Weekly Veg Feeding Routine

[lovelly22]

Hi I have 8 guinea pigs and have owned guinea pigs for many years. I have two groups of 3 piggies and one boy pair (all ranging from ages of 1 year to 6 years). I just wanted to ask whether the food I give my guinea pigs each week is good or not. I’ve been doing the same routine for many years and all my pigs are completely healthy in general, in weight, no calcium deposits etc, just thought I should ask and see what you guys think! See below:

- Monday: Red cabbage, cucumber, green peppers, apple and romaine lettuce
- Tuesday: Carrot, cucumber and Kale
- Wednesday: Red/yellow/orange peppers, carrot and spring greens
- Thursday: Carrot, broccoli, cucumber and Romaine lettuce
- Friday: Red cabbage, cucumber, green peppers, apple and kale
- Saturday: Red/yellow/orange peppers, carrot and spring greens
- Sunday: Carrot, broccoli, cucumber and romaine lettuce

I won’t include exact amounts of each veg but it’s one cup per piggie with the leafy greens on top.
I basically do a rotation of food so they get a variety and worked out a few years ago how often they should have each veg. These are the veggies they all love the best. They obviously get loads of hay every day, 20-30g of nuggets per pig a day and each morning they get one romaine lettuce leaf each as a snack. I give grass every now and then. I also give pea flake treats every couple of days.

I am open to changing my feeding routine, although there are some veggies I’ve tried them on and they don’t like them. Also, I try and avoid veggies I can’t buy in bulk or ones I have to give in small amounts only once or twice a week as I have so many piggies I don’t want the food to go off.

Any advice would be appreciated and welcome

 

[Claire W]

It all looks good to me but I’d cut back on the carrot which I see you are feeding daily and apple as these are very sugary and is like eating a bar of chocolate. You can feed peppers, cucumber, lettuce and coriander daily x

 

[lovelly22]

It all looks good to me but I’d cut back on the carrot which I see you are feeding daily and apple as these are very sugary and is like eating a bar of chocolate. You can feed peppers, cucumber, lettuce and coriander daily x

Thanks for the reply! So I don't feed carrot on Mondays and Fridays but I guess that’s still quite often, I can cut back on that. The apple is only on the Monday and Friday, and only a slice per two piggies, so I thought that’s ok as it’s a treat twice a week and fruit is ok for them in small quantities. They don’t get any other fruits routinely, only the occasional strawberry top or small banana peel, but that’s only once a month at most. I think I may add in some coriander though - does that count as a leafy green? x

 

[Posyrose]

I agree with @Claire W . Also, you're feeding a brassica (cabbage family) daily, which might not be best, but I'll wait for someone more knowledgeable to advise about those .

How about trying some herbs. Mine love their herbs. Coriander can be given everyday and I alternate a second type of herb: they love parsley, mint, basil and dill. I haven't tried any others.

 

[lovelly22]

I agree with @Claire W . Also, you're feeding a brassica (cabbage family) daily, which might not be best, but I'll wait for someone more knowledgeable to advise about those .

How about trying some herbs. Mine love their herbs. Coriander can be given everyday and I alternate a second type of herb: they love parsley, mint, basil and dill. I haven't tried any others.

I'm going to try cutting down on the carrot, maybe doing that twice a week instead or 3 times. The apple I think I’ll keep as it’s only a small amount twice a week.

What counts as a brassica? Is that the lettuce kale and spring greens? I thought they’re meant to have leafy greens everyday so I alternate between those two. I only give the red cabbage twice a week and a very small amount anyway as they don’t too much of it.

I’m definitely going to add in the coriander as that seems like a good addition (if they like it ) I’ve tried them on parsley and they love it, although I’ve heard it should only be given once or twice a week at most as it’s very high in calcium? I’ve tried mint on them and only the boys like it not the girls (so weird!) so I only give that to the boys every now and then as a treat. I can try basil and dill on them, then if they like it they can have either of those every other day!
Thank you!

 

[lovelly22]

I'm going to try cutting down on the carrot, maybe doing that twice a week instead or 3 times. The apple I think I’ll keep as it’s only a small amount twice a week.

What counts as a brassica? Is that the lettuce kale and spring greens? I thought they’re meant to have leafy greens everyday so I alternate between those two. I only give the red cabbage twice a week and a very small amount anyway as they don’t too much of it.

