Can I Get Away With Not Giving My Piggies Pellets

Status
Not open for further replies.
madguinealady

madguinealady

Senior Guinea Pig
Joined
Aug 27, 2013
Messages
6,943
Reaction score
4,600
Points
1,325
Location
cumbria
my piggies used to leave white marks on their fleeces.They haven't had pellets for a few days and no white marks.They get unlimited hay and a variety of veg (celery,cucumber,sweet pepper,broccoli,green beans,lettuce,occasional carrot and apple.They are all fine and healthy.Can I just use what I would spend on pellets for different hay
 
Pellets aren't essential, and could get away without them, providing they have all the other regular foods. I like to give them their nuggets to check they're getting the full nutrients.
 
You may want to up the fibrous food you are feeding if you leave pellets out, but it can (and is done) in places like Germany. Please also slightly up the vitamin C you are giving, as pellets usually contain it.
I only give about 10g of pellets per piggy per day, even to my babies, who are still growing perfectly well, but I compensate by usually feeding two fairly high vitamin C veg.
 
what is the difference between pellets and nuggets? i have switched to what i think are pellets (Oxbox), from Burgess (nuggets?) to minimize alfalfa which is the main source of 'fibre' for Burgess, which i now feed as a treat, i.e. occasionally and in very limited amounts. the oxbow pellets are being consumed at a less speedy rate for sure...
 
Steffie said:
what is the difference between pellets and nuggets? i have switched to what i think are pellets (Oxbox), from Burgess (nuggets?) to minimize alfalfa which is the main source of 'fibre' for Burgess, which i now feed as a treat, i.e. occasionally and in very limited amounts. the oxbow pellets are being consumed at a less speedy rate for sure...
Click to expand...

There is no difference apart from what you call them. ;)
 
ok! but there is a difference between oxbow and burgess, right? i mean, in terms of fibre v. legume, and low v. higher calcium (which is why i switched)...
 
@madguinealady: are you also looking into 'hay for pets', which seem to offer a nice variety, which i am tempted by, i.e. the Ings hay -never heard of it -i am sure it would make my horse happy too, though too expensive for him!
 
There is a difference in the composition of the ingredients, but they can both be called pellet food as opposed to muesli/dry mix.
 
Wiebke said:
You may want to up the fibrous food you are feeding if you leave pellets out, but it can (and is done) in places like Germany. Please also slightly up the vitamin C you are giving, as pellets usually contain it.
I only give about 10g of pellets per piggy per day, even to my babies, who are still growing perfectly well, but I compensate by usually feeding two fairly high vitamin C veg.
Click to expand...
They already get unlimited meadow hay and sweet pepper every day.What other veg has low calcium, high vit c? Is more fibrous food just different hay?
 
You can also research for other green forage to be included.

Unfortunately, all other high vitamin C veg is also high in calcium. A small strip of spring greens would be best; it also contains magnesium, which can only be found in higher calcium veg.
 
Oxbow Adult Guinea Pig Food is timothy hay based (0.35-0.85% calcium). Burgess Excel Nuggets have lucerne (a.k.a alfalfa) as the fourth major ingredient (0.9% calcium). That's not to mention maize (a.k.a as the second major ingredient! Not good. Oxbow is the better option.

As Weibke said, if you really want to take them off pellets, you will need to give them a LOT of vegetables high in vitamin C in addition to their hay every day. They need between 10-30mg per day. Ill guinea pigs need up to 50mg per day. You could also find some human vitamin C tablets with a low concentration of vitamin C to supplement their diet. Make sure you look on the back of the bottle and check that it only includes 100% vitamin C. I think 100mg is the lowest you an get, so you would give 1/4 tablet per day.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top