Ok so the manager at are petstore said that alfalfa hay can kill baby Guinea pigs because it makes their bones grow to fast. But I thought alfalfa was good for baby's and my pregnant Guinea pig so is she right or I'm just confused with the whole thing!
Alfalfa Hay
- Thread starter Jett
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Hi Jett
Welcome to the forum. Are you on about feeding the pregnant piggy Alfalfa or the baby?
Welcome to the forum. Are you on about feeding the pregnant piggy Alfalfa or the baby?
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Hi!
Alfalfa/lucerne is not grass hay (which should make around 80% of the daily diet); it is a legume that is much higher in protein, calcium and calories and that is being used widely in animal feed to promote fast growth in young farm animals. Alfalfa should not be fed to guinea pigs, except in very small quantities (as recommended in our pregnancy diet) to pregnant sows and nursing babies as a supplement to their normal diet. The actual extra amount needed is very small and it is mostly there to help bolster mum's own bodily reserves and to prevent malnutrional issues, even more so when she herself is still a growing youngster or it is not her first pregnancy, or if the normal diet has not been ideal.
With mum being on a good general diet with a wide range of nutrients, the addition of alfalfa is not vital. My Tesni was in superb state when I adopted her. Her pregnancy at the rescue was due to a supposedly safe over 5 weeks post neutering op boar catching her out about as late as it can happen, and she did not show at all. She had no issues whatsoever without any extra alfalfa. I put in a wreath after the birth, but it was only sparsely used by her, so her need can't have been large. Baby Tegan thrived as much as a baby can anyway having the benefit of all of her mum's milk.
Unfortunately, this recommendation for alfalfa has got into the wider online "knowledge" and some people have run away with it, thinking by totally overdoing it they are being supermums with others then repeating it and pushing the limits even further. This has of course created its own demand by now for specially formulated "young guinea pig pellets" etc...
It is much better to not overdo alfalfa hay at any stage and to not have it in a guinea pig's life unless absolutely necessary. In my own experience with my own surprise babies and the rescue born babies that I have adopted once they were weaned and old enough to come here, they don't really need much of it after the end of the nursing period. They have thrived just the same on a normal adult group diet with just a bit more pellets (but only a little bit more) until they were about 3-4 months old. They haven't grown quite as fast, but for longer and are all a very good adult weight and "heft" (size/weight ratio) for which I often get a big compliment from my vets. Tegan is now 5 years old and still going strong, so it hasn't hurt her any!
Does that help you?
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RavenRed
Junior Guinea Pig
I'm glad I saw this post, I did buy Alfalfa hay for my two, but they were 6 months old when we got them.
I fed them it now and again, and they seemed to love it, but the bag has lasted way longer than the "recommendation" on the side.
I was thinking of getting more for our pending piggies, but they are also about 6 months, so I may not bother this time around.
I fed them it now and again, and they seemed to love it, but the bag has lasted way longer than the "recommendation" on the side.
I was thinking of getting more for our pending piggies, but they are also about 6 months, so I may not bother this time around.
Hi!
You also may find the recommendations in our diet guide helpful:
https://www.theguineapigforum.co.uk/threads/pregnancy-and-nursing-diet.109377/
Recommendations For A Balanced General Guinea Pig Diet
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