and cut back on the fruit as soon as you've got them eating other things. Fruit is sugary and can make them put on weight - it should be more occasional than every meal.

 

[Laura-CCC4]

Parsley and dill are huge hits with many piggies. Not all, but those who do love it, love it a lot! Worth trying the highest Vit C veg first. The method I use it to try one new food 2-3 times daily for three days. Leave it with them for as long as it remains fairly fresh and unspoiled. If no luck after 3 days, give them a day of stuff they like and then try a different food with the same method.

It can be a long road. Young piggies tend fall into two categories: adventurous and not fussy at all, or too stubborn to even look at a new food! I used to think adult pigs were the most difficult to introduce new foods to...maybe I have been lucky, but I found all my adults (all rescued) accepted anything they were given. Although the youngest pigs also ate almost anything without question...I think I've been lucky. rolleyes

 

[Wiebke]

Just persist; never try more than one new food at any time. And then try again with the same food later on. And again, And again... Most guinea pigs will come around eventually. As long as they are eating hay and pellets you need not worry about them running up a big deficit. Also make sure of not giving them a lot at first, as they might get the runs from too much fresh food on a digestive system that is not used to cope with it.

Many piggies from a breeder or a shop have never had a veg in their life and have to discover first that it is something edbile!

Have an eye out on whether they are drinking; it might be best if you had both a bottle and a water bowl out (will need changing at least once or twice a day, and don't be surprised if they use it as a toiletl!). Many youngsters haven't figured out yet how to drink.

Could you get hold of some grass or dandelion that has guaranteed not been peed on by a dog? More often than not, they LOVE grass!

 

[ajb]

Are they still in the 'petrified' phase? If so, then you can try just sticking it in their mouths. Get something with a reasonably strong stalk, like mint or parsley, and stick it in stalk first. She will probably just sit there with the food hanging out, but if you then stroke her or rub the top of her head, she may start eating it.

 

[Bay]

I've been trying everything with the cucumber and lettuce. I've been trying to stick it in their mouths, they nibble on it and taste it and then they put their paws on it so show that they do not want it.

I cut them in tiny pieces, put them in their food bowl..nothing.