6 Piggies - How do I know they are all getting enough?

[Claire K]

Hi, I have recently bonded 6 of my girls and they are all living happily together - lots of popcorning and kissing !!

The question I have, is that when they were living in pairs, I would weigh out their food, put it into 2 bowls per pair and sit and watch them all eat. It was very easy to make sure that each of my girlies was eating everything in their bowl and therefore their calcium/Phosphorus balance was fine.

Now that 6 of them are living together, its one massive bundle for the food, piggies sitting in the middle of the huge plate and generally pigs everywhere tucking in nicely. I have tried seperate bowls but it makes no difference as they still eat from wherever there is a space!

How do i know that each piggy is getting a bit of everything and therefore having the correct balance or do i just have to hope? The foods on the plate are foods that all 6 pigs like so none of them would leave a particular veg which makes things easier but still dont know if they are balanced sufficiently!

Any ideas guys ?

 

[Sarah from Chucklebunnies]

Hello. I get the same thing with my five, especially now that the eldest (Carmina) is slowly losing her sight and is slow to come forward for food as a result. I have found that it is more even in food intake if you cut the food into pieces and give them one each - though this doesn't always work as they tend to want the bit someone else is eating as obviously it's nicer!

I have fed food that I want to get to a certain piggie separately, during a cuddle away from the others. In general I just have to accept that they will all have some, but the bossy ones will get more of the ones they like than the others, and watch for calcium heavy (white drying) wees. Having a group does mean that they will try out all the foods, what one piggie eats the others will nibble too and they have to have a few goes at foods to get to like them just like children. So it does work out very well from the point of view of eating a wide range of fruit and veg.

You can also spread the food out widely, but personally I love it when they all come surging towards you like a small furry horde - tearing into a chunk of lettuce or whatever it is!

 

[Little Piggles]

I try and cut up the veggies for my four into smallish pieces. I try to give them mostly leaves at tea-time and then crunchy treats an hour or so later.

I never used to bother too much, but Boris loves carrots and the girls don't like them so much. So I was a little worried that by the time he'd finished eating the carrot, all the leafy bits would be gone and he'd end up with not alot for his tea

 

[BonBon2010]

I give mine Pets at home Nuggets.. they love it and will turn their nose up at Gerty Guinea pig muesli

 

[Gems]

I think it is difficult to make sure they're all getting a bit of everything, but I suppose in their normal habitat the head piggies would get more then the lower ones so it's probably natural.

Most of my piggies will happily eat everything you give them but Athena has her favourites so will go for those first, by which time some of the other things may be gone. If I have a poorly piggie then like Sarah I will feed them extra during cuddle time. I also weigh my piggies once a week so you could if you don't already it's a good idea to do that so you can monitor any significant weight loss or gain x

 

[Wiebke]

I cut up my food into small chunks, so every piggy has a good chance at getting at their favourite bits. I admit that in a big group, the greedy pigs do get a bit more, but as long as none of my undersows is losing weight, I am not bothered. Special treats I give directly to each piggy and make sure that the mugged ones get another piece.

However, I would feed a slow eating/ill piggy separately to make sure that it gets enough food and has the leisure to eat it.