Chocolate drops

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dangerman

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Went into my local asda last night to pick up some fresh veg and noticed they were selling chocolate drops for 'small animals' apparently suitable for guinea pigs.

It was always my understanding that chocolate was a no go for pigs am I right in thinking that?

If so how do they get away with sellIng stuff like that?

Just wondered what everyone else's view on it was?
 
Its not actual chocolate, if you eat them its very powdery (yes i've tried as I was bought them but I never fed them to my pigs)

They get away with it as unfortunately there is a demand for "treats" and play on peoples ignorance that think they are ok for them as they are sold in pet shops. If the ingredients are listed its normally sugar in the top 3.

was this company who makes them called "Rotastak"?
 
DizzyDinosaur said:
was this company who makes them called "Rotastak"?
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Yes in a small red bag aroud 50p.

I just don't get it, I mean if they are bad (dangerous?) for animals why sell them?

The package is very misleading as they quite clearly not suitable.
 
Actually, i have bought these and the wilkinsons brand for my pigs and give one or 2 occasionally as a treat and always have done, its not done them any harm, so long as you don't sit there and feed them the whole packet or give them every day you should be fine, it says to give up to 5 a day as a treat, i personally think that is a bit excessive but a couple now and then is fine.
 
dangerman said:
Yes in a small red bag aroud 50p.

I just don't get it, I mean if they are bad (dangerous?) for animals why sell them?

The package is very misleading as they quite clearly not suitable.
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They are safe, as already mentioned they aren't actually chocolate, the question is do you really want to be feeding your animals crap? Unfortunately such companies rely on the naivety of their customers to sell these products. I personally avoid all commercial "treats" with my guys.

If I want to give my pigs a treat, they get a strawberry or a cherry, something they don't get often due to the sugar content, but something that has goodness (ie vits and such) at the same time.
 
Rotastak chocolate and dog chocolate and everything like that tastes revolting! Animal yoghurt drops actually taste ok though. Bonio are also foul ... not that I taste my animals food before giving it to them of course
 
I know I'm going off topic but gotta say the egg biscuits taste nice! Me and me mum had a little nibble :))
 
I wouldn't worry too much about the choco drops, they aren't chocolate and would only give as a treat. Perhaps a drop or 2 a week? I doubt it would do so much harm. Everything in moderation is what you need to think about, too much of anything is bad and yes a better option would be a piece of fruit or their favourite veggie but in the end a little choco drop wouldn'd do any damage.

We humans like to get treated (especially when your working hard on a diet :red and end up getting a huge burger and think... this is my last one!)

In the end, owners preference.. long as you don't give too much.
 
My guinea pigs do have chocolate drops mainly becuase it's a treat, but thats all I'm not sitting there stuffing them with one, they get weighed weekly and if they sit nicely while they're weighed they get one, by keeping them a rare treat it teaches the piggies to know its something to work for meaning you can use it for behaviour, they don't get out untill they get a treat now !

I try to treat chocolate drops like one drop is a whole mc donalds meal for a piggy not very good but a nice tasty treat !

i guess it's all down to personal opinion, they are "Safe" for small animals just not healthy.
 
twiams said:
My guinea pigs do have chocolate drops mainly becuase it's a treat, but thats all I'm not sitting there stuffing them with one, they get weighed weekly and if they sit nicely while they're weighed they get one, by keeping them a rare treat it teaches the piggies to know its something to work for meaning you can use it for behaviour, they don't get out untill they get a treat now !

I try to treat chocolate drops like one drop is a whole mc donalds meal for a piggy not very good but a nice tasty treat !

i guess it's all down to personal opinion, they are "Safe" for small animals just not healthy.
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I totally agree :) Behaviour is something I forgot about! It may help perhaps with medicine too? It could positively reinforce a good behaviour and perhaps condition your piggie into doing a particular behaviour that is of favour and thus piggie gets reward. Worked so well with my budgies!
 
i treat my piggies like little kids anyways, talking to them like if your good you can have sweeties ! (aka choco drops) but it is a rare treat, i do stick to healthier stuff mainly but everyone loves to indulge right ?!
 
I've given mine choc and yoghurt drops before, although I only give them a couple each, and they only get them about once a month (mainly because I forget to give them to them haha)

It's the same with some P@H treats though, they have some sort of 'animal dereritive' in =/ they still sell it, and people stull buy them, Because their squigs like, even though it isn't the best for them.
 
My piggies get one or two a week. They've been having them for years so I seriously doubt they can do much harm. Like with humans it is everything in moderation. Responsible owners will know when enough is enough with feeding.

Amy
x
 
The thing I don't like about these choc/yoghurt drops is that a lot of them contain milk. Apart from the milk they have when they are babies (and the occasional recycled poop!) they shouldn't really have any other form of animal derivative.

Veggie treats are a better alternative and nothing beats watching a pig get tomato seeds slathered all round their chops! drool
 
My boys dont like choc/yoghurt drops, my rabbit and hamster on the other hand would chew your hand off for one :))

I usually get the rotask ones because they are teeny tiny
 
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