I’m definitely going to add in the coriander as that seems like a good addition (if they like it ) I’ve tried them on parsley and they love it, although I’ve heard it should only be given once or twice a week at most as it’s very high in calcium? I’ve tried mint on them and only the boys like it not the girls (so weird!) so I only give that to the boys every now and then as a treat. I can try basil and dill on them, then if they like it they can have either of those every other day!
Thank you!

“Alternate between those three” And “as they don't eat too much of it” whoops sorry

 

[Posyrose]

Lettuce isn't a brassica but cabbage, kale, broccoli, cauliflower and spring greens are. I'll leave advice about how often to feed them to @piggie, @Wiebke or another moderator. But look at the diet guide in the guinea pig info tab above

 

[Claire W]

Most piggies love coriander Yes the kale, spring greens and cabbage are all brassicas and can be gassy if fed too often. Lettuce can be fed daily and isn’t a brassica and can be your daily portion of leafy veg

Only give the carrot once or twice a week

You may find our diet guide helpful Long Term Balanced General And Special Needs Guinea Pig Diets

 

[Piggies&buns]

I agree also.

I’d personally never give carrot and apple in the same week. They are both too sugary - one or the other in one small amount once a week. (I actually don’t feed either regularly - they get one piece of apple or a blueberry or two in summer and carrot at Christmas when I’m prepping the Xmas dinner!)

Id personally not give kale so much either.

Kale is high in calcium so should not be fed often (again, once a small amount once a week). Calcium contributes to bladder stone formation.
Spring greens are high in oxalates (also contributing to bladder stone formation). An inch strip can be given once a week.

Also, is the 20-30g of pellets per group or per pig?
The recommended amount is one tablespoon per pig per day. When I weighed a tablespoon of the pellets I use it came to just 6g meaning (so I’d give 12g of pellets per pair).

Most calcium come into the diet via pellets and drinking water hence the recommendation to keep pellets strictly limited and to filter drinking water.

I only feed coriander, lettuce, cucumber and peppers. But mine also get fresh forage and grass all day every day in summer. I also don’t feed pellets every day and instead give pellets twice a week in summer and three times a week in winter. I give a dried forage instead

 

[lovelly22]

I agree also.

I’d personally never give carrot and apple in the same week. They are both too sugary - one or the other in one small amount once a week. (I actually don’t feed either regularly - they get one piece of apple or a blueberry or two in summer and carrot at Christmas when I’m prepping the Xmas dinner!)

Id personally not give kale so much either.
Carrot should only be a very occasional treat - a small amount no more than once a week.

Kale is high in calcium so should not be fed often (again, once a small amount once a week). Calcium contributes to bladder stone formation.
Spring greens are high in oxalates (also contributing to bladder stone formation). An inch strip can be given once a week.

Also, is the 20-30g of pellets per group or per pig?
The recommended amount is one tablespoon per pig per day. When I weighed a tablespoon of the pellets I use it came to just 6g meaning (so I’d give 12g of pellets per pair).

Most calcium come into the diet via pellets and drinking water hence the recommendation to keep pellets strictly limited and to filter drinking water.

I only feed coriander, lettuce, cucumber and peppers. But mine also get fresh forage and grass all day every day in summer. I also don’t feed pellets every day and instead give pellets twice a week in summer and three times a week in winter. I give a dried forage instead

Ok so thanks for the advice

Honestly there’s so much conflicting information out there it’s so hard to know what’s best! I honestly had no idea carrot was not meant to be given as often. I’ll limit that to once a week then as they love it so much. I knew kale shouldn’t be as much which is why I did cut down but I’ll cut down further! I also didn’t realise spring greens weren’t great either - that was a recent addition to their diet so maybe I’ll cut that out for now.

I’ll also limit the fruit to once or twice a month.

I think my daily veg will be like yours then (cucumber, peppers, coriander and romaine lettuce). And giving peppers daily - is that any colour peppers? I’ve heard green or yellow can be given daily but not red?
I’ve also heard that it should be one cup of veg and then another cup of greens (e.g lettuce) a day? Or is it one cup of veg including the greens? I also feed mine one leaf of romaine lettuce in the morning as a snack but I think I’ll keep that in as they love their morning snack

So pellets I read in multiple forums and other websites that they should have 20-30g of pellets per pig per day which is what I’ve been doing. But if they’re only meant to have one tablespoon each a day then I’ll cut down to that. They’re on Burgess Excel Mint Nuggets.

Also what does your fresh forage consist of? Is it like a dried herb/forage mix? I can try my piggies on that although years ago I tried them on a dried flower/herb mix and they weren’t interested
I also give grass in the summer, they have it when they’re outside or I’ll sometimes pick some and give it to them. I didn’t want to overdo it with grass so I don’t do it daily - should I in summer? Winter is more difficult so they don’t have much grass then.
And obviously they get lots of hay - a pile for them to sit in and then a large hay bag full.

Thanks for the advice though

 

[Piggies&buns]

Ok so thanks for the advice

Honestly there’s so much conflicting information out there it’s so hard to know what’s best! I honestly had no idea carrot was not meant to be given as often. I’ll limit that to once a week then as they love it so much. I knew kale shouldn’t be as much which is why I did cut down but I’ll cut down further! I also didn’t realise spring greens weren’t great either - that was a recent addition to their diet so maybe I’ll cut that out for now.

I’ll also limit the fruit to once or twice a month.

I think my daily veg will be like yours then (cucumber, peppers, coriander and romaine lettuce). And giving peppers daily - is that any colour peppers? I’ve heard green or yellow can be given daily but not red?
I’ve also heard that it should be one cup of veg and then another cup of greens (e.g lettuce) a day? Or is it one cup of veg including the greens? I also feed mine one leaf of romaine lettuce in the morning as a snack but I think I’ll keep that in as they love their morning snack

So pellets I read in multiple forums and other websites that they should have 20-30g of pellets per pig per day which is what I’ve been doing. But if they’re only meant to have one tablespoon each a day then I’ll cut down to that. They’re on Burgess Excel Mint Nuggets.

Also what does your fresh forage consist of? Is it like a dried herb/forage mix? I can try my piggies on that although years ago I tried them on a dried flower/herb mix and they weren’t interested
I also give grass in the summer, they have it when they’re outside or I’ll sometimes pick some and give it to them. I didn’t want to overdo it with grass so I don’t do it daily - should I in summer? Winter is more difficult so they don’t have much grass then.
And obviously they get lots of hay - a pile for them to sit in and then a large hay bag full.

Thanks for the advice though

Spring greens are fine to give - they contain important nutrients - it’s that, as with anything, moderation is the key.

Any colour pepper is fine.

It is one cup in total. If you have a look at the diet guide Claire added, it shows a sample plate which will give you an idea of the quantities of each item.

One tablespoon of pellets. 20-30g is what the packet usually says but I think you will find it is wildly over one tablespoon which means they’re likely overeating pellets which is empty calories but can also lead to under eating hay.
The less pellets they have; the healthier they are.

I get my dried forage from Piggie Parcels (a small business run by a member of this forum). I buy dried leaves - things like birch, hazel, nettles, dandelion, plantain - as they are my piggies (and bunnies) favourites.

Grass always needs to be built up slowly and gradually. I start around February by bringing handfuls grass to them each day and then increasing the amount slowly. Once the weather gets better they go in their run for a limited amount of time. That time then gets built up by 20-30 mins a day until they are on the grass 12-14 hours continuously by midsummer (unless hit weather and then they are kept inside and only let out morning and evening). They always have hay available to them during their run time.
Grass is their natural food so it’s very good for them

Feeding Grass And Preparing Your Piggies For Lawn Time

 

[lovelly22]

Spring greens are fine to give - they contain important nutrients - it’s that, as with anything, moderation is the key.

Any colour pepper is fine.

It is one cup in total. If you have a look at the diet guide Claire added, it shows a sample plate which will give you an idea of the quantities of each item.

One tablespoon of pellets. 20-30g is what the packet usually says but I think you will find it is wildly over one tablespoon which means they’re likely overeating pellets which is empty calories but can also lead to under eating hay.
The less pellets they have; the healthier they are.

I get my dried forage from Piggie Parcels (a small business run by a member of this forum). I buy dried leaves - things like birch, hazel, nettles, dandelion, plantain - as they are my piggies (and bunnies) favourites.

Grass always needs to be built up slowly and gradually. I start around February by bringing handfuls grass to them each day and then increasing the amount slowly. Once the weather gets better they go in their run for a limited amount of time. That time then gets built up by 20-30 mins a day until they are on the grass 12-14 hours continuously by midsummer (unless hit weather and then they are kept inside and only let out morning and evening). They always have hay available to them during their run time.
Grass is their natural food so it’s very good for them

Feeding Grass And Preparing Your Piggies For Lawn Time

Ok great thanks again! I’m going to go make a new weekly meal plan And I’ll cut down on pellets.
Do you give forage everyday in winter as well? How much do you give them in summer?

 

[Piggies&buns]

Ok great thanks again! I’m going to go make a new weekly meal plan And I’ll cut down on pellets.
Do you give forage everyday in winter as well? How much do you give them in summer?

They get forage every day except pellet days - so 5 days forage and 2 days pellets in summer. 4 days forage and 3 days pellets in winter. Even then their pellets are less than a tablespoon per pig .
How much forage depends on variety - so things like the dandelion is higher in calcium so they get less of that

My piggies live in my shed so I give them the extra day pellets as a boost to their system. (I also give oats to my older piggies for extra calories to help keep them warm).

 

[ScrufflesRules]

I'd love to see some pigtures of your herd.

 

[lovelly22]

I'd love to see some pigtures of your herd.

Of course you can!
Lavender, Pumpkin & Pixie are a female trio (first pic with the bed)
Bilbo, Bluebell & Maple are a male and two female trio
My boy pair Otto & Sherlock

 

[lovelly22]

Hi again
So I’m currently figuring out a new weekly feeding schedule - i prefer to have a plan to follow - here’s what I’ve got so far:

Monday: Parsley, peppers, cucumber, romaine lettuce
Tuesday: Peppers, cucumber, cilantro, red/green lettuce
Wednesday: Carrot, peppers, romaine, spring greens
Thursday: peppers, cucumber, cilantro, red/green leaf lettuce
Friday: kale, peppers, cucumber, romaine
Saturday: Cucumber, cilantro, peppers, red/green leaf lettuce, apple
Sunday: peppers, cucumber, cilantro, romaine, spring greens

- I’m trying to give them some variety still, and I’m changing the amounts I give to more of the leafy greens vs the veg (peppers/cucumber) - I believe that’s what it should be.
- Basically the cilantro (coriander) and red/green lettuce is new for them so I’ll see how they get on but I didn’t want to add too many new foods at once. Maybe I’ll try some different herbs in the future.
- They’ve had parsley before and like it, I only added it once a week here as I’m unsure how often they should have it in a week.
- Ive put spring greens twice a week for now, let me know if that’s ok, I won’t give too much.
- They are still going to have carrot but only once a week and a small amount, and apple once but again a very small chunk each.
- Kale I’ve put once a week as again I’m unsure how often they should have it in a week.

I’ve also reduce their daily pellet intake.

Let me know what needs improving and if I’ve done ok so far

 

[Piggies&buns]

High calcium/oxalate items - so kale, parsley, spring greens - should only be once a week. I personally would not feed all three of them in a week. So if they have kale in a week then I wouldn’t give parsley or spring greens at all that week. If they have parsley in the week so wouldn’t give kale or a spring greens as all etc.
In terms if quantities of high calcium items, it would be no more than two sprigs of parsley. No more than a one inch strip of spring greens and no more than a couple of leaves of shredded kale.

I only give my lot veggies I eat. The only thing I buy specifically for them is the coriander. That way nothing is wasted.
So if I buy spring greens and give them to the piggies and bunnies then we will eat the rest of it as they will only have it once in a week.
The only veggies I give mine routinely and daily are lettuce, coriander, bell pepper and cucumber. Any other items are only in rotation and only bought because we want it that week.

 

[lovelly22]

Ok that’s fine I understandI’ll adapt my weekly schedule and just give the kale/spring greens/parsley as and when I have it. The cucumber/peppers/parsley/lettuce/coriander can be the main food. Thanks

 

[Posyrose]

Ok that’s fine I understandI’ll adapt my weekly schedule and just give the kale/spring greens/parsley as and when I have it. The cucumber/peppers/parsley/lettuce/coriander can be the main food. Thanks

It's so complicated isn't it, but you've got a good plan there now.

I just wanted to point out that you've got parsley on both lists; it should be on the occasional foods list.

 

[lovelly22]

It's so complicated isn't it, but you've got a good plan there now.

I just wanted to point out that you've got parsley on both lists; it should be on the occasional foods list.

It really is, there so many different opinions out there, websites and YouTube videos and it’s really hard to know what’s correct and not! I’ve heard one website say a certain veg can be given a couple times a week and someone else say no it should be once a week at most, it’s so complicated. I’m always trying to learn the correct information but I feel like I changes oftenBut yes I did make an error in adding parsley in the main list whoops

 

[fluffysal]

I get my forage and use the piggy parcels pellets too. I'm mostly good at sticking to the list except that my boys LOVE green beans and do get one most days.

 

[Posyrose]

The guidance on guinea pig care changes all the time, but you're in the right place, the knowledge and experience of members and mods is amazing.